Oliver spent the entire day stealing glances at Yui.
Sometimes the teacher scolded him for not paying attention, and the class laughed quietly, but Oliver didn't care. Whenever Yui noticed him looking, she simply smiled—softly, kindly—and every time she did, Oliver felt his chest grow lighter, as if some invisible chain had been removed.
He felt free today.
Free from fear, free from the past, free to move forward.
Before he realized it, the school day had come to an end. Chairs moved, bags were picked up, and students began leaving the classroom. Oliver was about to leave as well when Yui suddenly walked up to him.
Her hands were behind her back, and she leaned forward slightly, looking directly into his eyes.
"So, shall we go?" she said.
Oliver immediately blushed.
"S-so… I mean, yeah… b-but where shall we go?"
Yui placed a finger on her lips and whispered, "That's a secret."
Oliver froze, not knowing what to do. He just stood there awkwardly until Yui stared at him for a moment, then suddenly grabbed his hand and started walking.
"Come on, don't just stand like a scarecrow. Come," she said, pulling him along.
Oliver's heart began beating so fast he could hear it in his ears.
Yui was holding his hand.
He could feel the warmth of her palm, the softness of her skin, the way her fingers gently squeezed his hand as they walked. Every small movement felt magnified to him. He didn't know what to say, what to think, or even how to breathe properly.
After a while, they reached a road, and Yui slowly let go of his hand. They continued walking side by side, but now the silence between them felt heavy and awkward. Oliver wanted to start a conversation, but his mind was completely blank.
Then Yui spoke first.
"So Oliver, what happened after that?"
"What?" Oliver asked.
"I mean after I transferred."
"Oh… about that. Well, I stayed in that school, and then in high school I came here."
"Oh," she nodded. "What about you, Yui?" Oliver asked.
"Oh, about me… my family got transferred to Berlin because of my dad's job. I wasn't sure it was a good idea, but I didn't oppose it because I was very scared back then due to… of course… what happened."
"Oh… sorry," Oliver said quietly.
Yui suddenly spoke loudly, almost angrily, "I said you don't have to apologize, okay?"
"Uhh… okay," Oliver replied awkwardly.
She looked at him for a moment, then smiled again.
Suddenly she said, "Oh, we arrived."
Oliver looked ahead. They were standing in front of an old park. The paint on the rides was faded, the swings slightly rusted, and there was no one there. The place looked forgotten, but peaceful.
Oliver just stood there looking around when Yui grabbed his hand again.
"Come on, not again. Come now," she said, pulling him inside.
They spent time riding the old swings and the small rotating ride. The swings creaked as they moved, but Yui laughed like a child, pushing herself higher and higher. Oliver pushed her once, and she laughed even louder, telling him not to push too hard. Then she made Oliver sit on the swing while she pushed him, and he felt embarrassed but also strangely happy.
For a while, they forgot everything—school, past, future—everything.
There was only laughter, wind, and the sound of old metal rides moving.
After some time, they sat down on a bench near the empty playground.
Yui looked at him and asked, "Oliver, do you have any younger or elder siblings?"
"N-no. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, well, I have a younger sister, and I like taking care of her so much."
"Oh, really?" Oliver said.
"Yeah. You know, I like being in the mother role. You won't believe it, but when my mother was pregnant with my younger sister, we were having some financial crisis."
Oliver listened carefully.
"And then my parents decided to go for an abortion."
Oliver was shocked. "What? Really?"
"Yeah. After that, I talked with them and said, 'I will become the mother for her. I will take full responsibility, so please let her be born.'"
Oliver looked at her with surprise and admiration.
"Oh… I didn't know that. So… you like being in the mother role?"
"Yeah, I like it," she said softly. "Well anyways, Oliver, what are your interests?"
"Umm… nothing in particular. I like… law, human behavior, and the medical field."
She laughed. "Oh, so you are a nerd then."
"No, I am not."
