We started walking forward back to back. We agreed that when we reached our hundredth step, we would turn around. If we could still see each other, we would forget all our past unhappiness and start anew. If we couldn’t see each other, we would keep walking and never look back!
As I took my first step, a feeling of sorrow washed over me; our love story only had ninety-nine steps left, how did we end up like this? There was a time when we walked together in the rain, not feeling cold even when our clothes were wet; there was a time when we ate ice cream in the snow, our breath steaming in the cold air, and we laughed heartily when people looked at us with surprise.
I’ve taken twenty steps, how about you? I really want to turn around and look at you, to see if you’re struggling to keep up with me. Do you still remember me? When you were teaching me computers, you told me about a situation in programming called an “infinite loop,” where once you’re in, you can’t get out. You said your love for me was an infinite loop, and I was very touched at the time.
When I reached fifty paces, an old man selling roasted sweet potatoes asked me if I wanted any. I shook my head, and he pushed his cart away. Why didn’t he say a few more words to me? That way, I could have lingered for a while and not gone any further.
Eighty steps have already passed me by. Are you also thinking about our unpleasant days recently? Why did we argue every day over such trivial things? I would always cry in front of you, and you would become confused and restless. Then, we would say hurtful things to each other for no reason. Finally, one day you said to me, “We can’t go on like this, or we’ll both be tortured to death. Let’s break up.”
Ninety-nine steps! I struggled to lift my heavy feet, reluctant to put them down. I feared that if I put my feet down, I would turn back and never see you again; I feared that if I put my feet down, I would lose you forever; I feared that if I put my feet down, I would never have happiness again. My feet finally touched the ground, tears streaming down my cheeks. I didn’t want to turn back, I couldn’t control myself, and I crouched down, sobbing uncontrollably. Suddenly, a pair of large hands embraced my shoulders. I turned around and saw you, saw your eyes filled with deep self-respect and intense love.
I threw myself into your arms, crying, “I don’t want to go any further!”
You held me tightly, gently stroking my long hair. “I’ll never let you walk alone again. Actually, I’ve always been walking behind you, always waiting for you to turn around.”
