the truth(19)

(The sun is setting, casting a golden-orange glow over the park. The air is crisp, and a gentle breeze rustles the leaves. Michael, Emily, Alex, Marie, and Ethan are sitting on their usual bench, chatting idly.)

Alex:

"Man, the weather today is actually perfect. Imagine going on a date in this kind of atmosphere."

(Emily, casually sipping on a drink, suddenly chokes and coughs violently, her face turning red. The others turn to her, amused.)

Ethan (grinning):

"Whoa, Emily, you good? Did Alex just say something scandalous?"

Emily (glaring, still coughing):

"Shut up, Ethan!"

(Michael watches her, smirking. He leans forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand.)

Michael:

"You know, speaking of dates… Emily, what do you think about going on one? With me?"

(Silence. The world seems to stop. Emily freezes, her face slowly turning an impossible shade of red. The others exchange glances, barely holding in their laughter.)

Emily (stammering):

"W-What?! A-A DATE?!"

Michael (grinning):

"Yep. A date. You and me. Sounds fun, right?"

(Emily's hands grip her drink tightly. She looks around, desperate for an escape, but the group is watching her like a pack of wolves. Alex smirks, crossing his arms.)

Alex:

"Oh, this is golden. The great Emily, reduced to a stuttering mess."

Ethan (mock gasping):

"Is that…? Could it be? Emily is actually BLUSHING?!"

Marie (giggling):

"She's practically a tomato at this point."

Emily (groaning, covering her face):

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"

Michael (laughing):

"Aww, come on, Emily. Just say yes already."

(Emily peeks through her fingers, her face still burning.)

Emily (muttering):

"Fine… we can go on a date."

(The group erupts into cheers and teasing laughter.)

Ethan (grinning):

"Oh man, this is a historic moment. Someone write this down!"

Alex:

"No backing out now, Emily. You're stuck with Michael."

Emily:

"I HATE ALL OF YOU!"

(Michael just chuckles, clearly enjoying every second of this. He stands up and stretches.)

Michael:

"Well, guess I should start planning something special. Be ready, Emily."

(Emily groans again, but despite her embarrassment, there's a small, shy smile on her face.)

(The evening arrives, and Michael and Emily find themselves at a charming, cozy restaurant. The place has a warm glow, with small lanterns hanging from the ceiling, casting a soft light over the wooden tables. The scent of fresh food lingers in the air, creating the perfect atmosphere.)

(Emily fidgets slightly in her seat, still looking flustered. Michael, on the other hand, looks completely at ease, leaning back with his usual confident smirk.)

Michael:

"You look nervous, Emily. Am I that intimidating?"

Emily (grumbling):

"I just… I don't usually do this kind of thing."

Michael (teasing):

"What, go on dates? Or go on dates with me?"

Emily (blushing harder):

"SHUT UP!"

(Michael just laughs, clearly enjoying himself. They order their food, and as they eat, the initial awkwardness fades. Their conversation becomes natural, flowing between jokes, memories, and playful teasing.)

(At some point, Michael leans in slightly, watching Emily with a small smile.)

Michael:

"You know, Emily… I really like being with you. There's really no better time than this."

(Emily blinks, her heart skipping a beat. Her face heats up again, and she looks down at her drink, gripping it tightly.)

(For a moment, she almost says something. Almost.)

Emily (blushing furiously):

"N-No… nothing!"

Michael (grinning):

"Ohhh? What were you about to say? C'mon, don't leave me hanging."

Emily (flustered):

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Let's just leave!"

(Michael bursts out laughing but stands up anyway, offering his hand.)

Michael:

"Alright, alright. Let's go."

(As they walk out together, Emily's heart still races, but a small, warm smile lingers on her lips.)

(The warmth of the date fades. The flickering lanterns vanish. The cozy restaurant is gone. The laughter and happiness are replaced with cold stone walls and the eerie glow of dungeon firelight.)

(Dakota sits near the fire, watching as Liam, Mia, Lucas, and now Ava sit with dazed expressions, gripping their heads as if trying to force a memory out of their minds.)

Ava (blinking, her heart strangely warm):

"I… I also get this familiar feeling. But… my heart is warm. I really just enjoy seeing this moment right here."

Liam (nodding slowly):

"Yeah… When I watched those moments, I also really enjoyed them. It warmed my heart."

Mia:

"Even though these memories feel… annoying, like they're just out of reach… it still feels good to see them."

Lucas (grinning faintly):

"It's weird, but… I don't really mind it."

(Dakota watches them all, his expression unreadable. But deep down, he knows exactly what's happening. He leans back, staring into the fire.)

Dakota (thinking):

"Ah, so she still enjoys it, huh? Well, let's hope she doesn't get too mad at me when her memories get fully back… or else I'm going to be in trouble."

(The fire crackles, and the moment lingers. The past is slowly creeping back, piece by piece. But this is only the beginning.)

Dakota: "this is such a cute moment huh."

Ava: "hm? A cute moment? Wait Dakota are you telling me that you're still in love with Emily?"

Dakota: "well not really? I don't know, I don't think I'm still in love with her after all this time."

Ava poutes and says.

Ava: "wow so you like those kind of girls huh... Mh I'm kind of jealous, a girl that managed to capture Dakota's heart. Must have been a special girl.*

Dakota thinking: wait did she just say she was jealous? Wow she's really jealous of herself, I mean she doesn't know that but it's still pretty funny.

Dakota let's out a little laugh, and ava notices it and looks at Dakota.

Ava: "what's so funny? Is me being jealous that funny to you."

Dakota: "yes it is actually, everything is funny to me."

Ava: "even in the past and now you haven't changed at all, 40 years and yous still haven't changed."

Dakota: "... What did I say about not saying my actual age, god damn you."

The group Burst into laughter.