On my birthday, my girlfriend threw a spectacular firework display for her childhood best friend. A video of it, filmed by a passerby, blew up online. The comments section was flooded with blessings for the happy couple. Her friends all treated me like a joke. "So," one of them teased, "what do you think about all this?" I kept my voice level. "I see it with my eyes. How else am I supposed to see it?" 1 The video was spreading like wildfire. The comments were a chorus of people calling them a match made in heaven. Listening to the joyful laughter and the explosive crackle of fireworks from my phone, the feast laid out on the table in front of me made my stomach drop to the floor. Today was my birthday. Reese had promised she'd be home early to celebrate with me. But then she’d called in the afternoon, saying something urgent had come up with her family and she’d be late. I believed her. I was planning to wait, to celebrate with her no matter how late she came back. I never imagined the "urgent business" was setting off fireworks with her childhood friend, Finn. The irony was suffocating. In the video, Reese’s usually cool, aloof face was lit up with a genuine smile. The way she looked at Finn was filled with a tenderness I had never seen directed at me. I’d never received a smile like that. Before this, I’d just assumed she was naturally reserved, that she had trouble expressing affection. A bitter smile twisted my lips. I opened the cake box and started eating alone. The cloying sweetness spread across my tongue, and suddenly, the whole thing felt pointless. I picked up my phone and called Reese. She answered quickly, her voice as cool as ever. "What's up?" As she spoke, I could clearly hear the pop-pop-pop of fireworks in the background. I was silent for a moment, swallowing the cake in my mouth before asking calmly, "Where are you?" "At home, dealing with some things. If you have something to say, just say it." The sound of the fireworks vanished. She must have walked away from the riverbank. Her voice was perfectly steady, with none of the guilt that should have followed a lie. I glanced at the video still playing on my tablet and felt even more drained. "Let's break up." "What are you on about now?" she asked, her voice tinged with annoyance. A cold laugh escaped me. "Nothing. Just check your socials once in a while, superstar." I hung up before she could reply. Since I’d ended it, there was no reason to stay here. I looked at the untouched dishes on the table, then went to the kitchen to find containers and packed everything away. Afterward, I cleaned the kitchen, making sure to gather every single thing I had brought into her apartment. Once I was done, I called a car and went back to my own place. Reese's apartment was close to her office. Mine was on the complete opposite side of the city. Looking back, the distance between our homes was just like the distance between us, wasn't it? No matter how hard I tried to cross it, there was always an ocean in the way. Back at my apartment, I put the leftovers in the fridge, showered, and went straight to bed. When I woke up the next morning, there were a couple of texts on my phone. "What's your problem?" "Weren't you waiting for me to celebrate your birthday? Where are you?" Clearly, she hadn't taken my advice to check online. I ignored her messages and went about my day. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Whenever Finn had the slightest issue, he'd call her. He even called her to go drinking with him late at night after a breakup. I’d argued. I’d fought. I’d demanded to know why. Her answer was always the same: "You only think that way because you have a dirty mind." And every time, after she’d ditched me for Finn, she would come back with a gift. She’d placate me, and I, like an idiot, would dive right back into the relationship as if nothing had happened. My friends all said you had to know how to handle your girlfriend. If I made a big deal out of it, I’d be the one to lose. But what nobody knew was that in this relationship, I had already lost everything. And now, I was just tired. 2 That evening, as I was leaving the office, I saw her standing outside. Reese was exquisitely dressed, her expression cool, her tall, slender frame looking like she’d just stepped off a runway. Passersby couldn’t help but stare. Normally, I would have rushed over, ushered her into the car to shield her from their gazes. But now, I just wanted to pretend I hadn’t seen her. I started walking toward the bus stop. Reese caught up in a few quick strides. She didn’t mention the fireworks, just said nonchalantly, "It's Lily's birthday. She invited us to dinner." I stopped and looked up at her. "Okay." The car ride was silent. A breeze drifted through the open window, carrying a faint scent of jasmine. It was Finn’s scent. It wasn't unpleasant, but a random thought popped into my head. "Do you like tea-based scents?" Reese's bright eyes flickered. "They're alright." Alright? Then why do I always smell this on you? I didn't say