The cold sunlight filtered through the fountain's mist, casting a spectrum of colors across the scene, while the rhythmic sound of splashing water mingled with upbeat music.
At this noon hour, the square was nearly deserted.
Ryan sat on a bench at the edge of the square, his arms draped over the backrest, a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer in his eyes. Norah leaned against his arm, looking up at Emily with a sweet, apologetic tone:
"Sorry, Emily. I know today was supposed to be your date with Ryan. I wasn't meant to be here. But… Ryan said he missed me so much… I… I had no choice but to…"
The bench had no room left for Emily to sit. Standing alone, her delicate, light green chiffon dress seemed even more fragile under the cold sunlight.
"It's okay," Emily interrupted, fixing her gaze on Ryan. "I'll leave now. Enjoy yourselves." She turned and walked away, feeling as though her heart had been cut by something cold and sharp.
A hand grabbed her wrist!
Ryan held her firmly, raising an eyebrow, the diamond on his nose catching a mischievous gleam.
"Not happy?"
Emily took a deep breath and shook her head.
"No."
"Then you're happy?"
"Yes."
Ryan threw his head back in laughter, his eyes cold and devoid of any warmth. "You're actually happy that I brought another girl to your date? Emily, is there anyone more hypocritical than you in this world?"
"There is," Emily said, meeting his gaze.
Ryan was momentarily stunned.
Emily's smile was as angelic as ever. "I'm not hypocritical. Running a marathon, writing papers—everything was to make you happy. Even this date, wearing this dress in the cold, it's all for you. If you like Norah and want to be with her, then be with her. As long as you're happy, how could I not be?"
"It's so cold," Norah said, rubbing her shoulders and shivering. She thought, Katherine always criticized her for being overly sentimental, but she should see how much more sentimental some people can be.
"Great!" Ryan nodded lightly, his tone almost mockingly impressed. "What a touching speech." With a sudden, firm grip, he pulled Emily stumbling into his embrace.
Wrapping his left arm around Norah and his right around Emily, Ryan laughed loudly, "Let's make it a three-person date! How lively!"
Passersby in the square couldn't help but look back in astonishment. Here, in broad daylight, a young man was affectionately holding two girls—one nestled against him like a delicate dew drop, the other standing upright, fresh and poised like a slender bamboo.
Kids these days, truly reckless and uninhibited.
"Ryan, thank you so much. The lunch was amazing, especially that Mediterranean seafood soup—so exquisite and delicious!" Norah smiled sweetly at Ryan.
"If you liked it, we can go again next time," Ryan replied.
"Oh!" Norah beamed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She adored dining at French restaurants, where the décor, ambiance, tableware, food, and service all exuded top-notch taste. She glanced at Emily, who was standing to Ryan's right, and noticed Emily's hand clenched tightly over her stomach.
"Emily, have you eaten?" Norah asked, feigning concern.
"No," Emily replied.
Emily's stomach was cramping, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
"Oh dear, what should we do?" Norah said with a smile, leaning affectionately against Ryan's chest. "But we've already had lunch."
Emily glanced towards a supermarket in the distance across the square, stood up, and said, "I'll just go get a piece of bread." She needed to eat something; otherwise, she might faint, and she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of him.
Ryan, looking dashing as he sat on the bench, remained silent, his eyes holding a mysterious, inscrutable glint.
"Oh, Ryan, I suddenly really want some ice cream!" Norah said, biting her finger and flashing a sweet smile at Emily. "But... I don't want to walk there, and I don't want Ryan to go for me... but... I really want it... Emily..."
Emily closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and said, "Alright, I'll get it for you."
"Thank you! The shop is over there—!" Norah pointed, the ice cream shop was to the north of the square, while the supermarket selling bread was to the south. "Come back quickly, I'm craving it right now."