Chapter 99 Chapter 99

Chapter 99 Chapter 99
Adele pulled his hand and ran forward, her dress fluttering in the afternoon wind, and she called back mysteriously. "You'll understand in time. Let’s go."

Adele told herself in her heart. If we have to be apart tomorrow, then at least today, I want to love you with all the strength of my life. So that later, when I look back, I will not regret loving you as if there were no tomorrow.

—

By the window of the ancient villa, Vince’s grandmother sat comfortably, enjoying her tea. Vince stopped by right after school finished.

His grandmother set her teacup down, her sharp eyes seeing right through her grandson’s soul. "You must have a reason for coming here, don't you?"

Vince sat beside her. "Grandmother, you were the one who raised me. That must have been very exhausting for you."

Her smile was gentle. "It was indeed very exhausting, but that is all in the past now. As for you, I had to take care of everything, and even now that you are an adult, I still worry about you. But that is not the most exhausting part."

"Is the thing you hate the most the fact that I don't listen to you?" Vince asked with a bitter smile.

"So you realize that, too. Every time I tell you to do something, you either don't do it or you do the complete opposite. I tell you to go west, you go east; I tell you this, you do that. I realized you were growing up, so I bought you a suit and a pair of dress shoes, but you ended up choosing to wear jeans and sneakers. I told you to learn the violin, hoping you would appreciate the arts, but you chose the electric guitar. I told you to learn swimming, yet you became a basketball player."

Vince continued, remembering his rebellious days. "You hired a tutor to teach me Japanese, but I ended up learning French just so I could curse at the teacher."

"Enough, forget all about those things," his grandmother waved her hand dismissively. "But I still haven't fully accepted your personality. I am currently learning how to endure it."

Vince massaged his grandmother’s shoulders. "Everyone has flaws, Grandmother. Besides, that is just who I am. I didn't exactly choose to be this way."

His grandmother picked up her teacup for a sip, regaining her usual composure. "I am ready. Whatever you want to talk to me about today, go ahead and say it."

Vince hesitated for a moment before confessing. "Grandmother, I have a girlfriend."

Vince’s grandmother was not surprised, as she knew this day would eventually come.

Leaving his grandmother’s house, Vince wandered the streets and accidentally saw Tony and Adele entering a bustling shopping center. He stood still in the distance, squinting as he watched them, his heart filled with a mixture of admiration and reflection. They looked so happy.

Inside the shopping center.

Adele exclaimed when she stood in front of a fashion stall. "This color is so cute, it looks so unfamiliar to me. Tony, let's wear matching outfits. I will choose two purple jackets for you and me."

"Sure, as long as you like it, I'm fine with anything," Tony replied indulgently.

They stepped out onto the street wearing two vibrant purple jackets. Adele skipped along, spinning around to admire how they matched. "Do you think we look good in matching outfits?"

"Of course, very beautiful."

Adele suddenly stopped, stroking the fabric of her jacket, her voice slightly sad. "Only this once. We have never worn matching outfits before."

But she quickly regained her excitement, hopping along and chirping like a child. Tony smiled happily; he had never seen her so full of energy.

"This is amazing. Today is the happiest day of my life," Adele shouted to the sky.

They took selfies together, capturing every expression from mischievous to sweet. Finally, they stopped at their familiar coffee shop. The owner smiled. "The usual."

"That's right, but this time with one cup and two straws, please," Adele requested quickly.

Sitting across from each other, Adele took a sip of milk tea and stared at Tony without blinking. "What else haven't we done on this date?"

Tony said tenderly, "Adele, you look just like a little rabbit today."

"Why?"

"It's just how I feel. Today, you are acting exactly like a rabbit."

"It seems you know how to make comparisons, too," Adele laughed, though her eyes suddenly flickered with emotion.

Tony took her hand, looking serious. "Adele, why do I feel like you have some kind of emergency. It's like you are urgently announcing to the entire world that we belong to each other."

Adele froze and stammered. "I… actually… I…" She looked deep into his eyes. "Do you remember why we like each other?"

"Because of a bet involving a red umbrella."

"Although we started with a bet, I said I wanted to create memories that are uniquely ours. That is why everything I am doing today is to create our own memories."

"But every day we spend together is already a memory. You don't need to try so hard to create them," Tony comforted her.

Adele shook her head, her next words sounding like a sad prophecy. "We both assume that we have countless days ahead of us. But what if we don't have those future days? And if we accidentally waste today, won't tomorrow’s memories become meaningless blank pages?"

Her words left Tony stunned. He didn't fully understand her subtext, only sensing a vague fear. He forced a smile. "You have a point."

They continued to lean their heads toward the shared milk tea, smiling at each other, but in Adele’s heart, every passing second was a fragment of a goodbye she hadn't yet dared to voice.

Tony noticed the unusual intensity of the girl beside him all day long. He gently suggested, "Adele, it’s getting late. I will take you home."

Adele was stubborn. "Didn't I say that I would decide where we go today?"

Tony was slightly confused, but he indulgently nodded. "So, where do you want to go?"

Adele gathered all her courage to fulfill her final wish before everything vanished. "Let's go to your place. I want to go to your home, can I?"

The request took Tony by surprise. His apartment was his most private space; he had never brought any girl home before. He stammered, "Well, this… is okay. If you really want to."