C7 The Cruelest Ending

"Ah!" The world spun around as Shirann let out a startled cry, clutching breakfast in one hand while grabbing onto his collar with the other, terrified of falling.

Chiyang, silent and intense, carried her straight to the car, opened the back door, and placed her inside. As Shirann tried to make a quick escape, Chiyang swiftly got in, shutting the door with a decisive "thud."

Biting her lip, Shirann reached for the other door, only to find it predictably locked. She sat there, breakfast in hand, feeling utterly disheveled and glared at him with a mix of shame and anger. "What exactly do you want?"

Chiyang gazed at her, his demeanor as unfathomable as a deep, still lake. Her frustration was like a stone sinking silently into its depths.

Feeling like she was punching a pillow, Shirann gave up. Despite the ample space inside the car, it suddenly felt claustrophobic. She lowered her head, her cheeks flushed with emotion, fingers twisting together in a surge of helplessness. She murmured, "I don't want to see you again... not in this lifetime... just let me go."

Her fragile, broken voice tugged at his heart like a kitten's paw, soft yet insistent.

Chiyang leaned in, the faint scent of tobacco surrounding her. He looked at her intently, his voice low, "I've missed you. Every day for the past few years, every minute, every second... You've been my reason to keep going..."

A sudden rush, like an explosion in her mind, left Shirann's thoughts in a whirl, unable to process anything. Then, she found herself enveloped in a warm, familiar embrace.

The feeling was overwhelming, a mix of nostalgia and the faint, unfamiliar scent of tobacco. This was the embrace she had tucked away in the depths of her heart for four long years, never daring to recall it. Tears welled up instantly.

"I came back this time just to see you. I want so much to be with you, to live with you, to see you every day," Chiyang spoke with deep emotion, holding her tightly, as if trying to pour his heart into hers.

Shirann closed her eyes, unable to utter a word, tears streaming down her face. Memories from four years ago replayed in her mind. The young couple strolling on the track, sharing stories and solving problems on the rooftop, their gazes meeting like rays of sunlight.

But in the end... he left her with the cruelest ending—disappearing without a word.

The devastation of losing everything hit her hard.

With that thought, Shirann's eyes flew open. She pushed Chiyang away with all her strength, glaring at him like a cornered animal, her eyes blazing with pain, resentment, and stubborn determination.

"Open the door! I need to get out!"

Her low growl was filled with complex emotions, making Chiyang feel an unfamiliar distance between them for the first time. He hesitated, a shadow crossing his eyes, but then obediently opened the car door like a scolded puppy.

He watched as Shirann stormed out of the car, angrily straightening her clothes before striding into the apartment building without a backward glance. He didn't stop her, nor did he dare to.

Silent, he felt a sharp pain tugging at his heart.

It wasn't until she was inside, surrounded by the smell of concrete, that Shirann felt as if she was waking from a dream, slowly recalling everything that had just happened.