I’d been in love with Ethan Eriksen for five years. His brother, Liam, had been in love with Zoe Miller for just as long. Then, on New Year's Eve, I waited at the movie theater, but Ethan never showed up. Liam waited at the amusement park, but Zoe never came. Instead, what we both got was their relationship announcement, posted simultaneously on Instagram. Later, we huddled together. He said, "How about we just... make a go of it? We're a known quantity, after all." I was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Okay." And so began our mad dash—trying on wedding dresses, scouting venues, picking a date, writing invitations—all with the single-minded goal of getting married before they did. It was later, as I was dizzy from looking at venue after venue, that Ethan Eriksen knocked on my door. His jaw was tight, the rims of his eyes red as he asked me, "Are you serious? Are you really going to marry Liam? Have you really thought this through?" 01 On New Year's Eve, I was standing in a mall on Central Avenue, watching the balloons being released outside, watching countless couples embrace in the falling snow. I clutched a movie ticket in my hand as a gentle flurry danced in the air. I couldn't quite name the feeling. It was just a hollow realization that after all these years of loving Ethan, it was all coming to nothing. My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen. It was Liam, Ethan’s younger brother. The message was short: She didn't show either. I had grown up with Ethan and Liam. Later, I fell for Ethan, and Liam fell for my roommate, Zoe. We’d made a pact: he’d help me, and I’d help him. A tragic comedy, really. On New Year's Eve, he was stood up by Zoe, and I was stood up by Ethan. I let out a slow, shaky breath and was about to leave when Liam called. The background was noisy, but his voice, though clear, was rough and hoarse. "Did you see their Instagram posts?" A cold dread washed over me. My hand hovered over the screen, frozen. It felt like if I tapped that icon, everything would shatter. But I did it anyway. It was New Year's, so my feed was flooded with couples' photos. I only had to scroll a little before I saw it. For a moment, confusion eclipsed the heartache. The photo they'd both posted was an old one, from high school. In it, Liam and Zoe stood on the school's athletic field, smiling and flashing peace signs at the camera. They both looked so genuinely happy. Ethan rarely smiled like that in photos with me. And Zoe had never wanted her picture taken with Liam. Zoe was my high school classmate. We became roommates when she was having trouble at home and decided to board at school. I was going through a rebellious phase myself, so my parents asked Ethan and Liam to bring me things from home. That's how Zoe got to know them. But when… when had they fallen for each other? And why did Liam and I feel like two utter fools, moths drawn to a flame that was never meant for us? I couldn't speak. Something was caught in my throat, a painful, suffocating lump. Liam was still on the line, silent. Finally, he spoke. "Are you still at the theater?" "Yeah," I managed. "Wait for me. I'll buy new tickets. We'll go watch it." "Okay," I replied. It was a humiliating night, but at least I had someone to share the humiliation with. That made it a little less painful. While waiting for Liam, I didn't try to piece together the clues I’d missed. My mind was just… empty. I didn't cry. It all just happened too fast. I don’t know how long I waited, crouched by the entrance until my legs went numb. Finally, I saw him on the escalator. He’d dyed his hair a fiery red a few days ago, saying it was for a prosperous new year, a sign of good things to come. I had wanted to dye mine red too, but since he beat me to it, I’d settled for a milky tea-brown. He spotted me and quickened his pace. I waved a weak hand at him. "Give me a hand. My legs are asleep." Liam pulled me up and studied my face. "Not bad," he said with a half-smile. "No tears." I hammered at my tingling legs, the pins-and-needles sensation a weirdly sharp relief. "You either." "Eh," he waved a dismissive hand. "Come on, let's go. We'll be late." We both tacitly agreed not to talk about it anymore. After the movie, he drove me home. It wasn't until I had washed up and was ready for bed that I saw the message from Zoe. Mia, Ethan and I are together now. Are you mad? I closed my eyes, a wave of irritation washing over me as I lay in bed and typed back a single, flat word: No. Who she was with was her business, even if it was Ethan. But I had considered her a friend. I had giddily shared every moment of my youthful crush on Ethan with her. And she had never said a word. She just let me chase him for years, only for them to get together in the end. Grief and anger swelled in my chest. I wasn't mad that it was her with Ethan. I was mad that she had never told me she liked him too. What was she thinking all those times I’d shared my feelings with her? Was she laughing at me, at my pathetic, one-sided devotion? Suddenly, she felt like a stranger. A terrifying one. A reply came back instantly, as if she knew exactly what I would say. Oh, Mia, I'm so sorry. I'm so glad you're not mad. I wanted to tell you, I just… I just didn't know how to start… Her text was long. I exited the chat and unpinned her from the top of my list. Her last message came through: Mia, do you want to get barbecue at that place on Central tomorrow? I knew what it was. A test. To see if I was really angry. But our friendship was over. Whether I was angry or not, what she thought no longer mattered. No thanks, I'm pretty tired. Going to bed. A few moments later, another message came. Not from her, but from Ethan. I was the one who pursued Zoe. I liked her first. Mia, I hope you don't blame her or take your anger out on her. How could I explain it? I used to love Ethan so much, the kind of love that filled my entire being, threatening to spill over. But now, in a single night, it had curdled. A wave of nausea washed over me. This couldn't have been a sudden thing. They couldn’t have just suddenly fallen for each other. They had watched Liam and me like we were clowns in their private circus, enjoying our devotion, only to turn around and say, Thanks for liking me, but I don't like you back. I could accept any outcome, but I couldn't accept that the person I had loved for so long was, in reality, a complete piece of shit. I didn't reply. Instead, I screenshotted both messages and sent them to Liam. You get one of these? A moment later, he sent one back. It was from Zoe. The gist was: Thank you for liking me all these years… Liam: Tell me something, Mia. In five years, how did