Daphne was a Law School alum from Pinnacle University, same as Julie. Even though Daphne didn't pursue a career in law, she'd been making quite a splash in the magazine industry.
Years after leaving the campus, standing at the university's gate, Julie and Daphne found themselves lost in memories of their time there. She remembered how every year, when the kapok trees bloomed, you could smell a faint sweet scent as you passed through the main gate.
The roads on both sides of the gate were lined with kapok trees. The scent of the flowers was light, but for some reason, Julie had a soft spot for them. They painted the whole campus red.
Some said that when the kapok flowers bloom, it was the most beautiful time of the year. The dazzling red flowers stood proudly on the branches, before quietly falling to the ground. They said that the way a kapok flower fell from a branch was quite brave, because it maintained its shape, spinning as it fell. Julie didn't believe this at first, so she once dragged Kieran under a kapok tree, waiting for a flower to fall.
Looking back, it stung a little.
Walking along the campus road with Daphne, she saw someone had arranged the fallen flowers into a heart shape on the ground.
She was reminded of Kieran's words. He had said, "Joyce, the kapok flower symbolizes cherishing the people around you, and cherishing the happiness you have."
Back then, Julie had nodded in a daze, joyfully responding, "You are my happiness."
Back then, he was her happiness. Happiness, just like the scent of the kapok flowers. As Julie gazed at the flowers on the ground, her expression was a bit distant.
Suddenly, Daphne pulled on Julie's arm sharply. "Julie, look! Is that Mr. Hernandez? Am I seeing things? Did I just spot Mr. Hernandez?"
Daphne's words finally pulled Julie back from her memories.
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