Chapter 2

I lowered my head and texted Julian.

"I agree to go abroad with you for treatment."

Julian replied almost instantly: "Great. I'll pick you up in three days."

I wanted to smile, but my tears fell first.

They blurred my phone screen.

I wiped my eyes quickly.

I shoved my phone into my pocket.

Taking a deep breath, I forced a blank smile and walked over to them slowly.

"Nathan, Chloe."

I greeted them.

They jumped apart, startled.

Chloe turned pale, and Nathan looked incredibly guilty.

But when they saw my face—always a few seconds too slow to react—they both let out a visible sigh of relief.

They knew I had Delayed Pain Syndrome.

So they were absolutely sure I hadn't noticed anything.

They quickly smoothed their expressions.

They pretended they had just run into each other by accident.

But the scent of their mingled perfumes didn't lie.

I asked softly, "Why are you guys back on campus so early?"

Nathan instinctively stepped forward to hold my hand.

That was how we always were. He would always walk to me and take my hand.

But after just half a step, he caught Chloe's sad, tearful eyes.

He froze.

Then, he stepped back to stand right beside Chloe.

I looked at their shoes, perfectly aligned, and a sharp ache bloomed in my chest.

Silence stretched between us.

To break the awkwardness, Chloe rushed forward.

She grabbed the handle of my heavy suitcase.

"This is so heavy! Sera, let me carry it for you!"

She spoke too loudly, trying too hard.

I blinked, holding back my tears.

I was afraid that if I closed my eyes, the bright eighteen-year-old Chloe I loved would vanish forever.

I met her during my freshman year.

Before I met Nathan.

On move-in day, everyone else had their parents helping them.

I was all alone.

I dragged my heavy suitcase up the stairs, step by step.

The students behind me grew impatient and started yelling.

I was sweating and panicking.

Just then, a bright, beautiful girl ran down the stairs.

She grabbed my suitcase.

"Are you alone? Let me help you!"

She carried my stuff all the way to my room.

Later, I learned her name was Chloe, and she was my roommate.

From that day on, she was my only best friend.

Suddenly, a harsh voice broke my memories.

"Drop it!"

Nathan strode over and slapped Chloe's hand away from my suitcase.

He pulled Chloe behind him.

He frowned, glaring at me coldly.

"Sera, Chloe... she hasn't been feeling well lately! How can you let her carry such a heavy bag for you?"

I stood there, frozen.

I didn't know how to react.

I was always slow. Slow to react, slow to speak, and slow to feel.

Nathan knew this better than anyone.

In the past, he never blamed me for being slow.

He would just smile gently and carry everything for me.

But now, his voice was freezing cold.

"Chloe is your best friend, not your maid!"

"Stop making her do everything for you!"

"Sera, you have a medical condition, not a princess complex!"

My face lost all its color.

My lips trembled, but no sound came out.

Chloe's expression changed too. Her eyes welled with tears as she pushed Nathan away.

"Shut up, Nathan! It's none of your business what I do!"

Ignoring Nathan's worried gaze, she grabbed my hand.

"Sera, ignore him. Let's go to our room."

I let Chloe drag me along like a puppet.

Walking up the cold stairs.

The slow-moving needle finally pierced my heart.

For the first time, I realized that love and warmth could really be transferred to someone else.