𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 (𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝)

32. He's the one

"Su Mi, wake up!" A voice called urgently, shaking her shoulders with a fervor that penetrated the fog of sleep. Arielle opened her eyes with difficulty, squinting against the bright light flooding the room.

"Oh Buddha, you finally woke up," a voice sighed with relief. As her vision adjusted, she gasped in shock, tears immediately filling her eyes at the sight before her.

"Aiore!" she exclaimed, a mix of joy and disbelief flooding her voice.

Lu Wei felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Su Mi," he said strictly, grounding her in reality. "Come back to reality. You aren't Arielle now."

Arielle narrowed her eyes at him, her heart racing with confusion. "What are you talking about?" She gasped again, the realization dawning upon her. "Wait... where am I?"

"I know this is crazy..." Lu Wei scratched his head nervously, unable to hide the anxiousness in his voice. "But listen to me for a sec." He took a deep breath and recounted the heartache he felt when she rejected his confession, the possessiveness that drove him to create a machine capable of forming new worlds based on the characters he built.

"I made a character named Aiore," he explained, his voice trembling slightly, "and I gave him my characteristics and appearance. I crafted the story based on the novel you read recently. I got that information from Su Ting, your brother. The male protagonist in Fallen Hearts fit my expectations. That's how I made you go into that novel. Others thought you were in a coma all this time. Only I knew the real reason. I'm actually a coward, okay?" He sighed, the weight of his confession hanging heavily in the air. "I can't believe I'm talking to you without stammering. Tsk, forget it. What was I saying? Oh yes. I made you go into that world and forced you to make the character that was based on my own personality fall in love with you. Actually, by doing that, I wanted you to explore my personality through a character so you could understand who I am. I know it's absurd, but please give me a chance, okay? I know you love me. It's Aiore you fell for, but oh, come on. He's based on my personality. That means you practically fell in love with me, right?"

Arielle sat in stunned silence, processing the torrent of information. She felt overwhelmed, the shock rendering her momentarily speechless. Finally, she managed to ask, "How long have I been like this?"

Lu Wei hesitated before answering, "Two weeks."

"Two weeks?" She hummed softly, trying to gather her thoughts. She attempted to sit up from the hospital bed, a wave of dizziness washing over her.

"Su Mi," he called, desperation lacing his voice. "So what do you say now...?" He gazed at her with anticipation, hope shimmering in his eyes.

"What do you want me to say? Should I thank you for making me fall into a coma for two weeks?" She glared at him, her feelings a chaotic whirlwind. "You are crazy!"

"But..." Lu Wei bit his lower lip, his heart racing. "Don't you love Aiore?"

Su Mi nodded without hesitation. "I love him."

Lu Wei opened his mouth, ready to argue, but she cut him off. "But you aren't him."

She felt a pang of guilt as she thought about the secret crush she had harbored for this crazy man. She decided she would carry the secret of her feelings for Lu Wei to her grave.

When her family arrived, she left with them, sparing not a glance back at Lu Wei, who remained behind, dejected.

After spending a week with her family, Su Mi returned to her lonely apartment. She resumed her life, though the emptiness weighed heavily on her. Lu Wei, her department manager, tried relentlessly to draw her into conversation. "I'm the real-life Aiore!" he told her desperately. "I'm as handsome as he is, and I have the same personality!"