Chapter 1

On the day of our road trip, I got up at four in the morning to pack my bags.

The moment I opened the front passenger door, Patrick Farr grabbed me by the wrist.

“Sit in the back. Dolly’s used to riding up front.”

My best friend, Dolly Smith, immediately stood up for me.

“Yuna came all the way from Southvale just to be with you. Don’t treat her like that.”

Patrick cheerfully fastened her seat belt.

“Relax. She cares about you.”

Throughout the drive, they chatted about a new restaurant in Northvale and a mutual friend's wedding.

I was the odd one out, having gone to college in Southvale, and couldn’t keep up with their conversation.

Dolly suddenly frowned and said she felt carsick. Without even turning around, Patrick said, “Yuna, get the first-aid kit from the trunk.”

I obediently got out and searched through the trunk. In the blink of an eye, the two of them were deep in conversation, and they drove away without me.

I hurried after them, but my foot caught on something, and I fell hard. My knee struck the ground, and blood trickled down through the dirt.

My phone buzzed, and I received a video call from Patrick—from five years in the future.

He stared at my disheveled appearance, his eyes red-rimmed.

“Yuna, I finally found you.”

“Are you all right?”

I said nothing and turned the camera around.

On the screen, Patrick and Dolly sat side by side in the car before vanishing into the distance at the end of the highway.

The smile instantly faded from the man’s face. A hand reached through the screen and gently placed a bandage over my wound. His voice was cold yet filled with concern.

“Give him one last chance. Otherwise, I’ll take you away.”

Chapter 1

I stood by the side of the empty highway, the midday sun beating down on me until the heat made it hard to breathe.

The bandage on my knee fell off long ago, and blood trickled down my calf and soaked into the top of my shoe, leaving it sticky and wet.

I had been walking for nearly an hour when a car suddenly honked behind me.

Patrick Far slammed on the brakes beside me. As the window rolled down, the first thing he said was, “What, are you mute, Yuna Watson?”

He didn’t notice my pallid face or the blood seeping from my wound.

Instead, he continued scolding me.

“You didn’t get in the car. Couldn’t you have called or sent us a message?

“If Dolly hadn’t realized you weren’t in the car, were you planning to let us drive all the way to our destination? You’re seriously such a pain.”

I lowered my eyes and numbly tapped my phone screen.

The call log showed dozens of unanswered calls to Patrick and Dolly—calls I had made repeatedly while fighting through the pain.

But they were so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t even found a moment to glance at their phones.

Dolly quickly got out of the car, her voice soft and coaxing.

“Oh, Patrick, stop scolding her. You know what Yuna’s like. She’s so absent-minded. She must have forgotten.”

The moment she finished speaking, she let out a startled cry.

“Oh my gosh, your knee is bleeding! Does it hurt?”

As she spoke, she reached out to bandage my wound, but Patrick suddenly grabbed her by the wrist.

He scooped Dolly up in his arms and carried her back to the front passenger seat.

“You’re already feeling carsick. Don’t strain yourself.”

After settling Dolly in, Patrick finally turned to me and crouched down to tend to my injured knee.

When he finished, he silently opened the back door and gestured for me to get in.

Once he was back in the driver’s seat, he unscrewed a bottle of water and instinctively handed it to Dolly first.

“Have some water. You look pale.”

Dolly took it and drank a few sips before handing it back.

Patrick tipped his head back and took a drink from the same bottle. Only after that did he remember that I was sitting in the back seat.

“Yuna, do you want some?”

Before I could answer, Dolly reached over and smacked him on the arm.

“Patrick, are you crazy? You drank from it, and now you’re giving it to Yuna?”

“Open a fresh bottle for her!”

Patrick gave a small laugh and pulled his arm back. Then he rummaged through the storage compartment, took out a new bottle, and tossed it onto the seat beside me.

The plastic bottle bounced once against the leather seat and rolled to my hand. I didn’t move.

The two of them started chatting again in the front seats.

