"Why did you lie about going on a business trip when you're actually here?" The girl's voice was full of reproach. The embrace tightened. Ansel felt suffocated. "Why, Ansel? You are excessive."
Ansel's hands hang loosely at Desi's sides; he's caught between his conflicting desires to either reciprocate the hug or push Desi away. It felt like his heart was being split in two, like his mind.
"I can explain." Ansel, after a moment of awkwardness, gradually regained his composure. He quickly thought of a response to address the girl's question. "Desi, the truth is..."
"Why did you do that?" The girl interrupted, her voice heavy with serious questioning. "If I hadn't found out, were you planning to hide it from me forever?"
"It's not like that. I..." Ansel tried to explain something, but th
