Chapter 1

At a New Year gathering, after several rounds of drinking, someone suggested playing Truth or Dare.

The question was: What is the boldest thing you have ever done?

Jolla’s childhood friend, Eren Zerrock, who had just returned from abroad, lost the game.

He raised his glass, looked straight at her and said with a smile, “The boldest thing I have done was performing a lump surgery for Jolla. After the surgery, the wound got infected, so I helped wipe her body for a whole month. Otherwise, how could that part of her recover so… nicely?”

Everyone froze for three seconds, then burst out laughing. “As expected of childhood sweethearts!”

I sat there quietly, my fingers tightening on the corner of my clothes.

Then it was my turn. All eyes turned to me.

I looked at Jolla and spoke calmly, “The boldest thing I have done is deciding to divorce Jolla.”

——

All the laughter stopped at once.

Jolla’s face darkened. “Louis, what do you mean?”

I blinked, sounding innocent.

“If Eren can perform breast surgery on you, then of course I can ask you for a divorce.”

Eren’s eyes turned red at once.

I laughed softly, my voice cold. “What? You touched her there and now you still want to act innocent?”

I paused, then said each word clearly, “Sorry, but in this life, I hate sharing something that someone else has already touched. I do not want her anymore. You can have her.”

Jolla suddenly raised her voice, “Louis! Apologize to Eren! You have had too much to drink!”

Eren spoke with a sobbing voice, looking wronged. “I really did not know… you could not take a joke and are so narrow-minded…”

I said nothing. I raised my hand and smashed the wine glass in my hand.

Glass pieces flew everywhere.

“Enjoy yourselves.”

After giving Jolla one last look, I turned and walked away.

The door closed behind me, but the voices inside still drifted out in pieces.

“Is Louis in a bad mood today?”

“Jolla, isn’t your husband usually very obedient?”

Eren’s clear voice was especially obvious.

“What else could it be? He is just jealous. He cannot even take a joke.”

“When I was abroad, hugging and cheek kisses with men and women were totally normal. If you ask me, people with dirty minds see everything as dirty.”

He paused for a moment, then laughed softly, as if sharing something funny.

“Speaking of it, back in high school, Jolla even helped me ‘take care of it’ once. What is the big deal?”

A wave of teasing, ambiguous laughter followed.

Someone joked, “Doctor Zerrock, do you see no difference between men and women?”

Eren laughed, his voice bright and relaxed. “More or less. Right, Jolla?”

After a brief silence, I heard that familiar, indulgent voice,

“Yes.”

“Let’s drink! Today we are welcoming Doctor Zerrock back. No one leaves sober!”

The noise inside the room rose again.

Just after I got home, my phone suddenly vibrated.

The screen lit up and started playing a video. In the video, they were drinking and shouting. “Kiss! Kiss!”

Jolla held Eren’s face and kissed him.

The two of them seemed to switch into another mode, kissing more and more passionately.

When they finally pulled apart, one button on Jolla’s clothes was undone. Her hair was messy, her cheeks flushed.

Eren’s breathing was also uneven.

The crowd laughed and kept drinking.

Then another message from Eren popped up on my phone.

[Louis, sorry about what just happened. I just got back to the country and spoke too casually. Do not take it to heart.]

[We lost Truth or Dare, so we just kissed a little. I am telling you out of courtesy. Please do not be angry.]

I clenched my fist and put the phone down. It felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest and I could hardly breathe.