Dolly said, “There’s a B&B in the town up ahead that looks pretty nice. A friend of mine stayed there and said the owner makes incredible chicken soup.”

Patrick hummed. “Then we’ll stay there for the night and get back on the road tomorrow.”

“I’ll call and book two rooms?”

“Sure.”

Not once did either of them ask me what I wanted.

Curled up in the back seat, I opened Patrick’s Instagram profile.

He rarely posted, but every single post was about Dolly.

Last winter, Dolly was smiling in the snow with a scarf wrapped around her neck.

That spring, she was holding up a cup of coffee and flashing a peace sign.

Last month, he posted a picture of Dolly crouching by the roadside and feeding a stray cat. The caption read, “Dolly fed the cat, but the cat ignored me.”

A dull ache tightened in my chest, and my eyes instantly filled with tears.

Suddenly, a new chat window appeared on WhatsApp.

There was no name saved, and the profile picture showed a side view of someone’s face silhouetted against the light.

It was Patrick—five years in the future.

I could no longer hold back the hurt and bitterness that had been building inside me.

I typed slowly.

[When did this start between you two?]

After I sent the message, the words “Typing…” remained at the top of the chat.

I waited in silence, watching the words appear and disappear over and over for a full fifteen minutes.

Finally, his reply appeared on the screen in heavy, somber words.

[I don’t know. Maybe the day I left for college in Northvale.]

Chapter 2

I lowered my head and stared at the old scar in my palm, which had long since healed. Memories came rushing back.

Back in high school, Dolly had been cornered and harassed by a group of troublemakers from outside the school.

Without a second thought, I rushed forward to protect her and took a slash from a knife across my palm.

I could still remember the searing pain of flesh tearing, but when I saw that Dolly was unharmed, I felt it had all been worth it.

When Patrick came running after hearing what happened, his face instantly went white.

“Yuna, does it hurt? How could you be so reckless?”

Dolly was already crying, her eyes red as she hugged me tightly.

“Yuna, thank you. You’re my best friend in the world. I’ll remember your kindness for the rest of my life. I’ll never let you down.”

I foolishly believed her, thinking the bond between the three of us would remain unchanged forever.

But when the SAT results came out, I had performed far worse than expected, scoring significantly lower than I had on my practice tests.

Meanwhile, Patrick and Dolly earned places at Northvale’s most prestigious university.

I sent a message in our group chat.

“I think the university in Northvale is a good choice too. Its ranking isn’t as high, but its programs are excellent.”

But Dolly was the first to reject the idea.

“No. You’re such a talented artist, Yuna. Southvale School of the Arts is one of the best in the country. You can’t throw away your future for a man.”

Patrick immediately echoed her.

“Listen to Dolly, Yuna. You have real talent. Don’t waste it. Southvale isn’t even that far from Northvale.”

Together, they convinced me to attend a school in Southvale, nearly five hundred miles from Northvale.

At the time, I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.

I even believed they were genuinely looking out for me.

Our once-lively group chat gradually became a private conversation between the two of them.

The chat was always filled with updates about life in Northvale—the latest restaurant, the evening breeze on campus, and weddings of mutual friends.

They chatted enthusiastically, perfectly in sync.

As an outsider living all the way in Southvale, I couldn’t get a word in.

I told myself not to overthink it. After all, Dolly was the one I asked Patrick to look after.

As Patrick’s birthday approached, I secretly bought a ticket to Northvale, hoping to surprise him.

But when I opened the door, I found Dolly standing there with flushed cheeks, having just stepped out of the shower.

When she saw me standing there unexpectedly, she looked delighted rather than flustered.

“Yuna, what are you doing here? You should’ve told us you were coming! We would’ve gone to pick you up.

“The pipes in my dorm burst, so I complained to Patrick. He told me to come over and shower.”

She draped an arm around my shoulders, the damp scent of steam still clinging to her bathrobe.

“Don’t worry. With me keeping an eye on Patrick, no other woman will get close to him.”

