Chapter 1
The night Eric Graham proposed to me, his affection score stopped at 99.
Everyone was holding their breath, waiting for my answer, but the system suddenly announced, [Mission failed.]
I couldn't believe it.
He had promised me marriage and a future together.
The system only reminded me: [You're missing one rose.]
I looked down at the 98 roses in my arms and laughed at how absurd it was.
It was one rose.
After waiting ten years, how could I suddenly start nitpicking when happiness was within reach?
But then I caught a glimpse of that splash of red on Leila Miller's chest.
It was the only red rose in the whole bouquet.
Eric had said it represented home plate, and the home he promised me.
He explained calmly, "Leila was a bit nervous, so I gave it to her to help her calm down."
My voice was hoarse as I asked, "Why that one?"
Eric tried to coax me as if I were a stubborn child.
He said, "You're the one standing here tonight.
"I've given you marriage. Are you really going to argue with her over one rose?"
He squeezed my hand, his voice low and gentle. "Emilia, you already have me. She's got nothing."
But Leila still had Eric's signed baseball and the beach house named after her.
I finally understood.
99 points wasn't one step away from having all his love.
No matter how much he loved me, he'd always save a piece of his heart for someone else.
*****
The system asked, [All four targets failed.
[Do you want to give up the chance to be cured and leave this world by dying?]
I looked into Eric's hopeful eyes and answered, "Yes."
He let out a sigh of relief and smiled.
But I slipped the ring back into his palm.
I told him, "I mean, I'm going home.
"Since she has nothing, give this to her too."
Later, I walked into the sea.
As the tide rose above my head, a helicopter that had no business being in the air sliced through the storm, heading toward me.
When Eric had the ring back in his palm, the smile on his face hadn't completely faded.
The cheers were still echoing through the crowd. On the big screen, old photos from our ten years together were playing.
"Emilia." He held the ring tightly. "Today isn't the day to talk about calling off the engagement.
"We can get new roses, and I can buy the house back.
"Let's put the wedding on hold for now. Once you've calmed down, we can talk again."
Back when I tried to explain, Eric thought I was being petty. Now that I didn't want anything anymore, he was suddenly making it all up to me, one thing at a time.
Leila came over, clutching the signed baseball, her eyes red.
She sobbed. "Emilia, please don't fight with Eric because of me."
She reached to take the red rose from her chest.
She said softly, "I'll give you back the rose and the baseball. Tomorrow, I'll have my lawyer transfer the house back to you."
As her fingers brushed the stem, Eric blocked her hand.
"No need," He said. "Once we give something away, we don't take it back."
I looked at his hand.
He paused and then extended his hand toward me. "Emilia, come here.
"Let's talk about it at home. Don't give everyone here something to gossip about."
I stayed where I was.
I nodded quietly. "You're right.
"Once we give something away, we can't take it back."
Eric's expression softened a little.
But I said, "That means I won't be taking you back either."
The stadium suddenly fell silent.
Eric's gentle expression faltered for a second.
He asked, "What do you mean?"
I replied calmly, "It means I'm done with the roses, the baseball, the house, and with you."
When I turned eighteen, I realized I was never meant to be part of this world.
The system told me that if my brother or any of the three targets could choose me without a second thought, I'd be able to go back to my real world and get better.
I spent ten years trying.
The final task was finally done.
Eric only heard me say I didn't want him anymore.
He held out the ring again.
He said, "Don't use breaking up as a way to force me to take back what I gave Leila.
"She didn't take it from me. I gave it to her myself."
Even this moment, he still thought I was negotiating terms with him.
I smiled. "Eric, don't worry.
"I'm not taking anything back."
His hand froze in midair.
He asked, "So where are you going?"
I said, "Home."
He added, "I'll take you."
I replied, "You can't come with me."
Eric's brows furrowed.
I didn't bother explaining.
I set the 98 white roses on home plate, my phone resting beside the bouquet.
Eric didn't come after me right away.
He told the staff to shut down the live stream and had security hold back the reporters trying to get close.
He thought I'd wait for him to deal with everything, like I always did, and then he'd come over to coax me back.
I crossed the outfield wall.
The staff found my shoes sitting on the steps leading down to the beach.
I didn't look back.
Outside the stadium, there was a seaside cave. When the tide came in, the whole place would be swallowed by the waves.
Eric brought me here when I was eighteen.
He told me, "When a ball clears the outfield wall, it lands in the sound of the waves. And anyone who rounds all the bases will always make it home in the end."