Chapter 40 – The Beginning of False Hope
The moment they stepped out of the cafeteria, the girl hurried ahead with quick, anxious steps while Jinjin followed beside her, staring at her in confusion.
"What is this all about?"
Jinjin asked once again.
The girl merely smiled mysteriously and replied,
"Just... wait for two more minutes."
A few steps behind them, Adam quietly followed without saying a word.
He couldn't understand what had happened so suddenly that Jinjin was being taken somewhere in such a hurry.
A few moments later...
The three of them arrived at the part of the school where the basketball team practiced every day.
Even from a distance, they could hear the excitement.
Laughter...
Applause...
Whistles...
And the enthusiastic chatter of dozens of students.
As they drew closer, the scene before them became clear.
A large circle of students had gathered in the middle of the basketball court.
Boys and girls surrounded the area, leaving an open space at the center.
Some students held up their phones, eager to record what was about to happen.
Others stood on their toes, trying to get a better view.
Several girls stood together with bright smiles, whispering excitedly among themselves.
Before Jinjin could even understand what was happening, the girl holding her hand tightened her grip and led her straight into the crowd.
The students instinctively stepped aside, creating a path for them.
A few moments later...
The girl gave Jinjin a gentle push forward.
Jinjin took a single step...
Then suddenly froze.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Standing directly before her...
Was one of the most popular players on the school's basketball team.
He was kneeling on one knee.
Tall.
Confident.
A gentle smile rested on his face.
In his hands was a beautiful bouquet of red roses.
For a brief moment...
The entire court fell silent.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the two of them.
The boy slowly extended the bouquet toward her.
Then, with quiet confidence, he said,
"Jinjin..."
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
The moment those words left his lips, several girls nearby instinctively covered their mouths in excitement.
One of them whispered,
"Oh my God... he finally proposed!"
Another said excitedly,
"I've been waiting for this moment for so long!"
But...
Standing in the very center of the crowd, Jinjin felt completely different.
Her heart began pounding wildly inside her chest.
It felt as though hundreds of eyes were fixed solely on her.
Her ears grew warm.
Her cheeks slowly turned crimson with embarrassment.
For several long moments, she simply stood there in silence, staring at the bouquet of red roses in front of her.
Meanwhile, countless thoughts raced through her mind.
"W-What's happening?"
"In front of all these people...?"
"What am I supposed to say?"
"What if I say the wrong thing?"
She had become completely overwhelmed.
The boy remained kneeling before her, his confident smile never fading.
After waiting for a few moments, he spoke once again.
"Jinjin..."
"I really like you."
"Will you give me a chance?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted with excitement.
Several boys began whistling loudly.
"Say yes!"
"Come on, say yes!"
Nearby, groups of girls excitedly whispered to one another.
"He's so handsome..."
"If he proposed to me, I'd say yes immediately."
"He's the most popular basketball player in the entire school."
Every conversation revolved around the same topic.
But...
Jinjin remained completely silent.
She took a slow, deep breath.
Then gently lifted her eyes.
Embarrassment...
Apology...
And helplessness were all reflected in her expression.
In a soft voice, she finally said,
"I'm... sorry."
The entire crowd fell silent.
"But..."
She lowered her eyes once again.
"...I already like someone else."
The moment those words left her lips...
It felt as though time itself had frozen.
The smile on the boy's face slowly disappeared.
After a brief silence, he simply nodded in understanding.
Jinjin gave him a small, respectful bow.
"I'm truly sorry."
With that, she quietly turned around.
This time, the crowd naturally stepped aside, allowing her to pass.
Soft whispers spread throughout the court.
Some students looked shocked.
Some felt disappointed.
Others simply couldn't believe that the school's most popular basketball player had actually been rejected.
Jinjin quickly walked out of the crowd.
The moment she stepped outside, her eyes met Adam's.
He had been standing only a few steps away, silently watching everything unfold.
Without thinking, she walked straight over to him, gently grabbed his hand, and said in a hurry,
"Come on..."
"Let's get out of here."
Without another word...
The two of them quietly walked away from the crowd.
But deep inside Adam's heart...
A single feeling had already taken root.
A feeling that would quietly shape the course of his life for years to come.