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.]

I rubbed my face and took a taxi to the bar.

Even if she was just a friend, a girl alone at a bar at night was unsafe. Besides, she was my girlfriend.

But I didn't expect to see Celeste crying, clinging to a man's neck when I arrived at the bar.

That man was Xavier.

Xavier saw me first. He gave a mocking smile and stroked Celeste's back. "Celeste, your boyfriend's here."

The bar was noisy, but I felt my heart pounding.

I strode over. I pulled Celeste away and punched Xavier in the face.

Xavier staggered from my punch. I grabbed his collar, gritting my teeth. "Where the hell are you touching?"

Before Xavier could answer, Celeste grabbed my clothes. "Let go!"

My grip loosened. She shielded Xavier, questioning me, "Austin, are you crazy? Why do you hit him?"

Xavier was protected by her. He gave me a taunting smile, speaking gently, "Celeste, don't be mad. Your boyfriend might have misunderstood something."

His smile deepened. "Celeste slipped while getting something. She fell into my arms. I just helped her. There's nothing between us. Don't misunderstand."

I gritted my teeth, my temples throbbing. Ignoring Xavier, I asked Celeste slowly, "You called me here to show me this?"

To see her in another man's arms, protecting him?

Tears still on her face, Celeste slapped me. "Austin, are you reasonable? I said we're just friends. If you hadn't pissed me off, would I be at the bar? A drunk harassed me earlier. Without Xavier, I wouldn't be safe now!"

She questioned me, "You're still my boyfriend. Where were you when I was being harassed?"

I didn't expect she had been in trouble. I instinctively wanted to explain, "The traffic was heavy..."

But I stopped halfway. "Why did you come to the bar?"

Celeste rarely came to bars. Once, when I came with a friend, she got very angry. She said only players came here, and my coming was disloyal to her.

Since then, I never set foot in a bar again.

Celeste's crying paused. She was panicked.

Xavier explained, "Celeste called me. She cried hard, saying you two had a quarrel. I was here, so I asked her to come over."

Celeste got defensive. "Yeah, it's because of you! You embarrassed me. When I left, you didn't even try to stop me!"

She had drunk a bit. The smell of alcohol was obvious. Her gaze was a bit unfocused.

But she remained defiant. "People say there's a seven-year itch. I didn't believe it before. You wouldn't have treated me like this before!"

To Celeste, all the mistakes were mine.

I didn't want to argue with a drunk. I grabbed her hand. "Let's go home first."

Celeste flung my hand away. "You don't care about me, right? You don't trust me, right? Go back yourself. I'm not going back. That's not my home!"

She pushed Xavier onto the sofa and grabbed a bottle of wine from the table. "Come on, Xavier. Let's drink until we drop tonight!"

Xavier sighed helplessly. His tone was full of indulgence. "I really can't handle you."

He looked at me. "Why don't you sit down and apologize to Celeste? As her boyfriend, you did go a bit too far."

Celeste was dissatisfied and asked him, "Are you his friend or mine? I don't need his apology. He shouldn't have bothered me tonight!"

She took out her phone. She tapped a few times and showed me the screen. "Didn't you want us to get a room? I booked one. We'll go soon!"