It was supposed to be something casual. Spend two hours in Dublin before my train. I signed up online, didn’t even read the itinerary. Just figured, walk, listen, tip the guide, leave.

The guide was charismatic—name tag said KIERAN, big grin, umbrella in hand like he’d done this a thousand times. Everyone else was cheerful, snapping photos, laughing at his jokes.

But halfway through, when we paused near a statue, I turned around.

And my legs went ice.

At the back of the group—gray hoodie, sunglasses, walking slow—was Mirek.

I hadn’t seen him in years. Since the night of the fire. Since the insurance check that never should’ve cleared.

I thought he’d fled to the Balkans. That’s what the family whispered. No one ever confirmed it.

But here he was. On a €10 city tour.

He didn’t look any different. Same tall, lean figure. Same deep-set eyes, hidden behind those sunglasses. Same slow, deliberate steps.

I took a breath, my stomach twisted. What was he doing here?

I shifted slightly, pretending to take more photos, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him. My heart raced as memories flooded back. The fire. The smoke. The screams. And his face, standing outside the window, staring in—his eyes cold as he watched everything burn.

Mirek had been part of the family. My cousin’s fiancé. He was supposed to be a brother to me, but that night everything changed. No one had ever figured out exactly what happened. All I knew was that the house was gone, the fire was suspicious, and Mirek disappeared.

The insurance money had come through, though. A check no one should have signed. Everyone thought it was an accident, but I had my doubts. Mirek had always been too smooth, too charming for his own good. And he had this way of making people believe his stories.

I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts. Maybe I was overreacting. But it didn’t feel like an accident.

Kieran’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “And here we are, folks, the famous O’Connell Bridge, built in 1791. It connects the north and south sides of Dublin. Fun fact: it’s the only bridge in the city with no statues, which makes it… well, a little dull, but very practical!” He chuckled, and everyone laughed with him.

I forced a smile and tried to focus, but my eyes kept drifting back to Mirek. He hadn’t moved much. Still just standing there at the edge of the group, his arms crossed, as if he was waiting for something—or someone.

I wanted to ignore him, pretend like nothing was wrong, but my legs wouldn’t move. Something about his presence pulled me in, like gravity.

“Hey,” I whispered to the woman beside me, Sarah, who seemed friendly enough. “Do you know who that guy is?”

She glanced back and frowned. “The one in the hoodie? Oh, no idea. Looks like he’s just a tourist.”

I nodded, but the answer didn’t sit well with me. Mirek wasn’t a tourist. He never was.

The tour moved on, heading down a narrow street lined with colorful shops and cafes. I slowed my pace, trying to get closer without drawing attention. But the moment I stepped off the path, Kieran caught my eye. He gave me a knowing smile, as if he could see straight through me.

“Is everything alright?” Kieran asked.

I forced a smile. “Yeah, just… getting a closer look at the buildings.”

He nodded and turned back to the group, but I noticed the way he kept glancing at Mirek too. It was like he knew something I didn’t. A feeling of unease crept up my spine.

We continued walking, but my mind was elsewhere. Mirek. Was he here to see me? Or was this some random coincidence?

I hadn’t heard from him since the night of the fire, and he certainly hadn’t reached out in the years since. My family had been divided. Some believed Mirek had run off because of guilt. Others thought he had some kind of plan, one that we would never know about. And some of us just wished we could forget.

But now here he was. A shadow from my past, standing just outside my reach.

I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I needed answers. And I needed to find out what he was doing here.

As the group continued down the street, I stepped to the side, pretending to look at my phone. I waited until Mirek was just a few feet behind me before I turned around.

“Why are you here?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

His face flickered with surprise, but he quickly masked it. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” I tried to sound calm, but my hands were shaking.

Mirek smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, well, I figured I’d try something new. Always thought I’d visit Dublin, but never got around to it. Funny how life works out, huh?”

I wasn’t buying it. There was something off about the way he spoke, the way he avoided eye contact. And the fact that he had followed me here, of all places, was no accident.

“I don’t believe you,” I said, the words escaping before I could stop them. “What do you want from me?”

Mirek paused. His lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, I thought he might just walk away. But then he leaned in closer, lowering his voice.

“I didn’t come here for you, if that’s what you think,” he said, his tone sharp. “I came here for the same reason you did. To figure out what really happened.”

My stomach twisted again. “What are you talking about?”

He glanced around, as if checking to see if anyone was listening. “You’ve been suspicious of me for years. You think I did something wrong, don’t you?”

“I—” I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “I think you know something. Something about the fire.”

He shook his head slowly, eyes narrowing. “You don’t get it. I’m not the one who needs to answer for anything. I’m just trying to find out the truth.”

My mind raced. Was this some kind of sick game? Was he playing me?

I didn’t know how to respond. But before I could say anything, Kieran’s voice called out to me.

“Everything okay back there?” he asked, walking up to us with a concerned look.

I quickly straightened up, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just… catching up.”

Kieran gave me a nod, but he kept his eyes on Mirek for a beat longer than necessary. It was then that I realized Kieran wasn’t just some random tour guide. He knew something too. He’d been watching us. He had been watching Mirek, and now, it was clear he was watching me.

I wanted to confront Kieran, demand answers, but instead, I held my tongue. There was no way I could trust anyone here. Not Mirek. Not Kieran.

The tour ended soon after, and I walked in a daze. I couldn’t make sense of anything. Mirek’s words still echoed in my mind. “I didn’t come here for you. I came here to find out the truth.” What truth? What did he know?

I kept walking, my feet carrying me on autopilot, trying to distance myself from the chaos in my head. I needed space to think, to breathe.

Finally, I reached the train station, but just as I was about to enter, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned around, heart racing, and there he was—Kieran.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Kieran said quietly. “But Mirek’s not who you think he is.”

My confusion deepened. “What do you mean?”

“Your family never wanted to believe it, but the fire wasn’t his fault. It was an accident, but the rest… well, that’s another story.”

He paused, watching me for a moment, before continuing. “You’ve been chasing ghosts for years. But it’s time to let go. The truth you’ve been looking for, it’s not as dark as you think.”

It hit me then. All these years, I had been so focused on finding something to blame, something to hold onto. But maybe it was time to let it all go. Time to move forward.

I nodded slowly, my chest feeling lighter. “Thanks for telling me.”

Kieran smiled. “No problem. Take care of yourself.”

As I boarded the train, I sat down by the window, watching Dublin fade into the distance. The past was still there, lingering, but I didn’t need to chase it anymore. It was time to move on.

And maybe, just maybe, Mirek had been running from the same ghosts I had been.

Sometimes, we spend so much time looking for answers that we forget the most important part—learning to let go.