Zephyr | Lee Felix

Chapter 19

"... You know I could never do that." She speaks in a soft tone. "We may have ended things, but we're on good terms. So... why would I—ya know?"

Christopher pauses for a moment and nods slightly, still looking through the book. He had feared that Eugene would have destroyed all reminders of their relationship after they ended things, but seeing the book, and all the other things she kept, made him realize how much she still cares. 

The realization makes his heart ache a little.

"Yeah, I know." He murmurs, his eyes still focused on the photos. "But I still thought you would discard them, after..."

He trails off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"After...?"

Christopher hesitates, then shuts the book, his eyes still fixed on it. He takes a deep breath, the words on the tip of his tongue, but it's harder to say than he expected.

"After I... mistreated you." He mutters after a few moments, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"..." Eugene has a soft expression on her face. Much to his surprise, she simply shrugs her shoulders and returns to the kitchen area to resume her cooking. "Well. We all have different priorities."

Christopher watches as she returns to the kitchen, her casual response takes him by surprise. He expected a different reaction, but her nonchalant shrug confuses him. He sets the book down on the table and walks over to the kitchen, leaning against the counter as he watches her cook.

"Different priorities...?" He echoes, his eyebrows raised. "That's it? After all, I did...?"

"You can't even prioritize your health by eating healthy meals. Of course, I'm not going to expect you to prioritize me over your grades, especially when you were in your last year of your Bachelor's degree." She answers.

Her bluntness takes Christopher aback, her comment hitting a nerve. He prioritised his studies over her indeed, he sacrificed their relationship for his grades—she spoke nothing but facts.

He lets out a heavy sigh at the reminder, running a hand through his hair. "I... yeah, I guess you're right." He says quietly, his gaze landing on the kitchen counter. "But still... I shouldn't have ignored you like that. I should've made time for you."

"I mean." She speaks in a quiet voice, the sound of the cutting board filling the air temporarily before she continues, "You did try. You gave your best. But in exchange, you sacrificed your sleep. And I... didn't like that."

He takes a deep breath, remembering those days. How he tried to balance between her needs and his studies, trying to make time for her while also focusing on his grades.

And she's right - he was exhausted. He lost sleep and often skipped meals to meet his deadlines and spend time with her. It was a struggle, but he had thought it was worth it.

"I just... wanted to give you the best." He mutters, his voice filled with regret. "And I thought I was doing the right thing..."

"Perhaps it's just not the right time for us." She replies, "I'd rather have us return as friends instead of seeing you struggle like that."

He nods in agreement, the painful truth of what she's saying sinking in.

"Yeah..." he mumbles. "I guess you're right. The timing was never on our side."

He's quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He looks over at her, watching her cooking, the familiar scene bringing back so many memories.

"But... I never stopped caring, even after all these years, you know. I never stopped."