That day, sunlight poured into the café through the windows, gently landing on the table. Liza sat nervously at a window seat, constantly checking the time, secretly wondering what Mike and Chuks would be like. This was their first meeting in real life; although she had played games with them online for several years, the reality of meeting them filled her with both anticipation and anxiety.
When Mike’s figure appeared at the door, Liza almost didn’t recognize him. The boy who always teased her in the game, making it impossible for her to play comfortably, was even taller than she had imagined, with a hint of mischief and confidence in his eyes. He walked over to Liza, a slight smile on his lips, seemingly unfazed by the meeting. It was Liza, however, who felt a bit flustered upon seeing Mike like this.
“Hey, what’s up? Surprised to see me?” Mike asked with a smile.
Liza shyly smiled back, “Um, a little.” She hadn’t expected Mike to be so handsome in real life, quite different from the image she had constructed in her mind online.
They chatted for a while, and the atmosphere gradually became more natural. They talked about funny moments in the game, reminiscing about those teasing scenarios that had driven Liza to the brink, with Mike still using a teasing tone that made her smile involuntarily. Liza realized that although Mike sometimes annoyed her, in reality, he was someone hard to dislike.
However, the whole meeting was missing a key person—Chuks. Liza had been most looking forward to seeing him because he was the gentle friend who always quietly helped her in the game, providing her with comfort. When she asked Mike why Chuks hadn’t come, his expression turned a bit regretful.
“Chuks had some family issues and couldn’t make it today,” Mike explained. “He really wanted to come, but something came up at the last minute, so he’ll have to meet another day.”
Hearing this, Liza felt a bit disappointed, but she understood that everyone had their own difficulties. She could only silently accept this fact. After their meeting, they said goodbye, and Liza inexplicably felt a sense of emptiness; it seemed like something was missing from the day, and this feeling began to spread in her heart with the approaching summer vacation.
The summer vacation arrived as expected, and Liza’s life seemed like it should become relaxed and enjoyable. But this summer vacation turned out to be a significant turning point for her. Her parents’ arguments became more frequent, and finally, on a dreary afternoon, they announced to her that they were getting a divorce. The news hit her like a heavy blow, disrupting all her plans and expectations. She was forced to move, leaving behind her familiar environment and friends, relocating to another unfamiliar community.
On the day of the move, Liza dragged her heavy luggage, feeling utterly miserable. Everything in the new community felt strange and unsettling. She missed her past life, filled with a sense of loss and helplessness.
However, while walking in the community, a familiar figure approached from a distance, causing her heart to skip a beat. She stopped in surprise; the familiar figure was—Mike.
“What are you doing here?” Liza blurted out, unable to believe her eyes.
Mike was also taken aback for a moment, then broke into a surprised smile, “Liza? What are you doing here?”
It turned out that fate had brought them together again. Liza had moved to a neighborhood near Mike, and this boy, whom she both disliked and somewhat missed, seemed to be entering her life once more.
“I moved, and I didn’t expect to run into you,” Liza explained with a wry smile, her complex emotions hard to articulate.
Mike laughed and patted her shoulder, “Since we’re neighbors now, we should see each other often.”
This unexpected reunion added a touch of unknown anticipation to Liza’s upcoming school life. As summer vacation was coming to an end and a new school life was about to begin, she suddenly felt a bit of comfort in her heart; at least in this unfamiliar community, she still had a familiar person to accompany her.
