Twenty Years Together, Lost to a Poor Boy

At the school tennis tournament, when my girlfriend Victoria found out my racket cost a hundred thousand dollars, she went ballistic.

A hundred thousand? Just for this piece of junk racket? Are you insane! You're a complete spendthrift.

She pulled over Killian, a student on financial aid: His monthly living expenses are less than five hundred dollars. Wouldn't it be better to help him out instead?

I frowned. "It's my money. I can spend it however I want. Why should I subsidize him? Just because he's poor? There are tons of poor people in the world."

Seeing I showed no remorse, Victoria flew into a rage and demanded I hand over all my bank cards.

"I'm going to marry you eventually anyway. From now on, I'll manage all your family's money. Starting today, you need to submit a request and get my approval before spending anything."

I fell silent, looking at her like she was a stranger, then turned to call my grandfather Johnson to cancel our engagement.

Since she sympathized so much with Killian, I'd help them both out!

"Are you serious?" Johnson asked me.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"No particular reason. I just don't like her anymore."

Johnson was silent for a moment on the other end, then said: "Alright, let's find a time for both families to have dinner together and discuss calling off the engagement."

I agreed and picked up my racket to take the court.

After the match ended, I won the men's singles championship, and thanks to my stellar performance, our class also won the team competition.

I became the hero. Many classmates started clamoring to celebrate at a bar.

"You guys go ahead. Killian isn't feeling well today, so I'll stay with him."

Victoria's words plunged the atmosphere to freezing point. Everyone looked at me, including the teacher.

Because they all knew Victoria and I had grown up together and were engaged.

I looked at Victoria, my eyes stinging.

Twenty years. She'd left an indelible mark on my heart, but in hers, I apparently didn't even measure up to Killian, whom she'd only known for a few months.

"Victoria, the mood's so good, don't be a buzzkill," a classmate urged her. "Besides, tonight is to celebrate Leopold, so it wouldn't be right if you didn't go."

Killian also said: "Victoria, you should go. I'll be fine on my own."

After speaking, he covered his mouth and coughed twice.

Victoria immediately looked anxious, reaching out to pat Killian's back, her tone reproachful: "You say you're fine, but how can I feel at ease when you're like this?"

Seeing my expression darken, the surrounding classmates quickly laughed: "Victoria is too kind-hearted, worried about leaving sick Killian alone."

"Yeah, yeah, having such a kind classmate is our blessing."

Kind-hearted?

In that moment, my heart ached!

Just because of kindness, she could give away my clothes, shoes, watch, even my money to Killian without my permission?

Did she even know I was her fianc with whom she had an engagement? Or did she know but just not care?

"Why aren't you guys leaving yet? Whatever, I can't be bothered with you. I'm taking Killian to the hospital."

Victoria helped Killian leave, then turned back after two steps and said to me:

"Oh right, I almost forgot to mentionyou only won the championship because that hundred-thousand-dollar racket gave you an unfair advantage. Your actual skill level is just so-so."

Hearing this, I laughed and nodded: "You're absolutely right!"

Childhood sweethearts for twenty years, but we'd never reach a happy ending.

"That's too much. How could she say that?"

My roommate felt indignant on my behalf.

"Yeah, Leopold prepared for months for this tournament, leaving at four in the morning every day and not coming back until ten at night."

"I'm going to make her apologize to you."

I stopped my roommate who was about to chase after them, smiling: "Forget it."

There's a saying: people who don't love you can't see your efforts.

Since that was the case, why should I care?

"Let's go. Today's on me!"

The atmosphere at the bar was lively. Because Killian wasn't there.

During previous class group activities, no one had looked down on him for being on financial aid. They'd take him everywhere, but he always said inappropriate things.

"Fifty dollars for one drink? That's so expensive. You guys are really rich."

"I'm not rich like you guys to buy gifts, so I can only give verbal blessings. Happy birthday."

"My family is poor. I really envy how you guys just throw away torn clothes."

He always disguised himself as the victim, as if we were flaunting our wealth in front of him. Whenever this happened, Victoria would always step forward to defend him.

"What are you thinking about? You're today's star. Why don't you sing a song for everyone?"

My roommate nudged me with his elbow, then stood up and pulled me along, asking the bar's band to play "At Last" for us.

This used to be my favorite song, but not anymore.

"Change it to 'She's Gone,'" I said, starting to walk toward the stage.

My roommate paused, then silently changed the song.

As soon as the intro started, Victoria walked in with Killian.

Victoria acted like she didn't notice anything, saying on her own:

"Killian persuaded me. I thought about it and he was rightI should come. Plus, I think it's necessary to let you all see him completely transformed."

Victoria smiled broadly: "So? Isn't he handsome?"

The room fell silent.

I looked at Killian wearing my clothes, pants, and shoes, and was the first to applaud: "He really is handsome!"