she never once mention she liked my brother? We're not that pathetic, are we? We wouldn't have kept chasing them if we knew they liked each other. A five-year chase. A much longer crush. Me: My bad luck for meeting them. But I don't want to see them ever again. Which means I'll probably see them tomorrow. And then I'll have to say it's fine, it's okay, and it'll all be fake, but they won't be happy until they hear it, so they can feel better about themselves. As I typed, a surge of frustration hit me. I wanted to delete them, block them, erase them. Liam: Same. My brother just knocked on my door asking if I was asleep. I didn't answer. It's just exhausting. I'm not even that sad, I've been chasing her for so long I can accept it. It's the 'why them' that stings. How could they do this to us? Suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind. A second later, Liam was calling me. We’d been like that since we were kids—partners in crime, our wild ideas often syncing up perfectly. "You know…" I started. "What if we…" he said at the same time. I pursed my lips. "You go first." "Ahem." Liam cleared his throat. "How about we just... make a go of it? We're a known quantity, after all." I was silent for a beat. I knew he couldn't see me, but I nodded anyway. "Okay." "And," he added, "we'll get married before they do." "Don't worry," I said. "Leave it to me." 02 I never knew Liam could be so efficient. Last night, I couldn't squeeze out a single tear to mourn my wasted years, wondering if my affection for Ethan had already withered away during those hopeless years of pining. This morning, early—and I mean early—my mom was knocking on my door like a SWAT team raid, each knock louder than the last. "Mom, what are you doing so ear—" I opened the door, hair a mess, my complaint dying on my lips as she clamped a hand over my mouth. "Honey, you… you need to get washed up and come downstairs. Now." I blinked, my eyes heavy with sleep. "What's wrong?" "Your boyfriend is here to propose," she whispered excitedly in my ear. My mom was always nagging me to date and get married, even threatening to set me up on blind dates. Seeing Liam here today, asking for my hand, was probably the happiest she’d been in years. "Huh?" The words shocked me fully awake. No way. I crept to the landing and peered downstairs. The living room was filled with familiar faces, and on the coffee table were velvet boxes that glinted under the crystal chandelier. I showered, did my makeup, and changed in record time before heading down. Liam's mother saw me and beckoned me over with a warm smile. "Mia, sweetheart, come have some breakfast. Your uncle and I picked it up from the dim sum place." Then she turned to my mom, her expression apologetic. "Susan, I'm so sorry for showing up so suddenly. We must have startled you." "Oh, don't be silly! We've watched these two grow up. If they want to join our families, I couldn't be happier!" "Exactly," my dad chimed in. "Our families know each other inside and out. We don't need all that formal nonsense." Liam was wearing a formal suit, his hair slicked back, sitting ramrod straight. "You work fast," I whispered, sliding into the seat next to him and taking a bite of a shrimp dumpling. He leaned in. "Well, I saw that my brother wasn't home. I figured if he came with us to propose, it might be… awkward for you." I just raised an eyebrow and said nothing. Our parents were already enthusiastically planning the wedding. "I think the fifth of next month would be a lovely day. The almanac says it's perfect for a wedding." "Oh yes, a perfect date!" "Great, it's settled then…" Liam and I stared at each other, stunned. "Why are they in a bigger hurry than we are?" I mouthed. He leaned close to my ear. "They're probably both terrified we'll back out." Suddenly, that made perfect sense. My mom was always sighing dramatically, "Why are you young people so against getting married these days?" 03 The following weeks were a whirlwind of trying on dresses, scouting venues, and writing invitations. Ethan and Zoe went on a trip to Seabrook, posting a new picture to their story every day. They looked deliriously happy. While I was waiting for Liam to change into a suit, I found myself staring at a picture of them with a vast ocean in the background, a little dazed. The truth was, Liam and I had planned a trip to Seabrook a long time ago. I had even told Zoe about it. Seabrook was a coastal city, and when I saw a travel blogger's video of it, I'd immediately sent it to her. I had wanted to go with him for my birthday. But then Zoe sprained her ankle, and I’d stayed to take care of her, so the plan was postponed. I never imagined the two of them would end up going together. "What are you looking at?" Liam emerged in a tailored black suit, a gentle smile on his face. I didn't hide it, just turned the phone so he could see. He was buttoning his jacket. As he looked up, I said, "Let me help." Once the buttons were done, he finished looking at the photo, set my phone down, and asked, "Do you want to go?" I shook my head, then nodded. "Yes." Even though Liam and Ethan were twins, once you got to know them, they were easy to tell apart. Ethan was the type who couldn't be bothered with people, always aloof, superior, and impatient. Liam, on the other hand, had his mother's eyes. They crinkled when he smiled, bright and beautiful. He was sunny and emotionally steady. "It's not because they went," I said, my gaze firm. "I've wanted to go for a long time." Liam gently guided me toward the mirror. "Okay," he said softly. "I know." In the full-length mirror, we looked like a perfect couple, a match made in heaven. A sales associate stepped forward at the perfect moment. "You two make such a handsome couple." "What do you think of this one? Do you like it?" he asked, leaning down slightly. I thought for a moment, chewing on my lip. "I don't know… it doesn't feel quite… breathtaking." I made a small pinching gesture with my fingers. "It's missing that little something." Liam couldn't help but chuckle, his eyes sparkling like starlight under the crystal chandelier. "Sir, Ma'am, are you happy with any of these gowns and suits?" the store manager asked, noticing our hesitation. She considered for a moment before speaking. "We actually have a new collection of gowns arriving from overseas in a few days. Would you be able to wait?" "I promise you, these are truly exquisite pieces. We have the designer's sketches, and I can walk you through the concepts." "Would that be convenient for you?" I looked at Liam questioningly, and he nodded. I smiled at the manager. "Yes, that would be great."
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