ckly adjusted to the mistaken roles. They began chatti

they looked like a

harp "needle" buried deep in her heart pricked her once more. A sharp, intricate pain

o exit the mall, a voic

rom the descending escalator. To her surprise

exclaimed, her hea

old of Rebecca's hands with evident joy. "It's really you, Rebecca! I

. Five years had passed, and she

now, she fel

sked, "Are you busy? If not, let's fin

urity might have led her to shut herself off further, politely

deos on her phone, it felt as though a fissure had cracked open

s shimmering with t

he center of the first floor, and she asked, "

pletely and for so long that she had withdrawn f

Lauren gave her a perceptive

chool suddenly gave it up. Naturally, questions had arisen, and La

ded to fill her in. Five years was indeed enou

to become principal dancers. Others had pursued advanced studies abroad and now held doctoral deg

rward in their respective paths.

She would strive to catch up, even if she could no lo

e on my progress too," she said,

d Lauren more th

uren replied with a smile as

auren's ear and whispered ab

hand tightly in excitement. "And it couldn't be better timing. Our troupe has a European tour c

d, not sure if her legs

a pain for her. And the graduate program she

ed, you would have been a member of the youth dance troupe by now. You can joi

tion, treating Rebecca not as a cr

r have married her. In that case, the woman by

kled, "Actua

yelp at just the right moment, i

e had spilled the tea, the hot liquid

s really rude of me," she stammered, hu

rstanding the underlying tension, and

g the truth. But if Rebecca had truly wante

r a pleading glance, subtly shaking

st place. She had deliberately spoken only half the sen

some sat as if on pins and needles, w

ddenly noticed something in her hand. "Is th

from the blue, causing Vance and

corner of her lips. He had never once worn a wedding ring; the pair from their ceremony

ears now," she replied calmly. "My