Loving the Unloving

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I told Nari and Giselle everything that had happened.

From the destroyed bag to Jay suddenly handing me a replacement.

Both of them looked equally stunned.

The bag was resting on top of the table.

It wasn’t just any bag.

It was a luxury designer backpack made of premium leather, with elegant gold accents and the brand’s signature emblem engraved on the front. The craftsmanship alone screamed money. It looked sophisticated, expensive, and completely out of place in the hands of someone like me.

I carefully traced the smooth material.

“Isn’t that your favorite style?” Nari asked, glancing at the bag.

“It is,” I admitted.

“Then what’s with that face?”

Before I could answer, Giselle leaned forward.

“Because that’s not the issue.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “The real issue is that Jay likes you.”

I nearly choked on my water.

“What?!”

Nari burst out laughing.

“Oh, come on. That’s normal for Jay.”

“No, it isn’t!”

“It is,” she insisted. “I once saw him buy a pair of limited-edition sneakers for a random guy outside the campus. The guy literally looked like he was about to cry.”

“Exactly,” I said.

Nari pointed at me dramatically.

“My point! Gift-giving is probably his love language.”

She paused.

“Even if he acts like a grumpy demon most of the time.”

The three of us burst into laughter.

Because honestly?

She wasn’t wrong.

Jay had always been generous.

He just hid it behind an expression that made people think he wanted to start a fight every five minutes.

Soon, more students started filling the classroom.

And just as expected, the whispers followed.

Some of them had witnessed yesterday’s incident.

Some of them had probably heard exaggerated versions of it already.

Then I saw her.

The same girl who mocked me yesterday.

The moment our eyes met, she rolled her eyes.

My stomach tightened.

But before I could react, Giselle pushed her chair back.

Hard.

The sound echoed through the room.

She stood up.

And everyone went silent.

Oh no.

I immediately grabbed her wrist.

“Giselle—”

Too late.

“The hell are you all whispering about?” she snapped.

Nobody answered.

Her sharp gaze swept across the room.

“What? Did your mouths suddenly stop working?”

The silence became even heavier.

“You people love acting decent online and in public, but the moment someone’s having a hard time, you turn into vultures.”

Still no response.

Giselle laughed.

It wasn’t a pleasant laugh.

It was the kind that made people uncomfortable.

“Tell me. What exactly do you gain from gossiping about someone?”

She took a step forward.

“Does it make you feel superior?”

Another step.

“Does it make you sleep better at night?”

The students avoided eye contact.

Cowards.

Then Giselle pointed directly at the girl who had insulted me.

“You.”

The girl visibly stiffened.

“You think I don’t know that bag you’re carrying is fake?”

The entire classroom froze.

The girl’s face immediately paled.

Giselle tilted her head.

“But did I ever make fun of you for it?”

Silence.

“Did I ever laugh at you?”

Silence.

“Did I ever gather people around just to humiliate you?”

The girl lowered her head.

“Exactly.”

Giselle crossed her arms.

“So before you start looking down on someone else, maybe take a good look at yourself first.”

The room was dead quiet.

Nobody dared interrupt her.

“Not everyone has the same privileges.”

Her voice softened slightly.

“Not everyone grew up with money.”

She glanced around the room.

“And not everyone is lucky enough to have what you have.”

Her eyes hardened again.

“But none of that gives you the right to mock them.”

My chest tightened.

Because for the first time since yesterday…

Someone was standing up for me.

Not because they had to.

But because they wanted to.

“Giselle…”

I tugged on her sleeve.

“That’s enough.”

She exhaled sharply.

Then she shot one last glare at the girl.

The kind of glare that could probably start a war.

Only then did she sit down.

“I swear,” she muttered, pushing her hair back. “I was this close to exploding.”

Her accent was slipping.

A sure sign that she was genuinely angry.

Nari immediately threw an arm around her shoulders.

“That’s my girl!”

Then she raised a fist dramatically.

“Giselle-kun strikes again!”

The tension instantly broke.

A few students looked away awkwardly.

Others pretended to be busy with their phones.

And for the first time since yesterday…

I smiled.

Maybe things weren’t as bad as I thought.

Maybe I wasn’t facing this alone.

…

Miggy’s Coffee Shop

“How ironic,” Nari said, shaking her head. “An engineering student who owns a coffee shop.”

“I’ll pay for our drinks,” I offered.

Nari and Giselle exchanged a glance.

We didn’t have classes until one in the afternoon, so they had decided to spend the morning hanging out at Miggy’s coffee shop. It was only ten o’clock.

The café was one of the most popular spots on campus. Of course, that had a lot to do with its owner.

Miggy was practically a celebrity in the Engineering Department—a campus heartthrob with a charming smile and a growing business. Between the quality coffee and his popularity, the place was always packed with students.

“You don’t have to bother,” Giselle laughed. “I know the owner.”

“I’m serious. Let me pay this time. You two are always treating me.”

“It’s never a burden, Ari,” Giselle said with a warm smile.

Still, I couldn’t help feeling guilty.

Because of them, I had experienced things I never thought I’d experience.

Luxury boutiques.

Fine dining restaurants.

Places I had only seen in advertisements and social media posts.