anything else. We arrived at the restaurant. The others were already there. Finn looked genuinely surprised to see us arrive together. "Reese, Leo! You're here. We've been waiting for you." I offered a faint smile and looked at Lily. "Sorry we're late. I didn't have time to grab a gift." Lily was one of Reese and Finn’s childhood friends. Reese always brought me to their gatherings, so I’d gotten to know them over time. "I got her something for both of us," Reese said, pulling me toward the table. I don’t know if they did it on purpose, but the only two empty seats were directly across from each other. I let go of her hand and walked around the table to take the opposite seat. Reese’s expression flickered, but she didn’t say anything, sitting down in the empty chair next to Finn. I knew what her friends thought of me. From the very beginning, they never approved of our relationship. They thought I was punching way above my weight, and they treated me with a cool indifference. I used to try so hard to get on their good side, buying them carefully chosen gifts for holidays and birthdays. But I never saw them use any of it. I guess they never had any intention of accepting me. How stupid I’d been not to see something so obvious until now. I ate in silence, not saying a word. Reese chatted effortlessly with them, her hands busy peeling a shrimp. She never ate seafood unless someone peeled it for her, deeming it too much trouble. But now, she showed no sign of annoyance, diligently peeling a whole bowl of shrimp and placing it in front of Finn. Then, she casually wiped her hands with a wet nap. Finn watched her with a look of pure adoration. It was a kind of treatment I had never received. Witnessing it all, a heavy feeling settled in my chest. I told myself I was letting go, but seeing it in person still hurt. Lily noticed her actions and shot a look at me, then nudged Reese. "Hey, Reese, don't play favorites," she teased. "Your boyfriend is watching, you know." Reese snapped back to reality, her eyes landing on the now-empty shrimp platter on the table. "I'll have the waiter bring another one," she said. "No need," I said, calmly taking a sip of my drink. "I don't like shrimp." "Then have some fish." "I don't like it." Reese’s brow furrowed slightly as she scanned the table. "What about the braised ribs?" "Don't like them." A flash of shock crossed her face, as if she couldn’t believe I’d refuse so quickly. I met her gaze, calmly picked up a napkin, and wiped my mouth. "Don't bother," I added. "I don't like any of it." "Leo, are you upset?" Finn asked, his tone probing. "If you mind, you can have my plate. You're a big guy, don't sweat the small stuff with Reese." His magnanimous act painted me as the villain. "What would I have to be upset about?" I said with a dismissive smile, standing up. "You guys carry on. I just remembered I have some work I need to finish. I'm going to head out." "Don't go," Lily said, her voice dripping with malice. "Are you still mad that Reese set off fireworks for Finn?" At the mention of it, Finn chimed in, "Sorry about that, Leo. I was in a bad place, and Reese was just trying to cheer me up. If it bothers you that much, we'll make sure to include you next time we hang out." Reese’s brow tightened. "It was just a firework display. What is there to be angry about? Leo, you’re being incredibly petty." Her words hung in the air, freezing the atmosphere at the table. Out of her line of sight, Finn shot me a triumphant smirk, a silent declaration of ownership. It was laughable, wasn't it? The person in the wrong had no idea she’d done anything wrong. Just like all the other times. She never recognized her mistakes. She probably thought that after a few days, I’d forget, and everything would go back to normal. I smiled faintly. "You're right. You did nothing wrong. The fireworks were beautiful. You should do it again sometime." With that, I turned and walked away. The moment the door clicked shut behind me, I heard Finn’s voice. "Reese, you should go after him and apologize. He’s obviously angry." "Leave him," she replied. "He'll get over it in a few days." Her words were a dagger to the heart. What had I done in the past to make her so confident, so certain I would always come back? I walked slowly out of the hotel. The autumn night air was cool and crisp. I wandered aimlessly down the bustling street, the smell of food from street vendors filling the air. Couples walked past me, hand in hand, their easy affection a sight to envy. I remembered when Reese and I were like that, before Finn came back. We would hold hands so tightly, afraid that if we let go, the other person would disappear. So how did we end up like this? My breathing felt heavy, constricted. I saw a vendor selling ice cream and, after a moment’s thought, bought a cone. The second the cold treat was in my hand, I remembered her chiding voice. "Your stomach issues are so bad. Why are you eating something so cold? Are you trying to kill yourself?" I took a dazed bite. It was just sickeningly