My gaze slowly swept across the entire apartment, and my heart sank.

The walls were painted a soft apricot, Dolly’s favorite color. Her beloved chamomile flowers sat on the windowsill, and a woodsy-scented diffuser filled the room with her familiar fragrance.

Patrick’s little apartment was filled with Dolly’s presence.

Not knowing how to face him, I made up an excuse and fled back to the B&B.

It wasn’t until ten that night that Patrick finally messaged me.

“Yuna, you came today? I was in the lab and didn’t see your message.”

“Dolly told you, right? Don’t overthink it.”

A sharp screech of brakes pulled me back to the present.

The car came to a smooth stop outside the B&B.

Patrick got out first and naturally took all the luggage from Dolly.

“You just carry the small one. I’ll take the heavy bags.”

Dolly pouted. “It’s not like I can’t carry them.”

“Your back still bothers you. Don’t push yourself.”

They walked side by side toward the entrance, forgetting about me once again.

Once, all it took was the slightest furrow of my brow for Patrick to know I was upset.

Now, he couldn’t even tell that I was limping.

Chapter 3

As we checked in, the receptionist glanced at Patrick and Dolly standing side by side and smiled.

“You’re in luck! We have a complimentary upgrade available today—a beautiful honeymoon suite with an ocean view.”

The tips of Patrick’s ears quickly turned red.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and was about to explain when Dolly rose onto her toes and leaned toward his ear. Her voice was low enough for me to hear.

“Don’t be silly. Why turn down a free upgrade?”

Without hesitation, she took Patrick’s hand and smiled at the receptionist.

“My husband loves ocean views. Could we have a room overlooking the ocean?”

Then she turned and winked at me, silently mouthing the words.

“Yuna, I’m good, right? We got an ocean-view suite for free.”

I stood there, unable to smile.

It was only after we entered the room that Dolly let go of Patrick’s hand and sidled up to me, her voice soft and coaxing.

“Yuna, don’t be mad. I was only joking around and taking advantage of the free upgrade. Don’t take it the wrong way.”

Patrick immediately chimed in to reassure me.

“Dolly’s right. The suite would’ve cost a lot more. She was only trying to help, so don’t overthink it.”

I smiled and placed my bag on the nightstand.

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

The moment we set our bags down, Dolly eagerly pulled us out of the room.

“Let’s not waste time sitting around! Come on, let’s go jet-skiing!”

I had always been afraid of water and had never dared to try anything so fast-paced and thrilling.

But watching how carefree and excited they were today, I suddenly felt like giving it a try.

When we reached the water-sports center, the instructor finished checking the equipment and turned to us helplessly.

“Sorry, everyone. There are too many visitors today, and we only have one jet ski left.”

Dolly immediately clasped my hand, her smile bright.

“Yuna, why don’t the two of us ride it? You’ve always said you wanted to try. I’ll take you. I promise it’ll be perfectly safe!”

She led me forward, and once we were on the jet ski, I instinctively wrapped my arms tightly around her waist.

The jet ski sped farther and farther from shore until we were racing across the middle of the sea.

Just as I squeezed my eyes shut, Patrick’s panicked shout suddenly exploded beside me.

“Dolly, don’t be afraid! I’m coming!”

I opened my eyes in shock and realized that Dolly had already fallen into the sea.

Her life jacket had come loose and drifted away as icy seawater rushed down her throat. She thrashed helplessly in the waves.

Patrick leaped from the rescue boat without hesitation and quickly swam to her side, hauling her out of the water.

Once he had steadied himself, he turned sharply toward me. His eyes held nothing but cold fury and disappointment.

“Yuna, you knew Dolly couldn’t swim. How could you let her ride that far out?”

Soaked from head to toe, I was about to explain that I hadn’t known when Dolly weakly tugged at Patrick’s shirt.

Her wet hair clung to her face, making her look utterly helpless.

“Patrick… don’t blame Yuna. I was just being reckless…”

Dolly looked so weak and disheveled that Patrick instinctively tightened his arms around her.

