You Once Meant the World

As soon as I stepped back into my parents' house, mom threw her arms around me. She hugged me tightly, eyes already brimming with tears.

I hadn't been home much in the past three years.

Every time I came back, I worried my parents would pressure me again about dating, marriage, and settling down.

But this time, I brought it up myself.

"Mom, that blind date you mentioned the other day, is it all set? I'm free to go tomorrow."

Mom beamed and said everything was arranged. She even pulled out her phone and showed me a photo album.

"Nancy, take a look. See if there's anyone you like."

I couldn't help but laugh. I picked two at random.

"Take your time setting them up," I said. "I'm serious about getting married this time."

-

The next morning, I went to the spot mom had arranged. It was a tea house. I'd never liked coffee, but tea? I've always had a soft spot for it.

There was something about the process of brewing it that made me feel completely relaxed.

"After all these years, you still love tea just as much."

I looked up and saw Steven Warhammer sitting across from me.

For a second, memories flashed through my mind like a reel of film.

"Steven? When did you get back?"

Steven had been a senior when I was in college, and we had studied under the same lecturer for a while. Not long after, he had gone abroad.

"Just got back recently," he said with a warm smile. "Didn't expect the first familiar face I'd run into would be yours."

The joy of reuniting made me overlook the lingering brightness in his eyes.

Suddenly, the door to the tea room burst open.

Zac stormed in. His expression was a strange mix of fury and panic.

"Nancy, what are you doing here? Who is this guy?"

I blinked at him in confusion, not understanding why he looked so upset.

Then I remembered the Warhammer and the Jesselton families were longtime family friends. I forced a smile and introduced Steven politely.

"Spare the introductions. I know exactly who he is." Steven stood up, still calm, with a slight smirk on his face. "Long time no see, Zac."

Zac's eyes widened. He gasped as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. "Steven? What are you doing back here?"

"You really don't know? Or are you just pretending not to? You promised me certain things, and you haven't followed through on a single one."

The room suddenly went quiet.

Steven and Zac stared at each other, locked in some unspoken standoff.

I had no interest in digging into their secrets. A quick glance at my watch told me my actual blind date was about to arrive.

I politely asked the two of them to leave.

"Steven, Zac, I have some personal matters to attend to. Would you mind giving me some space?"

I didn't expect Steven to pull a bouquet of roses from his coat. He slid them into the table’s vase.

"Nancy, I am your blind date."

I sat there, stunned and awkward. I poured myself another cup of tea, hoping it would hide my discomfort, and cleared my throat lightly.

"Well, I didn't see that coming. It's you, after all," I said. "But since it's you, I don't think we need to go through with this. If my memory serves me right, you already have a girlfriend."

"I don't! I've never had one!" he interrupted immediately. His gaze was fixed on me. "It's not for lack of trying. But the girl I want never said yes."

Suddenly, I remembered that night before Steven went abroad.

He'd been drunk, clinging to me and saying all kinds of things. The gist of it was simple. He liked someone. From the way he described her, it didn't sound like me.

I didn't have short bangs. I wasn't top of the class. Honestly, I'd been so caught up in Zac back then, I hadn't paid close attention to who he was talking about.

But now, my gut told me he'd meant me all along.

Before I could find the right words to respond, Zac, who had stubbornly stayed behind, suddenly threw a fit.

"Nancy, what the hell do you think you're doing?"