Natasha gazed at Kenneth, momentarily at a loss for words.
I can't believe he has finally remembered everything after all these years. But how can this be?
She still found it hard to believe.
Seeming to sense her doubt, he said, “What's the matter? Don't you want me to recall the past?”
Natasha continued to stare at him. Although he claimed to have regained his memories, she still felt a sense of unfamiliarity. “No, it's not that. I'm just a little surprised. Have you—”
Here, Kenneth leaned in suddenly and whispered in her ear, “You're so beautiful, Nat. When you grow up, I'll marry you. Okay? Then, we'll travel around the globe together and eat all the delicious food. What do you say?”
When she heard his voice say those familiar words close to her ear, she thought for a split second that she had been transported back to her childhood.
Under a blue sky dotted with white clouds, a young Kenneth had gazed at her just like he was doing so now and uttered the same promises.
At that moment, she felt a tingling sensation as though an electric current was coursing through her body, and she looked at him with an indescribable mix of emotions.
“What's wrong? Aren't you happy that I remember everything?” he pressed.
She shook her head. “It's not that...”
Before she could say anything, he fixed his gaze on her and asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, “Or perhaps you're afraid of what I've recalled?”
She gave him a puzzled look. “What would I be afraid of?”
“You're afraid I'll find out you married me because you have feelings for me...” Kenneth replied, enunciating every word. His voice was deep and husky, and it exuded an inexplicable charm.
Natasha's long eyelashes fluttered slightly as she gaped at him, utterly stunned again.
“Isn't that right, Nat?” His lips curved into a sudden smile, and there was even an unexplainable warm and gentle expression on his face.
“No!” She shook her head, denying it.
“No? However, someone told me you like me, and you have for a long time at that. That's why you got married to me. Are you still planning on denying it?” He narrowed his eyes as he continued to study her carefully. His voice was magnetic, causing her heart to waver.
Then, he smirked as though he had gained an advantage over her.
“Who told you that?” Natasha enquired.
“Does it matter?”
“Of course! If you don't have a witness, then you're just spouting nonsense.” She maintained a steady tone as she spoke, sounding neither meek nor condescending.
“And what if I do?”
“Then get whoever it is here so I can confront them in person.”
“Confront, you say? What need is there for a confrontation? Why would you have married me back then if you didn't have feelings for me?” he countered. That's clearly the best proof, and there's no need to prove anything else.
She did not know what to say as she stared at him. Indeed, it wouldn't really make sense to say that I had no feelings for him.
After pondering for a moment, she decided to be frank. There's no shame in admitting I had feelings for the young Kenneth. Until now, I still think of him and that boy as two different people.
“Even if that's the case, so what? My feelings changed after that,” she said.
A jumble of emotions flashed in Kenneth's eyes when he heard that. Dropping his roguish air, he gazed at Natasha. “I did feel that I did the wrong things and behaved like a jerk back when I first fell for you, but only now do I realize the extent of how ridiculous my actions were. The regret I feel now is as deep as my love for you previously. How could I have done those things to you? How could I have had the heart to hurt you even in the slightest at the time? However, I'm back, Nat. I'm really back. Give me one more chance, okay? Let me make it up to you. I'll atone for the broken promises. I promise I'll never let you suffer any more harm or injustice. Okay?”
When Natasha saw how sincere he was, memories from her childhood replayed in her mind.
“Can I be friends with you, Nat?”
“Nat, this is for you. My parents gave it to me, but I want you to have it!”
“Does it taste good, Nat? I brought all these for you. See which ones you like, and I'll buy them again for you next time.”
“What's wrong, Nat? Do you miss your parents? That's all right. You have me to keep you company in the future. I'll never leave you and stay by your side always!”
“You're so beautiful, Nat. When you grow up, I'll marry you. Okay? Then, we'll travel around the globe together and eat all the delicious food. What do you say?”
“It's dangerous, Nat! Hurry up and leave! Quick, run!”
Then, a fire had taken away the boy who only had eyes for her.
Even now, I can still recall the look in his eyes when he last gazed at me. It was so dangerous, yet he protected me without regard for his safety.
That thought jolted Natasha back to her senses. As she stared at the man in front of her, his gaze gradually overlapped with the one from her memories.
At that moment, she felt as though the boy who only had eyes for her had returned.
A tear slid down her cheek without her knowing why.
Then, the corners of her lips curved upward.
Kenneth frowned, his heart aching to see her cry. He reached out to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes and asked hesitantly, “What is it? Did I say something wrong?”
He had never seen her cry, so he could not help feeling panicked. “All right. I won't force you, okay? It doesn't matter if you don't forgive me—”
When Natasha stretched out her arms and hugged him without saying a word, Kenneth was dumbfounded.
The way she held him tightly was just like how she used to hug the boy.
It was a long-overdue hug, and she finally got to do it.
Meanwhile, his furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and a smile spread across his lips.
Then, he opened his arms wide and embraced her.
The pair hugged for a long time.
Neither knew how much time had passed before Natasha finally let go of him.
Kenneth rested his gaze on her as he wiped her tears, feeling a sense of joy as though he had just recovered a lost treasure.
“I'm glad you're fine, Nat.”
She looked up at him and asked, “Are you talking about now or when we were little?”
“Regardless of whether it's back then or now, I'm glad you're fine,” he replied with a smile.
Her lips also curved into a smile. “Thank you.”
Kenneth knew something was different about that “thank you” from the ones before.
“Why are you thanking me?” he asked.
“Thank you for remembering. Thank you for returning the boy who only had eyes for me...” Although she was smiling as she looked at him, tears ran down her face.
His chest tightened at those words.
The next second, he reached out suddenly and placed his hands behind her head. Then, he moved forward and kissed her on the lips.
Upon feeling the warmth of his lips on hers, she closed her eyes. This time, she did not resist but allowed him to plunder her mouth to his heart's content.
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