The Envious Circle

"Right? I do," he admitted, adjusting himself. "No, I don't want to know."

June blushed and chuckled upon seeing the papers with all the sticky notes that Sushi had left. He had seen through her efforts.

"I think we've reached," Huan said, bringing the car to a stop at the address the professor had given them.

"Yeah, let's go," Sushi agreed, stepping out.

"Hello, Professor," they greeted as they entered his home.

"How was the drive? Did the roads trouble you? Sorry, it's a village, so the roads are a bit jerky," the professor apologized as he welcomed them inside.

"No, Professor, we're fine. It's true that the roads are a bit rough, but we managed," Huan replied.

"How are you doing, Professor, and your family? I heard that your father is sick. Is he okay now?" Sushi asked, her concern evident.

"Yeah, he's a little better. He has dementia. Last month, he wandered far from home. No one could find him. I came from the city, and we searched for hours until we finally found him," the professor explained.

"Oh, we're so sorry," Sushi responded sympathetically.

"It's okay now. We're taking care of him," he assured them. His wife then interrupted, "Hi, kids, would you like some juice to drink? It's hot outside."

"Hi, Madam, we're fine. We don't need anything. How have you been?" Sushi replied.

"We're good, Sushi. You guys keep talking; I'll prepare lunch for all of us," she said before heading to the kitchen.

"Okay, where is your file? I'll sign it. You guys are the hardest working kids I've ever seen. I don't even need to see what's inside; you're already working in a company that makes me proud," the professor praised.

"When are you both going to get married?" the professor suddenly asked.

"Sorry, Professor, you misunderstood us. We're just friends. And I got married one month ago," Sushi explained.

"Oh, is it? You got married? You didn't invite us," the professor remarked.

"Sorry, Professor, it happened so quickly," Sushi admitted hesitantly.

"And what does your husband do?" the professor inquired.

"He's the CEO of the company we're both working for on a project for our internship," Sushi answered, feeling proud of him.

"Which company did you say? I forgot the name," the professor asked again.

"It's NewTech. They even won the Best Startup Award last year," Sushi continued to praise June.

"Is it NewTech? Isn't that June's company? You got married to June?" the professor realized.

"Professor, you know June?" Sushi was surprised. "It's such a small world."

"How could I forget him? He's such a nice kid. I should have your wedding invitation somewhere at home.

But I couldn't make it to your wedding since I was here. It's truly such a small world. I never realized that one of my students was going to marry June," the professor reminisced about him.

Huan, listening to their conversation, couldn't help but feel jealous, his expression growing awkward.

As his wife interrupted while setting the table for lunch, Sushi seized the opportunity to inquire, "By the way, how do you know June, Professor?"

"Did you hear this? She's June's wife. The wedding that we missed, she's the bride," the professor revealed to his wife.

"What? Our June. Such a nice kid," she exclaimed, surprised.

"He's doing fine, Madam, but how do you guys know?" she asked curiously.

"June's grandparents are from this place. If you go a little left turn from here, their house is still standing, although they passed away a few years back. We were like family.

June used to come here a lot when he was a child. He's such a kind kid. He used to come to our home and play with Nivi, our daughter, all the time.

I heard that he still comes once a year to that house because he's attached to his grandparents," the professor explained.

"Oh, it's interesting. I never knew this," Sushi remarked, appreciating the information.

"I'll tell you a funny story about him.

One day, our parents were watching a movie with them, and there was a scene where the bride and groom walked down the aisle.

They both started mimicked the scenario, and June kissed Nivi at the end of the walk. All of us were laughing so hard.

That's when our parents decided on their marriage that they'll make them get married when grown up," the professor shared.

Upon hearing this, Sushi was about to drink water but ended up coughing from surprise and jealousy.

Huan smiled as he noticed Sushi's jealousy.

"Their marriage?" Sushi inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, they were friends since childhood. We have many photos them together.

But when I brought up this topic to June a year ago, he told me that he liked someone else. But I never imagined it would be one of my students," he explained.

Sushi felt awkward, knowing the truth behind their marriage. It wasn't her that June loved, but Chloe.

As evening approached, June found himself glued to the TV, waiting for her return.

"What are they doing together for so long? And she denies that there's nothing between them. What a joke," he muttered, frustration evident in his tone, his gaze fixed on the door.

In front of him, her messages were spread out like a chart. He had read them numerous times, though they were far from being love letters.

"Should I call her? Should I message her?" he pondered.

"Why should I? It's none of my business. Let her come back first," he reasoned, trying to deny the longing he felt for her.

After their lunch, Huan schemed to rouse jealousy in Sushi by asking, "Professor, can we see their childhood photos?"

"Why not," replied the professor's wife, fetching a large album.

They delved into Nivi and June's childhood memories together, with Sushi growing envious with each photo as the professor's wife narrated and admired them.

"He never mentioned this girl before, not even in the past. Yet, they seem very close," Sushi mused to herself.

Examining one picture, Sushi exclaimed, "This was June at 14," recalling his face from her past.

"And this one resembles him at 19; he was quite handsome then," she hinted again.

"How does she know how he looked at that age?" Huan pondered silently.

As Sushi was about to inquire further, the professor interjected, "Yes, that's Nivi, my beloved daughter," proudly pointing her out.

"She's quite beautiful," Sushi remarked.

"It's no wonder they've been together all these years. Their bond seems stronger than we thought it seems," Huan added, aiming to tug at Sushi's heartstrings.

"Indeed, June holds Nivi in high regard. He always turns to her in times of need. They're always together," the professor noted.

Recalling a memory of June speaking on the balcony late at night, Sushi wondered, "Was he talking to her then?"

"What's Nivi up to now?" Huan inquired.

"She and June co-founded that company together, aiming for global expansion. She had to leave for the US until the situation there settles. Once it does, she'll return," the professor explained.

"It's unfortunate none of us could attend your wedding Sushi," the professor said with a tinge of sadness.

"It's alright, Professor. We can meet once she's back," Sushi reassured.

"She should be back next month, I believe," the professor added.

"Why does his life seem to revolve around girls? And why do they all appear just as my life with him is about to begin?" Sushi pondered, lost in her thoughts about the future.