Eternal Replay: A Love Rekindled

Chapter Ten

Early the next morning, Corey rushed headlong into the barber shop. The barber, with his glib tongue, launched into a non-stop sales pitch. First, he recommended an ionic perm, then raved about the latest hairspray that could supposedly make Corey look outrageously handsome. Corey impatiently waved his hand and shouted, "Come on, man! I just want a simple and clean - cut hairstyle. Cut the crap. I'm in a hurry!" Finally, with his neat and short hair, he dashed off to the class reunion.

The weather seemed to be deliberately being a pain. It was still gloomy and wet, as if the sky itself was in a foul mood. As soon as Corey stepped out of the taxi, the fine rain sprayed onto his face. People's Park was deserted. The raindrops pounded on the leaves of the evergreen trees, making a crackling sound, and then slid down the veins and plopped into the dark soil, splashing tiny mud spots.

Just then, a burst of cheerful laughter and chatter broke the dreariness, coming from the park pavilion. Corey turned a corner in the direction of the sound and instantly came into everyone's view.

"Wow, Coco is here!" someone shouted excitedly in the crowd.

There were five people standing under the pavilion, two guys and three girls. With Justin, it made exactly three pairs. They had been an inseparable "gang" in high school. Even after going to college, they always made sure to get together during winter and summer vacations.

"Dude, Coco, what kind of 'handsomeness elixir' did you secretly take? How did you get even more good-looking?" Nina bounded over like a lively fawn, threw her arm around Corey's shoulder, and half - joked, half - seriously said, "As soon as you showed up, the gloom of my recent breakup was instantly cleared away. How about we date and save my poor broken-hearted self?"

Corey was doubled over with laughter and pushed her away with a smile. "You're always teasing me." He looked around at these familiar and youthful faces. Everyone was brimming with youthful vitality, so different from the worn - out looks in his memory. At this moment, without the pressure of work and the troubles of life, they got along easily and freely, and Corey immediately found the old feeling. It was as if all the confusion and unease brought by his rebirth had been thrown far away.

"Okay, after I cure your 'broken - heart syndrome', we'll get the marriage certificate next year," Corey replied with a laugh, sounding as if he was really going to marry Nina.

The monitor pretended to be jealous. "Hey, as soon as Corey arrives, you girls don't even notice anyone else. We two guys are so left out."

A girl immediately retorted, "Well, there's no helping it. Corey has that natural 'god - like charm'. You just can't compete." Everyone burst into another round of laughter.

The atmosphere of the party was extremely lively. As they ate, they shared interesting stories from their college days. Laughter and the clinking of glasses intertwined. After dinner, they went to a KTV and sang their hearts out, fully releasing their youthful energy. Before they knew it, time flew by, and Nina's uncle Robert came to pick them up.

This time, Corey had dressed up with great care and looked brand - new. As soon as Robert got out of the car, he was drawn to Corey's handsomeness and confidence. Originally planning to just quietly pick up Nina, he couldn't help but step forward and ask politely, "Young man, where do you live? There's still room in my car. If it's on the way, I can give you a ride."

Several girls had already gotten into the car one by one. Nina stuck her head out from the passenger seat and greeted warmly, "Coco, come on. It's rare for uncle to be so kind."

Corey was secretly delighted but remained calm on the surface. He politely declined, "Thank you, uncle. But my home and Nina's aren't on the same route, and it's not far. A taxi will get me there quickly. You go first. I'll chat with these buddies for a while."

Robert nodded, gave a few words of advice about safety, and then drove away. Watching the car disappear into the distance, Corey was overjoyed. He knew that he had left a deep impression on Robert, and everything was moving in a positive direction.

After the party, Corey happily prepared to go home. He thought to himself that this party had been so smooth. He not only reunited with old classmates but also successfully caught Robert's attention, getting one step closer to his acting dream. More importantly, the party ended early, and he had successfully avoided Nicholas. Finally, he could completely get rid of that headache - causing guy.

He hummed a tune and strode towards home. When he entered the corridor and saw the familiar warm orange light, he felt extremely comfortable. The elevator rose slowly, and the numbers kept jumping. With each jump, Corey's joy grew.

"Nicholas, Nicholas. In this life, you'll never be able to pester me again. I'm starting a brand - new life!" Corey thought triumphantly.

"Ding - dong." The elevator door slowly opened. In an instant, the smile on Corey's face froze, as if he had been struck by a freeze spell. He never expected that the person standing against the wall at the elevator entrance, waiting for the elevator, was none other than Nicholas! Nicholas looked up, and his eyes locked directly onto Corey's. There was an indescribably complex emotion in his eyes, a mix of surprise, joy, and a hint of unfathomable persistence.

The entire corridor was deathly quiet, with only the faint sound of the elevator door opening. Corey and Nicholas stared at each other. Time seemed to stand still at this moment. Corey's mind went blank. He had never thought that, despite all his calculations, he still couldn't avoid this unexpected encounter with Nicholas. The past that he thought he had completely escaped from now seemed like an invisible net, once again tightly enveloping him.

The motion - sensor light in the corridor lit up silently, making Nicholas's figure even more distinct. He was wearing a dark-colored overcoat with both hands stuffed in his pockets. When he heard the sound and looked up, it was clearly unintentional. But as soon as he saw Corey, his gaze immediately sharpened, and his previous posture of leaning against the wall was replaced by a natural step forward.

At this time, Nicholas wasn't as tall as he would be in the future. However, he was already around 175 centimeters. He was only slightly shorter than Corey, who was 179 centimeters but often exaggerated to be over 180 centimeters in reports. His face was a bit green and immature, vastly different from his sharp - featured appearance later. His eyes, looking at Corey, were filled with surprise and astonishment.

Corey, who hadn't stepped out of the elevator yet, had his smile frozen on his face. His mind went blank with a buzzing sound. This sudden encounter left him at a loss as to whether he should move forward or backward at this moment.

"Brother Corey," Nicholas stepped forward and blocked the elevator door that was about to close again because Corey was in a daze. Then, with an emotion that Corey didn't quite understand, he curled the corners of his mouth and said, "Long time no see."

At this time, Nicholas wasn't a psycho yet. At this time, Nicholas wasn't a psycho yet. Corey kept repeating this in his mind, trying to brainwash himself. Besides, if you counted the mental age, he was now ten years older than Nicholas. There was no way he could get angry with a kid, right?

Long time no see. In their last encounter, after sending the others away, Corey vaguely remembered that Nicholas had also said "long time no see". Under the dark wall, upon hearing this, Corey, without a word and a bit angrily, pushed the person against the wall and kissed him.

After that, the two of them, as if possessed, found a hotel nearby and opened a room.

The past memories and the present reality crashed into Corey's mind together, causing quite a stir in his emotions. He was surprised to find that he still cared a bit.