Heartbreak Leads Me to True Love

ayfully teasing him, he suddenly

is childhood sweetheart

ng too intimate in front of

ieved

issing his childhood sweetheart on his sec

outsider

dhood friend, Kaylyn, was during

sappeared for the entire night a

called him. It rang several times bef

after a moment, a lively and sweet female

k's breathing pau

irlfr

xplicable emotion, like seaweed growin

my childhood friend came to visit. I'll brin

"Oh, please, who's your chi

sk

ho was so eager to call me grandpa

ended a

one, feeling that Derek see

r, as if he were

subway stops away from school, I grabbed a shared bike. By th

ng a suitcase, talking

with a blue and white plaid skirt, and though she was

ghtly, "You're so pretty, sist

actually sneered at her, "Whether I des

nse something was

factly, "Hurry up and get the water you bought ea

cold mineral water, opene

, "I'm on my period, I c

is to him during l

nd paused

around, and pointed to a nearby tea

ord, Derek

after him, "I

ng on the subway they

ase, and I'll

vely sensed something was wrong, so I stepped

..

nd us suddenly beca

up of milk tea, while Derek dragged her suitcase

he school cafeteria, curious abou

nted the complimentary soup offered by the cafe

u sit. I

afeteria was almost empty, and De

he same time, and she ask

over to me, "I was calli

o

l silent i

hts of the cafeteria, her vibrant face tur

ly handed me a bowl and went to a

nned, "Doesn't

"This stuff tastes bland and unappetizin

ow embarrassed I f

relationship with

three years before fin

majors to join our department, and w

r skin. When listening to the teacher explain con

as staring at his hands, q

tched from another department and haven't taken

fferently, "I studied it in high

ilent im

mily. It was said he missed the top scores in the college entrance exam,

he was from a different world than me

to qualities they don't pos

Derek wasn't

rous "accidental" encounters with Derek, eve

and softly said m

, my legs genu

list for graduate school

k and I w

entative, I gave a speech, subtl

nstinctively searched for Derek in the crowd and m

ating how I climbed out of the mud t

just my a

n, Derek finally

ting, Derek was dif

breakfast every day and take m

rant. He peeled sweet shrimp and placed them in my

sually eat. Not sure i

was about to transfer money to Derek whe

really need to split

s chin on my shoulder, his warm bre

ed beet red. I opened my mo

on ceremony, we had a class

rooftop for some fresh air. Turning the co

im, and they didn'

uddenly start

liked you f

his fingers, his expression one I had ne

s not too mu

ering up, he was as gen

the station, lean down to kiss me,

ake yo

was just a dr

I stayed home, help

ssed away, they

utoring job in math and physics, keeping

messaging me, only sending

te school started, Derek and

due to a joint venture project, so he arranged fo

with a commanding presence and

achary was like a dist

ew up, I had never enco

he university. He had been admitted with outstanding grades and was the top s

stined to

Zachary to Derek. He chuckled, "Don't get y

hopsticks, along with

I realized he somewh

our conversation, passed by with his

me slightly, "Kayl

ernoon. There's an issue with t

picked up my tray and

me outside the building as usual. But when I stepped out, I saw onl

n Zachary's voice came from be

forget s

, I'm just about to

let's go together t

help but notice that my shoulde

ers tall, quite

ys seemed so prom

he girls' dormitory. His dorm was ac

Goodbye, M

ar, cold eyes for a few seco

nger in my mind because th

day, Kaylyn suggested visiti

holiday week, N City was

crowded places,

ccompany me, I'll tell Mr. Murp

still playing th

m, grabbing his collar with a smug smi

bring my girlfrien

to me, "Sister, do

reath and smile

e crowd was overwhelming. Kaylyn, being

bbed her wrist an

gaining her balance, g

rt my

, you might have been kn

ay close to me and Kaylee fr

e was genu

oh" and obediently

over and whispered in my ear, "Kaylee, h

ent before replying, "

ruly

ting, he always kept a perfect ba

and I thought nothing coul

Kaylyn

zed he wasn't al

rt, Kaylyn, could easily ignite

the day, but that was typical of

rned to say, "Jason is here with his girlfrie

t hesitation, "Tell him to bring h

softly, "Honey, this is Jason, a childhood friend who grew up

with his girlfriend.

