Fading Vows

Memories fading

Tobias posted a moment on his social circle:

"Who seriously can't see this massive HDMI cable?"

A photo of my foot stepping on the cable accompanied the post.

A few minutes later, Gideon reposted an article from the official account.

The title read:

"Never Date a Gaming Boyfriend: He Might Sell You Out Just to Win!"

Tobias quietly deleted his moment.

"This is too much of a coincidence. Sister, do you think Professor Asher is targeting me?"

I didn't quite understand it myself.

"I don't think so. He might just be getting old. Who knows? He might post a longevity secret in a couple of days."

Gideon was still messaging me on WhatsApp.

Tobias is always playing games. Do you want to join me?

Why are his spirits suddenly so high?

Very strange.

"Did you go and register at the hospital, like I asked you to last time?"

Those who want to go, and those who dare not go, are all my colleagues.

He sent me a picture of the moon.

"Just coming to see me is enough."

He's a bit shabby, somewhat crazy, but still quite romantic.

Looking at the photo, I realized he was just downstairs.

I looked around. Suddenly, Gideon pulled my hand, hiding us behind a lush tree.

With one hand around my waist and the other pressing the back of my neck, he was about to lean in but stopped, gazing deep into my eyes.

"May I kiss you?"

It seemed the last time I hit him had made him a bit timid.

I nodded.

"Yes."

He obediently kissed me.

We kissed, hidden in the shadows of the moonlit trees. My body and mind were completely immersed. Just when I was about to gasp for air, he reluctantly let go and stared at me intently.

"Do you want to go to my place?"

I was speechless.

The only thing on his mind was getting me into his bed.

I waved my hand. "No, I'll go home."

Gideon, as if doused with a bucket of cold water, gloomily stared at me.

Just as I was about to step out of the shadows, he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

"Ronan, let's take a trip together."

His voice was like a spell, a plea.

"Let's go somewhere where no one knows us. I want to live in a world with just the two of us."

He lowered his head and gently nuzzled my neck.

"Just for a week, please."

18

I returned home and started packing my luggage.

Tobias, clad in his pajamas, stood scratching his head.

"Sister, your aunt is getting a divorce and needs your help? Seriously?"

Right.

Tobias had a non-existent girlfriend.

I had a non-existent, ill-fated aunt.

She had been through it all: her child studying abroad, her ex-husband's car accident, a second marriage across countries, and her current husband's infidelity.

"There's nothing I can do. Her child is abroad, her husband cheated, there's no one at home, and now, with the divorce, someone needs to be there."

It's not like I can tell my company that I'm taking a vacation to travel with a guy. I could only tell Tobias and others that I needed to rush back to my hometown for urgent matters.

Even with my roommate, Tobias, I kept the story consistent.

Gideon and I went to Sapporo, Hokkaido. His joy was visible, and he even wanted to take a commemorative photo of me.

I hurriedly used my hand to shield my face.

"No, I can't post anything on my social media account. And you shouldn't post about me either. I told Tobias I was heading back to my hometown."

"We won't take any photos, then. I didn't consider this. My mistake." His face visibly deflated.

After checking into the hotel, he perked up.

More accurately, as soon as we entered the room, he clung to me, leaving me gasping for air. We looked like newlyweds on a honeymoon.

Gideon's gentleness was almost overflowing. He even brought food to bed to feed me.

Several times, I wanted to ask him,

"Why don't you want to reconcile with me?"

However, he was obviously avoiding the subject of our relationship.

During a particularly emotional moment, I held him tightly and said,

"I like you so much."

He replied,

"Me too."

I fell into a long silence.

"Gideon, let's call it a day. I can't go on like this."

He drew me into his arms, intertwining our fingers, and looked deeply at me.

"Why? Is there something wrong with what I'm doing?"

I replied,

"No, it's my problem."

He fell silent again.

What is he implying with this silence? I tried to maintain a calm facade, but inside, I was seething.

Gideon lowered his head to my cheek.

"I don't mind your problems."

Really? That's nice of you.

So this is your game.

Isn't this the reason he could be a professor despite his young age?

I turned to look at him.

"Don't you feel like you've crossed the line? Taking everything for granted? Are you going to ignore what I feel?"

Gideon was taken aback.

"Why... why are you suddenly cursing at me?"