"At least you have good taste!" Victoria was satisfied with my response. "Actually, Killian is very handsome. He just didn't have money to dress up before. Now you can see he's just as good as any of you."

I smiled.

Handsome? Wearing my clothes, pants, and shoes that clearly didn't even fit him properly.

Victoria looked Killian up and down, tapping her chin: "Seems like something's still missing."

She turned to look at me: "Leopold, take off your watch and give it to Killian."

I froze, looking down at the watch on my wrist.

It was the first birthday gift Victoria had ever given me. It held special meaning for me. Though it was already many years old, I'd always carefully maintained it.

I'd even treated it as a token of love between Victoria and me.

Now, she was asking me to give it away with my own hands.

I was silent for a long time before speaking in a hoarse voice: "Are you sure?"

"What's there to be unsure about? It's just a watch. It's not like you can't afford a new one."

Victoria said indifferently, then personally came over to remove the watch and put it on Killian's wrist herself.

In that moment, I saw Killian smile at me, his eyes full of smugness and provocation.

"Leopold, you've finally become sensible."

Victoria was pleased that I didn't make a fuss after giving away the watch. She happily pulled Killian along to sing.

I watched the two of them singing a love duet, sitting expressionlessly on the sofa.

I hadn't become sensibleI was learning not to care.

When the party ended, Victoria was drunk, leaning drunkenly against Killian and insisting he take her back to her dorm.

Killian looked at me with feigned helplessness on his face, but his eyes were clearly triumphant.

I didn't care: "Since she wants you to take her, then take her."

With that, I walked out of the private room, my eyes already red.

The next day, Victoria's roommate found me: "Leopold, Victoria didn't come back to the dorm last night. Did she call you?"

I immediately fell silent.

Victoria's roommate seemed to realize she'd said something wrong and hurriedly made an excuse to leave.

I walked alone to the field, wandering aimlessly on the track, thinking about all the moments with Victoria.

Childhood sweethearts, growing up togethermy world was full of her.

From kindergarten through college, I'd always protected her, never letting her get hurt.

In elementary school, when an older student made her cry, I'd pulled her along with red eyes to find the person and demand an apology, not hesitating to get physical. In the end, she got her apology, and though I ended up bruised and swollen, I smiled happily.

On her eighteenth birthday, I bought all the fireworks in the city and the front page of every newspaper that day to celebrate for her. That night, both families confirmed our engagement. I was so happy I didn't sleep all night.

I thought we could continue like this together, companions for life, growing old together.

But everything changed after meeting Killian.

She no longer acted cute with meinstead, there were mostly rebukes and yelling.

I endured and endured, for no other reason than because I loved her.

But did she love me? Before yesterday, I'd been certain of the answershe loved me too.

But today, I realized I was wrong. She didn't love me that much.

But I didn't understandcould twenty years of feelings really be less than a few months?

I couldn't find an answer to this question.

I don't know how long passed before I heard someone calling me.

It was Victoria, and unsurprisingly, Killian stood beside her.

I walked over and looked at Victoria's beautiful face, my heart aching sharply.

The facts were right in front of me. No need to guess anymore.

Victoria looked at me guiltily and explained: "Last night, Killian fell and hurt his back on the way taking me home. I stayed with him at the hospital all night."

"Yeah, it hurt so much," Killian said, rubbing his back. "Even now my back is still sore and aching."

I watched him quietly perform.

Hurt his back? What a coincidence.

Did he really fall? Or was it because he exerted himself too much?

But the answer didn't matter anymore.

I nodded: "Mm."

I turned to leave, but Victoria grabbed me: "Don't you believe me?"

"No, I'm just tired."

I calmly pried Victoria's hand away. She threw herself at me, hugging me.

"Alright, stop being angry. I just forgot last night and didn't let you know I was safe. I promise you, there absolutely won't be a next time."

Indeed, there wouldn't be a next time.

I pushed Victoria away and said flatly: "Was there something else?"

Killian smiled: "Actually, I have something. Thank you for giving me the watch last night. I really like it."

"But my family is poor, so I can't give you an expensive gift in return. I saw the mangoes at the supermarket looked good, so I specially picked some to give you. Please don't look down on them."

Looking at the bag of mangoes Killian held out to me, I saw them like a terrible flood, and kicked the bag over.

"Leopold, what are you doing? Killian specially bought these mangoes for you, you..."

Victoria angrily berated me, but when she saw my cold eyes, she couldn't help stepping back twice, swallowing the words at her lips.

"Did you forget I'm allergic to mangoes?"

Hearing this, Victoria's expression changed, but seeing Killian standing helplessly to the side looking like he'd done something wrong, her eyes flashed with sympathy and she frowned at me.

"Even if you're allergic to mangoes, just don't eat them. Why kick them over and disappoint Killian's thoughtfulness?"