When Hyacinth Chua woke up, the soft rays of the sunrise were already peeking through the window.
A pounding headache spread through her skull, and a wave of nausea hit her. She felt like throwing up.
Groggily, she hurried out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. After emptying the contents of her stomach vomiting a rainbow, as some would say—she decided to take a shower.
Once she was done, she finally took a moment to gather her thoughts.
She was in her own bedroom.
Someone must have carried her here.
Hyacinth Chua sighed in relief. She hated sleeping in unfamiliar places.
As she opened her door, a familiar scent filled the air.
Food.
Hyacinth Chua stepped outside and saw Aurora Perish and Sora Winslow playing Mario.
Sora Winslow shouted, "How are you so good at this?!"
Aurora Perish nonchalantly said. "You're good too, but I'm just better."
Sora Winslow wasn't sure if Aurora Perish was complimenting her or just being cocky.
Meanwhile, Soren Halloway noticed Hyacinth Chua and called out to her.
She was surprised—Hyacinth Chua looked completely put together. Soren Halloway had expected her to change her style into something darker after going through heartbreak.
"Stop whatever you're thinking," Hyacinth Chua said, eyeing the tray of food Soren Halloway was holding. It was a simple soup, but the sight of it made her realize just how hungry she was.
Soren Halloway, unfazed, was actually relieved that Hyacinth Chua seemed okay.
"Oh, I was about to wake you up," Soren Halloway said, setting the soup down on the table.
The apartment wasn't anything fancy not as spacious as the ones in the future—but for one person, it was big enough.
"I was about to cook for myself," Hyacinth Chua started, but before she could finish, Soren Halloway shot her a knowing look.
They both knew—Hyacinth Chua couldn't cook.
Hyacinth Chua cleared her throat. "...Thank you."
Soren Halloway grinned teasingly before walking off, grabbing a snack for the two girls still engrossed in their game.
Aurora Perish and Sora Winslow noticed Hyacinth Chua, but they chose not to disturb her. She was eating, and after all, she had just gone through what was basically a breakup.
So, they continued playing but toned down their excitement. Now that the apartment's owner was awake, it didn't feel right to be laughing and having fun while she was dealing with everything.
Besides, they didn't want to risk getting kicked out—especially since, just last night, the three of them had decided this would be their official hangout spot.
Aurora Perish, Soren Halloway, and Sora Winslow had quickly become close friends after that night.
Aurora Perish knew that, in the original storyline, Soren Halloway and Sora Winslow were great friends to Hyacinth Chua. Even though Hyacinth Chua had changed, the two of them still remained by her side.
But they weren't always around.
That's why, for the most part, they never really knew what Hyacinth Chua was going through.
Aurora Perish eventually realized that both of them had assumed Hyacinth Chua's feelings for Rose Sallow were nothing more than a one-sided crush. They had no idea that, when Hyacinth Chua turned sixteen, Rose Sallow had actually allowed her to pursue her.
That was why, in the original story, both Soren Halloway and Sora Winslow had harshly criticized the situation—though most of their judgment had been directed at Rose Sallow.
If they had known the full truth, they probably wouldn't have criticized Hyacinth Chua at all.
Instead, 99% of their blame would have been placed on Rose Sallow.
Rose Sallow was the older one, yet she acted like a grade schooler.
Yes, she was three years older than Hyacinth Chua.
Why three years? That age gap was popular especially in romance stories. If you looked at Wattpad, you'd see it all the time, particularly in the classic student-teacher relationships. The age difference was almost always exactly three years.
Oh, did I forget to mention the title of the novel Aurora Perish was in?
My Secret Relationship with My Teacher.
Aurora Perish thought the title itself was cringe, and the plot was cliché.
Suddenly, Hyacinth Chua—who was supposed to be eating spoke.
"Rose Sallow is leaving for another country tomorrow."
The three lounging on the couch froze in shock. Then, before they could fully process it, Hyacinth Chua dropped another bombshell.
"She's going to study abroad."
"What!?"
The three of them were stunned—even Aurora Perish. She knew this would happen eventually, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. The novel was so cringe that it hadn't even bothered to mention the exact date Rose Sallow left the country.
That's why even she was caught off guard.
Soren Halloway and Sora Winslow were even more shocked. They had planned to talk to Rose Sallow tomorrow, thinking they might be able to help with Hyacinth Chua's relationship.
But fate had other plans.
Hyacinth Chua looked at Soren Halloway and Sora Winslow. "Don't even think about it."
The two girls gulped.
"I'm planning to move on. No need to worry about me." Hyacinth Chua gave them a reassuring smile. "After all, it's just a crush."
But Sora Winslow and Soren Halloway weren't convinced. Doubt lingered in their hearts. Hyacinth Chua had been crushing on Rose Sallow for years—how could she move on so easily?
Sora Winslow, who had once fallen for an actress she deeply admired, knew the feeling all too well. When the news broke that the actress was getting married and would soon retire from the industry, it devastated her.
For a whole year, she struggled with the heartbreak.
She eventually moved on, though memories of that time still surfaced now and then. It had hurt at first, but with time, the pain faded. Now, she could genuinely feel happy for the actress she once admired so much.
Sora Winslow felt sad for her friend. But then, Hyacinth Chua suddenly spoke.
"I know what you two were up to back then. There were rumors that you two kept pestering Rose Sallow whenever something happened."
Sora Winslow and Soren Halloway were stunned. They thought they had gotten away with it, but Hyacinth Chua had known all along.
"Don't do it again. Understood."
It wasn't a question—it was a command, firm and unwavering, like an order from a superior.
Sora Winslow and Soren Halloway nodded frantically, like pecking chicks.
Aurora Perish has a guess about what they did back then. She wants to laugh at the moment, but before she can, Hyacinth Chua glares at her. Quickly, Aurora Perish looks away, pretending she didn't hear anything at all.
Hyacinth Chua sighed.
"What happened last night?"
The two who had looked guilty earlier were now barely holding back their laughter.
Hyacinth Chua frowned in confusion. "?"
Aurora Perish, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke. "Do you really want to know?" she asked with a blank expression.
Hyacinth Chua hesitated. "Do I?"
Before Aurora Perish could respond, Sora Winslow suddenly burst out, "ROSE SALLOW!"
She dramatically struck a pose, mimicking whatever had happened the night before. Then, dropping to her knees, she clutched her chest as if in anguish.
"M-my dream woman," she whimpered, tears welling in her eyes.
Sora Winslow glanced at the snack she had been eating earlier, cradling it with an almost heartbreaking tenderness. Her voice trembled.
"Why did you—hiccup—"
Before she could finish, she passed out.