Spring Never Comes Back

That graduation trip disaster left me lost on a strange beach for a solid six

hours.

Passing a brightly lit bar, the voices spilling out felt like ice picks stabbing

through my eardrums.

I deliberately ditched her, it was Michael's voice, my fianc. He was

complaining to Chloe, the senior beside him. "I never intended to bring her in

the first place."

"Harper's so clingy, it's honestly annoying." His casual tone was colder than

the ocean waves.

"If only she could be as mature and independent as you." That sentence shattered

the last remnants of my fantasy.

I ran like a maniac along the beach, screaming his name over and over until my

throat was too raw to make a sound.

Without even the strength to storm in and confront him, I turned and silently

walked back to the hotel, grabbed my passport, and headed straight for the

airport.

As boarding time approached, Michael's call finally came through, his voice as

light as if nothing had happened: "My phone just charged. You must be frantic,

right? Send me your location, I'll come get you now."

I hung up directly, my fingertips trembling as I texted him four words: Wedding

canceled.

"Harper, what do you mean? You couldn't keep up with me, ran off somewhere, and

now you're taking it out on me?"

The message had only been sent for three seconds before Michael called.

I could vaguely hear our companions on the other end trying to smooth things

over.

Chloe's voice was clearly the closest.

"You two are practically married, Michael. Be nice to Harper. You need to

sweet-talk a girl."

Laughter erupted around her, but Michael's voice grew colder.

"Well, we only booked the venue, invitations haven't even gone out. If Harper

wants to cancel the wedding, she can go right ahead!"

The call ended.

Michael's anger abruptly cut off.

And my phone wallpaper still showed his sunny smile.

I paused, then decided to change it immediately.

But when I opened my photo album, Michael was everywhere.

I loved capturing every little moment Michael and I shared.

Him grimacing after a sip of Americano.

Him begrudgingly eating the mushrooms I'd picked out for him.

And the silly dance videos I'd dragged him into.

I selected them one by one, deleting them.

Until, finally, I just cleared the entire album.

For some reason, my heart felt a huge chunk had been hollowed out too.

A fellow traveler's nudge made me realize my phone was ringing incessantly.

It was Michael again.

This time his tone had softened considerably.

"Harper, I was out of line just now, I was too upset."

"Don't be mad at me. Where are you? I'll come pick you up right away."

Seeing I still wasn't speaking, Michael sounded a little anxious.

"We're supposed to go snorkeling tomorrow, isn't that what you've always wanted

to do?"

I opened my mouth, instinctively wanting to say something.

Because Michael loved snorkeling, I, a complete non-swimmer, had specially hired

a private instructor before this trip.

I didn't want my clumsiness to wear out Michael's patience.

So, Id conquered my fear again and again, holding my breath underwater, and

leaving lessons with bloodshot eyes from the chlorine.

Now, I felt it was all for nothing.

"I"

I wanted to say, Let's break up. I'm not getting married.

But my throat felt like it was scraped with gravel, hoarse and painful.

The silence, lasting for several seconds, completely infuriated Michael.

"Harper, you're really something else."

"If I can't find you at the hotel in an hour, we're over!"

Whenever Michael and I argued before, this tactic always worked.

Because I loved him, seemingly more than he loved me.

But this time, I wasn't going to back down.

At the very last minute for check-in, I walked towards the counter with my

passport.

The ground staff looked up at me, then handed my documents back.

Only then did I realize that in my haste, I'd grabbed Michael's passport by

mistake.

And tomorrow's flight back home was fully booked; the earliest I could rebook

was the day after.

An hour and a half later, I returned to the hotel, exhausted.

Id planned to swap passports and find another place to stay.

But I happened to run into Michael and Chloe in the hotel lobby.

Michael was clearly drunk, leaning heavily on Chloe's shoulder.

"Harper, seriously, how could she just leave without a word, leaving me behind?"

"Here, have some water."

Chloe held a glass of water to his lips; there was a noticeable lipstick mark on

the rim.

Spotting me, she guiltily pushed Michael towards me.

"Oh, good, you're back. Michael's all yours."

I have allergies.

The moment I got close, the perfume scent clinging to Michael triggered a series

of sneezes.

Without a second thought, I pushed him back towards Chloe.

My voice was flat.

"He's your handiwork, Chloe. You can take care of him."

On the way back, I'd bought some throat lozenges; swallowing one helped a lot.

I turned and went upstairs, ignoring Chloe's darkening expression.

There were six of us on this trip.

Three were Michael's roommates from college.

He wouldn't be without a place to sleep tonight.

After washing up in my room, I found Michael's phone on the bedside table,

constantly buzzing with notifications.

I found it annoying and was about to put it on silent.

But my face ID, which I'd set up earlier, automatically unlocked it.

Michael's group chat immediately popped up.

"Seriously, what does Michael even see in Harper? She's nothing but clingy."

"Chloe brought him back when he was hammered. I swear those two are perfect for

each other."

"It's just that Chloe was almost engaged back then, so Michael only agreed to

Harper."

My fingers froze, unable to press the power button.

Because Chloe had a boyfriend, I'd never questioned Michael's excessive concern

for her.

