Chapter 32 Heartbreak
He chewed on a fried dough stick, looking like death.
Luna paused, tossed her backpack aside, and pulled out the chair to Leo's right. "Dear brother, what's wrong with you?"
Leo looked like he didn't even have the energy to speak. He took a bite of his fried dough and said nothing.
Luna clicked her tongue and tugged his earlobe. "Talk. Are you mute?"
Leo took a deep breath. "I'm heartbroken. Can you leave me alone?"
"Huh?"
Luna froze for a second, then the corners of her mouth curved up uncontrollably. "Oh, heartbroken, huh. Hehehehehehe..."
"..." Leo tossed his fried dough into the bowl and squinted at Luna. "I'm heartbroken and you're this happy?"
Luna reined in her smile in a second.
"I just... um... I'm in a good mood today, so I felt like smiling."
She looked at Leo sincerely. "If I say that, do you believe me?"
Leo offered a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Do I look like I believe you?"
Luna said nothing, lowered her head, and took a sip of soy milk. She turned to Helen. "Helen, this soy milk is really good."
Helen's face lit up. "As long as you like it, miss."
Leo let out a cold laugh.
-
Morning classes were pretty chill.
At lunch, Mila dragged Luna, buzzing with excitement, to try a new black duck stew place that had just opened.
"Can you handle spicy?"
Luna: "Who are you underestimating? I can handle it."
Mila clicked her tongue. "Good."
Since both of them had already talked a big game, when they walked in and the server asked what spice level they wanted...
Mila said without hesitation: "The spiciest one."
The server double-checked: "It might be really spicy, though?"
"We can both handle spicy," Luna said.
The server nodded with a weird smile and took the menu away.
That smile made Luna's skin crawl.
It wasn't until the black duck stew arrived that Luna realized something was wrong.
She swallowed. The sharp chili smell hit her nose. In that instant, Luna felt she might have overestimated herself.
Mila seemed full of confidence. "Come on, eat. I heard if we finish the whole thing, it's free."
"Okay."
Luna gritted her teeth and picked up her chopsticks.
At first it tasted sweet. Luna thought she'd been paranoid. Then five minutes later, that torturous, piercing heat surged up.
Her brain felt like it was melting. Snot and tears streamed everywhere.
She grabbed two napkins, wiped her tears, wiped her nose, and looked across the table at Mila through blurry eyes.
Her face was red, eating and hissing with every bite.
"Are you not dying?" Luna's voice was hoarse.
"Spicy, but kind of addictive." Mila stuck out her tongue, feeling like it was about to start smoking.
"I'm done. I give up. I surrender."
Luna put down her chopsticks. "I'm going to grab a boba next door. You want one?"
Mila nodded. "Yes, yes, yes."
Luna stood up, feeling like she'd been poisoned. The spice kept her tears flowing.
Luckily, there was no line at the boba shop next door.
She stood at the counter. No one behind it.
She called out, confused: "Hello?"
"Coming."
The curtain behind the counter pushed aside. Jax stood there in a black tee with the shop's logo on the chest. When he saw Luna, his step faltered. "What do you want?"
Luna stared at the menu for ages, then ordered two light milk teas. "Extra ice."
"Okay." Jax's long fingers tapped the register, but his gaze drifted to Luna's face on its own.
She had her hair in a perky high ponytail today. Barely any makeup, maybe just a light swipe of lipstick.
Vivid lip color. Long outer corners. Those dark eyes looked like she'd just been crying, rimmed with a faint red.
"...Why were you crying?"
"Huh?"
Luna blinked. "The food I just ate was a little spicy."
The boy's brow ticked up. He turned his back to make the boba, movements practiced, fingers slender and pale.
Handsome people make everything look good. Even shaking boba was a work of art.
Two cups of boba, fast. Jax grabbed one in each hand and set them in the cup sealer.
He grabbed a cup, hooked the plastic bag open with one finger, slid the boba in, and smoothed out the crinkles.
Luna didn't know if the spice had broken her brain.
She suddenly remembered. In her previous life, the morning after that chaotic night, when she'd kicked Jax out, he'd pulled on his sweatpants, head down. The drawstrings were long. His fingers hooking those white drawstrings, just like this.
When Jax held out the bag with both cups, Luna stood there for a long moment, not taking it.
He seemed puzzled. "What?"
Luna answered a different question. "Tutoring, working at a boba shop part-time. Jax, are you hurting for money?"
Jax's hand tightened around the bag. He looked at Luna quietly, lips pressing into a straighter line. "Yes."
He was hurting for money.
Really hurting.
So sometimes, he didn't even dare to show how he felt too clearly.
Like the shops he used to walk past as a kid. The kind that looked expensive just from the outside.
Through the glass, the light inside looked so warm. Distinctive shelves lined with all kinds of plushies.
Jax had no interest in plushies, but he knew they weren't things he could have.
Everything beautiful. Everything expensive. Everything fine. None of it belonged to him.
"Well, I happen to have a high-paying job. Want to try?" Luna licked her lips.
That was her tell. A small habit when she was nervous.
Jax froze for a second. "What job?"
Luna: "Tutoring me. Come to my place every weekend and evening to walk me through problems. Two thousand a month."
Jax was quiet for a moment, seemingly not expecting that. "Why me?"
Luna thought about it. "Because you explain things clearly. I can actually understand."
And he was really patient. Answered everything carefully. Never looked annoyed.
Jax looked at Luna.
When he lowered his eyes to look at someone, those long lashes cast dense shadows over his lids. Luna's reflection was caught in his dark pupils. He looked earnest and intent.
"Really?"
Luna's eyes went wider. "Of course it's real. You think I'd lie about that?"
"I'm pretty busy right now. It'd have to wait until after fall break."
After this week, fall break starts.
Luna's eyes crinkled. "Sure. No problem."
She took the boba from Jax and walked back to the restaurant, pretending to be calm.
Mila was sweating from the heat. She grabbed the boba from Luna and chugged a big sip. "Perfect."
The entire time, Luna didn't say a word.
It was like she just snapped back to reality. She slapped both hands over her face, screaming internally.
Luna!
Did you completely lose your mind just now?!!!