“Can we truly not go back…?” Kevin’s tears fell like broken pearls. I ignored him. Because there was no going back, I didn’t even
want a shred of entanglement.
“I truly am sorry, Sophia.”
“You used to be so good to me, and I didn’t appreciate it.” Kevin knelt. He was prostrating himself before me, the haughty golden
boy now knocking his head against the ground.
I laughed, tears welling in my eyes. “Kevin, belated affection is more worthless than weeds.”
His prostrations paused, then continued. I had no desire to waste more words on him. I turned and went back inside. If he wanted
to grovel, I would let him.
The next morning, when I woke up, Kevin was gone. I heard that a heavy downpour had fallen the night before. Kevin, having prost-
rated himself ninety–nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety–nine times, had collapsed from exhaustion.
I let those words drift away like smoke, gone and forgotten. It was a beautiful day. I took my parents and Olivia on a trip abroad.
“Sophia, you’re amazing!” Olivia praised me.
Il ruffled Olivia’s hair. “Thank you, my dear sister.”
My parents looked at us, their smiles gentle and kind. After the rain, the sky clears. My life, too, had found its sunshine.
