Goodbye, Mr. Regret

She picked up her phone, surprised to see an incoming video call from Herbert Wheeler.

Ever since that day outside the amusement park, when Timothy had forcibly taken her away from the café, she'd been worried about dragging Herbert into her troubles and hadn't contacted him since. Herbert, for his part, hadn't reached out to her, either.

Jessica hesitated for a moment, then accepted the call and propped her phone up on its stand.

As soon as the video connected, Herbert's cheerful face appeared on the screen. He waved at her with a big, playful grin.

Jessica couldn't help but smile and wave back.

Herbert's expression softened into seriousness. "Little Mute," he said gently, "do you want to speak again?"

She paused, caught off guard.

before tonight, she would

now, her vocal cords had started to respond—there was a faint glimmer of sound, a feeling that speech was almost within reach. Hope filled her chest. For the first time in

his treatment plan had finally passed clinical trials. Every person

told her earlier, afraid she'd get

at the screen, "Why are you asking

news. A doctor friend of mine overseas has spent the past seven years researching a treatment for acquired aphasia. It just passed clinical trials. All fifty patients involved can

her biggest flaw, Jessica couldn't help

all, so many years had passed. When she was younger, her grandmother had

she wanted most? She wanted you to be healed. I know she's gone now, but if you could stand at her grave and call out to her-Grandma'-don't you think she'd hear you, wherever she is? Little Mute, will you give yourself