In the car.
Evan asked, "What did Cody want from you?"
"He wanted to get back together."
"Will you soften up?"
Without thinking, I shook my head. "I won't go back."
I added, "I'm still a bit nervous about meeting your family."
Evan had previously pretended to be my boyfriend and managed to charm my family effortlessly.
So when he asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend to deal with his family this time, I agreed without hesitation.
I hoped to fulfill the task as perfectly as Evan did.
"Don't worry, my parents are easy to get along with. Here, take this."
Evan extended his hand, revealing a mint candy lying in his palm.
I looked at the candy, then glanced up at him, pressing my lips together slightly.
Did he think I was a child? That everything would be fine with just a piece of candy?
I took the candy, feeling a bit more at ease.
As it turned out, my worries were unnecessary.
Evan's parents were surprisingly easy to get along with.
As soon as I walked in, they welcomed me warmly.
At the dinner table, I was sipping some soup.
Evan's mother suddenly said, "The tenth of next month is an auspicious day. How about getting engaged on that day?"
I nearly choked on my soup.
I was only pretending to be Evan's girlfriend and meeting his parents—how did we suddenly jump to discussing engagement plans?
Evan answered for me, "It's still early. Katie and I want to date for a few more years."
Evan's mother glared at him, "It's not too early. You're already twenty-seven. By the time I was your age, you were already walking."
Apart from this small interlude, the meal was quite pleasant.
After dinner, Evan had some work to attend to, so he went to the study.
Evan's mother, thinking I might be bored, brought out a photo album filled with pictures of Evan from childhood to adulthood. She sat with me, flipping through the pages, sharing stories about his embarrassing moments. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed.
The album was filled with photos of Evan holding trophies from various competitions throughout his life.
It was clear that he had always been an exceptional person.
The photos in the album only went up to when he was sixteen.
Evan's mother explained, "He had a severe accident and went abroad for treatment for three years. We didn't have the heart to take photos during that time."
I offered some comfort, "But he's all better now."
My gaze fell on the photo of Evan when he was sixteen.
Back then, he was handsome and spirited, a young man full of confidence.
Looking at the boy in the photo, I felt a strange sense of familiarity.
Evan had mentioned that we had crossed paths once, and it must have been during that time.
As I stared at the photo, fragments of broken memories flashed through my mind.
A dimly lit train carriage, a foul stench, piercing screams.
I lowered my gaze, and in my mind, I kissed the bloodied Evan from my memories.
Evan's mother's sigh brought me back to reality, "Yes, everything is better now."
Her words pulled me out of that memory. When I tried to recall those strange scenes again, nothing came to mind.
It felt as if it had all been a dream, leaving no trace upon waking.
My heart felt a bit empty.
It felt as though I had lost something very important.
After a while, Evan came in.
His gaze fell on the photo album, and his tone was a bit stern. "Mom, why did you show Katie this?"
Evan's mother smiled warmly. "Are you embarrassed? You looked so adorable in those childhood photos where you wore girl's clothes."
Evan snatched the album from my hands, his lips pressed into a thin line. "It has nothing to do with that."
Evan was usually calm and composed, rarely showing his emotions. This was the first time I'd seen him get angry.
Getting upset over a photo album was so unlike him.
Noticing his lapse, Evan quickly regained his usual gentle demeanor. "Katie, Ms. Pollard made some lemonade. Would you like to have some?"
I nodded.
And just like that, the matter was brushed aside.
I noticed Evan taking the album back to his own room, and I still found it a bit odd.
It was just a regular photo album, so why was he so protective of it, not even letting anyone else see it?
