Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

44. Passions Barely Mess Up Their Thang

(Sarah's Pov)

When I first came across Ryan and Nitya's engagement photos, I shrugged it off, pretending it didn't matter.
But seeing them together, with their rings, stirred something deep inside me. It was as if my heart was losing something precious. The ache grew heavier, and before I knew it, I wanted to cry. Yet, with every tear I held back, the weight only seemed to grow.

Without thinking, I wandered back to the spot where I had first seen them. The Christmas tree stood there, unchanged, its familiar presence almost mocking the shift in my world. My eyes fell on a wish card hanging on one of its branches. It was Ryan's. My heart skipped a beat as I reached for it, hesitating to open it.

Finally, with trembling hands, I unfolded the card. His handwriting, so familiar, revealed the words:

"I wish all the things I hate would disappear. And one of those is her tears."

I couldn't stop the flood of emotions that overtook me. Tears I had been fighting to hold back spilled freely now, as if his wish had unlocked everything I had been trying so hard to suppress.

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The next morning, as I arrived at the hospital, there was an unusual commotion near the OT. People were rushing back and forth, their faces tense, and something about the atmosphere felt off.

Curious, I approached the front desk and asked, "Is something serious going on?"

The receptionist looked up briefly, shaking her head. "I don't know the details."

That only made me more anxious. I followed the crowd toward the OT, and that's when I saw Ryan. He was inside, visibly panicked. I had never seen him like that before. His hands trembled as if he couldn't even hold the scalpel properly. My heart sank. What could have happened to him?

Just then, a doctor stepped out, muttering angrily to a nurse, "Take him to the general ward. The patient is out of danger, but how could he have been so careless? His mistake could've put the patient in a coma. Thankfully, everything turned out fine in the end."

Before Ryan could notice me, I quickly turned and slipped away. I knew if he saw me, his panic would only get worse, and I didn't want to add to his stress.

Later, in the group chat, my friends were buzzing with excitement about a beach trip they had planned -- one day and one night by the sea. It sounded perfect, but I knew better. My mom had never allowed me to go on trips like this, let alone stay out overnight. So, I didn't even bother asking for permission. I already knew what the answer would be.

The next morning, the group chat exploded with disappointment and frustration. Everyone was upset because Ryan had declined to go on the trip. His decision seemed to set off a chain reaction -- half of the boys also backed out, which threw everyone's plans into disarray.

Later, I headed to the hospital to deliver coffee. As I walked in, I overheard whispers about Ryan taking the day off. Just then, Nitya approached me, looking worried.

"Hey, have you heard from Ryan? Did he say anything to you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

I shook my head. "No, why? Is everything okay? What happened?"

She sighed, glancing around as if looking for answers. "Yesterday, he messed up during an operation. It went wrong because of him, but luckily, his dad was there to fix things. Since then, he hasn't answered any calls or responded to anyone. I think he's blaming himself."

Concerned, I asked, "Do you think you could convince him to go on the trip? Maybe it'll take his mind off things."

Nitya gave a small, frustrated laugh. "If I can ever find him," she said, clearly worried but determined.

I called him twice, but there was no answer. On my third attempt, he finally picked up.

"Hmm," he muttered, his voice low and tired.

"Are you in a hideout again?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.

"What do you mean?" he responded, though his voice sounded distant.

"Well," I started, a hint of sarcasm in my voice, "I heard a rumor today that you're quitting your job because you messed something up. And then I heard you declined the trip, too. So, I figured, why not? I'll go. You've been challenging me at everything since we were kids, but this time? This time, it feels pretty great hearing that you've lost in life while I'm doing just fine."

There was silence on the other end. I continued, "You once told me that everything's fair in love and war. Funny thing is, I didn't do anything this time, and yet... I won."