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 contain mushrooms, and asked her for some tips on

Roseanne nodded.

the ingredients, and the other cooks. It's fate that you're neighbors! You're so familiar with each other, might as well make

not fully grasping the implication until she heard Owen cough awkwardly, prompting her to quickly wave her hands

to explain, as long as you're happy. Let's

"Look at you, always stirring the pot. You've got

to stir? Remember,

line

then, society was more conservative, and it took us two years to break through. Nowadays, society is much

off as they walked

Roseanne's cheeks were flushed.

didn't know where

in silence and disposed of their trash without

"I"

"You-"

same time, then paused and laughed

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

department. They

"Really?" Roseanne was surprised.

clear the couple