I am the happy one. That's been my role forever, for as long as I can remember. It's debateable how long my memory goes back, but the phrase still stands.

I am the cheerful, perky, sweet one, who keeps the other's spirits up. I am cute innocence. Even when I suggest blowing someone up with a rocket launcher, I'm still the cute one.

I finished crying in the instant that you left, and I made myself so strong again somehow. I can't let myself be any other way. I'm always the cheerful one, the one who insisted it would be "like a picnic" to go and rescue Rinoa.

So, when you left, I banished every memory you and I had ever made. You were history with the slamming of the door, and I've never wasted any of my time on you since then. I forgot you, and threw myself into managing garden festivals. Over time, despite avoiding the GF, I forgot things. I forgot the details of our quest, when we saved the world. Or prevented it from needing to be saved in the future. Or something. I can barely recall.

You hated to be tied down. It's all coming back to me now. Just like you did, standing outside my doorway as if you'd never left. As if we'd never been apart. And I believed it, for a second, as I flung myself into your arms. I'd swore I'd never do this again, but then, it felt right. It's so hard to resist…

I never knew why you left. We'd been happy for a while, but then, the rows had started. You'd hating being tied down. I hated the way you made me care, made me upset, ruined my happy-go-lucky attitude. I didn't like the person you made me into, and vice versa. But I stayed. You left.

Through all those empty threats, and hollow lies. When you'd tell me that you'd simply been too drunk to make it home, and I'd pretended to believe you. When I told you I wasn't jealous, while envy tore me up inside. And whenever you tried to hurt me, I just hurt you so much worse, and so much deeper.

And when I see you like this…

You find your voice before I find mine. This request must come from you, if we are ever to break that pattern we made.

"If you forgive me all this, I'll forgive you all that."

I don't know how I will answer.