My expression stayed composed, but my tone carried a chill.

"That's between the two of you. It has nothing to do with me."

And it was true—after the breakup, his affairs no longer concerned me.

At my words, the faint expectation in Thor's eyes dimmed, replaced by a mocking edge.

"You're the ex. Of course it has nothing to do with you."

With that, our connection was severed completely.

Then, without warning, Thor stood up, pulled Lina to her feet, and locked his eyes on hers. Under everyone's stunned gaze, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her hard.

A chorus of gasps and squeals erupted throughout the bus.

The kiss dragged on. Soon, silence fell—heavy, suffocating. Even the sound of breathing disappeared.

I sat frozen, staring.

My heart clenched so tight it felt like a thousand ants were gnawing through it. The pain spread down to my bones. My brain screamed for me to stop them, but reason held me still.

So I bit down hard on my lip, my nails digging into my palms, forcing myself to stay composed.

Their kiss went on and on.

I couldn't bear to watch anymore. I turned toward the window, staring out at the blur of trees rushing past.

When they finally pulled apart, someone shouted with a teasing laugh, "Thor! That's your kiss with a second girl. How does it compare to your first?"

Thor cleared his throat and replied, his voice carrying an unmistakable trace of fondness.

"Of course the second one feels better."

The words struck like a blade. Despite all my restraint, my vision blurred, and my eyes burned hot.

Because no matter how hard you try, love is the one emotion you can't control. And his cruelty was unbearable.

I pressed my hands over my ears, closed my eyes, and shut out the world. If I didn't see or hear, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

When the bus finally arrived, I was the first to get up, practically fleeing down the steps.

When I reached the restroom, I doubled over the sink and vomited. My head spun; my body felt weak.

The image of him kissing Lina kept flashing before my eyes. Tears spilled before I could stop them.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Love—how devastatingly real it could be.

After a long while, when the dizziness faded, I washed my face and left the restroom.

Passing by the men's room, I caught familiar voices drifting through the open doorway.

"Thor, wasn't it too much—kissing another girl right in front of her?"

"It's not too much. She keeps threatening to break up. This time, I'll teach her a lesson. Let's see if she dares to act out again."

"But she looked really shaken. Shouldn't you go talk to her?"

"I've been comforting her for years. I'm tired of it."

"Yeah, you spoiled her too much. That's why she keeps pulling the breakup card."

"Exactly. Once she realizes how serious I am, she'll come crawling back to apologize. Then she'll think twice before ever defying me again. It's the best way to keep her in line."

Their words chilled me to the bone.

So that was what he thought of me—that I was throwing tantrums, and he could train me into obedience. That even his kiss with another woman was just a punishment.

How laughably arrogant.

I let out a quiet, hollow laugh and walked away.

On the way home, memories of us kept replaying in my mind.

How he'd panic when I choked on food and rush me to the hospital.

When I had stomach cramps, he'd wake specialists in the middle of the night just to ease my pain.

Whenever I was sad, he'd do anything to make me laugh, even plan surprise trips to cheer me up.

He'd memorized everything—what I liked to eat, what made me happy, how I lived my days.

His care had once been flawless, all-consuming. And over time, I grew used to it. I believed that love, that devotion, was mine alone.

But in the end, even the strongest affection couldn't survive temptation.

Thor's special treatment of Lina had me worried; that was for sure. I had tried to win him back by threatening to break up, but all I earned was his disgust. Once I was no longer his only one, everything I did became wrong. It was clear, whatever he and I shared belonged to the past.

As exams approached, I buried myself in study.

Meanwhile, Thor and Lina grew closer by the day; rumor had it they were already a couple. I became the punchline in everyone's gossip.

After the tests, I stayed home—nowhere to go—waiting for my acceptance letter.

Soon, the envelope arrived. I took it from the courier and was about to open it when a shadow fell over my head and someone snatched the letter from my hands. I recognized the thief and felt my mood sour.

"Give that back—it's mine," I said.

Thor ignored me and ripped open the envelope.

My heart lurched; I lunged instinctively and grabbed it back.

"Don't look." I barked.

He looked at me coldly. "I was curious how you did—wanted to see if maybe…"

He trailed off, but I cut him off. "You have no right to see it."

His face hardened, voice sharpening. "Aisha, are you still throwing tantrums after all this time?"

I kept my lips pressed together and looked down. He reached out, pinched my chin, and forced me to meet his gaze.

"I thought you'd use this time to calm down and think. I thought you'd realize where you went wrong. But you don't seem remorseful at all."

I let out a bitter laugh that tasted of scorn. "So, you think I'm the one at fault?"

"Isn't that the case?"

