Back to the Past: Setting Him Free

I let out a sigh, went to the school to secure my recommendation for direct admission, then headed home.

Sebastian's parents had already prepared a table full of food. When June Tucker, Sebastian's mother, saw me walk in, she happily grabbed my hands.

"Sia, you're back already? Got your marriage certificate that fast? Where's Sebastian? Why didn't he come home with you?"

"He had some work come up at the office, Mrs. Pena. He had to go take care of it," I answered.

She frowned, clearly displeased. "That boy, today's such an important day, and he still can't put work aside."

Sebastian's father, Callum Pena, just laughed. "Being career-focused isn't a bad thing. They're married now anyway. A family dinner can happen any time."

June muttered under her breath, obviously unhappy.

Watching this warm, familiar scene unfold in front of me, my eyes stung with emotion.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pena, Sebastian and I didn't get the certificate. I've completed my paperwork for studying abroad. I'm planning to leave in a few days," I said.

June looked stunned.

"What do you mean you didn't get the certificate? Did Sebastian bully you? He's all talk, but deep down, he cares about you a lot, you know.

"We've seen how you stayed by his side, studying psychology all on your own just to help him through his hard times. Your feelings for him were always real.

"You two love each other. Of course, you should be together! Besides, you know better than anyone that Gillian is no good. We can't just sit back and let her get her way!"

Callum quickly chimed in, "Sebastian's just stubborn. Once you marry him, he'll come around eventually."

Their words sounded all too familiar. They had said the same things once before.

But in the end, forcing things only led to regret for all of us.

I gently grabbed June's hand and said softly, "Please don't get upset. Let me explain first. As much as I hate to admit it, you can't force love. Sebastian… he never really loved me.

"Last night, I had a dream. In it, Sebastian and I got married, but he refused to come home to me. He buried himself in work at the office, day after day, until he gave himself stomach ulcers.

"Even when I brought him soup to help him heal, he wouldn't touch it. He wouldn't let me take care of him.

"He said that being with me brought him more pain than happiness. And when he was 30, he died saving me from a runaway truck."

As I spoke, my chest tightened so much it felt hard to breathe.

June froze. "But… but it was just a dream, Sia. Sebastian would never—"

I sniffed and forced a smile onto my face.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pena, maybe dreams are a kind of warning. Maybe it's fate telling me that it's okay if he doesn't marry me. It's okay if we're not meant to be husband and wife.

"I just want him to live a long, happy life. The signs were always there. Sebastian loved music, and he hated the business world. He despised having his path chosen for him.

"If he hadn't injured his hand back then, he never would have gone into business. And if it weren't for family pressure, he never would have agreed to marry me.

"The root of it all… it was me. I was the mistake, and I don't want to keep making the same mistake again.

"I've already finalized my plans to study abroad, and I'll always remember your kindness. I promise, I'll still take care of you in the future."

June wiped at her eyes when she thought I wasn't looking. "You're a good kid. It's Sebastian's loss not to have you."

I pulled her into a hug. My own eyes had reddened, but I kept smiling anyway.

"It's okay. If I can't be your daughter-in-law, I'll just be your daughter. I'll still take care of you both, no matter what," I whispered.

Finally, Sebastian's parents managed a watery smile, and in the end, they agreed to let me go.

I thought about the second wish Sebastian had written in his journal. Maybe for now, this counted as fulfilling it.

The time machine would only let me stay here for 36 hours. And now, I had just one last regret left to fix. Would I be able to do it?

As night fell, I made my way alone to the observatory.

It was the perfect place to watch the meteor shower. I leaned against the railing, unable to stop a faint sense of anticipation from blooming inside me.