Emily's cheek burned painfully as her last reserves of strength began to fade. She started to cough.
"I wished that you would stop clinging to me so desperately," Ryan said maliciously, pressing a kiss against her burning ear and murmuring, "Girls who cling like this are terrifying and annoying."
Emily's body stiffened, and her face went pale.
"However, I'm starting to have second thoughts," Ryan continued, wiping her tears with his finger and tasting them, "Hmm, cool and salty. It's quite a novelty to be liked so intensely. How about we try dating for a while?"
"Ryan!"
Norah screamed, completely losing her grace.
"But what should I do?" Ryan asked with a mischievous smile, "The diamond is already in the fountain, and I don't want that wish anymore."
Emily felt so unwell that she could barely make out what he was saying.
"Help me retrieve the diamond," he said, kissing Emily's pale, cracked lips, "Find it, and I'll date you for a month."
"Ryan! What are you saying?!" Norah screamed again.
Emily slowly raised her head to look at him, her lips pale: "No need. I don't want to be your girlfriend. As long as you're happy and I can protect you, that will be enough for me."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Scared to go into the pool to find the diamond? Isn't that what you're willing to do to make me happy? Then go find it for me."
Norah glanced at Ryan and then at the fountain pool, suddenly realizing what he intended. She couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, Emily, hurry up! If you're willing to go through fire and water for him, finding the diamond in the pool should be a piece of cake."
The pool had a diameter of nearly twenty meters.
The fountain's water splashed and surged rapidly.
The water was deep.
The unusually cold sunlight glittered on the water's surface, sending shivers down the spines of anyone who passed by. The splashing water created ripples on the surface, making it impossible to see what was on the pool's bottom.
Ryan's tall, handsome figure seemed to emit a chill in the sunlight.
He tilted Emily's chin up.
"Afraid the water is too cold? Don't want to go? Is your love for me only as shallow as this fountain pool?"
Emily clenched her hands tightly, her face pale and her voice weak.
"Will you be happy if I find the diamond?"
"Yes, I'll be very happy," Ryan said indifferently, not even bothering to look at her.
…
…
She grabbed his arm and shook it vigorously, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I want to see snow!"
"Snow?"
He sighed, his tall frame nearly coming apart from her shaking. In the bright April sunshine, where on earth could they possibly go to see snow?
"I just want to see snow," she said excitedly. "Let the snowflakes gently flutter around me, sparkling and dancing, the sky filled with snow. I'll close my eyes and open my arms in the snow… it would be so romantic, right?!"
"Emily, what drama have you been watching now?"
"Winter Sonata! Bae Yong-jun is in the snow… his smile… twirling and smiling in the snow… wow, it's so charming and romantic!"
He knew it. Every time she watched a beautiful scene from a Korean drama, she had to mimic it, saying that doing so would help her feel the love in the story more deeply.
"I don't care, I just want snow… Young…" She started shaking him again. "Please… I'm begging you…"
"After graduation, I'll take you to Switzerland to see the snow, okay? I've heard the snow there is very beautiful," he said gently.
"No!" She pouted. "I want to see it now!"
"Emily…"
"Young…" She pleaded, "Please, I'm begging you. Emily knows that the great Young can do anything! Emily admires Young the most!"
"Will seeing snow make you happy?" he asked with a sigh and a smile.
"Yes! Yes!" She nodded vigorously. "I'll be so happy, incredibly happy!" Her eyes sparkled as she hugged his arm. "Young, you have a way to make it happen, right? Wow, I knew Young loves Emily the most! Young will agree to anything for Emily!"