Does true love exist?
Maybe.
Does it really last forever?
Who knows. Miyabi would never bet on it.
It wasn’t that she refused to believe in the vows her friends had taken just a week earlier. Rather, she believed that the sweetness and dizziness brought by love could only ever last for a while. For a marriage to endure, it required level-headedness and a conscious willingness to remain together for a lifetime. Beyond acknowledging each other’s flaws, one had to learn how to live with them.
Having been married herself, Miyabi knew this well.
It was true that some marriages did not survive past the honeymoon, but hers had been on a good track. He had been her sweetheart since high school; they stayed together throughout university. The sweetness of their love had lingered, strong and warm. After graduation, they married almost immediately. They were twenty-two then.
The first year had been pure bliss.
Then work intervened. He had to travel to another country, while her own career demanded that she remain where she was. He was constantly on the move; she was rooted in place. Their marriage turned into a long-distance relationship.
At first, it was manageable. With modern technology, it almost felt as though they were still together—calls, messages, video chats. They could even visit each other when the longing became too much. Still, it wasn’t the same.
Gradually, their professional lives took precedence. There was less time, fewer conversations that went beyond updates and logistics. Slowly, steadily, they drifted apart. After five years, the decision to divorce was mutual.
There had been no cheating. No resentment. No dramatic fallout. Surprisingly, there wasn’t even lingering attachment.
Miyabi felt numb through the entire process.
They had been together for so many years, and yet it ended just like that. If there was anything to blame, distance was an easy target—far easier than admitting that they simply hadn’t loved enough.
Her friends, however, said they were both selfish and stubborn, unwilling to adjust their careers or schedules for one another. Perhaps that was true. But what could Miyabi do about it now? Maybe—just as her friends claimed—they hadn’t loved each other enough to put the other first. Maybe it had been comfort rather than love.
Still, Miyabi begged to differ.
Since the divorce, she hadn’t gone out with anyone. She didn’t even know where to begin. For her entire adult life, she had known only one man. Meanwhile, everyone around her seemed to be getting married one after another, and they were now determined to set her up with someone—despite the fact that she had divorced only a year ago.
Whenever she said she wasn’t ready, they would look at her with pity, sighing that it must not have been true love after all. For reasons she couldn’t understand, that only strengthened their resolve to find her a new partner. Once her friends latched onto an idea, they were exhausting.
After last week’s wedding, it had gotten even worse.
That was why, at this very moment, Miyabi sat alone on the last train home. She had successfully avoided them tonight, sparing herself another awkward introduction to some unfortunate man. The last one had even been Julia’s direct subordinate.
Poor guy. What an irresponsible superior.
Some peace, really, was nice from time to time.
Tomorrow was Saturday. Knowing her friends, they would undoubtedly plan another blind date. Just thinking about it made her head ache. To distract herself, she took out her phone and started playing a game as the train carried her toward her station.
The train wasn’t crowded, so she could sit comfortably. The game itself was rather silly. She had only downloaded it after accidentally clicking on an advertisement while using another app. Still, it was entertaining enough for moments like these. As she played, she found herself reminiscing about her teenage years, when she used to fill her time with all kinds of ridiculous games.
Suddenly, the train jolted.
From a few cars away came cries and shouts. The lights went out. Someone nearby screamed. The train shook again, violently, throwing passengers to the floor, some slamming into the walls. Panic erupted as the train lurched sideways while still moving at high speed.
What happened after that, Miyabi couldn’t quite remember.
She only knew that her final thought had been this—
Maybe I should have listened to my friends… and gone home with that man tonight.
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