The Irony of Fate

"Are you Ms. Lee?" Avery Miller faintly remembered, as a child, eagerly following Derek Mason around, bouncing up and down, begging the elderly lady known as Ms. Lee for sweet rice cakes. 

The fondness on the caretaker's face deepened, her eyes brimming with tender affection. "Oh, Ms. Miller still remembers this old lady!" Ms. Lee exclaimed, slapping her thigh as if she had won some grand prize, her face breaking into a wide, joyful smile.

Avery Miller smiled warmly back at her, and the two of them chatted away in the room for quite a while until Derek Mason entered. "Avery, you're awake." 

His face was alight with joy and excitement. To Avery Miller, seeing him felt like reuniting with an old friend after centuries apart, unlocking a floodgate of deep-seated, unspoken thoughts and emotions.