The Decade I Loved You

During the tenth year I had a crush on Ron, I was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer. With a critically ill notice in hand, I stood at the door to the room where my former classmates gathered, and I heard Ron holding his crush and cooing at her, “Just ignore it. Willow has been bothering me for ten years. If there was even a possibility of us getting together, we would have done so a long time ago. Honestly, I would never like her. Even if she continues bothering me for another ten or twenty years, I still won’t like her.”

My former classmates cheered, and Ron looked like he was about to kiss her. I stood at the door and cried so hard that I trembled, but I did not dare make a sound.

Ron, I would not be able to bother you for another twenty years.

I was about to die.

“Miss River, your cancer is almost at the stage where it’s uncontrollable. You can’t drag this out any further.”

Even when I was about to reach the door of the private room where my former classmates had gathered, I could still hear the doctor’s words echoing in my head.

How could my cancer have reached such a serious stage?

My mind was blank.

Just when I was about to turn the doorknob, I heard loud cheering from inside.

Through the small gap, I saw Ron Stone sitting down.

Beside him was a familiar woman.

The womanizing Ron had one woman he loved the most—Flora Lorde, his first love.

Oh. She was back in the country.

That must be why Ron was seldom at the company nowadays.

In the past, I would be really anxious and panicky about Flora’s presence.

But at present, I only laughed at myself.

My body was like a candle in the wind. I no longer had the strength to fight for anything anymore.

For some reason, I did not go in.

Despite having one person missing from the gathering, it remained lively inside.

Suddenly, someone said, “Since Flora’s back, that means Willow won’t have a chance with Ron anymore.”

The atmosphere instantly cooled down.

Flora looked at Ron in shock after she heard this. “Ron, what did he mean by that? Are you dating Willow?

“If that’s the case, I shouldn’t have come back. I just knew that you were still angry at me for leaving without a goodbye. I’m sorry.”

Tears streamed down her face, and everyone started comforting her.

“Don’t read too much into this, Flora!”

“That’s right. There’s nothing between Ron and Willow! He’s a company president, but he immediately set aside all of his tasks to pick you up from the airport the moment he heard you came back. We all know just how he feels about you.”

“Exactly, and you know just how crazy Willow is about Ron. She was already head over heels for him when we were students, and she’s even more in love with him now.”

“All she did was pester Ron into letting her join his side when something went wrong in his family and he needed all the helpers he could get. That’s why Ron holds her job as his secretary, because he does value her loyalty. By the way, all this happened while you were gone.”

“Even so, Ron still doesn't like her. She’s just staying by his side due to wishful thinking! Hahaha!”

I listened to all the things they said, like a masochist. All the while, I stared straight at Ron, as if searching for an answer.

Then, Ron gently held Flora.

“Don’t mind it. Willow has been bothering me for ten years. If there was even a possibility that we could have gotten together, we would have done so a long time ago.

“Honestly, I will never fall in love with her. Even if she continues bothering me for another ten or twenty years, I still won’t like her.”

My former classmates started cheering for them to get together.

Flora blushed, and she kissed Ron on the lips.

Ron was stunned for a moment before he kissed her back passionately.

Flora was a prideful person, so this must be her most forward display of affection toward Ron.

How wonderful.

They were such a perfect match.

They must be so happy.

But I just felt like crying.

Unwilling to make a sound, I bit down on my lip. It was my complaint toward my ten-year-long crush as I thought, ‘Ron, I won’t be bothering you for another twenty years.

‘I’m about to die.’