“You’re still defending her after all this?”

He left me standing in the sea breeze and scooped Dolly into his arms.

“Go back to the B&B by yourself. I’m taking Dolly to the hospital to get checked out.”

I stood alone amid the noisy crowd by the shore, looking utterly wretched.

He had every reason to blame me, while she could always count on his protection.

I was forever the unwanted culprit.

I walked back to the B&B, then opened my chat with the future Patrick.

My fingers trembled as I typed.

[When did you two sleep together for the first time?]

This time, I waited from dusk until late at night, until every light along the shore had come on. Only then did my phone screen finally light up with a brief message.

The reply shattered the last of my hopes.

[The night I took her to the hospital.]

Chapter 4

The sheer absurdity of it made me gag.

The two people I trusted with all my heart had crossed every line while I was already terrified and helpless.

My phone suddenly rang. Patrick’s voice was full of irritation.

“Yuna, do you have any idea how dangerous that was? How could you let Dolly take the jet ski all the way out into open water? How would you ever answer for it if something happened to her?”

I listened quietly until he finished, then spoke softly.

“Patrick, I’m leaving.”

There was a noticeable pause on the other end.

“Where are you going?”

After barely two seconds, he let out a mocking laugh.

“What, you know you screwed up and want to run home before taking responsibility?”

“I’m sorry, Yuna. I know you didn’t do it on purpose. I was just worried.”

He knew exactly how to soften his voice and prey on my tender heart.

The next moment, Dolly’s muffled voice came through the phone.

“Patrick.”

All of Patrick’s patience vanished.

“Dolly’s condition is unstable. The doctor wants to keep her overnight for observation. You get some rest. I’ll take you to that new restaurant tomorrow.”

The call ended abruptly, cutting off the last of my self-deception.

I sat alone in the cold, empty B&B room, still clinging to one final, pathetic hope.

[Patrick, what else will happen in the future?]

For the first time, he avoided answering my question.

[Yuna, ask me something else.]

I refused to back down and pressed him for an answer.

[If you don’t tell me, I’m not coming with you.]

The chat window fell silent for a long time.

At three in the morning, dozens of hoarse, remorseful voice messages began appearing one after another, revealing the devastating life that awaited me.

[The night Dolly and I first slept together was the beginning of every tragedy.]

[For years afterward, Dolly and I carried on a secret affair. While you were busy planning our wedding, I was at the hospital caring for Dolly after she gave birth.]

[Your parents eventually discovered our secret by accident. They died in a car crash while on their way to tell you the truth.]

[Dolly took the opportunity to steal all your original designs and used lies and fabricated evidence to have you committed to a psychiatric hospital.]

[Everything you had built became part of her shining image and the source of her confidence.]

I spent the entire night awake.

The next morning, I faced Patrick with horribly swollen, red-rimmed eyes and a terrifying calm.

When Patrick returned with Dolly, there was an unmistakable intimacy between them.

I suddenly looked up at Patrick and spoke in a playful, coaxing tone.

“Patrick, you always say I’m too timid and afraid to try anything new. This time, I want to go skydiving.”

Perhaps he was carrying some guilt, because he agreed without hesitation.

“Sure. I’ll go with you.”

The helicopter slowly rose into the air, the deep blue ocean stretching endlessly below us.

I glanced at Patrick beside me and asked softly, “Patrick, if I were gone, would you miss me?”

He immediately clasped my hand, his expression gentle.

“Don’t say things like that, Yuna. I’ll always be by your side.”

I smiled faintly.

Soon, it was our turn to jump. The fierce wind whipped my hair across my face, blurring my vision.

I looked into Patrick’s eyes and took one last look at the desolate years of my youth.

Then I raised my hands and personally unclipped every strap securing me to the harness before leaping without hesitation into the vast ocean below.

The smile on Patrick’s face instantly froze. A terrified, despairing scream erupted behind me.

“Yuna!”