【Chapter 3: If We Had Never Met】

A week had passed, and there were no new messages in 陳遠行's LINE.
阿曜 hadn't replied either. The sight of him leaving the hotel with his soul laid bare felt like a knife cutting deep into 陳遠行's heart.

Every day when he came home, his wife asked, "How's work these days? Why have you been coming home later and later?"
陳遠行 could only force an awkward smile. "The company has been busier recently."
But he knew in his heart it wasn't work — it was desire. A longing he'd suppressed for fifty years and had never felt before.

At that time 阿曜 sank even deeper into obsession.
Massage work could no longer satisfy his sense of self-worth. He took on more private clients and even entered more obscure circles: whatever the wealthy wanted to see, he would perform.

"Do you want me to play a lover? Or an ascetic type? Either is fine."
But after acting out all those passions, on nights back in his rented room he would open his phone and still stop at that name — 陳遠行.
He didn't delete the contact or block him; he just waited quietly, hoping that one day that person would message him again, even if it was only one sentence: Are you okay?

Fate played a cruel joke one day.

One day 阿曜 happened to run into 陳遠行 outside the UNIQLO in Ximending, standing beside his beautiful, dignified wife and their son who was preparing to study abroad.
They were chatting and laughing, looking like a model family. In that moment 阿曜 froze —
Not just because 陳遠行 had seen him, but because of that look... completely unfamiliar.

No surprise, no panic, not even hesitation.
Just a faint glance, as if... they had never met.

阿曜 swallowed his emotions and walked away quickly.
Back in his room, he cried in front of the mirror for the first time.
He hated himself for having fallen for someone.

That night he sent one message to 陳遠行:
You were very convincing; I almost believed you.

There was no reply.

Until a week later, late at night, he suddenly received an email from an unfamiliar address.
It contained only one sentence.

I never acted; I just couldn't love you.

Attached was a photo:
A blurry shot of them lying on the bed at the hotel that night, facing each other; the picture was grainy but couldn't hide the tenderness in their eyes.

Tears slid down 阿曜's face and he smiled.
"How melodramatic... but damn, my heart still flutters."

To be continued......

--- Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental ---