I went to my childhood sweetheart's house to mooch a meal. His mom was teasing him: "You and Chloe are going on an exchange program together; just don't create a 'little accident' over there." I subconsciously asked him: "Is Australia that unsafe now?" After asking, the three people at the table froze. It was Julian who spoke first: "Mom, Chloe and I are really not together." His mom winked frantically at me. I understood and advised him: "You two are a good match, why not give it a try?" This time, Julian's face turned completely dark. Chapter 1 Closing the bedroom door. Julian pressed me against the wall, biting my lip punitively. "What do you mean 'a good match'?" Finally catching my breath, I blinked my misty eyes and said: "You are a good match. Last year, didn't you and Chloe get voted the 'Top Ship We Wish Were Real' by the Computer Science department at MIT?" What did the confession wall say back then? One is Professor Vance's proudest student. One is Professor Vance's most pampered daughter. During their undergrad, they co-authored a paper that was exceptionally accepted by a top domestic conference. Matched in strength, a powerful alliance. Not long after, a photo of them winning an informatics competition in high school was dug up. Even though the photo was blurry, it couldn't hide their god-tier looks. The comment section built hundreds of floors, screaming "I ship it." I was so angry I downvoted every single comment. I forced Julian to submit a real-name post to the confession wall, clarifying that he already had a girlfriend. The power couple thus became the "one that got away" couple. Snapping back to reality, Julian's kiss didn't fall again. He looked at me in surprise: "Ava, didn't you use to hate mentioning Chloe the most?" "What's up with you today?" Chapter 2 Actually, nothing much. I really just don't care anymore. Julian and I are childhood sweethearts, grew up together. During the summer after high school graduation, our families went to a hot spring resort. Our parents were playing poker inside, while we had a water fight in the private spring. Mid-fight, he suddenly leaned in and kissed me. That was the third year of my secret crush on Julian, and our friendship successfully changed quality. After the "accident," he panted and left my lips: "Ava, let's wait until we're stable before telling our parents." "Otherwise, if you don't want me in the future, it'll be so awkward for our families." So we started dating without telling our families. Julian's grades were consistently top of the class, and he went to MIT. My grades were average, barely enough for a decent state school, so I stayed in Boston for college. On Valentine's Day in the third year of our long-distance relationship. I secretly bought a train ticket to Cambridge. Carrying handmade chocolates, I planned to surprise Julian. That was the first time I met Chloe. Outside the lab, she blocked me condescendingly. "Classmate, I'll pass on your message, but take the stuff back. Julian doesn't like sweets." Luckily, Julian saw me then. "Ava, why are you here?" "Girlfriend?" She looked me up and down, smiling mischievously: "Oops, my bad, didn't tell." Chloe was overly familiar. After adding me on social media, she complained to me: "On days like this, so many girls come to give things to Julian. If I knew blocking his admirers was this troublesome, I wouldn't have agreed." "By the way, you don't look like you go to our school. Are you from Harvard next door?" I shook my head quickly. After I told her my school name, I accurately captured the flash of disdain in her eyes. Until we went to the cafeteria to eat, I didn't give Julian a good face. I had long heard Julian mention Chloe. She was a friend he met when he went to Cambridge for the informatics competition in high school. In these three years, Julian never skimped on praising Chloe, often mentioning her. "Why didn't you tell me Chloe is a girl?" He laughed: "You never asked me?" Julian skillfully picked the fish meat from my plate, removing the bones while asking: "What, jealous already?" I said bluntly: "I don't like Chloe. She offended me." "She's just like that, a bit straightforward." "Once you spend more time with her, you'll find she actually has no malice." When saying this, Julian's eyes were smiling. From then on, Chloe's name became the fish bone I couldn't pick out that day. Stuck in my throat. Couldn't swallow it, couldn't dig it out. Chapter 3 I started having frequent nightmares. Dreaming of Julian intimately holding Chloe, telling me in a disgusted tone: "Ava, don't come looking for me anymore." I became increasingly insecure. The year I graduated, I