sweet. It didn't taste good at all. It was almost bitter. Even the air around me seemed tinged with bitterness. I was about to ask the vendor if the ice cream had gone bad when I saw another couple happily sharing a cone. It wasn't the ice cream. The problem was me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned to go home. As soon as I walked in the door, a message from Reese popped up. "Are you home?" I looked at it and didn't reply. A few minutes later, another one came through. "Everyone had a bad time tonight because of you. We'll have to treat them again some other time to make up for it." I still didn’t reply. Losing her patience, she called. I set my phone down and ignored the ringing. By the time I finished my shower, the phone was silent. Before bed, I scrolled through my socials out of habit and saw a post from Finn, uploaded five minutes ago. It was a photo. Reese must have called a car. She and Finn were in the back seat. She was leaning against his shoulder, eyes closed, looking peaceful. Finn’s head was tilted down toward her, his lips just an inch from hers. The caption read: No matter how much time passes, some things never change. A dry, self-mocking smile touched my lips. I left a single comment. "Congrats." 4 The next morning, I got ready and left for work. As soon as I opened my door, I saw a bag of breakfast on the floor. I didn’t need to guess who it was from. I picked it up, walked downstairs, and tossed it into the community dumpster without a second thought. When I looked up, Reese was standing there, phone in hand, her face dark. "Did you just throw away the breakfast I bought for you?" Her voice was laced with displeasure and a simmering anger, her bright eyes fixed on me. "I told you," I said calmly. "The things you say, the things you do, the things you give me… I don't like any of them." I tried to walk past her, but she grabbed my wrist. "Leo, haven't you made enough of a scene?" "Is this a scene?" I looked at her, my expression placid. "Isn't this how you used to treat me? So you do know what it feels like." Like me, she had terrible stomach problems. Her doctor had insisted on a strict, regular diet. To help her heal, I had taken cooking classes to learn how to make nutritious meals. But not a single bite of the food I made for her ever passed her lips. If I hadn't accidentally seen her giving my carefully prepared meals to Finn, I don't know how long I would have remained in the dark. Reese was speechless. After a long moment, she said, "He had surgery a few years ago. He hasn't fully recovered, and his system is weak. He needed those meals more than I did." "Is that so? One with stomach problems, the other with a weak constitution. You two sound perfect for each other." I didn’t have time for this. I shook her hand off and walked away. For the next few weeks, I threw myself into my work, ignoring every message she sent. The gifts and meals she had delivered, I had them all returned, untouched. When friends invited me out for drinks, I no longer hesitated. I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It was liberating. Without Reese and Finn in my life, my worries were cut in half. All that was left was the simple joy of being on my own. I had almost forgotten they existed until Lily called. "Leo, when are you getting here? We're all waiting for you. You're the only one missing." I was completely lost. "Waiting for me for what?" "Didn't you and Reese invite us out to dinner? Stop playing dumb. We're waiting, so hurry up." She hung up before I could respond, then sent me an address and a room number. I pursed my lips. It was time to make things crystal clear. I followed the address she sent. It was a restaurant I had mentioned to Reese before, a place I’d said I wanted to check out to see if the food was as good as the online reviews claimed. She’d always said she was too busy, that we never had the chance. A server led me to the private room. Before I could even step inside, I heard Lily’s voice. "Seriously, I don't get what kind of boyfriend you found. He invites people to dinner and then acts like a diva. He's just a petty, manipulative guy with a massive chip on his shoulder." Finn chuckled. "You see it all over the internet these days. The less a man has, the bigger his temper. If he ever gives Reese a hard time, she has to promise to tell us. We can't let her suffer in silence." "I'm telling you, you two are the ones who are a perfect match," Lily continued. "If you hadn't gotten sick and had to go abroad for treatment, you'd be the one by her side right now." Hearing that, my mind went blank. Reese had feelings for Finn? So, my suspicions were right all along. No wonder she was so unconditionally tolerant of him. He was her first love, the one that got away. "You might as well go in. Don't just stand there like an idiot." Reese’s voice came from behind me. I turned around, my fists clenched at my sides. "Go in for what? To hear you announce your new relationship?"
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