"Yes, you are," she laughed again.
Soon both of them were laughing together.
Then suddenly Yui asked, "Is there someone you like?"
Oliver's throat went dry.
His heart started beating fast again, just like before.
He calmed himself down and decided to be honest.
"Yeah… I like a lot of people. Like my parents, my new friends, my dog…"
Yui was about to say something when Oliver continued.
"But… there is a certain someone I love."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"And that certain someone is my everything."
Yui didn't say anything.
She froze in an awkward position, and her face slowly turned red.
After a few seconds, Oliver asked quietly, "What about you, Yui? Do you love someone?"
Yui stood up without answering immediately.
She walked a few steps away, then turned back toward Oliver.
"Yes," she said softly. "There is someone I love so much. But I will only confess if he stays on my side."
Then she smiled.
For a few moments, there was only silence.
Oliver felt like his whole body was burning. It felt as if his soul was about to leave his body.
Then Yui looked at her wristwatch.
"Oh, look at the time. It's so late. Okay Oliver, maybe I should go. Bye."
"Yeah… bye," Oliver said.
Yui walked away slowly, and Oliver stood there watching her until she disappeared from sight.
Only then did he finally take a deep breath.
His face was completely red, but he was smiling.
He was very happy.
Happier than he had ever been before.
He felt like everything in his life was finally going right.
But he didn't know
that this would be their last meeting.
Oliver stepped onto the quiet street and began walking toward his home. It was only a five-minute walk, a road he had walked hundreds of times before, yet today it felt different.
He was happy.
For the first time in years, he felt like his life was finally moving forward instead of being stuck in the past. He had friends now. He was no longer alone. The guilt that had once chained him felt lighter. And most importantly…
He was happy.
And Yui.
He kept thinking about her smile, her voice, the warmth of her hand.
Maybe… maybe she liked him too.
Lost in those thoughts, he finally reached his house. He opened the door and stepped inside.
"I am back, Mom," he called out.
From the kitchen, his mother's voice came, warm and cheerful.
"Welcome home, sweetie! Come to the table, your dad's home too."
Oliver walked toward the dining room.
His father was already sitting at the table. He looked like a proper gentleman, the kind of man people respected immediately. His black coat was neatly placed on a chair beside him, and he was holding a spoon in his right hand, calmly drinking soup. There was something very masculine and composed about him—like a man who understood the world and how it worked.
When he saw Oliver, he smiled widely.
"Heyyyy, my boy! Welcome home!"
Oliver smiled and greeted him, then sat on the chair across from him.
Oliver's relationship with his father was good. His father was a good man—wise, responsible, and hardworking. He provided for his family and rarely raised his voice. Conflicts between them were very rare, and Oliver respected him a lot.
A few moments later, Oliver's mother entered the room. She was an elegant woman; anyone could tell she came from a good family. Her face resembled Oliver's more than his father's. She carried a glass in her hand and placed it in front of Oliver with a gentle smile before returning to the kitchen.
Silence filled the room for a few moments. Then Oliver's father spoke.
"So, how's school?"
"Umm… good. Yeah, it's good. I am having a good time there," Oliver replied.
"Oh, good for you," his father said slowly. Then after a pause, he asked,
"Well, Oliver… what do you think about Russia?"
Oliver looked confused.
"Russia? You mean the Soviet Union?"
"Yes."
"W-why do you ask?"
His father took a deep breath before speaking.
"Well, as you know, currently in our country Germany, things aren't right. The Nazis are in power, and war can break out at any time."
Oliver looked at him carefully.
"So you are suggesting that because of the fear of war, we move to Russia?"
"Yes," his father replied. "I have connections there. A big businessman there is an old friend of mine. We can live there safely."
Oliver leaned back in his chair, looked at the ceiling, and then said slowly,
"If you would have said that two days ago, Father, I would have been ready in a second… but now it's not possible."
His father's expression suddenly hardened, anger flashing across his face, but he controlled himself and spoke calmly again.
