She glared at me with widened eyes. "Just you wait! I'm going to tell him!" With that, she ran off to find Kenny. I followed her and observed them from ten feet away.

The girl spoke earnestly and urgently, but Kenny remained unmoved. I saw his lips moving, but I couldn't hear him. The girl froze for a moment and then ran off in tears.

Kenny glanced up at me and flashed a smile. I skipped over to him, affectionately patting his head.

Since childhood, people had always tried to sow discord between us, but none had succeeded. Just like this girl, they came confidently and left in dejection.

Each time, Kenny would dismiss them with some simple words. Though I didn't know what he said, it must have been something like "She's my family, not your concern."

It wasn't until much later that I learned the truth. What he really said was, "We will get married sooner or later. I hope she loves me back, or I'd be pining away."

Our high school days passed quickly, and we were off to university.

My grades were average, but during the college entrance exams, I performed exceptionally well and secured a place at Windrider Academy. A year later, Kenny also managed to get in.

An outstanding freshman like him naturally attracted a lot of attention right from the start. Just his basketball playing would draw seven or eight girls asking for his contact information.

If I were someone who didn't know him, his handsome face alone would have captivated me. Coupled with his six-foot stature and his sunny yet shy personality, he was truly a heartthrob.

Sitting on the sidelines, I admired his pretty face and thought how great it would be if he were my boyfriend.

The images of Kenny's post-shower appearance came back to me. His abs were fantastic, and his face was pretty. I wondered if he was also good in bed.

Suddenly, I snapped out of it and blamed myself for harboring such a thought.

But a handsome guy was still worth admiring.

Just as I was quietly comforting myself, halftime arrived. He sat on a bench during the break, and a girl came over to offer him water. He politely declined. I picked up my bottle of water and walked over. When I faced the girl, she pouted with displeasure.

Kenny noticed I was standing in front of him but gazing at that girl. His brows furrowed slightly. He pulled me closer until we were just an inch apart. Only then did I turn to look at him. He got up to take the water from my hand and drank it.

Sitting next to him, I took out a tissue to wipe his sweat, saying, "That girl isn't good for you. Her makeup is too heavy, and it seems that she has a bad temper. I'm afraid you'll be bullied if you're with her."

Surprisingly, Kenny didn't choke on the water this time. Instead, he drank calmly, as I watched him. He finished the water in one go, stood up, and walked away to throw the bottle into the trash.

As I stared at my empty hands, it dawned on me that he had drunk and discarded my water. Just as I was about to ask him why he didn't buy his own water, I noticed his back soaked with sweat as he walked back towards me.

Kenny returned to sit beside me and smiled, "Why are you never satisfied with any girl?"

I was taken aback. I wanted to explain, but I couldn't find the words. After a few changes of expression, I opted to remain silent.

I didn't understand why. Whenever I saw those girls on their own, I thought they were perfectly fine. But the moment they appeared beside Kenny, I couldn't help but find fault. I used to attribute this to something like "fathers never approving of their sons-in-law." Now it didn't seem like the case.

Because I realized it wasn't just dissatisfaction I felt. I also felt a hint of anger. When I was younger, I didn't know where this unnamed emotion came from, but now that I was older, I understood. And as time passed, this feeling grew stronger.

That was jealousy, the manifestation of liking someone. It was like biting into an unripe fruit tinged with bitterness.

Realizing this, I had an answer deep down in my heart, yet I wasn't willing to admit it. I was not sure if it was due to the almost familial bond of many years or my confusion about this thing called love.

I was not sure of my feelings.

He noticed my continued silence and leaned closer, staring straight at me. Before I could react, his nose was almost touching mine. I quickly moved back, but he pulled me close by the waist.

I was wearing a light dress. His hand, warm with body heat, held my waist as he pulled me forward. My eyes bore into his, and his breath assailed my face.

"Since you're not satisfied with any of them, how about you take their place?" he said.