"What do you think? Dr. Asher, I want to be your girlfriend. Have you ever considered my feelings, or are you just taking advantage of me?"

19

Gideon gripped my wrist, his face uncharacteristically serious.

"What are you talking about? Speak clearly."

"I want to be your girlfriend."

"I'm speaking in Chinese. This is not a complex sentence. How else could I make it clearer?"

"Should I say, 'I fancy you?' 'Should we play around?' 'I want to date you?'"

"In other words, I like you, and I hope to be your girlfriend."

Gideon straightened up immediately.

"If my girlfriend is you," he leaned forward to question, "then what am I to you?"

"You're a wolfman."

"You're a contemptible being."

"You're a scumbag who freeloaded off an ex-girlfriend."

"Of course, you would be my boyfriend."

He clenched his fist against his lips, looked around thoughtfully, and seemed lost in contemplation.

"Alright, I understand. But this matter needs careful consideration and must remain unknown for the time being, so as not to tarnish our reputations."

Me: "..."

Who has possessed him?

I need to get him an exorcism.

I was growing impatient.

"Have you not said yet whether you are willing?"

Gideon snapped out of his daze and pulled me into his arms.

He pecked me several times on the face.

"How could I not be willing? I'm more than willing! Baby, you're so good to me."

I was quite satisfied and was about to kiss him back when I saw him squinting his eyes, nibbling on his fingernails as if in deep thought.

"But the more we want to land smoothly, the more we need to proceed with caution and not rush things."

What a nutcase.

I suggested making an official announcement on social media.

Gideon firmly stopped me: "Don't provoke him."

I tried to communicate. "Who?"

"Our common enemy."

"What a nutcase." I gave up on communication.

"Don't underestimate your opponent."

"Huh?"

Gideon: "It will be made into a PPT."

It turns out medical students can't heal themselves.

20

I have returned to the country.

My mood has been extremely good recently because I have reunited with my ex-boyfriend.

But Tobias's mood hasn't been great, and it has something to do with Gideon.

"Sister, you said last time that Professor Asher might have a mental issue. I think it's possibly true now."

I do want to hear about what's wrong with my boyfriend.

"Please do tell."

Tobias categorically pulled me over, sat me down on the couch, and began to elaborate.

Professor Asher has been acting very strangely at work lately.

Event One: Tobias was giving a research report.

All the teachers praised Tobias for being promising and a good sprout.

When it was Professor Asher's turn to give remarks, Gideon said:

"At the age of twenty-four, I published two SCI papers."

The room fell silent for three seconds.

Everyone awkwardly broke into laughter.

Event Two: Tobias got a new car.

Tobias drove the new Mercedes-Benz S that his sister gifted him to work.

Everyone joked around, calling him a low-profile, second-generation rich kid.

Professor Asher passed by the office entrance, casting a glance at Tobias.

Tobias immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

Later on, Professor Asher arrived at work in a Maybach.

The whole faculty fell silent.

Five associate deans and the dean, in turn, talked to Gideon, saying it made a bad impression.

Gideon remained unrepentant.

"I have a bit of money in my family."

Event Three: Tobias tried to strike up a conversation with Professor Asher.

It was said that Professor Asher's favorite topic to chat about recently was his vacation in Hokkaido with his girlfriend last week.

Tobias wanted to use this opportunity to alleviate the teacher-student relationship.

"Professor Asher, is there anything fun to do in Hokkaido?"

Professor Asher seemed on guard.

"How did you know?"

Tobias scratched his head casually.

"I just heard about it. Didn't you say you had a great time with your girlfriend there?"

Professor Asher stared straight at him.

"You must have heard wrong. I don't have a girlfriend. I'm single."

Tobias: "???"

...

Tobias asked me,

"Sis, don't you think he's mentally unstable?"

What do you mean mentally unstable?

His symptoms are far lighter than those Professor Asher shows in front of me.

"It's obvious. He doesn't like you, disapproves of you. But given your reckless behavior, it's normal that he doesn't like you."

Tobias stared ahead, his expression serious.

"No, it's not that he disapproves of me."

I went to the fridge for a drink of water. Tobias looked at me sternly, saying word by word:

"He is interested in me."

21

I hadn't even swallowed my water when I spat it all out.

"Is there something wrong with your brain? You... you're the one with the mental issue!"

I grabbed a napkin and frantically wiped my hands.