Returning the Ten Years I Stole

"Gwyn."

I stopped walking and turned to face Graham.

He handed me a set of keys.

"I bought a two-bedroom apartment near your campus. It's already been renovated. You… You should move in soon."

I was stunned for a moment. Then, I took the keys and nodded. "Okay."

There was no hesitation and no questions asked.

Graham just looked at me as if he was trying to gauge something from my facial expressions. However, I just calmly took the keys from him, pocketed them, and continued up the stairs.

I began packing the next day, throwing out or donating most of my belongings. I was planning to buy them new and start fresh in that apartment.

I also began coming home later and later every night. I was basically absent from the dinner table most of the time.

The belongings in my room began getting fewer and fewer. My bookshelf was emptied first, followed by my wardrobe, then my dressing table. There was only a single jewelry box sitting by itself in the center of the table.

I didn't get home till past 10:00 pm that day.

Graham was sitting on the living room couch in the dark, and I could see the faint glow of his cigarette.

"Why are you back so late?" he asked coldly. "Where have you been?"

I paused halfway through changing into my indoor slippers. "I was held up on campus."

Then, I walked past him to get to my room. Behind me, I could hear the sound of a glass clinking against the coffee table.

…

Leanna's chemotherapy was a huge success.

Three months later, the doctor said she was recovering nicely and could go home now with just regular visits to the hospital for follow-ups.

I was also there the day she was discharged. She'd lost a lot of weight, but she looked as energetic as ever.

While Graham went to take care of the paperwork, I stayed in Leanna's hospital room to keep her company.

"Gwyn," she suddenly said, "did you… have a fight with Gram?"

I hesitated.

She sighed and said, "He's been in a terrible mood lately. Even the people at work try to avoid him as much as possible."

I didn't say a thing.

She then held my hand and said, "I know that he asked you to move out. I already told him off for it. But don't worry. That place will always be your home as long as I'm around."

I squeezed her hands and said seriously, "Leanna, I'm an adult now. I should have my own life. Also, I'm in the midst of getting a student visa to further my studies abroad. I'm probably leaving next year."

Leanna's eyes widened in surprise. "Abroad? Where? For how long?"

"To Angland, for my master's. Maybe two or three years."

Her eyes turned red.

"Then… You must take good care of yourself out there. And make sure you tell us if anything happens, okay?"

"Got it."

Leanna wiped the tears from her eyes and suddenly began to laugh. "Maybe I should introduce one of my juniors to you. He's studying architecture and design, and he's a really good man."

I shook my head. "It's fine, Leanna. You don't have to."

"Why not? You're going to be lonely all by yourself."

I thought about it for a while and decided to tell her the truth. "Actually… I'm kind of talking to someone at the moment."

"What?" Leanna's eyes widened again.

"I met him while I was applying for my visa. We're planning to enroll in the same program."

Her eyes brightened up at once as she clapped her hands in delight. "That's wonderful news! I have to tell your brother about it! Your friend needs to pass all the tests first. We have to make sure that he isn't some scum."

"You don't have to—"

I wanted to stop her, but she'd already picked up her phone at that moment.

"Oh, he's back," she suddenly said, setting down her phone and looking at the door.

Graham pushed the door and walked in, holding a long itemized bill. His eyes darkened when he saw me holding hands with Leanna.

"What were you guys chatting about? What's with the smiles?"

He walked over and naturally pulled Leanna into his arms by her shoulders.

Leanna looked up at him, eyes bright with excitement. "I was just about to introduce someone to Gwyn. Guess what she said next!"

He glanced at me and said confidently, "She rejected it."

"That's right! She rejected me."

He just hummed indifferently. "She's always been very clingy with me since young and even refused to live in the dorm while attending college. Did you really think that she'd be interested in dating?"

Leanna grinned. "But she told me that she's already seeing someone! And she's also going abroad with him too!"