Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne slipped into her puffer jacket, grabbing the trash on her way out the door.

Owen Reynolds emerged from his apartment with two hefty bags as well.

"Professor, how long has it been since you last took out the trash?"

Owen Reynolds hesitated, "...half a month?"

Roseanne couldn't help but think, So this is the real you, Professor.

Luckily, it was mostly packaging and plastic bags, nothing perishable like leftovers or fruit peels.

"Let's go."

As they made their way downstairs, they bumped into the elderly couple from their building, hand in hand, having just disposed of their own trash.

"Owen and Roseanne heading out to dump the trash as well?"

"Yeah," Owen nodded in response.

The elderly lady then turned to Roseanne with a gleeful smile, "What delightful dish did you cook today, Roseanne? We could smell something delicious all the way downstairs!" Roseanne replied, "Mushroom stew."

"Ah! That must be the mushrooms Owen received yesterday?"

which happened to

Roseanne nodded.

the other cooks. It's fate that you're neighbors! You're so familiar with each other, might as well make it official!" The elderly are

the implication until she heard Owen cough awkwardly, prompting her to quickly wave her hands in

lady waved her off, "No need to explain, as

man chuckled, "Look at you, always stirring the pot. You've got Owen and Roseanne blushing

there to stir?

line

us two years to break through. Nowadays, society is

off

Roseanne's cheeks were flushed.

know where to

the rest of the stairs in silence and disposed of their trash without a

"I"

"You-"

same time, then paused and laughed at the sudden

remarked, "That couple is truly in love, a real-life example of growing old together,

"They're both retired professors from Twilight Peak Academy's astrophysics department. They never had children,

"Really?" Roseanne was surprised.

couple was educated, she hadn't