He had been there in that event hall, meant to present her with the award.


    That day, she missed the chance to meet him.


    And him...


    Had hee just for her?


    Jonathan saw the storm of emotions flickering in Anneliese''s eyes-regret, shock, guilt, heartache...


    Her gaze shimmered with all thatplicated feeling, but he only offered a gentle, reassuring smile and squeezed her hand infort.


    Justin, of course, didn''t notice the shift between them and kept talking.


    He kept on talking, "Did you two end up meetingter on? Is that how you first got to know each other? If so, the College of Aerospace should really get the credit for ying matchmaker between Mr. Fullbuster and Anne!"


    Jonathan looked over at Dean Baltimore and smiled, denying it. "Anne and I actually met even earlier than that."


    Justin grew even more curious, but Jonathan clearly didn''t want to keep talking about it.


    He wrapped things up. "You''ll be involved in thepetition yourself, right, Dean Baltimore? So we won''t walk over with you, just to avoid any misunderstanding."


    Justin finally remembered his own duties and sensed the couple still had things to say to each other. He nodded, shook Jonathan''s hand, offered a few words of encouragement to Anneliese, and left.


    Anneliese immediately hugged Jonathan and looked up at him.


    "You never told me we missed each other that day..."


    A sh of sadness crossed Jonathan''s eyes, but it vanished in an instant. He smiled.


    "There''s no point bringing it up."


    He never would have said anything at all if Justin hadn''t let it slip...


    He hadn''t wanted Anneliese to feel any guilt or feel like she owed him something.


    But Anneliese had caught that fleeting sadness. Her heart clenched, and she gripped his hand.


    "Did you... Were you really there just to see me? Did you know I wasn''t really sick that day, that I was-?"


    Jonathan had indeede for her. He''d even been the one who suggested the Fullbuster Group set up the Soaring Schrship at Oceaton University, all because she''d gotten into the College of Aerospace.


    He wanted to check on her himself, to see if she remembered him.


    Back then he''de to Oceaton


    three days early. He prepared a cake and a small gift and waited


    anxiously in the event hall, only for


    her not to show up.  fo


    When he heard she was sick, he left before the ceremony ended. He even asked his assistant to check the medical office.


    But she wasn''t there. He learned no one named Anneliese had gone for an IV that day.


    Worried something had happened, he sent his assistant to check and finally learned she''d gone to help Zacharias.


    That same day, he left Oceaton and Lunasia.


    "Didn''t you say earlier I can''t dwell the past? You''ve got apetition focus


    to talk about this


    when we''re home, okay?" Jonathan said, gently patting her back.


    Even though he didn''t say anything, Anneliese understood he hade just for


    her, and he''d known where she went that day.


    She couldn''t even imagine how disappointed he must have felt not seeing her.


    If she was feeling regretful and guilty now, he must have felt just as disappointed back then.


    Anneliese''s big, round eyes went misty as she hugged Jonathan tight.


    "I''m sorry..."


    She had been so foolish, missing out on a good man for someone like Zacharias.


    She even hurt Jonathan all those years ago, without realizing it...


    Jonathan held her close and kissed the top of her head. "It''s fine, you were so young back then. Even if we''d met, you might have just thought of me as your "brother Now everything''s perfect t worked out as it should."


    Back then, he''de to see her with the mindset of a brother.


    If they had met, maybe their rtionship really would have ended up as nothing


    more than a purely tonic rtionship.


    First impressions really did matter.


    So Jonathan truly had no regrets.


    He never cared about her past—only her present and future.


    Anneliese understood, but she still felt a pang of sadness and regret.


    She lifted her head. "Who says so? I know that no matter the time or ce, I will always fall for you."


    He was so handsome and wonderful. She fell in love with him all over again every day, and nothing could ever change that.


    At her words, something darkened in Jonathan''s eyes. His arm tightened around her, as if he could never get close enough.