At most, I'd pretend to be mad for a couple of days and wait for Michael to come

and coax me.

The more I thought about it, the worse I felt.

Since I've decided to break up, why do I even care about this stuff anymore?

Seeing the latest message pop up in the chat, I let out a cold laugh.

"You guys didn't know? Chloe broke up with her boyfriend at the beginning of the

month."

I paused, then suddenly understood why Michael had been in such a rush to

organize this trip.

Taking me snorkeling?

Filming beautiful videos of me?

Turns out, all the reasons he kept spouting were just excuses.

I turned to look at my suitcase, filled with various dresses.

For me, this was supposed to be a special journey.

Because after returning home, I would dive into wedding preparations, ready to

become a wife and perhaps even a mother.

The day before we left, I was still up all night doing research.

But fate always seems to enjoy playing tricks on the earnest.

Both this relationship and this trip.

They had both failed spectacularly.

I looked out at the silent sea beyond the French doors, feeling my tears were

utterly superfluous.

Just as I was about to put down my phone and go to sleep, Michael's phone

received another message.

From Chloe.

Just a few simple words:

"Feeling better?"

I stared at it for two seconds, then, on an impulse, tapped the video call icon.

It connected instantly, and Chloe, in a deep purple slip dress, filled the

screen, her figure on full display.

"Youwhy are you"

Facing her undisguised embarrassment, I smiled.

"Chloe, honestly."

"If you want to hook up with someone else's boyfriend, at least wait until I've

broken up with him first. Then it'll be legitimate, won't it?"

Chloe's face went pale as she ended the call.

...

Perhaps it was pure exhaustion, but I slept incredibly deeply.

Until Michael burst in and dragged me out of bed.

"Harper, Chloe just broke up with her boyfriend, why would you upset her?"

"If anything happens to her, I swear I'm through with you!"

Chloe's disappearance that morning had Michael pacing like a cat on a hot tin

roof.

Calling the police wasn't enough; he even considered contacting the embassy.

I kept wondering if Michael had ever been so anxious for me.

But it seemed, not once.

I always arrived ten minutes early for dates.

I'd report everything I did outside, everyone I met.

If Michael missed me, even if I was vacationing with my parents, I'd take the

fastest flight to be there.

That was my way of loving him.

But in Michael's eyes, it just made me clingy.

Annoying.

I didn't know if I was using the wrong approach.

Or perhaps, the fault wasn't mine at all.

That morning, Michael had yelled at me in front of his roommates, then later

came back to ask for my help contacting the local expat community.

Given my parents' influence, they would certainly lend a hand.

But why should I?

Not only did Chloe have nothing to do with me.

Even Michael, not yet married, was nothing to me.

So I refused.

"Chloe is an adult. She's responsible for her own safety."

Those were the exact words Michael had told Chloe yesterday after he'd left me

behind.

Now, I returned them to him, word for word.

Michael, however, became furious.

"Harper, I only just realized today what a petty, small-minded woman you are!"

"Do you think every man in the world should revolve around you?"

"If you didn't like me inviting Chloe on the trip, why didn't you just say so?"

Even his roommates chimed in.

"Michael only invited Chloe because he didn't want you to be the only girl, to

make you feel comfortable."

"Harper, Michael's been good enough to you. What more could you want?"

Before Chloe left, she'd texted saying she didn't want to spoil my fun.

They immediately assumed I'd said something nasty to her.

I had, indeed, but it was all true.

Chloe, however, had used this method to turn the tables, and she'd succeeded.

Since I couldn't leave, I wasn't going to waste my time.

I was now by the sea, doing my pre-snorkeling warm-ups.

The instructor said there was a good chance of seeing whale sharks today, and I

was absolutely thrilled.

As we prepared to head out, I saw Michael and his friends approaching, with

Chloe at the center of their group.

"I knew you wouldn't hold a grudge against Harper, it was all a

misunderstanding."

With that, Michael shot me a look, signaling for me to say something

conciliatory to Chloe.

I fought hard to keep from flipping a table right then and there, and instead

turned and boarded the boat.

Looks like I won't have any peace today.

It turned out Chloe had just been in a bad mood and had gone exploring the local

market by herself.

She even thoughtfully brought gifts for everyone.

Leaving no room for complaint.

After the boat set off, Michael, right in front of me, put on the handmade

necklace Chloe had given him.

"Chloe really has great taste."

Michael looked like he'd found a treasure.

He then took off his original necklace and casually handed it to me.

I remembered, it was my birthday gift to him last year.

Michael had said he'd wear it forever, that it was a way for me to keep him

close.

Now, it seemed the meager sense of security he'd given me was entirely

disposable.

I silently lowered my hand, letting the necklace be swallowed by the waves

without a sound.

Letting go, that was my freedom too.

At the snorkeling spot, Michael's three roommates eagerly jumped into the water.

He, like an expert, patiently helped Chloe adjust her mask, fins, and other

gear.

By the time Michael remembered me and turned to help, I was already fully geared

up and had flipped over the side of the boat.

There was no fear, only the thrill of exploring the ocean.

