Minding My Own Business

"Aurora, will you marry me?" Matt asked Aurora on his knee with the ring extended. "I promise, I'll only love you for the rest of my life!"

Aurora trembled with excitement, and sweat seeped through her sunscreen, spreading the fragrance through the air. "Yes!"

The whole place went silent.

Soon, someone cheered. The others began clapping here and there, their faces full of reluctance. From the corner of my eye, I saw the instructor's face turn pale. There were clear traces of sunscreen on his neck too!

This was going to be fun.

After a long while, the instructor interrupted them. Probably because he could not stand watching anymore. "Have you chosen the lead for tomorrow's march for your group?"

"No need for that. Aurora is going to lead, obviously!" Once Matt said that, the other guys immediately agreed. Although they were all jealous that Aurora had accepted Matt's proposal, they were strangely united on this.

The instructor nodded in acknowledgment. "Then come with me. I'll go over the details of the performance and the march with you. Everyone else, rest where you are."

Aurora was still on cloud nine after the proposal. She nodded, exchanged an affectionate look with Matt, then followed the instructor.

Matt kept watching her until the two of them turned the corner toward another training ground. Only then did he give the other guys a smug look and sit down beside me.

The first words out of his mouth were a threat. "I'm warning you, Wendy. If my parents ask you about Aurora, think carefully before you answer. If you ruin what I have between me and Aurora, your family's fragrance business is finished too!"

So he still remembered that my family was in the fragrance business. Yet in my last life, he had not believed my judgment about the fragrance at all.

Love really did make people blind.

I had been like that in my last life, and… So had he. I then said, "I really do think you two are a match made in heaven. I hope you two can stay married for life. Aurora and I are best friends, too. How can you suspect me of doing something like that?"

My question made him choke. After a long while, he lowered his head awkwardly and said, "You better mean that."

Half an hour passed before the instructor and Aurora returned.

Matt quickly went over and took her hand. While Aurora leaned into Matt and acted all cute, the instructor turned around and I saw the large patches of sunscreen on his palms and arms. He kept rubbing and spreading it as he walked, worried others would notice the extra whiteness on his tan skin.

When our eyes suddenly met, the instructor looked away guiltily.

I felt much better. Then, I looked at Aurora, who was surrounded like a celebrity. The sunscreen on her body and face was one layer thinner than before, but she still looked fresh, and gentle.

Yet the sweet fragrance in the air now carried a faint rotten smell.

The time was about right.

-

On performance day, Aurora wore the camo mini dress Matt had customized for her instead of the standard boot camp uniform.

At that moment, she looked fairer and softer than ever. The second she appeared as she led our group's march, thunderous cheers and applause erupted across the entire field.

"The girl at the very front is Aurora! She looks like she's glowing!"

"Her skin is so soft and bouncy! If I could touch it just once, I could die happy!"

"Keep your voice down. Haven't you heard? Matt has already proposed to her. Keep talking and he might come after you!"

Matt was the sports representative, and as he followed her, he raised his chin arrogantly. Meanwhile, I stared at the back of Aurora's neck as it gradually grew damp with sweat, and my heartbeat quickened too.

Today, the temperature reached 107 degrees. The toxicity of the fragrance had already spread to its limit.

Just as we were about to reach the center as we marched in formation, Matt shouted, "March forward!"

Everyone looked toward the main stage. The moment our steps changed, Aurora suddenly stopped.

Everyone went wild.

"Why is Aurora's face bleeding?!"

"What is that on her leg?! Is that pus... That's so disgusting!"

"Look at the other guys... Matt's face is rotting too!"