It was Kart Brown, a senior from my university, a master's program classmate, and a mentor who had helped me a lot when I applied for school.
He'd been on a business trip for some time, and it had been a while since I last saw him. "When will you be back at school? The professor always mentions you."
"Soon."
I thought for a moment. "Probably next week."
"Mm."
He glanced at Sebastian, sitting opposite. "Well, I won't interrupt your meal."
I watched him leave, then turned back to sit down, only to catch the playful gleam in Sebastian's eyes. "So, that's the guy you have a crush on?"
I lowered my head, not speaking, poking at the beef on my plate with my fork. "Anastasia—"
"Yes!"
I lifted my head to reply, "He's the one I have a crush on."
"I liked him since university, for three years. Is that answer satisfactory to you?" He nodded, seemingly unfazed.
He only said, "But it seems like he doesn't like you."
I looked down:"Not everyone is like you, always talking about liking someone. We're all busy and have our own things to do."
"Love is just a very small part of life, not even a seasoning."
"I need to work, do experiments, write papers, and take care of my sister. I've already wasted so much time because of you... I really don't have the energy to deal with you anymore." I put down my fork.
"Sebastian, I beg you, stop pestering me. I don't know you. Whether you're upset or not, it doesn't concern me."
"Please don't let me regret wasting time on you." I picked up my bag and started to walk away.
But after just a few steps, Sebastian's cold voice rang out behind me.
"I used to think you were just being stubborn when you said you didn't like me."
"After all, with my conditions and looks, how could you not develop feelings after spending so much time together?"
"But you just said that the time we spent together was a waste..."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Now, I almost hate you."
"Now that you're hurting me like this... Anastasia, you'd better be sure that you'll never like me."
"Or else, I'll make sure you suffer."
---
On the way home, I thought about Sebastian's words and sighed softly. How much worse could it get?
When I was little, my biological mother passed away, and my stepmother would often beat and scold me and my sister. My father didn't care. We were always hungry, always cold, and I was even bullied at school. When I tried to jump into the river, my sister stopped me. She slapped me, crying and shouting, "How can you do this to face our Mom in the heaven?"
"You can't die. If anyone should die, it's them!"
"They're not good to us. They want to push us down, but we must rise up and show them. We need to climb higher than them, crush those bastards beneath our feet!" My sister and I had always worked so hard.
Top universities in the country, top institutions abroad—we thought a bright future was right before us, but then my sister became a vegetable.
Countless times by her hospital bed, I watched her pale face, holding a razor blade against my wrist.
In the end, I couldn't do it. Because I wasn't ready to give up.
Why?!
We didn't do anything wrong! We worked so hard to live, but we're left with such an outcome!
I couldn't accept it.
Even if my sister never wakes up, someday, I will make those who have hurt her kneel at her bedside and beg for forgiveness, crying and atoning!
I crossed my arms and slowly crouched down under the streetlamp, watching my trembling fingertips.
"I won't be crushed by anything." I won't!
---
Sebastian left.
Soon, I saw him on the financial channel.
Even the cameras couldn't hide his charm, his thin face making fans on the website scream.
I played the video for my sister, gently wiping her arm while chattering about the fun things at school:
"Isabella, I'll be graduating soon."
"After graduation, we'll go back home. I'll take you to see the grasslands and mountains."
"Sebastian found you an even better doctor. He'll be here soon. Just wait a little longer..." Suddenly, my sister's fingers twitched.
I thought I was seeing things, but when I looked closer, her fingers were really trembling slightly.
I couldn't believe it, softly whispering, "Isabella?" Her eyelids were twitching too!
Tears filled my eyes instantly. I turned and ran out, shouting for help as I ran.
I tripped at the corner, hitting my forehead on the ground. I panicked, trying to get up, but kept slipping. A pair of clean, white hands appeared in front of me.
It was Kart.
He pulled me up, smiling gently as he greeted me. "What a coincidence..."
I didn't answer him, just ran away quickly.
