Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Keep your distance, don't come any closer. It's the best advice, both for yourself and for him.

Roseanne packed up her documents and pen, and suddenly, the man murmured to himself—

"But I still consider you a friend..."

Roseanne walked away.

Murray watched her retreating figure, calmly shifting his gaze away.

He picked up his mug and took a sip of his coffee.

The bitterness spread instantly from the tip of his tongue to his entire mouth, yet his expression remained unchanged.

His thumb gently caressed the rim of the mug, his eyes falling on the cup Roseanne had used.

She seemed to have always liked her coffee with cream, less bitter that way.

Murray reached for the cup and took a light sip.

Indeed, he wasn't wrong.

They had lived together for six years, not six months, not six days.

Six whole years.

How could anyone say he didn't know her?

No, he understood her better than anyone else!

So...

turning his head to look out the floor-to-ceiling window. Giving

the past, though not now,

finished the rest of the coffee. He used to love his

all,

hadn't Roseanne pushed

knew how to hide, how

way, he infiltrated her life like a frog being boiled

subtle and seemingly insignificant, yet crazily nourishing the soil,

advancing by retreating, so Roseanne didn't feel pressured and naturally let down

could do it, why couldn't

night did indeed get

sobriety returned in an

that moment, Murray suddenly saw the

back wouldn't happen overnight; the more you push, the further

actions had already put her on guard. To get close again, he had to take a different

he might have

QUMS

by Roseanne's reaction just now, the

least, she no longer looked impatient when facing

...

and her classmate

the coffee shop, remembering they had a full day of classes ahead and decided to pop in for a coffee

gaze casually catching

Grace's eyes flickered.