THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US: A Love Forged Between Two Worlds

The first thing Jason Marquez learned about engineering was that numbers didn't care about your feelings. A bridge either held or collapsed. A building either stood or didn't. A calculation was either correct or wrong. There was no middle ground. Unfortunately, university professors had somehow discovered that students were not governed by the same principles. Especially Jason. “Marquez.” Jason slowly lifted his head. His professor stood at the front of the classroom, holding a stack of papers. Jason immediately became suspicious. “Sir?” “Your solution.” Jason looked at the paper in front of him. Then at the professor. Then back at the paper. “Yes, sir?” “You submitted this calculation yesterday.” “Yes, sir.” “You were very confident about it.” Jason swallowed. “I tried to be.” The professor raised an eyebrow. “You were wrong.” Several students laughed. Jason sighed. “Sir, confidence is important.” “Not when you're confidently wrong.” The laughter became louder. Jason leaned back in his chair. “That's fair.” The professor placed the paper on his desk. “Fix it.” “Yes, sir.” “And Marquez?” “Yes, sir?” “Stop trying to impress the class with shortcuts.” Jason smiled. “I wasn't trying to impress them, sir.” The professor stared at him. Jason slowly added: “I was trying to impress myself.” The entire classroom erupted. Even the professor had to hide a smile. Jason wasn't the smartest student in the room. He knew that. There were students who could solve equations faster than him. There were students whose grades consistently ranked above his. There were students whose parents already had companies waiting for them after graduation. Jason didn't have that luxury. He had something else. He knew how to work. And he knew how to survive. After class, Jason packed his things. His phone vibrated. MOM: Are you coming home tonight? Jason typed. JASON: Probably late. I have work. The response came almost immediately. MOM: Eat first. Jason smiled. JASON: Yes, Ma. Another message appeared. MOM: And don't spend your salary on unnecessary things. Jason stared at the message. Then typed: JASON: Define unnecessary. Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again. Finally: MOM: Anything you want. Jason laughed. “Fair enough.” He placed his phone in his pocket and headed toward the university exit. He had another shift that evening. A restaurant. Four hours. Not much money. But enough for transportation, food, school materials, and whatever his parents needed him to contribute. The restaurant wasn't particularly large. It belonged to a Chinese family. And behind the counter stood the person Jason had spent months trying not to notice. Jasmine Li. She looked up when Jason entered. Her expression changed almost immediately. Not dramatically. Just enough for Jason to notice. “You're late.” Jason looked at his watch. “By three minutes.” “Three minutes is late.” “You sound like my professor.” “Your professor probably has better standards.” Jason placed his bag behind the counter. “Good evening to you too.” Jasmine smiled. That smile was the problem. Jason could handle her sarcasm. He could handle her cold personality toward everyone else. He could even handle the fact that half the male students in their university seemed interested in her. But that smile? That was dangerous. Jasmine handed him an apron. “Put this on.” “Yes, boss.” “Don't call me boss.” “Why?” “Because you're making me sound old.” Jason looked at her. “You're twenty-two.” “And?” “Nothing.” “Good.” Jason put on the apron. Jasmine watched him for a moment. Then asked quietly: “Did you eat?” Jason shook his head. She frowned. “You haven't eaten?” “I had coffee.” “That isn't food.” “It contains calories.” “Jason.” He sighed. “Yes?” “Eat.” She pointed toward the kitchen. “I saved you dinner.” Jason stared at her. “You did?” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because you're stupid.” Jason laughed. “That's becoming a recurring theme.” Jasmine crossed her arms. “Go eat.” Jason walked toward the kitchen. But before entering, he looked back. Jasmine was already busy with customers. She didn't notice him watching. Jason smiled quietly. That was when he realized something he didn't want to admit. He was falling for her. And Jasmine Li was the kind of woman a man like Jason Marquez should never fall in love with. Because some distances were measured in kilometers. Others were measured in family names. And some— were measured in everything a person believed they could never have. Jason didn't know it yet. But within two years, that distance would take him across the sea. And within four years, it would nearly break him. The world would change. His career would change. Jasmine would change. And Jason would discover that sometimes the hardest thing a man could do wasn't building a skyscraper. It was finding the courage to tell the person standing beside him: “I love you.”