Chapter 3

Whenever my asthma had flared up in the past, Daphne would always be the first to shove my inhaler into my hand. She had even made it a habit to carry one with her everywhere she went.

But now, she stood there with her arms crossed, making absolutely no move to help.

"Jenson, you've been taking things a bit too far these past couple of days. Haven't you thrown enough of a tantrum? Stop using this same old trick to manipulate me. Honestly, I've been meaning to ask. Does your asthma really flare up that easily?"

With that, Daphne didn't give me another glance. She turned around to softly comfort a crying Nathan, telling him that they were taking the cat to the vet.

I wanted to beg her to stay, but all that came out was a wheezing rasp. I could only watch helplessly as she walked away.

The apartment fell dead silent, save for the ragged sound of my own gasping.

Gradually, as the last bit of oxygen in my chest drained away, my consciousness began to slip.

Just then, a fair hand reached out and pressed the inhaler into my grip.

Once my breathing finally stabilized, I dragged my exhausted body back to my dorm and crashed.

I kept telling myself to just endure it for a little while longer.

As soon as my university offer from abroad arrived, I could leave all of this behind.

When I woke up, all the freshmen were rounding up to head into the mountains for a mandatory hiking drill.

Right as we set off, Daphne, who was accompanying us as a student council member, blocked my path.

"Move," I said, glaring at her coldly.

She acted like she didn't hear a single word. As she had countless times before, she familiarly snatched my backpack from me.

"Like I'd ever let you carry all this heavy weight. You just focus on walking light."

That affectionate tone made it seem as though the ugly scenes from the past two days had never happened.

After saying that, she even reached up to playfully pinch my cheek, her gaze full of warmth.

Keeping my face expressionless, I tried to take my bag back, but it was no use. Frustrated, I brushed past her and stormed ahead.

Looking pleased, she hugged the pure black backpack that didn't match her image at all and leaned in toward me. "Okay, fine. I'm apologizing, alright?"

She expected to completely erase all the agony and humiliation she had caused me yesterday with one casual sentence.

In the past, whenever she put on that pitiful look, I would have immediately smiled and pulled her into my arms to make up.

But now, it only made my stomach turn.

How could she lead two guys on so shamelessly and act like it was second nature?

How could she give Nathan the very favoritism that once belonged only to me, then have the nerve to stand here and beg for my forgiveness?

"We're broken up. And I'm not forgiving you." I dropped the words coldly and picked up my pace.

This time, Daphne didn't chase after me.

The mountain trail grew steeper, and the line of students moved at a crawl toward the summit.

Just as I braced myself to push up a sharp incline, a sudden gasp echoed ahead.

Nathan, who had somehow gotten ahead of me in the line, suddenly lost his footing. His body lurched backward, and he fell straight toward me.

I instinctively reached out to steady him, but Nathan used the momentum to grab a fistful of my shirt.

Before I could even register what was happening, I also lost my balance, and we both crashed hard onto the gravel. A sharp sting flared in my palms as they scraped open.

"Babe! Are you okay? What happened?" Daphne rushed to my side first, looking anxiously at my bleeding hands.

"Daphne, it hurts so bad…" Nathan's weak whimper from the ground instantly drew her attention away.

He was clutching his ankle, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked up at Daphne. He shot a glance in my direction, as if he were silently accusing me.

But he didn't say a single word. He just bit his lip and let the tears well up.

Daphne immediately shot me a reproachful look. Her voice was laced with anger as she demanded, "Jenson, it's one thing to be mad at me, but why would you deliberately push Nate down? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

I pushed him down?

The sheer absurdity and injustice of it sent a sharp pang through my chest. It hurt a hundred times worse than the scrapes on my hands.

I struggled to my feet and raised my voice. "He grabbed me and dragged me down with him! Why are you blaming me? Nathan, why don't you tell her what actually happened?"

Faced with Daphne's questioning look, Nathan shrank back as if terrified, pressing his lips tightly together and keeping his head down.