Ji Yu carried the bag of gifts firmly in her hands as she walked up to Mo Yachen. Her steps were steady, her expression calm. The tears and sorrow that had clouded her face just minutes ago were nowhere to be seen.
Mo Yachen felt a brief surge of relief at seeing her smile again—but the Ji Yu walking toward him now wasn't coming over to chat, nor would she fling herself into his arms like before.
She walked quietly, gently… like a passing breeze. If he didn't reach out, she would simply slip by.
Sometimes, he wondered—how could her emotions shift so quickly? The girl who had cried into the phone now stood before him with a face that felt almost like that of a stranger.
"Ji Yu… I… we… can I still stay by your side?"
The words stumbled out, hesitant, reshaped three times before reaching her ears. Because he knew: this girl would no longer be swayed by a few sweet promises.
Yes, he often saw Liuxi's shadow in her every smile, every glance. But was it only Liuxi he cared about? Of course not. It was because he had lost Liuxi that he wanted so desperately to hold on to Ji Yu. Even if it meant begging—he would.
Above them, sunlight filtered through green leaves, scattering into patches of light that never quite reached him.
Ji Yu met his gaze. His eyes held traces of love, of lingering attachment, but also—hope, hunger, and a tightening need for control. Seeing it, Ji Yu exhaled softly, relieved.
"Good morning, Mo Yachen."
She spoke first, breaking what might otherwise have ended in tears. Lifting the small bag with both hands, she held it out in front of him.
"These are all the gifts you gave me over the past year. I was happy, really—this was the first time in almost twenty years that I'd ever received gifts from someone. But… if they were meant for a girlfriend, then I should return them. I barely used any of them."
She pulled her hand back awkwardly, twirling a strand of hair that had fallen across her shoulder. Her cheeks flushed faintly.
"I… my family isn't wealthy. I should be the one thanking you for all your care. At the very bottom of the bag, there's a small gift from me. It's cheap, but it carries my sincerity."
Mo Yachen's dark eyes lowered, his head dipping as he accepted the bag. Her polite, distant smile pierced him deeper than any harsh words.
"…Can you tell me again why you want to break up?"
He quickly stepped forward, catching the bag before it slipped from her trembling hand. "Is it because you still care that I once treated you as Liuxi's replacement? But I—"
"I…"
Perhaps he only wanted to ease the weight from her hands. Yet in that moment, Ji Yu's face softened, her familiar gentle smile returning.
"My heart is fragile too, you know. When someone who treats me kindly suddenly ignores me; when the person I want to play with refuses me; when I work hard but get no praise—those things hurt me deeply."
"I know I'm clumsy. I know I'm bad at saying no. I always think from others' perspectives. The people around me don't necessarily like me—they just like what I can do for them. And yet… I still feel happy being needed."
"Over time, I almost forgot who I was. No matter what anyone asked, I only thought: Can I do it? How do I make them happy? How do I earn their approval again?"
"But sometimes, I agreed to things I didn't really want. Things I shouldn't have."
"Like… being your girlfriend."
She lowered her gaze, strolling calmly to the bench and sitting down.
"Honestly, that day I thought of so many reasons to say no. I imagined countless ways to reject you, even pictured how our lives would look afterward. But the more I thought… the more I worried about how you would feel."
"When you held me and confessed, my brain instantly created an excuse—an excuse that made sense for you, for me, for everyone."
"If I said yes, I could enjoy being cherished. If I said yes, I could feel acknowledged. And you would get the answer you wanted."
Mo Yachen listened silently, then placed the bag beside her and sat down too. He lifted his head, watching the tree above them shed one leaf after another in the breeze. He wondered idly—how many leaves had this tree lost? Were they torn away by the wind, or had they chosen to fall early, sparing the tree from looking worn?
But there was no answer. The branches still gleamed with summer green, and the drifting leaves only added a fleeting liveliness.
"But I never felt that you were irreplaceable. Even while we were dating, I tried to convince myself to love you more—but you always pushed me away, didn't you?"
Her clear blue eyes turned to him, her voice soft yet steady.
"The truth is, I did care about you. But our relationship always felt more like friendship. Maybe a bit ambiguous, yes, but never truly like a couple. Looking back, maybe we both carried a thorn in our hearts."
Mo Yachen smiled brightly, though it held no joy, no sorrow. Only warmth. He nodded.
"I've never had many close friends. Maybe one, who I spent about a year with—like you. But now he's gone, off to another city. I guess I'm just someone who longs too much for companionship."
He brushed at the dust on his pants, voice low. "So… did I miss my chance? If I had stayed with you more, created moments to make your heart race… would the outcome have been different?"
"No, Mo Yachen. It's not like that."
Ji Yu shook her head firmly. A faint blush colored her pale cheeks as she closed her eyes.
"When boys and girls are together, there's bound to be a spark, a fleeting thrill. But true love is when that thrill lasts—when you look at the other person afterward and still feel your heart flutter."
"That never happened for us."
She opened her eyes, watching students rushing into the nearby building, the air alive with youthful noise. Only then did she whisper—
"Youth only comes once. I don't want to settle. I won't waste it on someone I don't love."
"Thank you for teaching me a lesson—about youth, about friendship. But now…"
Ring—ring—ring—
"…class is over."