Broken Coffee Cup

The sky began a season of persistent rain. But now, she no longer feared its coldness. She felt that those raindrops were like herself, hopeless and lost in this world. Sometimes she wondered, what was she born for? What did she live for? Why was she born?

Foolish questions that even Linh found amusing.

Today, the rain still pattered. Linh walked alone, holding a small red umbrella, her steps slow on a deserted road. Perhaps because of this, the raindrops took pity on her, clinging to her thick cotton coat. Linh continued to walk, on and on until there was no road left before her. She brushed off the raindrops from her coat and ducked into a coffee shop at the end of the street.

The place was very quiet, with no customers. The owner had fallen asleep at the counter because of this.

"What would you like, esteemed guest?"

The owner startled awake, hastily asking the newcomer. His eyes were still blurry with sleep as he looked at Linh. Then his expression shifted from surprise to calm, and he smiled faintly at her.

"I'd like a black coffee..."

"And with little ice."

Before Linh could finish speaking, the owner interjected. His confident words, as if long familiar, startled Linh, making her look up at him. Then, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve into a faint crescent. This man had once run over four streets in Beijing just to buy the coffee she liked, a man who would defy all odds to fulfill her desires.

"Wang Kai Yi, hello."

Linh smiled faintly, her head slightly bowed, not daring to look him in the eye. Perhaps it was fate again, allowing her to unexpectedly meet him. It was like this five years ago, and it was still like this five years later.

"Perhaps you're not happy."

Wang Kai Yi smiled again, but that smile made one's heart ache. He looked at her, his eyes filled with love mixed with sorrow. He loved her, loved her from the first time he met her at the Shanghai Bund that year. But it seemed his love wasn't enough to erase someone else's image from her heart. Regardless of Ling's indifference and lack of concern, she remained devoted to him. And he, in turn, followed her, walking on and on but still unable to catch up.

"Black coffee with little ice."

He sighed and turned to go inside. As for Linh, she hadn't dared to look at him from the beginning. She was afraid of hurting him again. She knew he loved her very much, but she couldn't love anyone anymore. Loving one person was already too much; if she added another, she feared she would go mad.

She wasn't like normal young women; she had no parental love, no family warmth. She couldn't even do what she liked. Therefore, she didn't want to love anyone else, not even Ling. Perhaps she should let go, let go so he could hold that other girl's hand and smile as he moved forward.

Without waiting for his coffee, Linh hastily stood up and rushed out into the rain, as if afraid he would catch up.

"Your coffee..."

*Crash!*

The coffee cup in his hand, something he cherished and hadn't yet given her, fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. Wang Kai Yi looked at the wooden chair; Linh's figure was no longer there. Had she run away from him again? Why? One time with him was enough. This time, he would definitely not let her forget him.

He rushed outside, forgetting his umbrella. The rain quickly soaked his white shirt. He ran wildly in the rain but still couldn't find her. Was he too late again?

"Mai Hui Ling, where are you?"

"Mai Hui Ling, answer me! Why? Why don't you love me? What do I lack compared to him? I love you more than my own life, but why do you only look ahead? Why don't you turn around and see that I'm still behind you?"

Wang Kai Yi screamed in despair, the rainwater mingling with his tears, making them indistinguishable.

People often say that men only cry with their hearts, but if they cry with their eyes, it means they have loved too much.

Perhaps so. He loved her, loved Mai Hui Ling. He didn't want to see her sad, didn't want to see her create a perfect facade for herself. He wanted to be with her, even if he was just a substitute. He respected her, but also hated her. Why did she love Huang Hai Ling? Why was it always him? Why did he always steal the things he cherished most? Huang Hai Ling, there will be a day when I, Wang Kai Yi, will make you regret everything.

"Mai Hui Ling, until I die, I will only love you."

Wang Kai Yi whispered, his beautiful eyes now streaked with blood. His hands clenched, punching the cement ground until his skin tore open, fresh blood mixing with the rainwater and washing away.

"If that summer, it was I who saved you... then everything would have been different, wouldn't it?"

He said softly, then stood up, walking unsteadily as if about to fall.

"I'm sorry, Wang Kai Yi..."

As Wang Kai Yi's figure disappeared into the rain, the small figure of the girl holding the red umbrella reappeared. Linh whispered, tears uncontrollably falling down her pale cheeks.

Perhaps, her birth was a mistake, only bringing misfortune to others.