His words echoed in my ears as I went back to the dormitory. I almost fled, distinctly hearing the laughter of the guys beside him. As I ran, I glanced back at him.

Bathed in the sun, the young man was dazzling.

I was not sure what he meant and wondered if he was trying to get back at me. He had even learned to do such things. It couldn't possibly mean what I thought it meant. Maybe it was all my wishful thinking.

As I was lost in my thoughts, my roommates returned. They saw me in a daze and came over to ask me what had happened.

After thinking for a moment, I briefly recounted everything about Kenny and me from childhood until now, including what had just happened.

"Do you think he's planning to date someone and wants to practice with me?" I asked them.

That was absurd. But soon, my anger, which seemed to be exploited, was replaced by a sudden surge of sadness. I wondered what kind of girl he would be dating and if he would act like this to them too.

I couldn't help but feel gloomy.

My most experienced roommate in this aspect smiled knowingly, "Opal, stop struggling. You just like him."

I wanted to retort, but she continued, "Then let me ask you, could you accept him standing in front of you with another girl by his side?"

I froze, carefully considering this. I had imagined him appearing with a girl in front of me one day, smiling as he introduced her as his girlfriend.

But over the years, no matter which girl appeared by his side, I couldn't imagine myself in her place beside him. Just thinking about it made me restless. Then, I would scrutinize that person with the most critical eyes until I found one reason after another why she wasn't suitable for him.

"You already have an answer," said my roommate.

I was troubled by this matter and decided to avoid Kenny altogether. He came looking for me several times, but I ghosted him. Soon, the semester ended, and the holidays began.

I stayed in Emberglow with my roommate to find an internship. Since the dormitories were closed during the break, we had to rent a place together outside. It was a bit far from the city center, as we were students and didn't have much money.

The company was a startup where the staff and boss were friendly. Compared to the fast-paced big companies without any personal touch, this kind of place suited me better.

But just a few days into the internship, one evening after work, we were told by the landlord that his relatives needed to stay temporarily at our place, so we had to move out. He refunded our rent, but it was late at night, and we had nowhere to go.

My roommate contacted a relative who lived nearby, but their place was too small for both of us. She looked at me apologetically, and I comforted her. "It's okay. Kenny is interning nearby, and 'll ask him."

With that, I dialed Kenny's number.

"What's up?" His voice was a bit hoarse and low, and I realized suddenly that I hadn't heard his voice in almost a month.

"I-I've been kicked out by the landlord, and I have nowhere to go," I revealed.

"Then come to my place. I have a spare room in the apartment I'm renting alone," he said immediately, but his words made me blush.

Before, I hadn't felt uneasy about anything, but now that I had discovered my feelings, I felt shy. It would be awkward for a young man and a young woman to live together. I knew his physique well, and I was afraid of losing control.

Blushing, I managed an affirmative sound and sent him my location. My roommate went from feeling guilty to happy. When I glared at her, she chuckled and went off to buy something from the store.

She shoved it into my hand and whispered, "Take it and win his heart." Then she hurriedly grabbed her suitcase and fled.

I glanced down and blushed instantly.

This was crazy. Kenny and I hadn't even confirmed our relationship.

I quickly stuffed the item into the bottom of my backpack, took a few deep breaths, and quietly waited on the roadside for Kenny to pick me up.

I was a bit nervous. Since the last incident, I had been avoiding him, afraid that his previous action was just a joke. I was also afraid that if he knew my feelings, he would drift away from me.

If the price of bravery was losing him as a friend, then I chose cowardice.

Before long, a car pulled up in front of me, and Kenny rolled down the window. "Get in."

I found it unbelievable that he had a car. But then I remembered the successful investment made by his family a few years ago. Kenny was now financially free.

As I stood there in a daze, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.

By the time I reacted, my hand, holding the suitcase, was already covered by his. Just like that, he led me to the trunk.

My mind went blank the moment his hand covered mine, as he seamlessly transitioned from holding my hand to interlocking our fingers and leading me to the passenger seat.