I couldn't eat or sleep, and I reached out to everyone I knew to get him back.
It wasn't until I wrote Sophie a thousand-word apology letter that he finally showed up.
Because I loved him and didn't want to lose him, I made sure that after every argument or cold war, things never dragged on overnight.
I would immediately apologize whenever he softened his tone.
The more I did this, the more I became anxious about losing him.
The tighter I held on, the more I suffered.
Now, I was dealing with severe insomnia.
Even with sleeping pills, I found it hard to fall asleep.
My love had sunk to the ground, nearly exhausted from endless quarrels.
"Emma? Sophie is asking you something."
Ethan's voice broke through my thoughts. I looked at them, leaning against each other, and absentmindedly replied, "Hmm."
"Since that's the case, let's consider this matter settled. Don't bring it up again, and don't sulk. Come over and have some fun with us."
Ethan said softly, as if the earlier "game mistake" was as trivial as a sneeze.
I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, refusing with a seemingly understanding demeanor.
"No, you all have fun. I have something to take care of, so I'll head back first."
"Then please settle the bill before you leave, and make me a cup of kudzu tea. I'll need it when I get back tonight..."
Before Ethan could finish, Sophie pulled him away.
Right in front of me, they began to sing love songs together.
Ethan was completely absorbed in the performance, gazing at Sophie with tender eyes.
Sophie returned his gaze with equal affection.
Looking around, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Besides the two of them, I was the only one capturing everyone's attention.
The underlying meaning of the situation was too complex for me to decipher, and I had no desire to analyze it all.
As I left, Ethan's eyes remained fixed on Sophie.
For a brief moment, I felt I had made a mistake.
I shouldn't love him; my love had bound him and affected his ability to love someone else.
This time, I was sure I didn't want to love Ethan anymore.
I left calmly.
Inside, the atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and everyone resumed drinking and laughing loudly.
Not a single person condemned their behavior or questioned whether they owed me an apology.
I was no longer in love, so there was no need to dwell on it.
I was tired and didn't want to keep fixating on them.