Chapter 116 Strike
I wandered around for about an hour before heading back to the apartment. My cotton candy was half-eaten.
Just as I started feeling better, a big hand grabbed my wrist. I stumbled, almost falling. Startled, I quickly steadied myself.
The sudden movement made me instinctively shake off the hand. I recognized the scent and knew who it was. Shocked and angry, I snapped, "Why are you grabbing me? If you're sick, see a doctor. Don't act crazy here."
Daniel, with two guitars on his back, stepped back. His face was stiff, jaw sharp, and his eyes dark with displeasure.
"I didn't expect you to be so irresponsible," he said, frowning.
I laughed angrily. 'He's the irresponsible one, not me. How can he accuse me so easily?'
I wanted to argue, to bring up everything from the past and show who was really at fault. But I knew now wasn't the time. I had changed my mind about the performance first.
Suppressing my anger, I sneered, "Daniel, are you really that clueless? I must've been blind back then. No, everyone must've been blind not to see what kind of person you are."
He looked stunned, his anger fading. For a moment, I thought I saw a hint of redness in his eyes.
I regretted my harsh words. Anger was one thing, but I didn't mean to be malicious. I was just so mad I lost control.
Daniel's aura dimmed, and he seemed sad, making me feel guilty.
I began to regret agreeing to perform with him. This was my fault. I had oversimplified things. It reaffirmed my belief that we should stick to our original plan of no contact for peace.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," I apologized.
Daniel looked up, surprised, the redness in his eyes deepening my guilt.
It seemed I was destined to be soft-hearted, always getting hurt but never hurting others.
He brushed his hair back and said self-deprecatingly, "No need to apologize. You're right. Not only were you all blind, sometimes I think I'm blind too, in both eyes and heart."
He muttered something under his breath, but I couldn't hear it clearly.
I continued, "I take back my harsh words, but I really can't perform. You get it. I don't want to deal with this. You can handle it. It's your thing. You'll nail it without me."
"The Jane I remember never gave up easily. How did you become so negative? I feel like I don't know you anymore. Bring back that high school spirit when you were determined to compete with me for first place. There's nothing you can't do," Daniel said with a smile.
He tilted his head slightly, looking at a small clump of grass nearby, his gaze distant.
I could only smile bitterly. "I've thought about it seriously. You and Zoe are a proper couple, and it's normal for her to be possessive. If I were in Zoe's shoes, I wouldn't like my boyfriend getting too close to another girl either. She's just protecting her rights. Although her approach might be wrong, her intention is understandable. So, we should keep our distance. It's better for you, for me, and for everyone. Daniel, no matter what the reason, she is the girlfriend you chose. You've been together for years, and everyone knows you two are a couple. From the day you got together, you promised to be her knight for life. Since you've committed to her, you should treat her well. Even if you and I are innocent, it's not a reason to interact privately. You have an obligation to give her a sense of security. Our decision to perform together was a bad idea from the start. In the future, let's be like before, no private contact and no meeting. In these three years at the National Capital University, I want to live a quiet life, okay?"
After a long while, Daniel spoke in a hoarse voice, "Okay, but I have a small request. Can you agree to it?"
"Okay," I replied, "As long as it's something I can do and doesn't go against my principles, I will agree."
Daniel said, "I know there's probably no chance to start over with you in this lifetime, and it's really a pity. So, I want to complete this performance with you. Can you agree to that?"
The topic circled back again. As expected, just as I had anticipated. Daniel still wanted to continue with this performance and have a perfect ending.
I hesitated.
If I agreed to him, my earlier conversation with Zoe would become meaningless, and I might be accused of not keeping my word or even coveting someone else's boyfriend.
Although I didn't care about her intentions, as I had a clear conscience, that didn't mean I could calmly accept being criticized and not take it to heart.
Daniel saw my hesitation and smiled. "The Jane I know wouldn't give up halfway for any reason. And playing the guitar is something you love. Why let what random people say get to you and give up such a great opportunity to showcase your talent? You know better than anyone how much effort you've put into this performance. Wouldn't it be a pity to give up without a clear reason? I know you don't like me, and you don't like Zoe either. But you are who you are, and she is who she is. Jane, whether you hate me or blame me, I accept it all because it was my fault in the first place. But I hope you can still be the person you were before eighteen—full of life, cheerful, and knowing exactly what you want. Jane, think carefully, do you really want to pass up this chance to perform? Wouldn't you regret it if you do?"
I knew I would.
Even though I didn't want to admit it, I had to.
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