Emily lay slumped over her desk.
There was no sound of sobbing, but her shadow stretched long and crooked under the desk lamp's glow. The scent of gardenias lingered in the room, delicate yet eerie, as if the white petals had bled out all their color.
The ringtone blared again.
Emily covered her ears. She didn't want to listen—didn't want to hear any more confusing words. Yet the phone's insistent melody refused to stop.
She grabbed the phone, ready to pull out the battery and silence it for good. But then, she noticed the caller ID—
"Ryan."
When had she saved his number? Through her tears, her mind was a blank.
"Hello! What took you so long to pick up?" His voice came sharp through the receiver.
"…"
"Say something!"
"…"
"Are you crying?" Ryan's tone shifted, first to panic, then anger. "Who made you cry? Tell me!"
"No one, I just…" Emily quickly wiped away her tears, coughing a little to smooth out her voice.
"Just what?"
"I… I want to see you…" Emily closed her eyes, whispering the words.
"…" Ryan fell silent for a moment. "Hey! We just saw each other this afternoon, and I'm busy tonight. I don't have time."
"…Heh, I was joking."
"Really?"
"Mm."
"Fine. Then meet me at 8 p.m. in front of the business school," Ryan ordered, his voice gruff.
"…"
"I'm giving you twenty minutes, max! Say what you need to and be quick about it! I'm hanging up now."
The call ended with the sharp beeps of the dial tone.
The scent of gardenias floated gently through the air.
Sitting at her desk, Emily took a deep breath, forcing herself to pull it together. She pinched her cheeks lightly, willing a bright smile onto her face as she gazed into the small mirror on her desk. But even in the reflection, her smile still held traces of the tears she had shed.
Outside, stars twinkled softly in the night sky.
The small playground of the business school was illuminated by dim streetlights. A group of boys laughed and kicked a soccer ball around in the center, while the nearby open-air movie screening filled the air with snippets of dialogue, music, and bursts of student laughter that echoed in the night.
Emily jogged around the track, her pace slow yet steady.
Sweat trickled down her brow as the night breeze whispered past her, mingling with the warmth of her exertion. Each drop of sweat felt refreshing, a release from the weight she carried. After all, every ounce of moisture in the body was finite; if it transformed into sweat, it wouldn't turn into tears.
With every lap, she felt lighter, a smile dancing on her lips as if touched by angelic wings in the dark.
On her fifth lap, a figure emerged under the streetlight at the edge of the track. He was tall and lean, his hair damp as if freshly washed, glistening like a sprinkle of starlight. The diamond at the bridge of his nose caught the light, dazzling in the shadows. In that moment on the playground, he seemed to radiate brilliance, making the stars themselves appear dim by comparison.
He locked eyes with Emily and beckoned her with a subtle wave of his fingers.
Stunned, Emily found herself walking toward him.
"Didn't I tell you to wait for me at the business school entrance? What are you doing all the way out here?" Ryan's eyes flared with frustration. Damn it, he hadn't even had time to dry his hair after his shower, and there she was, taking her sweet time jogging around!
"Oh, is it eight already? I thought…" She fumbled to check her phone, her heart racing.
Seven forty.
Embarrassed, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, maybe my phone is slow. Did you wait long?"
Ryan's expression remained taut, and he didn't utter a word. He wasn't about to let her know that he had rushed out right after his shower without checking the time.
Emily stole a glance at him. "Thank you."
"For what?"
She chuckled lightly. "Oh, nothing. Just wanted to say thanks." Being near him, surrounded by his presence, was the only thing that could calm her frantic heartbeat.
Ryan stared at her for a long moment.
What a strange woman!
He reached out and tilted her chin up to face the light, furrowing his brows as he scrutinized her face.
"Why are you crying?"
"I'm not…"
"Spill it!" He tightened his grip on her chin, his voice sharp and demanding. She inhaled sharply, feeling the sting.
"It hurts…"
"Your eyes are red and puffy. Do you think I'm an idiot? Who hurt you? Was it that—" He suddenly fell silent.
"Who?" Emily forgot her pain, curiosity piqued.
"Cough! Katherine." A strange look crossed his face. "Did she bully you?!"
"Why would it be her?" Now even more intrigued.
"Just say yes or no! Quit dragging this out!" He barked, his expression growing even more perplexed.
"Have you ever dated Katherine?" It suddenly clicked in her mind; Daisy had mentioned that both Katherine and Norah were his girlfriends when she first saw him in class.
"No!"
"Then why would she bully me?" Emily blinked innocently. "You seem a bit dismissive of girls."
He shot her a dark look, clearly displeased.
"Just because you rejected her doesn't mean she would hate me. You're too full of yourself. Katherine may not be my biggest fan, but she's never bullied me. I think she's actually quite a lovely girl." She smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling in delight.
"Full of myself?!"
"Oops," she scratched her head, feeling a pang of guilt. Oh no, did she really just say that?
"You think I'm full of myself?!" He was teetering on the edge of anger.
"Uh… well…" She racked her brain for a way out, "Ah! Right! Has it been twenty minutes yet?"
"What twenty minutes?!"
"You said we'd only meet for twenty minutes," she pulled out her phone with a bright smile, "and it's almost twenty minutes now, so you can head back. Hehe."
"Emily—" he ground his teeth in irritation.