Olivia was still in shock, even as she made her way to the restaurant. She never expected that Jackson, who seemed a bit plain, could play the piano so well. What surprised her even more was that the usually quiet and awkward Jackson had come to her rescue. This time, Olivia sincerely invited Jackson to join her for dinner.
She handed him a cup of hot cocoa with deep admiration and gratitude. Jackson, a bit shy, took it and mumbled a thank you. Watching him, Olivia couldn’t help but find him amusing again, like the familiar Jackson had returned. He was a completely different person compared to the confident one at the piano. As Olivia gazed at him, she found herself uniquely curious. Donna, watching them, couldn’t help but laugh quietly.
During the meal, Olivia and Donna chatted away happily, while Jackson mostly kept his head down, eating nonstop. Olivia occasionally asked Jackson a few questions, like how long he had been playing the piano and how he learned it. Jackson answered every question but didn’t say much beyond that, and the conversation soon fizzled out. Before they parted ways, Olivia thanked Jackson again and expressed her interest in learning the piano from him. She hoped he could teach her when he had time. But what Jackson said next left her utterly stunned:
"Actually, it was Karl who asked me to keep an eye on you and help if I could..."
Olivia’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. She was embarrassed and didn’t know what to say. Her face flushed as she said goodbye to Jackson and quickly grabbed Donna, turning to leave.
The next day, Olivia ran into Jackson alone on campus again. This time, Jackson approached her with a big smile, confidently extending his hand for a high-five, "Hi, Olivia!" Olivia was startled and, feeling a bit confused, high-fived him. She began to wonder if Jackson’s mental state was entirely stable. It was as if he kept switching between two personalities—sunny one moment, gloomy the next. Olivia couldn’t make sense of his thoughts, at least not until Donna appeared around the corner.
Today, Donna had dressed up with care. Her long blonde hair flowed over her snow-white shoulders, and she wore an off-the-shoulder pale yellow top paired with a green skirt that swayed gently, as if the soft breeze stirred ripples in the hearts of everyone who saw her. Even Olivia, as another girl, couldn’t help but feel admiration and affection for Donna’s appearance.
Olivia greeted Donna with a big smile, grabbing her hand. But something felt off. She glanced over at Jackson, and his bold, confident demeanor had vanished again. With a slight blush, he stammered a hello to Donna, his voice barely louder than a whisper. At that moment, Olivia understood everything and finally realized what the key was to Jackson’s two faces. She suddenly felt ashamed of herself for having made unfounded assumptions about him and for misjudging people. It seemed she had been overthinking things, leading to unnecessary confusion. Luckily, she hadn’t shown any of her thoughts outwardly, which would have made the situation even more awkward. With that realization, Olivia sighed with relief, feeling fortunate.
As they walked, Olivia purposely kept a bit of distance from the other two. Jackson, too embarrassed to walk too close, lagged behind. Donna was busy texting on her phone, which made the three of them—despite knowing each other—look like soldiers walking in a line. As they walked, Olivia suddenly felt someone tap her on the shoulder...