decided to leave Boston and look for a job in Cambridge. But more than a month passed. I interviewed with several companies, finished the final rounds, but heard nothing back. The sense of failure hit me like waves, leaving me devastated. Julian said he would take me on a trip to relax. I remembered a few days ago, I accidentally glanced at a push notification about Australian tourism on his phone. Suddenly full of anticipation. I not only seriously researched guides but also found a night shift part-time job to save money. On the way home that day, I seemed to be followed. Thinking of the homeless man lingering at the convenience store entrance after work. I quickened my pace while calling Julian for courage. It took three tries to connect. "Ava, my phone is dying, I'll call you back later." Before I could speak. Responding to my trembling sobbing voice was only the rapid busy tone. After getting home, I was still shaken. Suddenly saw Chloe's new post: [Thanks to a certain photographer who took photos until his phone died~] In the photo, the girl's face was brimming with a bright smile. The background was a teaching building resembling Hogwarts, with jacarandas filling the street. Location below. Australia, University of Sydney. Late at night, Julian called me back. I asked one sentence, he answered one: "Yes, I am in Sydney now, going back this weekend." "How could it be for tourism? Our lab has a collaborative project here, just came for a few days of exchange and learning." "Of course there are others. Besides me and Chloe, there's Professor Vance and two seniors." I suddenly felt a bit tired. As if drained, I instantly lost all desire to confide. "Since it's like this, why did you hide it from me?" "Wasn't I afraid you'd overthink it?" After a long silence, I seemed to hear him sigh. "Ava, you weren't this jealous before." This wasn't the first time Julian and I had a conflict. But this time. Separated by over seven thousand kilometers and a two-hour time difference. Neither of us initiated contact. Unlucky in love, lucky in career. Waking up that day, I actually received the offer I dreamed of. Cold war or whatever was thrown to the back of my mind. In the receiver, Julian's voice carried a smile: "Anger gone? Knowing to contact me?" "I've boarded. Brought you a souvenir specific to Sydney." "This jacaranda snow globe was really hard to buy; I queued for several hours to get it." I was coaxed immediately. Went to the airport to pick up Julian. Planned to tell him the good news about getting the offer in person. But saw Chloe sitting on the suitcase, pulling his sleeve coquettishly: "Julian, heard from my dad that your exchange application is filled out?" "Lend it to me for reference, please." Chapter 4 Silent all the way to the apartment. I was distracted. Knee hit the shoe cabinet, pain bringing tears to my eyes. Finally couldn't help asking Julian: "You're going to Sydney for exchange?" "Not certain yet. Even if the application passes, it'll be next semester." He squatted down to rub my knee, coaxing gently: "Anyway, it's just one year. It's not like I'm staying abroad and not coming back." "Ava, haven't we survived four years of long-distance?" Four years of long-distance. Julian said it lightly. The bulging ticket folder was stuffed with my tickets traveling between Boston and Cambridge over the years. But what about him? The number of times he actively came to my school could be counted on one hand. While I desperately fought for job opportunities in Cambridge just to be closer to him, he was preparing for IELTS. While I bought furniture for our small home, planning our future, he was researching local prices in Australia. I looked at Julian, smiling with tears: "You're ready to go abroad with Chloe, why assume I'll wait for you?" He frowned: "Ava, we're all women, I don't understand why you always hold such hostility towards Chloe?" "This exchange opportunity is rare. We are both people who prioritize the future. I don't know what you're imagining blindly?" "In high school, you even delivered love letters for others to me. How come you've become so sensitive, suspicious, and unreasonable now?" My emotions were ignited instantly. I screamed hysterically at him: "Is a friend the same as a girlfriend?" Julian scrutinized me calmly for a long time. "I've been thinking these days, maybe we're more suitable as friends." His voice grew colder bit by bit. "Preparing application materials and research topics recently has been very tiring. I don't want to argue with you over this." "Let's separate for now and calm down for a while."
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