Chapter 35: A Hasty Promise
The loneliness threatened to swallow me whole. It was the same emptiness I had always felt. I had nothing, no one. And yet, suddenly, I sensed someone stopping near me.
I looked up and saw him standing there, having turned back. His hand reached out and took mine. It was so warm. His large, firm hand—this was the first time he had ever held mine.
"I want to thank you," he said.
His voice was deep and steady, but I was too stunned to respond. Was this a confession? For a brief moment, I felt like I was floating, my head in the clouds, forgetting everything else.
"I'm going to France for further studies. Will you wait for me?" he asked.
Shock coursed through me. My heart pounded. Was this… was this really happening?
"When are you leaving?" I asked shyly.
His face softened. It seemed like he had been unsure of my answer until this moment.
"I wanted to close the distance between us after that competition," he admitted. "But then I saw you with the 'Beautiful Butt' and how you were avoiding me. So I buried those feelings."
I stared at him in astonishment. All this time, I had thought he wanted nothing to do with me, that he was pushing me away. And now, all of a sudden, he was asking me to wait for him.
Was it really that simple? Just waiting?
The next day, I went to the airport to see him off. Duyên didn't come. It felt surreal—barely a day since we had confessed our feelings, and already I had to say goodbye. My heart ached at the thought of the distance that would separate us.
Before I could even think of what to say, he suddenly leaned down and kissed me. Every part of me went soft. My mind went blank. By the time I realized what had just happened, my face had turned completely red. The task was done. Now, all I could do was let him go.
Carefully, I wrapped the scarf around his neck, the one I had spent a month knitting. He finally wore my gift. I should've felt happy, proud, satisfied. But all I felt was an overwhelming sense of unease. I didn't want to be apart from him—not even for a second.
Yet, I reminded myself, I had to be like that flower, standing tall in the cold, delicate yet unwavering.
The next day, I went to the airport to see him off. Duyên didn't come.
We had only just started this love, and already, I had to send him away. What terrible luck.
As he stood at the boarding gate, ready to leave, I still didn't know what to say, what to do. It felt like something was missing, as if this moment wasn't complete.
And then, all of a sudden, he bent down and kissed me.
I felt my entire body weaken. Mission accomplished. We had been together for just one day, and now he was leaving. I blushed furiously as he pulled away. Now that we had said our goodbyes, I carefully wrapped the scarf around his neck—one final gesture of warmth before he left. The dormitory was bathed in the gentle light of the afternoon, the golden hues of the setting sun making it look almost like an old painting.
I stood there, watching his figure disappear into the airport. The distance between us stretched out endlessly. I didn't want him to go. I didn't want to be apart from him, not even a little.
Before I knew it, a single, crystal-clear tear slid down my cheek.
Waiting… It's just waiting… that's all.
"Paris, please protect the one I love!...".
I wandered back to the dorm in a daze, still unsure of how to face Duyen. I texted my little bro, asking him to hang out and help me clear my mind, but he replied that he was busy.
When I reached the dorm entrance, I saw him—except he wasn't alone. He was walking with a cute girl. As soon as he noticed me, he immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
I smirked and teased him:
"Oh, so you've got a girlfriend now? No wonder you're always busy."
The girl lowered her head shyly. My little bro turned to me with a cold expression:
"You're no different. You have a boyfriend now too."
I hesitated, feeling a bit awkward:
"Yeah… I didn't expect him to like me either. Honestly, I'm really happy."
For some reason, he seemed irritated. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
"I'm busy. Let's talk another time."
He strode off quickly, as if trying to escape.
Was he… mad at me?
Had I done something wrong?
Sure, I liked to tease him, but not to the point of scaring him off like this.
The girl hurried after him, calling his name, looking like someone who had just been abandoned.
Why did I suddenly feel so empty?