Chapter 114: The Missing Puzzle Piece
Micah stood in the backyard of the old campus gym, staring at Archie and his brother in a daze. He replayed a half-forgotten line from the novel in his head. "Because of my brother..."
Archie’s younger brother barely appeared in the novel.
Back then, when Micah read the book in his dream, his mind automatically skimmed past the line. It had felt irrelevant then. Now, with Russell bouncing in place beside Archie, the missing puzzle piece clicked into place.
There was a time in the novel when Darcy had asked Archie, ’Why did you believe in me? Why track down the person who spread the gossip? Everyone else had treated it as a fact.’
Archie had answered, "Because of my brother. The one who hurt you hurt him first. I had my doubts, but when your case was also linked to him, I knew I should step forward."
Archie’s words had puzzled Micah. There was no mention of how he had hurt Archie’s brother in the novel or how Darcy’s predicament was connected to Archie’s brother. That didn’t make sense. So he had ignored it.
Now, seeing the two brothers together, one scene stuck with him.
It was from Archie’s point of view that the author wanted to show the second male lead’s growing affection for Darcy.
*They passed through the campus cherry blossom trees, Darcy chatting in his bright, sunny way about nothing in particular, then he stretched his hands and grabbed cherry blossom petals scattered in the air. Archie’s eyes softened as he watched him. Then, when Darcy turned back, smiling, calling him ’brother’, warmth flooded Archie’s chest.