36.Secret

"Sorry, sir, but we're closing," Jacob said apologetically to Aurelius as he approached him.

Jacob had noticed this man for a while now. He always arrived early but never made a purchase or showed any intention of leaving.

"I'm here to see you, Mr. Kowalski," Aurelius said, removing his hat.

"Looking for me? Wait a minute, sir, I don't seem to know you," Jacob replied, looking confused.

Aurelius smiled, abandoned the small talk, and got straight to the point. "So... Queenie, do you know Queenie Goldstein?"

Jacob murmured the name to himself. "Queenie? Queenie Goldstein? Sounds familiar... but where have I heard it before?"

"Just familiar?" Aurelius asked.

"Well, maybe... I'm not sure," Jacob replied uncertainly.

Aurelius frowned, sensing something was wrong. Jacob should not have forgotten his memory.

"Boss, I'm heading out now!" a young man called Hendry emerged from the kitchen, smiling at Jacob.

"Okay, Hendry, make sure you come in early tomorrow. You were late again today," Jacob replied.

Hendry scratched his head and walked away, embarrassed.

"I'm curious, Mr. Kowalski, do you not remember?" Aurelius asked, looking at him intently.

"What am I supposed to remember?" Jacob found the situation amusing. "Sir, my store serves hundreds of customers every day. How can I remember everyone I've met? It's already impressive if I recognize that they're familiar."

"I don't know if you're a spy or a policeman. All I can do is tell you what I know. Is there anything else you need?" Jacob shrugged helplessly.

This was a big problem. Was Jacob's memory truly wiped away?

"And what about the other guy? Newt Scamander..." Aurelius trailed off, waiting for Jacob's reaction.

Jacob was taken aback and pointed at Aurelius. "How do you know about that?"

"What do I know? Scamander?" Aurelius pretended not to know.

"Wait, wait..." Jacob shook his head and covered his face with his hands. "It wasn't a dream! It wasn't a dream!"

"A dream? What kind of dream?" Aurelius asked, concerned.

Jacob slumped onto a chair behind the cash register, suddenly feeling weak. "I thought it was just a silly dream. I used to work in a cannery and I was unhappy. I wanted to quit and open a bakery."

"Go on," Aurelius encouraged.

"That day... it was pouring rain. I stood on the street looking at the bank, wanting to go in and ask for a loan, but I couldn't summon the courage. I'm a coward," Jacob said, recounting his delusion. "I dreamt of a man named Newt Scamander. He had a magical suitcase. Can you believe it? The suitcase was like an entire world inside! We went on a fantastical adventure together, encountering incredible creatures. And I turned them all into bread..."

"So, there was no Queenie Goldstein in your dream?" Aurelius felt a deep sense of compassion for Queenie. The No-Maj whom she couldn't forget had forgotten about her entirely. It would be okay if he forgot about her. After all, magic washed away the memory. But unfortunately, he only forgot about her. He still remembered that shy little freckle.

If Queenie knew she would go crazy, right?

"I don't remember, maybe. It was two months ago. I picked up a box when I was off work, or someone gave it to me on purpose. It was filled with broken eggshells made of silver. Maybe it was some kind of artwork. There was a note inside, and it said," Jacob pulled out a note from behind the name tag on his collar.

"Dear Mr. Kowalski, you are wasting your talent in the cannery. Please use these Occamy eggshells as collateral to get a loan to open a bakery. This is a kindhearted person..."

"Occamy - that's the Big guy who appeared in my dream. At the time, I doubted it was just a dream." Jacob pointed to the words on the note and smiled bitterly. "Who would believe it? I kept telling myself that I'm no longer a child, that these fantasies are too... you know."

"Okay, Mr. Kowalski, let's just think of it as a dream. Knowing too much isn't good for you. I'm sorry to bother you. I wish you success in your business," Aurelius was about to give up.

Maybe he changed part of the plot. At least the place where Grindelwald was captured was a square instead of a subway station. This may have resulted in Jacob being out in the rain longer and forgetting more things.

The Winged Demon's poison is not forgotten. The diluted venom can make people forget some bad things.

For most No-Majs, the disaster in New York is their most vivid memory of the bad things. But for Jacob, those magical animals were a fantasy adventure, so he remembered them. However, due to his incomplete memory, he thought it was just a dream.

Queenie should have been here, but she discovered that Jacob forgot that she still remembered Newt, which may have made Queenie realize that the two days they spent together were not love. It's hard to say.

However, their love was originally an unethical love under the current circumstances of the country, so it's good that it ended this way.

Just as Aurelius was about to say goodbye and leave, a familiar voice sounded at the store's door. "Hi! Dear, why are you so late today? There are still customers..." Aurelius turned his head - Queenie!

The well-dressed Queenie waved with a bright smile, but when she saw Aurelius's face, her expression froze.

"Hi! Honey, yes, this is my guest, but I'll be fine soon. What's wrong with you?" Jacob questioned.

Aurelius looked at Queenie playfully but said to Jacob: "Mr. Kowalski, may I ask who this lady is..."

"Oh, this is my girlfriend..." Jacob started, but Queenie took over.

She hugged Jacob's arm with a sweet smile. "Melody, just call me Melody."Melody? Alright, Miss Melody, I'm Aurelius from the coffee shop across the street. I just wanted to say hello to Mr. Jacobs. I apologize for the interruption." After speaking playfully, Aurelius turned around and departed, making his way into the coffee shop across the street.

"May I have a cup of coffee, please?"