Chapter 10: Reversal

949th Floor (OP):

c doesn’t seem to remember anything from last night at all. He woke up just like usual, didn’t say anything. Instead, he was really happy because he liked the gifts I gave him.

My wife really experiences memory gaps when he’s drunk. I absolutely can’t let my wife get drunk in front of others anymore, or I’ll end up being the one who got tricked and still counting the money!

Today, I took my wife to an amusement park. He had wanted to go before, but we hadn’t found the right time until now.

Actually, I wanted to take c to a haunted house. I wanted to experience the feeling of having the person I like get scared and hide in my arms, then I could show my boyfriend skills.

But I’m still worried that c might actually get too scared. I’ll see later if I can get this opportunity.

950th Floor:

OP, don’t wait until later when c doesn’t jump into your arms; you might end up getting scared first, and that would be embarrassing.

951st Floor:

Hahaha, that’s hilarious. It’s true, some people think they’re brave, but once they go in, they scream louder than anyone.

952nd Floor:

Don’t even mention it. Last time, I went with my boyfriend, and he swore outside that he would protect me. I thought to preserve his dignity, I wouldn’t say I’m not scared and I don’t need his protection. But as soon as we went in, he ran away faster than anyone, completely forgetting about me.

953rd Floor:

Upstairs, I suggest breaking up.

954th Floor:

Just break up over this.

955th Floor:

Today, he might leave you behind in the haunted house, who knows where he might leave you next time.

956th Floor:

It probably isn’t that serious… right?

957th Floor:

I already broke up. Now he’s an ex-boyfriend. This incident was just a catalyst; he was always like this before, always selfish. This was the last straw.

958th Floor:

Congratulations to the upstairs miss for getting rid of a toxic boyfriend. There will be better people waiting for you.

959th Floor:

Good decision to break up!

960th Floor:

Goodbye, and the next one will be better behaved.

961st Floor (OP):

Wuwuwu, I asked my wife earlier if he wanted to go to the haunted house for fun. He said he hadn’t been and wanted to go. So we went, but, but— he really isn’t scared at all!

How can this be? Although I don’t want my wife to be scared, could there at least be some reaction? Wuwuwu.

On the contrary, because two staff members dressed as ghosts suddenly appeared, I got a fright. My wife noticed and asked me if I was scared, genuinely concerned.

Where did I look scared? Did I seem scared? I was only caught off guard! In any case, throughout the entire time, my wife didn’t change his expression, while I got scared multiple times.

But I was still quite happy because my wife saw me getting scared and reached out his arm, saying that if I was afraid, I could get closer to him. Even though I wasn’t scared, how could anyone refuse when their wife voluntarily extends their arm for a hug? 

So, for the most part, I completed the entire journey holding onto his arm.

Ah… my wife smells really nice, it’s probably the body wash, but we use the same one, so why don’t I smell this good?

But before coming out, c asked if I was okay and said that even though I was clearly scared, I still accompanied him. He said we shouldn’t play this next time.

Why did it turn out this way? Why did my wife end up showing off his boyfriend skills at the end? This wasn’t how I imagined it at all!

962nd Floor:

Hahaha, hilarious, more or less the same. c extended his arms to you; any problem with that? Hahaha.

963rd Floor:

Hilarious, say whatever, whatever. OP, you’re in trouble now; you’re the image of being scared of ghosts in front of c.

964th Floor:

Now I’m doubting whether OP was really just suddenly scared or whether this is made up. Maybe OP is actually scared of ghosts?

965th Floor (OP):

I can guarantee you, in my pursuit of someone, it’s absolutely true. I’m not afraid of ghosts! Let’s try to have more fun. I’ll pause the live broadcast from the amusement park for now, and I’ll catch up on the process later.

966th Floor:

When do you mean by “later,” OP? You can take your time to pursue, as long as it’s not a trap.

967th Floor:

Look at how OP wants to “show off” everything, how can he set a trap? A hundred percent trustworthy!

968th Floor:

OP said until he succeeds in pursuing c, so it should be a while before that happens. Plenty of happiness to come. Dog head jpg.

969th Floor:

Upstairs, be careful, OP might come back and cut you down.

…

982nd Floor (OP):

I’m sorry, everyone… this thread might end here.

I was too presumptuous. I never asked if c was single or not.

983rd Floor:

??? What’s going on? A shocking twist?

984th Floor:

How could this be… Could it be that c already has someone and is still leading OP on like this?!

985th Floor:

Oh my god, what’s happening! I thought this would be my daily dose of happiness, how did it suddenly…

986th Floor:

I knew it, why hasn’t c agreed all this time? He’s just toying with OP’s feelings.

987th Floor:

Please don’t… I’ve finally matched up with someone, why does it have to be over again…

988th Floor:

According to what OP said, c is now playing both sides, having a partner and still being ambiguous with OP… oh my goodness…

989th Floor:

Scumbag! The better looking they are, the better they are at deceiving people!!!

990th Floor (OP):

Don’t blame c, it’s all my fault.

I should have guessed that if c didn’t agree, it meant something. I was too self-assured, thinking that as long as I persisted, I would succeed.

