Gia and Mariska had gone back to the bookstore after they had their lunch at Mochi, a Japanese restaurant which wasn't too far from their store. Just after they came into the store, one of their employees walked towards them.

"Excuse me, Gia, Mariska."

"What's up, Claudia?" Gia asked.

"Gia, there is a note for you."

Both Gia and Mariska frowned. "A note?"

"Yes." Claudia gave a piece of paper to Gia.

She received it with a confused look. "Who is this from?"

Claudia shook her head slowly. "I can't tell you, Gia. You should read it. I'm sorry but I should go to the storeroom now."

"Okay. Thank you, Claudia."

Claudia nodded and smiled before she left them. Then, as Gia was so curious, she opened the note. Mariska also joined her to read it. The writing was very short but it was very well written.

Meet me at Ariston Hellenic Restaurant at 2. If you don't come here after an hour, I will come to your bookstore.

What made both of them surprised was that there was an autograph under the writing that they knew very well. "Is that Sebastian's autograph?" Mariska asked.

Gia was suddenly very nervous. She felt that it was finally the time for Seb and herself to talk. She really didn't expect it. She also didn't know what she should say to Mariska.

"Gia?"

"Eh, what?"

"Gia, what happened? Isn't this Seb's autograph?" Mariska repeated the question. She became more curious because Gia didn't say any words and she seemed so nervous.

Gia wasn't ready. She hadn't prepared for that. But she knew that she had to go. "Mariska, I'm sorry but I should go."

Mariska nodded slowly. "Okay, but promise me that you will explain to me when you go back here."

"Yes, I promise."

Gia who was still bringing her bag finally went to the restaurant that was mentioned by Seb on the note, leaving Mariska who had full of questions on her mind.

---

Gia arrived at the restaurant which also wasn't too far from the bookstore. The restaurant wasn't too big and there were not many people there. She looked to the left and right to find Seb. When she looked at her watch, it was almost 2. But she was sure that he had been there.

Not long after that, she found him with a waiter. When the waiter came, Seb decided to put off ordering the foods as his main purpose was to talk to Gia. Then, the waiter asked him to call if he was ready to order before he walked away.

Then, Seb looked at the woman who was approaching him. "Gia."

Gia's heart was beating so fast that it almost jumped from her chest. Seb called her with her nickname. She finally knew that he remembered her. She took her seat in front of him. She didn't want to be the first to speak. She was just waiting for him to start.

"Thank you for coming. If you are asking, yes, I remember that you're Gia. Georgia. When we met at the bookstore for the first time, I hesitated at first that it was you because you look a little different. You wear glasses and your hair is longer. But I had a strong feeling that it was you, Gia."

Gia kept bowing her head as she still avoided eye contact with Seb. She was speechless. She really didn't know what to say to him. She was also trying to control her emotion, as hard as she could.

"Then, when we met again in Spielberg, I was finally convinced that it was you. I-"

"Seb, if you do remember me, then why did you never call me or tell me anything after you moved to Switzerland? We didn't meet for 12 years, Seb. 12 years!" Gia suddenly cut him off as her emotions finally exploded.

Seb could feel her anger. He really felt that he couldn't forgive himself for what he had done to her. "I'm so sorry, Gia."

Gia crossed her arms. "Care to explain?"

"Of course I will. That was why I asked you to come here. I... to be honest, I have a feeling for you since we were teenagers," Seb started his explanation.

Gia was wide-eyed. She couldn't believe with everything she had just heard. Seb loved her too. He really did. "Seb-"

"Let me continue. At the same time, as you know, I was reaching my dream to be a Formula 1 driver. In 2007, I became a reserve driver of an F1 team," Seb told her about how he started his F1 career. "At the time, I wanted to focus on what I'd just achieved. I didn't want anything to distract my main focus. My other reason why I moved to Switzerland was because I wanted... to keep my distance from you," he explained and it was his turn to avoid eye contact with her.

