The school gates looked smaller than they remembered.
Josh, now a successful architect, stood by the entrance, holding the hand of a small girl with a familiar fiery spirit and a messy ponytail.
"Is this where you met Mommy?" little Hanna asked, swinging her father’s hand.
"This is where I realized I loved your Mommy," Josh corrected, looking toward the rooftop.
Karen walked up behind them, her hair cut shorter now but her eyes still sparkling with that same mischievous glint. She was carrying a box of strawberry shortcake from her mother's shop.
"Are you telling her the story about the 'accidental' kiss again?" Karen teased, bumping her shoulder against his.
"I was getting to the part where you slapped a guy in the middle of class," Josh smirked.
"He deserved it," she laughed, leaning in to give him a quick kiss.
They stood there for a moment, a family of three, reminiscing about the days of snarky comments, library tickle-fights, and the Christmas Eve that changed everything. The sun was setting, casting long shadows just like it did back then, but they weren't running toward a train station anymore. They were already home.
The End.
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