The cold wind swept through the edges of his coat, blowing away the last fragments of a love that he had shattered with his own hands. He knew. He knew very well that Kim's gaze wasn't because she didn't trust him, but because she no longer needed to. He also knew that his excuses, every word, every sentence, were as fragile as cigarette smoke - unable to cover the bare truth:
He had chosen to let go. He had chosen to take a different path, enticed by shallow beauty that was easier to grasp than a profound and noble girl who he didn’t have the courage to hold on to.
The excuse of "helping a friend" was merely a sedative for the cowardice inside him.
But Thiên Kim, she had always been wiser than he thought. She knew. From the very first moment, when his gaze shifted to someone else instead of her. When his hand no longer sought hers. Kim didn’t need him to explain. Because for her, betrayal wasn't something that could be forgiven with words. It was a knife that had cut through everything beautiful they once had. Phú Quang let out a sarcastic laugh, a twisted smile. He had broken the most beautiful thing in his life with his own hands. He had been foolish enough to lose that girl – the one who, no matter how the world turned, no one else could replace.
In another corner of the bright city of Shanghai, Thiên Kim sat by the window of a small café near the university, her delicate hands tightly clasped together. The hot cocoa on the table had long since cooled, leaving a small water stain at the bottom of the cup. Tư Hạ sat across from her, her eyes cautiously watching her friend. She knew that although Thiên Kim seemed cold on the outside, deep inside, she was as fragile as a candy melting under the sun.
"Kim... are you okay?" Tư Hạ asked hesitantly.
Thiên Kim smiled faintly, her smile thin as silk, fragile as mist.
"I'm fine."
Just two words, but they were like a cold gust of wind. Not a single tear. Not a single sob. But that was exactly why... it hurt even more. Her small hand gripped the edge of the cup. A sweet, delicate scent emanated from her - a fragrance as sweet as strawberry candy, mixed with the scent of sandalwood. A fragrance that made anyone who passed by pause, as if they had wandered into an Eden, wanting to come closer, yet fearing to kneel down. Tư Hạ looked at her friend, a nameless ache swelling in her chest. She knew, Thiên Kim wouldn't cry. In those eyes, the galaxy was a whole universe full of emotions, but everything was falling apart in silence. She had learned not to cry, not to complain, but every time her heart shattered, it only made her feel more alone. Perhaps Kim understood better than anyone that sometimes, there's no need to cry, but the pain still seeps through. That coldness wasn't just to protect herself, but also a way for her to face the world without letting anyone see her vulnerability.