At the KTV, my girlfriend, Celeste Jones, played truth or dare with her crush during a class reunion while I went to the washroom.

I opened the door and saw my girlfriend hugging her crush, shyly biting the paper.

"I have a boyfriend. Can we count the dare as a success if we kiss through the paper?"

A group of people cheered. They were whistling and clapping, urging, "Kiss! Kiss!"

I walked over and took the paper. I pushed my girlfriend into her crush's arms and slipped them a room key.

"Why don't you two book a room?"

——

When I handed the room key to my girlfriend, everyone was silent.

A classmate quickly reacted, laughing to smooth things over. "Oh, Xavier and Celeste are just messing around. Austin, you didn't take it seriously, right?"

Xavier Martin, my girlfriend's crush, looked at me with a half-smile. "Yeah, Celeste and I are too close. We didn't notice the boundaries. You aren't that petty, are you?"

He glanced at the room key in Celeste's hand and added meaningfully, "I remember you and Celeste have lived together for three years. Why do you still carry a room key? Is it...for someone else?"

Celeste came to her senses. Her eyes were red with anger, and she threw the room key at my face. "Austin, what do you mean? Are you humiliating me?"

The room key fell to the ground. I didn't pick it up. I just smiled at everyone. "Just kidding. You guys continue playing."

After saying that, I turned and pushed open the door to the room.

Behind me was Celeste's angry shout, but I ignored it.

She had already forgotten that today was our seventh anniversary. She would never have guessed that the room key was for a room I spent a month preparing as a proposal site.

But never mind.

Some people can't be kept no matter what you do.

I took the subway home, not expecting to find the room lit.

Celeste had come back.

She sat in the living room, looking upset.

"Austin, explain yourself."

I glanced at her. I silently changed my shoes and turned to the bathroom.

Celeste followed. "I'm talking to you. Didn't you hear me?"

She ignored my silence, angrily shouting. "The class reunion is only once a year, and you had to throw a fit now? Austin, do you think I'm too easygoing, so you treat me like trash?"

I wiped my face and looked at her through the mirror.

She wore delicate makeup and the most beautiful jewelry.

None of it was for me.

"Celeste."

I asked indifferently, "How did you get back?"

Celeste was stunned. She was not expecting this question, frowning. "Of course, I drove back. What else?"

I stated, "I took the subway back."

After we bought the car, I felt sorry for Celeste commuting for an hour. So, I helped her get a license to drive to work while I took the subway for two hours to work every day.

But my concern became her entitlement.

Even after the reunion, she forgot she had a boyfriend on the same route, and she could have given me a ride.

The water droplets on my face weren't wiped dry, wetting a patch on my clothes.

I didn't care. I looked back at her. "When you drove back, did you ask where I was?"

Celeste felt a bit guilty and then got defensive. "You were the one who stormed out first. Austin, don't turn this around on me. Besides, tonight was just a game. Everyone was having fun. Why are you being so petty?"

Back in the KTV room, Xavier also said, "Austin, we're too close. You can't be this petty, right?"

I looked at her, enunciating, "Do you remember what today is?

"Today is our seventh anniversary."

Celeste was stunned, looking more guilty. "Then why didn't you remind me?"

I asked her, "Does this need a reminder?"

In our first year together, Celeste planned a trip to an amusement park half a month in advance. She made a wish during the fireworks.

"I want to be happy with Austin forever!"

She said it was her happiest day and would never forget it.

I felt the same.

People say there's a seven-year itch. I thought maybe we had been together too long, and she no longer felt the initial passion.

But isn't love about staying together through the mundane?

So even though we've been arguing constantly for the past six months, I still prepared an engagement ring and decorated the proposal site in advance.

Because in my plans, breaking up was never an option.

"Celeste, you went out early for a makeover, shopped at eight stores to find the prettiest dress. Was any of it for our anniversary?"

Celeste was speechless. Her tone was awkward. "I've been busy with work and forgot. If it wasn't for Xavier, I would have forgotten the reunion too..."

I interrupted her. "It's always Xavier."

I always knew she had a crush on him since high school. She even chose the same university to follow him.

Before freshman training ended, Xavier was already familiar with campus beauty.

That day it rained heavily. Celeste got soaked. I gave her an umbrella and ran back to the dorm in the rain.

After we got together, Xavier would show up from time to time, always as a friend.

As a man, I was naturally jealous. Initially, Celeste would appease me. But over time she got impatient. "He's just a friend. Don't be so petty, okay?"

After graduation, everyone went their separate ways. Celeste and I moved in together.

When I thought our life was progressing steadily, Xavier transferred to our city six months ago. He became a regular part of our lives.

Every argument and conflict was ignited by him.

They were just friends.

And I was petty.

I looked at her and sighed. "You hug him. You bite a piece of paper for him to kiss, and then tell me you're just friends?"

I asked, "Celeste, do I look like an idiot?"

Celeste couldn't say a word in retort but got angry. "So you still think something's going on between us?"

She glared at me. "Austin, if there was something between us, would you even be with me?"

I looked at her silently.

This was the person I loved the most, stabbing my heart with the shout.

"Then why aren't you together, Celeste? Don't you want to be?"

Celeste was choked by my words. Her face showed shame and panic.

Finally, she retorted, "You just think tonight's joke went too far. And you have shame."

She snorted. Her tone was defensive. "Is there anything else besides the shame? Do you even care about me?"

She started crying. She took the room key from her bag, and asked, "I haven't asked you. Why do you have a room key with you? You claim it's for our anniversary, but you just had dirty thoughts, didn't you? You pervert! Pervert!"

Looking at her like this, she suddenly seemed like a stranger to me.

Was this the person I had lived with day and night for seven years?

Or had I never really known her?

"Yes, I'm a pervert."

I took the room key and threw it on the sink. "Mr. Martin isn't a pervert. Go find him."

"Mr. Martin" was her note for Xavier.

And Xavier's note for her was "Ms. Jones."

They claimed to be just friends, but their ambiguity was heartbreaking.

Celeste was infuriated. She pointed at me for a long time before bursting into tears. "Austin, how dare you!"

She grabbed her bag and stormed out, slamming the door loudly.

Soon, I heard the sound of a car starting downstairs. I stood still for a long time before slowly returning to the living room.

A cake with two cartoon characters and a big smiley face was in the fridge.

There were a few words on it. "Happy 7th Anniversary."

I had made the cake myself. Celeste left early in the morning. While she was picking out clothes and shoes, I was in the bakery, imagining tonight.

When she called me to go to the class reunion, I thought there was no big deal. We'd just be a little late.

After the reunion, I would take her to the hotel. I would propose first, then go home to eat cake together.

But now, it made me like a joke.

I sat on the sofa, the smiley face mocking me. I stared at the cartoon characters until the cream began to melt.

Celeste's message came at that moment.

It's just a few words.

[I'm at the bar. Come pick me up.]