The Dinner Invitation

Day 10

As her mother attempted to rouse her from sleep, Sushi whispered, "I'm sorry, June, for lying to you."

"Sushi, wake up! Your father will drop you off at the university on his way to work in the morning."

"Hmm!" she exclaimed, rubbing her eyes.

Her mother inquired, "By the way, what were you talking about in your sleep?"

"Me? Have I said anything?" Sushi pondered.

"Oh my gosh, what's upsetting you that you couldn't get a good night's sleep? Take a look at that restlessness. All right, hurry up and get ready, I'll make your breakfast," her mother said as she left the room.

While taking a shower, Sushi recalled something: she had never given June her contact information, yet she received a message from him, and yesterday was their first meeting. The realization that he had her number sent a shiver down her spine.

As she descended the stairs for breakfast, Sushi resolved to question her father. "Father, I'm curious, did you give my contact information to June?" she asked, her tone questioning.

"No, I didn't. How did you persuade him to get married, by the way? Did you tell him everything about you and your past?" he inquired.

Feeling a knot tighten in her stomach, Sushi quickly brushed off her father's question with a forced smile. "Oh, not much, I just mentioned a bit about our family situation," she replied, her voice light but tinged with unease.

Her father nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response, and turned his attention back to his breakfast. She knew that she was playing a dangerous game, one that could unravel at any moment and expose her deception to the world.

Sushi's head swirled with fear and confusion, wondering how June had obtained her contact information when her father dropped her off at the university.

Lost in her thoughts, Sushi wandered aimlessly through the crowded university campus. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to her, snapping her out of her reverie. Startled, she turned to see Huan rushing towards her, a look of concern etched on his face.

He extended his hand and grasped hers with such enthusiasm that it sent her into a tizzy state of anticipation. "You won't believe it, Sushi! I recently learned about this fantastic opportunity—an internship with a prestigious organization! You ought to submit an application as well."

"That's great for you, Huan," she replied, her voice tinged with gloom. "Maybe you could do mine as well," she added half-heartedly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked gently. "You seem off today. Is everything okay?"

Sushi hesitated, unsure of how much to divulge. But as she looked into Huan's kind eyes, she found herself opening up, unable to keep her feelings bottled up any longer.

They had been best friends since they were young, sharing dreams, secrets, and going on innumerable adventures. Sushi was fond of their companionship, but she had no idea how deeply Huan felt about her. Despite this, he followed her everywhere with an unwavering devotion that came from an unspoken love.

Sushi took a deep breath, steeling herself to share her secret with Huan. "Huan, I need to tell you something," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I've been pretending to be Chloe."

Huan's eyes widened in shock and with confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Sushi took a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. She blurted out, "My family owes June's family money, and they insisted that me marry him to pay them back."

Sushi poured her heart out, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm not sure how long I can carry on acting like someone else and misleading everyone around me. Furthermore, I worry if he found out who I really am or not," she admitted, her voice breaking with emotion.

Despite his shock and heartbreak, Huan reached out and took Sushi's hands in his own, offering her a reassuring squeeze. "I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you, Sushi, but keeping this deception going is not right. You need to find a way to tell him the truth."

Sushi felt a pang of guilt at Huan's words, knowing deep down that he was right. "You're right, Huan," she whispered, her voice tinged with regret. "I know I need to tell him the truth, but I just don't know how. And even if I do, what if he refuses to marry me? What will happen to my family then? I can't bear to think about it," she admitted, her worry evident in her voice.

"It seems he is a nice person from the way you described," Huan said gently, his eyes reflecting understanding. "It's hard to cherish someone for so long, only to find out they're not who you thought they were. I know that pain all too well, Sushi. Please, don't make it any harder for both of you."

Just then, Sushi's phone buzzed with a message from June, "Hi Chloe, would you like to go for dinner tonight?" She felt a rush of anxiety wash over her as she read the text, her heart pounding in her chest. 

She glanced at Huan, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions.

"I believe he is still unaware of the truth, given that he continues to refer to you as Chloe," Huan said with concern. "So accept the invitation and come clean."

"I'm afraid of how seriously June will take this," Sushi whispered with worries.