Gia didn't realize that the tears fell down from her eyes. "So, was I only a distraction to you?"

"I'm so sorry but that was what I thought about you at the time. I really wanted to start a relationship with you, I really meant it, but my career was very demanding. I focused too much on my career all the time. It was probably the reason why I was single for years. But in 2015, I dated with Bernadette whom I met in the previous year. In 2014, I faced a very tough season in F1 and she was always there for me."

"You said that you wanted to date me. Then why did you decide to date other woman?" she asked bitterly, but she hoped that she didn't show her jealousy to him.

"I was really embarrassed to meet you. I was too afraid if you hated me because I didn't give you any news since I moved. I also had a thought that you were probably... married. I always had the thought that I had no chance anymore."

Gia took a deep breath. It was too complicated for her. She closed her eyes for a while, trying to absorb everything. How can she marry someone when the only man in her mind is him?

"Trying to forget you is the biggest mistake I've ever done. I fully regret it. I can't even forgive myself." Seb suddenly held her hands with his on their table. "Gia, I know that this is not enough, but I'm so sorry for what I've done to you. I realize that I was so selfish until I had to sacrifice your feeling."

Gia pulled away her hands slowly. "I don't know, Seb. It's really complicated for me."

"Gia, I really need you to forgive me. And for now, let me be your friend again. To be honest, Bernadette and I are-"

Seb was about to explain about his current relationship with Bernadette when Gia cut him off again. "You don't know what I've felt all this time, Seb. I needed you when my dad passed away but you weren't there."

"I swear I didn't know that your father passed away. Not until last year when my family told me," Seb replied. He remembered how he blamed his parents for not telling him about that.

She started sobbing. Her tears kept falling down her cheeks and it even wet her glasses. On one side, she wanted to hug him and accept him back. She wanted to forgive him. But on the other side, she felt heartbroken every time she remembered that he had found someone else.

Seb was about to hold her hands again, but he held it back. He was sure that she would refuse him again. "Gia, please."

Gia sighed heavily. "I need time, Seb. I can't just accept you after everything that you've done to me and my family."

"If you need time, I don't mind with that. I understand," Seb finally gave in.

"Thanks for your understanding," she said. She took her bag as she was ready to leave. She wasn't strong enough to be with him for longer there. "Is there anything else?"

Without a doubt, Seb said, "I love you, Gia, and I will always love you. I'm sorry for hurting you."

Gia's heart was getting warm when she heard those words. But she couldn't smile. She finally left him and wiped her tears with her palm after she took her glasses off.

When Gia wasn't seen anymore, Seb rubbed his hair roughly. He felt so stupid for hurting her. He had expected that the first talks between them wouldn't go well. But at least he had tried. She could take time as much as she needed and after that, he was adamant to talk again to her.

---

Gia opened the door to find so many people inside her bookstore. Every time she walked inside there, she always felt relaxed and happy. She was greeted by the employees who were working. For her and Mariska, they were their friends as well.

"Where is Mariska?" Gia asked one of the employees.

"I think that she's in the office room," the employee named Martin answered.

"Okay, thanks," Gia smiled.

Gia climbed the stairs as she walked to their office on the second floor. She knocked the door until she heard Mariska's voice. She opened it as it was unlocked.

"Gia, I need your explanation. Like right now."

"Calm down, Mariska. Let me sit down first," Gia laughed a little.

Mariska still couldn't believe with what she'd read an hour ago. Her mind wondered what was going on. What is it with Gia and Seb? What does she hide from her?

Gia finally sat down in front of her. She felt that she had to be ready to answer whatever Mariska asked her. She leaned forward a little bit as if she was a police who wanted to investigate the thief in front of her.

"Gia, I'm serious. Please explain how could you get an invitation to go to a restaurant from Sebastian?"

Gia suddenly felt nervous and guilty as she had kept a big secret from her best friend. "I... uh... Sebastian... is my childhood friend."