"Listen. The Nazis have already broken agreements by capturing Czechoslovakia, and I am shocked that war hasn't broken out yet. This might be our last chance. Try to understand. You aren't a kid anymore—you can understand the situation."
"You have to understand, Father… I can't just leave everything behind."
"Why not? If I remember correctly, before entering high school you had no friends, and today was only your second day. You can't convince me that you got so close to people in such a short time."
"Please, Father… I can't."
Suddenly his father lost control and punched the table.
"WHY NOT?!"
Oliver flinched in fear.
But his father quickly calmed himself, took a deep breath, and spoke again in a calmer voice.
"Okay… okay. Let me understand the situation. Don't tell me… it's because of a girl."
Oliver didn't say anything. He simply stared down at the table.
His father slowly smiled.
"Okay… okay. That's my boy. Well listen, Oliver, tell me… is she Aryan?"
"Half Aryan."
"And?"
"Half Japanese."
His father took a deep breath.
"Do you seriously love her?"
Oliver looked up and answered without hesitation.
"With everything I have got."
His father looked at him quietly for a moment, then said,
"Listen, Oliver. It may feel like love, but it's probably nothing more than childhood attraction. Real love in two days is simply not poss—"
"Six years."
"What?"
"I love her from six years. We met in middle school."
His father fell silent for a moment, then asked quietly,
"Do you want to marry her?"
Oliver immediately blushed.
"What kind of question is that?"
His father laughed softly.
"You don't need to say anything. Your expression made it clear."
Oliver looked down, still blushing.
Then his father's tone changed again, becoming serious.
"Listen, Oliver. I know it may be hard for you to understand, but sometimes it's better to let go. She is Japanese, and Japan has a good alliance with Germany. She is also Aryan, so she will be safe in Germany."
He paused.
"But we… we are Jews, Oliver. We will be the first ones to die."
Oliver froze. He could feel sweat forming on his forehead.
His father continued quietly,
"Tell me, Oliver… do you want to die?"
Oliver didn't answer. But fear was clearly visible on his face.
"I will take that as a no," his father said. "Nobody wants to die, Oliver. People want to live. And that's not cowardice. That's instinct."
Oliver still said nothing. He was sweating now.
"Oliver," his father continued, "our flight is tomorrow morning. You won't even get a chance to say goodbye. But after the war is over, I promise we will return. This way… both of you can survive."
Oliver sat there silently, his mind filled with fear—the fear of death, war, Nazis, losing everything.
Finally, after a long silence, his father asked one last time,
"So… can we go to Russia?"
Oliver started Shaking his hands were trembling.
Oliver looked down at the table and said quietly,
"Yes."
⸻
Back to Present
13 July 1958
Oliver, Tom, and Robert were sitting in Robert's house, drinking.
The room was dimly lit by a yellow lamp. Cigarette smoke filled the air, slowly rising toward the ceiling. Empty bottles were scattered across the wooden table, and the curtains were half closed. Outside, the night was quiet, but inside the room there was a heavy silence.
Robert leaned back in his chair and said,
"And after you fled to Russia… you never met Yui again?"
Oliver's eyes were wet.
Tom spoke softly,
"Don't worry. Anyone would have done that."
Oliver shook his head slowly.
"I was a coward. I didn't go because I was thinking about Yui… I went because I was thinking about myself. I was scared of dying. At that time… very scared. I thought that I had changed, but there is a difference between theory and practice. I never changed. I was a coward. She probably hates me."
Tom and Robert didn't say anything. They just let him grieve.
After a while, Robert said quietly,
"You don't know that. Maybe she liked you till the end. Maybe you don't need to worry that much."
Oliver's tears began falling onto the floor.
Then, in a very, very sad voice, he said,
"I saw her wedding."
Tom and Robert both immediately looked at him in shock.
"WHAT?"
Chapter Ends.
To be Continued