Foods that were ordinary to them but felt like once-in-a-lifetime experiences for me.

“I think this is the perfect time to tell us the full story,” Nari suggested, wiggling her eyebrows.

She was obviously talking about Link.

The two of them waited expectantly.

I hesitated.

Part of me was afraid they would judge me.

Or worse, misunderstand my father.

“Don’t worry, Ari,” Giselle said gently.

“We listen and we don’t judge.”

I blinked.

Could they read minds?

Taking a deep breath, I finally began.

“My father worked as the Veylan family’s gardener for many years.”

Their attention immediately sharpened.

“Over time, he became very close to Mr. Veylan.”

I paused.

“My father was always healthy. Maybe when you grow up struggling, your body becomes tougher than most.”

A small laugh escaped me.

Neither of them interrupted.

Then my smile faded.

“Mr. Veylan became seriously ill.”

I lowered my gaze.

“He needed a kidney donor.”

The expressions on their faces instantly changed.

“My father didn’t hesitate.”

I swallowed.

“He volunteered immediately.”

I looked at them.

“And somehow… they turned out to be compatible.”

“Oh my God,” Nari whispered.

“That’s incredible,” Giselle added.

I continued telling them everything.

How my father donated his kidney.

How grateful the Veylan family became.

How one promise eventually changed the course of my life.

The more I spoke, the more shocked they became.

Their reactions ranged from disbelief to sympathy.

And somehow, telling the story out loud made everything feel more real.

Then I reached the part I hated the most.

The memory still stung.

“I waited at the altar for five hours.”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

The humiliation still felt fresh.

Even after all this time.

Nari’s eyes widened.

“Five hours?”

“Five whole hours?” Giselle repeated, horrified.

I nodded.

“I honestly thought he wasn’t coming.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Giselle finally broke the silence.

“I understand your father’s decision.”

I looked at her.

“He sacrificed a part of himself to save another person’s life. He wanted to secure your future, Ari.”

Her voice softened.

“And for that, I truly admire him.”

Warmth spread through my chest.

“Thank you.”

Nari leaned back in her chair.

“So the marriage happened because of a promise.”

I nodded.

“Nothing romantic. Nothing complicated.”

She tilted her head.

“But why marriage?”

I knew she wasn’t being rude.

It was the same question I had asked myself countless times.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she continued. “There are so many ways to repay a debt. Why did it have to be marriage?”

I let out a quiet sigh.

“That’s the part I still don’t understand.”

I stared at my untouched coffee.

“Even now, I still wonder about it.”

My fingers tightened around the cup.

Why did my father choose marriage when he knew neither of us loved each other?

…

We spent the next hour talking about everything and nothing.

For the first time in a long while, I felt lighter.

The burden I had been carrying seemed a little easier to bear with Nari and Giselle around.

Then suddenly—

“Damn. Speak of the devil.”

Giselle’s eyes widened as she stared toward the entrance of the café.

Curious, I turned around.

“What is it?”

But before she could answer, Nari spoke.

“Why is he here?”

I frowned.

Following their gaze, I looked toward the door.

And instantly froze.

Link.

Standing near the entrance.

His tall figure immediately caught everyone’s attention. Dressed in a simple black shirt and dark jeans, he still managed to stand out from everyone else in the room.

Several students were already stealing glances at him.

Some were whispering.

Others were openly staring.

But Link looked completely unaffected.

As if none of them existed.

His gaze swept across the café.

Then landed on me.

My heart skipped a beat.

The moment our eyes met, I quickly looked away.

Why was he here?

And more importantly…

How did he know I was here?

Link started walking toward our table.

Each step seemed deliberate.

Confident.

Commanding.

The closer he got, the more nervous I became.

Beside me, Giselle lowered her voice.

“Oh, this is getting interesting.”

Nari looked like she was trying her hardest not to laugh.

I wanted to disappear.

Link stopped beside our table.

His expression was as unreadable as ever.

Cold.

Aloof.

Slightly annoyed.

“Come with me.”

His voice was low and firm.

Not a request.

A command.

I blinked.

“W-What?”

“Now.”

No explanation.

No greeting.

Nothing.

I immediately looked at Nari and Giselle.

The two of them exchanged knowing looks.

“You can go,” Giselle said casually.

“Yeah,” Nari added. “We’ll be fine.”

Neither of them looked interested in rescuing me.

Traitors.

“M-My class starts at one,” I said weakly.

Link didn’t respond.

He simply stared at me.

And somehow, that was worse.

There was something about the way he looked at people.

As if he expected to be obeyed.

And somehow…

People always did.

“We’ll wait for you in class,” Nari assured me.

I let out a quiet sigh.

Knowing I had no chance of winning, I grabbed my bag and stood up.

Link had already turned around.

Completely confident that I would follow.

Which, annoyingly enough, I did.

The moment we stepped outside the café, silence settled between us.

But the tension between us felt impossible to ignore.

I tightened my grip on my bag.

“B-But why?” I finally asked.

My voice came out softer than I intended.

Link continued walking.

Not even sparing me a glance.

“Why do you need me?”

Still nothing.

No answer.

No reaction.

Only silence.

I swallowed nervously.