I recalled the bustling crowds in front of the amusement park last year. The girls with their various headbands, the boys in their vibrant outfits full of youthful energy, and the cheerful music floating in the air.I couldn't help but smile at the memory of the jubilant celebrations that echoed around us.Halfway through the class, it started to snow. The tiny snowflakes gently twirled down from the sky. The lecturer noticed our waning focus and decided to let us work on our own. This decision was met with such enthusiasm that some classmates looked ready to hug and thank the lecturer profusely.By the time the dismissal bell rang, the snow had covered the campus in a blanket of silver, creating a magical, fairy-tale atmosphere.I wandered along the small paths of the campus while holding my books when I stumbled upon the secret hideout I hadn't visited in a long time. It was here that Colin had firmly declared his feelings for me last year.Everything looked the same, except the
Felix stood there with his picturesque features, followed closely by Hannah, who flitted around him like a little bird. Winston, appearing as a protective wolf, looked at me with a seemingly aloof expression. But his attention was actually focused on Zara, whom he had not seen in a long time. Andrew dragged a blushing Queenie along, his face beaming with smug satisfaction.During this beautiful time of family reunions, they came in pairs, flaunting their affection in front of me. I couldn't help but lament their lack of human decency."Stop blocking my path and get out of the way!" I huffed, ready to push through them.I was determined not to let these couples make a fool of me."Do you want to ride a dog sled?""There's a fireworks show at the square!""How about joining us for dinner?"I kept my face stoic and marched past them, leaving a good 50 yards between us before turning on my heel and bellowing, "Sure, why not!"With that, the group burst into laughter. All four o
Time flew by, and the scenes from last year were still vivid in my mind even though 365 days had passed.I could see that Felix was brooding over last year's events, his calm exterior belying his seething emotions. The anger of the past was gone, replaced only with regret and anguish.The atmosphere was as lively as before, but my feelings were different. Everything had changed. The seven of us split into two cabins on the Ferris wheel, which slowly ascended into the sky.The night sky was clear, with stars hanging low. Distant lights flickered like tiny flames, and smoke from an unknown home rose and writhed in the wind, like a snake slithering up the sky.A new year had arrived, and I silently wished my parents good health, my friends' dreams to come true, and peace and prosperity to the world.Below us, countless people waved their glow sticks, their chants echoing the countdown on the LED screen."Three, two, one…"Fireworks lit up the sky as the Ferris wheel cabin I was in
Hannah, hiding on the side, exchanged exaggerated winks with me. I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing.Colin spoke tersely to Jasmine, not yielding an inch. He treated her with icy politeness, never saying a kind word to her throughout their conversation.Felix, now a seasoned expert at detecting schemes, subtly collaborated with Colin. It angered Jasmine so much that she abruptly ended the call, citing a meeting.Once the call ended, the atmosphere in the small cabin grew tense. Hannah held my hand while Felix watched me carefully. He wanted to say something but ultimately just pursed his lips and asked dryly if I was okay.Of course, I was fine. I had thought I would spend New Year's Eve alone, but seeing Colin alive and well was more precious than any present.It was as if a lifelong wish had suddenly come true. With such joy flowing through me, there was no way I could be anything but okay."It's good that you're okay. Colin went through a lot of trouble for this," Felix
I heard that a cultural platform adapted one of the romantic stories into an audio drama, which became an instant hit. The author personally sought me out and insisted on sharing a portion of the royalties, saying that without my painting, she wouldn't have found the inspiration to write such a touching love story.My classmates coined a term for this phenomenon, calling it the "Luna Effect".Of course, all of this happened later. When I submitted Colin's portrait as a class assignment, I never expected it to receive such an overwhelming response or that so many people would love it. It was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.After finals, winter break began. Zara and I packed our bags and headed back to Southsville together. I was on winter break while Zara was using her accumulated vacation days.Through her own efforts, Zara successfully obtained a permanent position and became a full-fledged police officer. Her innate sense of justice and agile abilities had finally found t
Breakfast was incredibly sumptuous, with all my favorite foods on the table. Dad had gone to the bakery downstairs to buy my favorite bread rolls and doughnuts while Mom made some oatmeal. She even added a spoonful of white sugar to my bowl, making it wonderfully sweet and soft.As I ate, I couldn't help but think that home was the best. Even the oatmeal was so delicious that I wanted to swallow the whole bowl in one go.Naturally, my thoughts drifted to Colin. We had shared countless breakfasts together, and his favorite was always oatmeal. He would always order a large bowl, saying a small one was never enough.Mom's oatmeal was exceptional, far tastier than any breakfast shop's version. It was a pity Colin hadn't had the chance to taste it. The thought of Colin made my eyes sting, and I felt like crying. But to avoid worrying my parents, I held back my tears and quickly lowered my head, focusing on eating my oatmeal."You arrived home at five, right? It was still dark then, wa
In the future, when all of this was over, I promised myself that Colin and I would take good care of my parents.This winter break had been relatively uneventful for me. Aside from my parents, I didn't want to see anyone or go anywhere. I spent most of my days lounging at home, focusing on my comics. Occasionally, I would call Nico to check on the progress of our experiments.Since Nico's house was near Jesselton College, he was left to handle everything in the lab during my time at home. Despite being on his own, he worked with complete dedication and never once complained.As I settled back into the familiarity of my childhood home, long-forgotten memories resurfaced with newfound clarity. It dawned on me that, throughout my early years, Colin had always been a constant presence. His love and companionship were significantly more profound than Felix's.Colin had always indulged me, showering me with kindness and leaving the best of everything for me to enjoy. He would save whol
When Aunt Mel saw that I repeatedly refused to visit, she finally broke down in tears and asked if I still resented her. She wanted to know what she could do to earn my forgiveness.I wasn't sure if I could ever be magnanimous enough to forgive them completely, but I knew I would eventually accept them, only because they were Colin's family. I could disregard Aunt Mel's feelings, but I couldn't ignore Colin's.Mardi Gras was approaching, and aside from the occasional social media update, Colin remained silent. I yearned for him to come back and spend the holiday with me but feared that such a rash decision might lead to irreversible consequences, leaving his debt of gratitude unpaid.My anxiety grew with each passing day.On sleepless nights, I would hug the little backpack Colin had given me, stroking it as I closed my eyes and reminisced about our times together. Eventually, those memories would lull me to sleep. More than a decade had passed, and the backpack was no longer in