Huzzah! It's wonderful to get some forward momentum with these two. I feel like they've been stalled out for so long that I was starting to wonder if they'd ever get moving. Loved this chapter, and I'm excited to see where the next one goes!

What a brilliant chapter, as usual! I think what sets this story apart from the rest here is that you incorporate your own lived experiences, and they make the story a lot more relatable. Your story is far more wonderful than most here, Im so happy you decided to share this with us!

I'm sorry I never write a review, but I just wanted to let you know that this is my favourite story on this site (and I've read sooo many). But there's just something about Emi and Aksel's story that is so realistic and true. I feel like I know these characters based on your writing and I can sympathise with them. I want them to get back together so bad, but I also want them to bridge the gap in a healthy way. And I feel like they both have grown so much throughout this story, especially Emi. I'm so happy she has found her friends and her purpose in Helsinki.
Anyhow, I hope you're doing well. Thanks for uploading :) I'm about to finally graduate from college and I've been so stressed lately (can't believe I'll graduate at home without my friends), but every time I get an email from Fictionpress saying you've uploaded a new chapter it just makes my day.

Would he have left her alone if she went back to Germany ? I wanna see if they would work out or even contact each other if she left.

Still loving after all this time - thank you!

i like you, Emi and Aksel, but I have to say that when you say or believe things like "I didn't mean them", you're choosing to deny your problems. In the heat of things, the words you choose and the actions you take are real and true. That being said, I do recognize that Emi felt boxed mentally and physically by Aksel, and the only thing she could lash out and say the thoughts that she's been biting back. Are her feelings true? Yes, but it didn't come from a place of hate, it came from a place of agony.

I'm so glad that Aksel and Emilie are finally talking about what happened between them. Hopefully, this is their real chance to process and move forward with the knowledge. I can't wait for Aksel to read the essay! So many good things to come! Update soon!

Please keep updating this story! Can’t wait to read what happens next!

Hi, I just wanted to say that I have been checking for updates to this story since around 2013 and the last time I checked was some time last year. Right now, I'm working late and I thought I'd just look at fiction press to see if there were any new stories I could read and I stumbled upon this revamped sequel. I don't have the words to tell you how happy I am to see this. You've made my whole month! A friend of mine from high school also loves this story immensely, and I'm so ridiculously excited to break the news of this new sequel to her! I seriously am speechless. If you're okay with it, may I DM you on twitter? I'm so, so happy! Thank you thank you!

I really love how mature you are in your characterizations of Aksel and Emi. Neither of them are perfect, and they both have work to do before they can be together again.

I also really like how Emi is slowly realizing her flaws and seeing that she can hurt people just as they've hurt her. Her growth is really realistic - sometimes she slips back, but generally she moves forward.

Amazing story!

Omg, Im so happy you updated. I'd been checking your profile manically for the last few mnths to see if there were an update and here it is! Hopefully you've been keeping safe! Can't wait for more, truly a joy to read your writing :)

Yay, an update :) It's nice to see Aksel cares. I mean, of course he does, but it's to see Emi figure out that Aksel still cares (and I just figured out that I've been spelling his name wrong the entire time, it's AK-sel, not AS-kel, whooops).

What a nice surprise! Still following along and super excited to see what happens! Keep updating please :)

i love this so much. i went on exchange myself and culture shock was so real, the language was so hard to grasp in its nuances and idiosyncrasies. this story is so real and so relatable and so many parts of it strike a chord in my heart as i remember my own experiences. thank you for this story, for putting all the experiences i felt into such a beautiful and bittersweet story

Emi's essay sounds super interesting: I highkey want to read it haha. I was just going to mention how it was nice to see this chapter really show how Emi's settling in Finland and how it's becoming more comfortable for her to live there...and then that asshole had to just show up last minute to sort of burst my bubble. I love the line "I am suddenly, desperately craving the connection that comes with being understood" because that it's just so terribly true: if something is important to you, then it doesn't matter that it's not and will never be important to others, so long as they understand *why* it means something to you.