I watched them chat and laugh as they cut and divided the cake.
Lily put cream on Chandler's face.
He tapped her forehead lovingly, "Naughty!"
On Chandler's first birthday together, I had also smeared cream on his face.
At the time, he looked disgusted and resistant.
"Dirty!"
Then, regardless of my flattery and apology, he left all his friends behind and walked away.
From then on, I never ate cake again.
They ate with great interest.
Seeing my lack of movement, Chandler grew unhappy.
"This cake was picked by my senior brother himself. Yasmine, you should at least try it. If you don't take a bite, are you still blaming me and him?"
Lily tried smoothing things over with ill intentions, and Chandler's face darkened.
"Yasmine, it happened and we apologized. What else do you want?"
I moved the cake towards them.
"I'm allergic to strawberries!"
"Eat more if you like!"
Chandler's angry expression softened to embarrassment.
"I don't know. Lily likes strawberries, so I thought all girls were the same..."
He stopped short as Lily tugged his sleeve.
"How about I buy you a different flavor?" he offered.
"No, I don't like cake!" I replied firmly.
Chandler seemed displeased for some reason.
"Yasmine, I admit I was wrong to leave you that day. I've apologized. What more do you want from me?"
"Yes, Yasmine, please don't be upset with my senior brother. He hasn't focused on piano these past two days because of you."
"I'm not upset. What are you two up to?"
I interjected, heading out on my own, already planning to find a new place soon.
At noon, I noticed Lily's update on her Moments.
"Four-hand piano is still the best match for you and me."
The photo showed an open bag of potato chips on the piano stand.
Chandler, a budding pianist, strictly forbade me from entering his practice room, let alone eating snacks in it.
When I first moved in and accidentally left a hair on the stand out of curiosity,
he was furious.
It was off-limits to me, but Lily faced no such restrictions.
Love and lack thereof were indeed straightforward and simple.
I had been deceiving myself all this time.
Now that the illusion is shattered, it's time to wake up.
I stayed in the library to study.
Chandler sent me messages.
"Where are you? When will you be back?"
My phone was on do not disturb mode, so I missed it.
"What would you like to eat tonight? I know a great restaurant, would you like to try it?"