I busied myself with my studies.
Every now and then, I would open social media and see him sharing updates—something he never used to do.
I smiled softly, put down my phone, and returned to my studies.
We both needed time apart, to quietly reflect on the three years that weren't as bright as we had hoped.
Until one day, while I strolling down a foreign street at dusk.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out.
A bullet whizzed past my ear.
Death was but a breath away.
Screams and cries echoed in my ears.
The criminals behind the riot slowly advanced toward me, paralyzing with fear.
Then, out of nowhere, someone appeared and grabbed my hand.
He pulled me through the panicked crowd, escaping the danger.
We fled into a safe, secure hotel.
In the bright lights of the lobby, surrounded by foreigners of various skin tones, he pressed his lips to hers.
The sounds of security guards and police echoed outside.
In the fireworks-lit confrontation, we gazes met.
He gently released me and looked at me with a serious and determined expression.
"Adeline, may I pursue you again?"
Once again, I heard the familiar voice in my mind.
[Ahhhh! I don't care if you disagree! I'm going after you!]
[I don't believe you can stop me from chasing you, even if we're broken up!]
14 (Ismael POV)
I sat in the living room, watching as the cat I had bought some time ago curled up on the carpet, licking its fur.
It had been a gift, but the recipient was nowhere to be found.
I was angry, deeply frustrated. I had treated her so well, and yet she had left me.
Unappreciative!
The cat grew little by little, but its true owner still hadn't returned.
Just one more week, I told myself. "Come back, and we'll get back together."
But a week passed. Then a month. Then three months. She still hadn't come back.
On my birthday, as I stared at my empty house, the cat had fallen asleep.
I suddenly realized.
Adeline had been right. I had never made my feelings clear to Adeline.
She had never made her feel loved.
That night, I booked a flight abroad.
In a foreign country, at dusk, I saw her again.
"Adeline, may I pursue you again?"
This time, I promised, I would never give her the feeling of being unloved again.
Few months ago...
On a day after our wedding, while looking for a book in the study, I accidentally knocked one off the shelf.
Out fell a yellowed love letter, half-written.
It began with:
"To Adeline."
After so many years, he was still writing love letters?
My gaze moved to the signature.
"Ismael, March 2, 20XX."
Twelve years ago, during our high school days together.
Ismael's Perspective
One summer, when I was eighteen, I met a girl by a garbage bin while throwing away a love letter.
She, too, was throwing away a letter.
I noticed the name on the envelope.
"To Adeline."
After throwing away her letter, she hummed a tune as she walked away.
I glanced around; the secluded trash bin had no one else nearby.
Driven by my competitive spirit, I counted the number of letters I had thrown away—12.
I then went through the trash again.
Adeline received 13 love letters.
I looked at the pile of letters—who on earth was receiving more love letters than me? I had to remember this person!
Adeline, the class monitor.
A beauty, well-known among the students.
During class, while my desk mate was furiously taking notes, I curiously asked, "What are you writing?"
"A love letter," my desk mate replied.
A bad premonition crept into my mind.
Sure enough.
"Do you know Adeline?"
Damn it.
Her again.
Unconsciously, I scribbled her name on my notebook.
I decided to secretly observe her.
Damn it!
My curiosity led to unexpected discoveries.
By the time I wrote the 52nd love letter Adeline was about to receive, I suddenly realized what I was doing.
Guiltily, I stuffed the letter into my textbook.
Pretended nothing had happened.
Great!
In the senior year, it was time to focus on studies—matters of love and relationships were not important!
Our names were both listed side by side in the "Excellent Students" column.
Ranking at the top of our respective grades.
She didn't know me, but I knew her.
We lived in separate worlds, only hearing about each other through rumors.
We were unrelated.
After high school graduation, the first time I saw Adeline was at a university celebration event.
She was wearing a floral dress, chatting and laughing with classmates.
When the background music changed, she accidentally bumped into me while holding a glass of juice, spilling it all over her dress.
She hurriedly apologized and left.
She didn't even look up.
I failed at trying to get to know her.
I was frustrated. Anxious. What should I do?
We weren't at the same school. There were only a few events between the two universities.
Until graduation, I never had the chance to speak with her.
She existed in my world, but only unilaterally, for four years.
Until the fifth year.
The news of her father's business failure reached me, and I immediately had someone inquire about her situation.
On a night filled with moonlight and mingling at a banquet, I finally met her.
She sat across from me and smiled.
"Hello, Mr. Wright. I'm Adeline."
I knew.
Adeline, the girl who had existed in my world for many years.