his pale face, and I was momentari

, Jason arrived. Kaylyn volunteered to go mee

out to head to the restroom when I

ched to the next song, "T

efinition of 'the only one'? It

ing, and the emotions in his eyes were unc

Kayl

a hoarse voice, then

almost vanished in his warm kiss, and I cl

in alcohol, was s

and Derek's expression darkened

ding at the door, her face pale,

anyone, just stared

potlighting only the two of them as the lead ac

ys clear and insightful at crucial

prove, prove that

, lived in the same neighborhood a

med to be someone

hen they'd join the family business, what brand their first car

ontent, yet their tone was casual, as if dis

ly just everyday life-a w

time Derek spoke, Kaylyn's tone would be

she ang

son but didn't want to d

nd Derek finally suggested, "Why don

Jason agreed, and they all

nd, finally remembe

e, slowly standing and shaking

school; the dorm c

is watch, "It's

"There's s

and wrapped an arm around

so picking up on my mood

it, probably because he didn't ca

d in closer, "Is it because

ghtly as I closed my eyes

ier... wasn't very proper and m

nce childhood, and he knows my parents too. I don'

brushing against my ear, making my hear

t I still didn't j

had some while singing earlier. If I c

y, "You all go ahead. I

k sm

ring with a hint of mischief, "Sometimes, I'm c

ad already hailed a cab and were urging us to hu

-lined avenue, the cool night breeze gent

nd when I looked up again, I

aki cargo pants, leaning against a lamppost with a

s Zac

itially thought was a cigarette, but as I

or Za

at me, a hint of intoxica

hy aren't you ba

his childhood friends. They went to a b

d him, "What about

re yo

"Coincidentally, I was also drinking with friends. They w

voice wasn't as cool as usual, car

I just fiddled with the syca

raightened up, "Let's go. It's on th

lt a bit awkward and tried to find a topic, "From a distance, I

ckled, "I d

h.

ing isn't much better. Tonight was an excep

asked, "Do y

unsure how to respond. He pulled a new lol

offering me

wouldn't say anyt

y, and the sweet and sour ta

Zachary walked me to the b

Senior Zachary. Yo

ka

move, "I'll watch you

andle alcohol wel

eft me sleeping unti

s, I saw a message f

u get up, and I'll

, "What abo

ong time before he finally replied, "She h

like a brief interlude in a movie, and once it

the feeling that so

out frequently, ev

eeded to use the restroom before the film start

y longer and went out to look for him. I found him

fore pushing the door open

mediately put out the cigarette and turned

ething

e before saying, "It's nothi

before that his family owned

ing with your family's company, I can

eting emotion crossed his ey

, it was gone, as if it

It's not so bad that I need to use

lasted for ab

up, Derek and I saw each other less and less, so

became increa

s busy schedule with classes and experiments, along wi

red the truth

ed a blogger she followed who finally got tog

irlfriend to make her jealous. Eventually, the childhood sweetheart realiz

me the Tw

t a bar booth, with bottles an

a glass, seemingly untouched, as

as dim, obscur

ylyn's twin ponytails and the

e pain surged from all directions. I op

mething was wrong, "K

lize my fingers wer

he, a warm hand suddenl

composure and turned

, Senior Z

"I suddenly feel unwell. Can I tak

who was usually strict about lab work, gran

ed Twitter, and revisited the a

it often, having posted only a few

, read: "What should I do if she clearly li

likes, boldly suggested: "Fin

graduation party n

him, "Why did you suddenl

liked you f

lied coldly, "Because it wo

ared my non-threatening family background with Derek dur

s, I had offered my

pted it only to use me as a tool to provoke

t was I

fulfill their pe