Even in those few seconds when a whale shark swam alongside me, I felt an

immense sense of fulfillment.

Life's choices, perhaps some are right, some are wrong.

But they always correspond to different scenery.

I've been here, I've loved, that's enough.

After snorkeling, the atmosphere on the boat ride back was incredibly awkward.

Chloe, the university league champion for the 1000m butterfly, had surprisingly

been afraid to get in the water today.

Michael had ended up staying on the boat with her all afternoon.

When the instructor enthusiastically showed off the snorkeling videos and photos

he'd taken of me.

It was clear Michael felt a pang of regret.

"Harper, let's come back again when we get married for our honeymoon."

Even now, Michael still thought I was just being dramatic yesterday.

I was about to take this opportunity to make things clear, but then the wind

suddenly picked up on the sea.

The change happened in an instant.

When the boat capsized, it would be a lie to say I wasn't panicked.

I instinctively reached out to Michael, who was closest to me.

But my fingertips grazed his arm, grasping at empty air.

I watched Michael, without hesitation, swim determinedly towards Chloe.

For a moment, I was stunned, then a massive wave crashed over me, pulling me

deeper into the sea.

I struggled desperately, but it was useless.

Both Michael and the shore were getting further and further away.

Michael and I were neighbors, we went to the same elementary and middle schools.

Back then, my family's business was just starting, and my parents were very

busy, so they had Michael and me walk to and from school together.

Michael always loved to tease me as a kid.

On the first day of school, he deliberately left me behind.

I was timid back then, too scared to go anywhere.

So I sat by the school gate, waiting from sunset until deep into the night.

"Harper!"

It wasn't my parents who finally found me, it was Michael.

"Are you stupid? You don't even know how to get home!"

After scolding me, Michael opened his backpack.

It was full of snacks, all his apologies.

"Remember to stick close to me from now on, understand?"

Because of what Michael said, I became his shadow.

Once, in a daze, I almost followed Michael into the boys' restroom.

I was so mortified, mocked by everyone, that I didn't want to go to school.

Michael then punched the leader of the bullies, knocking out his front tooth.

It was as if he was telling everyone through his actions that being his sidekick

wasn't something to be ashamed of.

In high school, my parents sent me to an international school.

Michael attended the state's top-ranked high school.

Every Friday, I would wait for him early by his school gate.

Michael would always toss his backpack at me with an annoyed look. Inside, it

wasn't full of snacks anymore, but bundles of love letters.

Some were for him, some were for me.

"Harper, don't come to my school anymore. All these admirers of yours are

driving me crazy."

I habitually followed behind Michael, meekly apologizing.

But secretly, I'd open the love letters people sent him.

Reading the veiled or bold confessions of affection, I'd get so jealous I

couldn't sleep.

I don't know why, but I just felt that I was the only one who could be Michael's

girlfriend.

He was never a patient person.

Yet he would stay with me in the library for an entire afternoon.

He would wait in line with me for two hours to buy trendy ice cream.

On my 18th birthday, Michael, amidst shouts of encouragement, kissed me on the

forehead.

My face flushed crimson, wanting to disappear.

My friend said Michael would definitely ask me out after college started.

To go to the same school as him, I put in a lot of effort.

Even my parents, who insisted I study abroad, were persuaded.

But I never expected Michael to break his own rule for another girl on freshman

orientation day.

Chloe was a year above us and responsible for welcoming new students.

On orientation day, my parents were busy, so Michael and I went together, eager

to explore the campus where we'd spend the next four years.

At the club recruitment fair, I was bumped.

Michael shielded me, getting into an argument with a senior, almost coming to

blows.

Chloe stepped in to mediate and was accidentally grazed on the elbow by Michael.

Michael immediately panicked, insisting on taking Chloe to the infirmary.

And in the crowded hall, I couldn't hold onto his arm.

Michael's phone was dead, so I couldn't reach him, but I thought he'd eventually

come back for me, so I waited where I was.

In the end, Michael never showed up.

That day, Chloe showed Michael around campus and invited him to join the

swimming club.

At the freshman welcome dance that evening, they were the most dazzling pair,

while I arrived late.

From that moment on, I decided I would no longer wait passively.

I memorized Michael's class schedule, always secretly making my way to his

classrooms.

If the photography club had an event, I'd volunteer as an external staff member.

Everyone called me Michael's inseparable shadow.

But no one knew I was terrified, afraid Michael would be snatched away by

someone else, like the Sword of Damocles hanging over my head.

College life was different from before.

Michael had many friends; he no longer took me everywhere, even lying to me.

I heard Michael was celebrating New Year's Eve by the river with his roommates.

Despite the heavy traffic, I braved the cold wind and rode a shared bike for two

hours, just to watch fireworks with him at midnight.

But when I shared my location, Michael was ten miles away at the mall,

celebrating Chloe's birthday.

"Oh, Harper, while you're at it, could you swing by Willow Street and grab a box

of caramel egg tarts? Chloe's craving them."

Even though both ends of the phone call were filled with noise.

I felt an eerie silence all around me, being jostled by the New Year's Eve

crowds, like driftwood on the ocean, with no place to anchor.