When the Long-lasting Secret Love Finally Exposed

Because of James' plea, I went along with it.

Every day I smiled and listened to Eva talk about how good James was to her. It felt like my heart was being torn apart. My nails almost dug into my palms, but I still smiled and went along with it.

I didn't dare show my jealousy.

Even though I was sure that if Eva knew I liked James, she wouldn't care and would confidently say, "Sorry, but James likes me."

But still, I continued.

Because James would be unhappy.

Facing Eva's scrutiny, I put on my biggest smile. "I introduced him to you because I don't like him."

Eva said, "Really?"

"Really."

Eva affectionately pinched my nose and said meaningfully, "That's good. Otherwise, I'd feel like a bad person for showing off my love in front of you."

I smiled. "How could you be a bad person?"

"You're the one James likes. You're the luckiest person."

"Since you don't like him, we will bring you along on our dates. You wouldn't mind, right?"

I couldn't smile anymore and murmured, "I don't mind."

I went from just listening to her talk about her love with James to actually being involved and watching it firsthand.

James was just as gentle as Eva described.

No, even more so.

When eating, he would personally tie an apron around Eva.

When crossing the street, he would hold her hand and slow his pace to match hers.

Then he would take her to the flower shop and buy her favorite lilies.

Eva would smile happily and say, "How did you know lilies are my favorite?"

"Because I like lilies too. We have the same tastes."

I watched silently.

"No, that's not true.

James doesn't like lilies."

When I finished my college entrance exams at eighteen, I brought a bunch of lilies to see James.

I wanted to say, "I got into your university. I like you a lot. Can you give me a chance?"

James looked at the flowers I was holding and seemed to know what I wanted to say.

He knocked the flowers out of my hands and interrupted my confession.

He frowned and said, "Why buy those? They're delicate and hard to take care of."

After saying that, he turned away. He was stopping my confession in its tracks.

Until now, I haven't been able to say it.

That night, after James dropped Eva off at her dorm, he sent me a message. He told me to come downstairs and warned, "Stop following us on our dates."

I said, "It's not me following you. It's Eva who wants me to come along."

James got angry. "Can't you refuse?"

James wasn't the type to get angry. Over the years, he had been impatient and annoyed but never really angry at me.

This was the first time.

I thought about it and said, "Eva knows I like you."

This was the first time James got angry at me, and it was also the first time I told him I liked him.

I had imagined countless times how to say "I like you."

I thought it would be romantic. Even though James didn't care, I liked preparing little romantic gestures for him.

I flew a paper plane with a smiley face from his window to his desk.

On the day I planned to confess, I folded 520 little hearts day and night and secretly stuffed them into his bed.