The Time Leaper (Chapter 6)

Chapter 6: Throughout The Years

The past three years felt like a blur. Not because they passed too quickly, but because every moment with Yue had felt so full, so vibrant, so alive. It wasn't just time moving forward—it was life unfolding in ways I never thought I'd experience.

Somehow, she made the ordinary feel extraordinary. From lazy Sunday mornings tangled in blankets to hurried weeknights spent cooking together, every second with her carried a kind of warmth I hadn't known before. There were times I'd watch her, lost in her own world—laughing at her phone, humming while organizing her things, or simply sitting beside me, her presence alone enough to fill the silence. And each time, I'd wonder how I got so lucky.

She's still Yue, still the same person who made my heart race three years ago when she first agreed to be my girlfriend. But now, she's more. More stunning. More brilliant. More everything.

And we weren't just the students we used to be anymore. We had stepped into adulthood, into responsibilities, into real-world challenges. Yue had graduated with honors and was now working as a junior engineer, excelling in her field with the same determination that had always defined her. I, on the other hand, had built my own business from the ground up—one that had started as a small dream but had now become something real, something thriving. And through it all, we had each other.

It's funny how things turned out. Yue still had her own apartment, a cozy little place across the city, at least a cab ride away from mine. The distance wasn't huge, but it was just far enough to make me miss her whenever she wasn't around. But she was with me more often than not. My apartment had practically become ours, even if she still insisted on calling it mine.

"You know, at this point, you might as well move in," I teased one evening as we stood in the kitchen, her hands busy chopping vegetables while I prepared the stove.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes but smiling. "And what, give up my place entirely? What if we break up?"

I turned to her with mock offense. "Break up? Yue, after three years, do you think I'd let that happen?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "I'm just saying. It's good to have my own space."

I leaned closer, stealing a quick kiss before she could protest. "Fair enough. But you do realize you only ever go there to grab clothes, right?"

She huffed, but she didn't deny it.

She turned back to the cutting board, slicing through a bell pepper with precision. "Besides, what if I move in and you realize I have way too many quirks?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like how I organize the fridge by category. Or how I have to fluff the pillows a certain way before I sleep. Or how I leave hair ties everywhere."

I smirked, nudging her playfully. "Yue, you already do all of that here."

She paused, blinking. "...Do I?"

I grinned. "Yeah. And I wouldn't change a thing."

She stared at me for a moment before a slow smile spread across her lips. "You're annoyingly sweet, you know that?"

"I try."

Work kept us both busy, but we always found time for each other. Whether it was simple nights like these, making dinner together, or those late-night drives when we both needed an escape from stress, we made it work.

And of course, there was Shawn.

"You know? If you two get any more domestic and lovey-dovey infront of me, I might throw up," Shawn groaned as he sat on my couch, watching Yue and I cook.

"Then don't come over," Yue shot back playfully, rolling her eyes as she stirred the pot on the stove.

Shawn had ended up working with me at my company as my business partner. It wasn't something we'd planned, but when I had first started my venture, he had been there every step of the way, and it only made sense for us to do this together. And despite all his teasing, I knew he was happy for me.

"But if I don't come over, who's going to remind Horace to have an actual social life?" Shawn grinned, stretching his arms behind his head.

"I am his social life," Yue said, smirking. "Besides, he's too busy being a young entrepreneur. Right, boss?"

I sighed dramatically. "Yes, yes, the burdens of being a successful businessman."

Shawn snorted. "You're still the same idiot, just with more money."

I threw a kitchen towel at him. "And you're still the same pain in my ass."

Yue giggled, sliding a plate of freshly chopped vegetables onto the counter. "Be nice, boys. Or no food for either of you."

Shawn gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "You wouldn't."

She gave him a pointed look. "Try me."

He narrowed his eyes at her before turning to me. "You've really rubbed off on her, man. She's getting as ruthless as you."

Yue rolled her eyes and flicked a piece of bell pepper at Shawn. "I've always been like this. You were just too busy making fun of Horace to notice."

Shawn caught the piece of bell pepper in his mouth and grinned. "Alright, fine. You win this round. But I'm still eating."

"You'll eat what I give you," Yue quipped, smirking as she plated the stir-fry.

Shawn groaned, but he accepted his plate nonetheless. "You two are ridiculous."

I shrugged. "And yet you still come over almost every night."

"Because you guys actually make good food," he admitted. "That, and I'd rather be here than working late at the office."

Yue nudged me. "See? He appreciates us in his own way."

Shawn made a face. "I wouldn't go that far."

Yue and I exchanged a knowing glance before bursting into laughter. Shawn rolled his eyes, but even he couldn't suppress a small smile.\

Our days weren't always perfect. There were fights, misunderstandings, moments when work got overwhelming. But no matter what, at the end of the day, Yue was always there, and so was I.

One evening, after a particularly stressful day, I found her curled up on my couch, looking exhausted.

"Rough day?" I asked, sitting beside her.

She nodded, resting her head against my shoulder. "Clients being difficult. My supervisor dumped extra work on me last minute. The usual."

I wrapped an arm around her, letting her breathe. "Anything I can do?"

She sighed. "Just be here."

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Always and I promise, I won't let anyone, or anything take you away from me."

With a shocked expression, I looked at her as her tears slowly fall from her eyes, she's literally crying... Crying as if that's the most heartfelt thing I said. I just couldn't help but embrace her, making her secure in my arms.

"Shh... don't cry my Yue, I'll always be here for you okay?" She nods and embraced me even tighter as if that's the last time she would embrace me.

"Okay..."

And as our third anniversary approached, I knew one thing for certain—this wasn't just a phase, just a fleeting part of my life. Yue had become my future, my home, my everything.

No matter what challenges came next, we'd face them together. Just like we always had.

Throughout the years.