The next morning, I went out for my internship. As soon as I sat down at my desk, I saw a WhatsApp message from her.

　　If it were in the past, I would have put down everything and focused on replying to her messages, but today I didn't.

　　I was immersed in my work and communicated with my colleagues about the upcoming projects. I also mentioned that I was about to graduate.

　　After work, I had dinner with my colleagues outside. During that, she sent me an emoji, and I replied to her only when I was on the way back.

　　When I got home, I saw that she was already back.

　　How strange that she didn't go out.

　　"You didn't go out?"

　　I put down my bag and poured myself a glass of water.

　　When I finished it and was about to go to the study, she called out to me, "Todd, what do you want for dinner? I'll fix it for you."

　　I shook my head slightly. "I've already eaten. You can eat by yourself. If you don't wanna cook, order takeout."

　　She looked surprised, not expecting me to say that at all.

　　I used to make dinner every day after work and wait for her to come back. I never wanted her to order takeout. She knew that in my eyes, takeout was unhealthy.

　　"Todd, last night, I..."

　　"It's fine. I've got work to do, and I'll probably be late. Gotta go."

　　"I'm sorry, Todd, that I didn't show up. I was called away by Drake and the others last night. Drake told me it was Darren's birthday, and I didn't know it before that. He said Darren wanted me to be there for Darren's birthday party and drove to pick me up. I felt that refusing him would be rude, so..."

　　I nodded in silence, knowing that Drake Taylor was one of Darren's friends. When I turned to enter the study, she grabbed my arm. There was a flash of anxiety on her face, which I had never seen before.

　　"Todd, did you misunderstand me? I didn't have anything else in mind. It was just a birthday. I..."

　　I interrupted her, "I believe you.

　　"Birthday is indeed very important, not to mention that his friend came to pick you up. Well, time to rest."

　　I broke free from her grip and entered the study.

　　This time, I didn't give in.

　　She must be angry.

　　According to my experience, we were about to give each other cold shoulders again.

　　Every time at this point in the past, I'd try to patch things up with her as soon as possible.

　　But this time, I felt relieved.

　　In the evening, she went back to school to stay the night, while I slept alone. I felt great.

　　I didn't have to prepare anything for her in the morning. I had another 20 minutes to myself, and I could use the time to do more stuff.

　　When I arrived at the company, I no longer thought about her, and I didn't text her again, asking all those unimportant questions. And of course, she wouldn't say I was chatty again.

　　I majored in computer science. There were many people in my major who went to be postgraduates. Yet since I went to college, I started dating June, and I spent all my time with her, having no interest in studying at all. Now I realized that all my roommates were talking about studies in the chat group, and my colleagues around me were studying, too.

　　I suddenly came to a realization.

　　I once thought about being a postgraduate so that I could improve my academic qualifications and academic level. But every time I wanted to read and study, June filled my mind. I wanna know whether she ate, whether she had enough clothes on her when it was freezing, and even whether she went to Darren again.

　　She was my life and my soul. I was almost obsessed with her.

　　In the past, I was texting her all the time. If she didn't text me back immediately or didn't text me back at all, I'd start to doubt myself. Did I do something wrong, and she didn't love me that much? Was our relationship coming to an end?

　　Meanwhile, she gained the upper hand, watching me as I got more and more insecure indifferently.

　　Now that I thought about it, the past me was so pathetic.

　　I should stop living in a world where she was the only one. I should create my own world.

　　So, I decided to take the postgraduate entrance exam.

　　The exam was three months away. Time for me to work hard.

　　As for our relationship, I had already made up my mind.

　　When I was about to get off work, June called me.

　　In the past, I'd answer her phone happily. Every time she took the initiative to call me, I'd be a complete fool in love, feeling that my world was filled with sweet love.

　　Yet now, looking at the book in my hand, I felt a little annoyed. I wanted to read for a while more after getting off work.

　　"Todd, what should we eat tonight?"

　　I was stunned.

　　How come she suddenly wanna having dinner with me?

　　The graduation was around the corner, and recently, she always went to school to hang out with her classmates every time she got off work.

　　And I knew Darren was always there.

　　"Todd, do you fancy some hamburger? I suddenly have an appetite. I heard that the new joint opposite the school had some great hamburgers."

　　I agreed, and she smiled, "Then wait for me to pick you up after work."

　　"Are you free? I can take a taxi there."

　　Once, I asked her to pick me up, and she said unhappily, "Don't you know the way home? It's inconvenient to pick you up from my company because of the traffic jam."

　　She grinned, saying, "I can't wait to see you."

　　I didn't expect her to say such sweet nothing. If she had said that in the past, I would have wanted to fly to her.

　　After work, I read a book for a while. When she arrived, she called me, and only then did I go downstairs.

　　Her car was parked on the side of the road. As soon as I approached, I saw Darren in the passenger seat.

　　"June, he's a grown man. Of course, he can find his way. You don't have to pick him up at all. It's such a waste of your time."

　　"Darren, when we were going out, I waited for you at the door of your classroom every day and went to the canteen early to get you a spot in the line. How come you don't say that was a waste of my time?"

　　He grinned and said, "Actually, I enjoyed the feeling.

　　"Todd won't mind that I join you today, will he? He doesn't get jealous that easily, right?"

　　June shook her head and said proudly, "He always does everything I say."

　　Darren's laughter rang out. I walked over and stood in front of them expressionlessly.

　　Darren's eyes were full of provocation. "Todd, June picked me up on the way. You don't mind I join you, do you?"

　　Before I could say anything, June beat me to it. She said, "Todd, Darren gets carsick when he sits in the back. Why don't you take the back seat?"