Disappointment thinned across my features; the warmth I once felt for him eroded a little more. I stepped back, about to speak, but he sighed in resignation.

"Fine. If you haven't figured it out yet, take your time. We'll be at the same university—four years should be plenty for you to come to your senses."

I frowned and said, "I applied to another school."

At that moment, his phone rang, drowning out my words. When he glanced at the caller ID, his face softened. He answered; his voice became gentle.

"Lina? What's wrong?"

Even from where I stood, I could hear her tremulous cries through the handset. "Thor, I'm being harassed by some thugs. They're forcing me to drink. I'm at the Last Drop Bar. Come quickly."

Thor's expression snapped into panic. He turned and started to leave, murmuring reassurances into the phone as he went. "Don't be afraid. I'm on my way. If anyone lays a finger on you, I'll kill them."

I watched his retreating back until he vanished, and whatever storm had been in me calmed. Whether he'd heard my earlier words or not didn't matter anymore; I had said them.

I slit open the envelope. The university name confirmed my new plan: a school far from the city I lived in. I had no intention of coming back for those four years. From then on, my life and Thor's no longer intersected.

His life, however, brimmed with excitement. He spent his days dining and partying with friends, always with Lina at his side. They traveled together, dived together, trekked forests, spent nights in caves—every adventure photographed and posted to his social feed. Lina's face appeared in every album, radiant with joy.

One day, he even posted a photo of Lina kissing his cheek.

A few of Lina and Thor's friends commented beneath his post.

[Lina, you're amazing—you actually got the aloof and restrained Thor!]

[Wow, you two are official now! Expecting wedding bells soon and a baby!]

[Yes! Don't forget to invite me to the wedding!]

[I call dibs on being the best man!]

Reading through the comments, I felt a twinge of discomfort. No matter how many times I told myself to move on, the heart wasn't a machine—it still ached.

But this pain wasn't as sharp as before. It had dulled, softened around the edges. Time truly could change a person, and fade emotions that once felt impossible to forget.

When I returned to campus for the graduation ceremony, the first thing I saw upon stepping through the gate was Lina, arm-in-arm with Thor. They were laughing, radiant—a perfect match of beauty and charm. Someone nearby was taking their photo.

Even though Thor's pose looked a little stiff, he still smiled for the camera, eyes filled with gentle affection when he looked at her.

I remembered our first photo together—he'd looked at me the same way.

I turned down another path, choosing not to cross their way. I had no desire for awkward encounters.

As I walked, memories of Thor and me flooded back like flickering scenes from an old film—our laughter echoing through the campus, our warm embraces, the dizzying sweetness of first kisses.

We had once promised to marry after university, to build a home, to decide how many children we'd have.

Back then, we were childish—but genuine. Now, it all felt like a beautiful dream. And when I woke, the dream was gone, and so were we.

I made my way to the back garden, picked up a fallen branch, and pried open a patch of earth. Beneath it was a small box—our names carved onto its lid.

There was an old legend at our school: if two lovers wanted their bond to last forever, they had to write down their names, tie them together with a ribbon, and bury them in the ground. That way, their love would be blessed for a lifetime.

The year we decided to marry, we came here and buried our names together. It was also here that he had promised to love me forever.

I dug up the box, opened it, and pulled out the slip with my name. Without hesitation, I tore it to shreds.

They were together now. Why should I cling to a promise that no longer meant anything?

Footsteps sounded behind me. I turned and saw Lina approaching, her expression cold, eyes sharp with disdain.

"Still can't let go, can you?" she said icily.

I looked up and held the box out to her.

"Tie your name with his," I said flatly.

She blinked in surprise, hesitated for a moment, then took the box.

I stood, inhaled deeply, and said, "You love him, don't you? Then hold on tight."

A confident smile curved her lips. "Of course."

She quickly scribbled her name, tied it with his, and buried the two together.

I said nothing more and walked away, oddly numb.

Before leaving campus, I decided to stop by the library for a few books. One title caught my eye, something philosophical yet comforting, and I found myself absorbed in it.

Then, a pungent smell reached my nose. I frowned, sniffed again, and instantly sensed something was wrong. Dropping the book, I bolted for the door.

But it was too late. Flames were already roaring outside, blocking the exit. Within seconds, fire engulfed the room, trapping me inside.

I tried to find a way out of the fire, searching desperately for a corner to shield myself while scanning for any possible escape.

Just then, a shadow rushed in. When I looked closer, my stomach sank—it was Lina.

Of course. Even in a fire, fate had a way of throwing us together.

Her expression was dark, her tone bitter.

"This is all your fault. Nothing good ever happens when you're around."