But he never said he didn’t have a boyfriend… everything was just my own assumption.

Today is Monday, we’re back at school. When I finished class, I planned to go pick up my wife, no, pick up c.

Then as I was walking towards the teaching building where they were, I saw a guy talking to him. Initially, I thought I would wait until they finished talking before going over, but I don’t know what that guy said. C glanced around, then walked off with him.

Maybe he wanted to see if I was coming or not. There happened to be a tree that blocked me, so he didn’t see me.

I shouldn’t have done it, but I was compelled to follow. And then, I heard that guy shyly confess to c.

Even though I knew c definitely wouldn’t accept, my heart still ached. He’s so amazing, so many people like him. Yes, I admit it, I’m jealous, although I don’t even have the right to be jealous…

And as expected, c rejected him, but his reason was — he already had a boyfriend!

For a moment, I thought he might be making up an excuse, but then I realized he wouldn’t casually say something like that. Indeed, the guy still wanted to ask for something, and I heard c say, “He’s amazing, I love him.”

I had never heard c express his feelings so directly. At that moment, his eyes were truly gentle, and his tone was especially sweet, as if the other person was his whole world.

Though describing it this way sounds like something out of a novel, I was truly burning with jealousy at that moment. Who exactly would be held in his heart like that?

After that, they exchanged a few more words, and the guy left looking defeated. I didn’t want c to notice me, so I took a step ahead, and then c came over and saw me, waving happily.

Maybe just now he had thought of his boyfriend, his smile couldn’t be contained. C always smiled, but it was obviously different from the smile at that moment.

I didn’t dare let him know I had overheard their conversation, so I had to hold it in. Seeing him so happy, I couldn’t help but blurt out, asking him if being my boyfriend would be good.

And then he smiled sweetly and rejected me once again.

I’ve been rejected countless times before, but I’ve never truly felt heartbroken. At that moment, I really wanted to cry, but I held back and didn’t let him notice anything was wrong.

After sending him home, I lied and said I had something to do and left. Right now, I’m sitting in a cafe not far from our place, planning to ask something.

I created a new account and posted a confession on the school’s confession wall, posing as a girl, and wrote that I had seen a handsome guy today and asked for his contact information. If he had a girlfriend, I wished them happiness.

After I received a reply saying “good,” I kept waiting for him to post it.

I refreshed the feed repeatedly, and finally, nine submissions were complete. I nervously waited for others to reply to me. What if, what if his boyfriend was just a random excuse c came up with… What if it was all a misunderstanding…

Struggling in my mind like this for a long time, I decided to turn off my phone screen and wait. During the wait, I slowly finished a glass of the drink I usually have.

Opening my phone again, I clicked on that post. Usually, there were only ten or twenty replies, but today, there were forty or fifty.

Before I even clicked on them, I saw a comment asking if the submission was from a freshman girl.

With confusion, I clicked on it and scanned through. Many of the comments were replying to me. But the core message was the same —

C already has a boyfriend, and they’ve been together for over half a year.

Someone mentioned that c and his boyfriend were very affectionate and it was the sweetest thing she had seen.

Someone suggested that the freshman girl find another crush.

Someone used a dog head emoji to say that practically the entire school knows c has a boyfriend. Otherwise, why would c be so outstanding and yet not have many people confessing to him?

I was truly dumbfounded at that moment. The entire school knew c had a boyfriend, and I had no idea. Why was c so good that fewer and fewer people were pursuing him? It turns out it’s because he’s already in a relationship. Why did he reject me every time I confessed? It’s because someone had already won his heart before I even confessed.

I don’t think c was stringing me along as a scumbag. He probably thought I knew he had a boyfriend, and all those things he said were just jokes. After all, why would I keep confessing to someone who’s in a relationship?

I thought he didn’t mind me pursuing him and was giving me a chance. But now, it’s clear that I was just deluding myself…

This thread should end here. I really like him, I love him, but I can’t bring myself to interfere now that I know he’s taken.

That’s it, I’m sorry for not being able to fulfill your expectations of an exciting pursuit. Goodbye, everyone.

991st Floor:

What the… What a melodramatic turn of events…

992nd Floor:

I might cry from reading this, OP must be feeling so heartbroken.

993rd Floor:

I don’t believe c didn’t know about OP’s feelings. He must have been playing with OP’s emotions!

994th Floor:

I don’t even know how to console OP…

995th Floor:

How could such a misunderstanding arise? Does c really have a boyfriend? He and OP are always together; OP practically wants to hold his hand. Where’s the time for romance?

996th Floor:

A master of time management, indeed.

…

1020th Floor (OP):

I’m c.

I’ve read this entire thread from start to finish, and my feelings are quite complicated now. I never knew he thought this way, it’s not just different from reality, he’s making himself seem so insignificant.

He’s asleep after having had a few drinks, so I’ll explain the whole situation to you now.

It’ll take some time to explain everything clearly, but what I want to say upfront is: I like him, he’s my boyfriend, and I want to spend my life with him. And it’s him, and it will always be him.

There’s never been him assuming anything one-sidedly or deluding himself!