Lydia hopped off the bus, her heart racing. She had come as soon as she received Clara’s message. Moments before, she’d been in her pajamas, eating ice cream with chocolate chips and watching a romantic comedy to soothe the ache of her recent breakup with Jack. She really liked him despite his flaws. He could be a jerk sometimes, but he was also romantic, funny, interesting, and deeply in love with her. She saw it in the way he looked at her. He made her feel special.

At first, that single-minded devotion to her had been his most charming quality. He seemed to care about nothing but her. They could be on a busy street or in a full movie theater, and he made her feel as if it were just the two of them. But over time, witnessing him disregard others and show little consideration for those around her began to chip away at their relationship. The fact that he wasn’t planning to take the next step had been the final straw.

She spent her days wrestling with guilt, questioning whether she had been too harsh, whether breaking up was the right decision, or if she should have given him a second chance. And she missed him. She felt alone. The silence from her phone—no messages asking how she was or telling her he was thinking of her—left her feeling lost.

Whenever a little voice urged Lydia to call Jack and get back together, she forced herself to remember the countless small acts of unkindness she had witnessed over the months they were together. After that, her despair often lessened, and she felt more confident in her decision.

When she broke up with Jack, she had expected him to call, text, or maybe even show up at the cafe. But instead, he had gone completely silent. Then, when Clara texted her saying that Jack had appeared at the cafe and spoken to her boss, Lydia’s fears were confirmed.

She stormed into the cafe, slightly out of breath. She immediately spotted Clara, who caught her questioning gaze but only responded with a confused shrug. What had happened? Lydia then found Mrs. Linda behind the counter and hurried over to her.

"Hello, Mrs. Linda," Lydia greeted.

"Isn't today your day off?" Mrs. Linda asked, glancing at Clara. "Ah, I see. Your friends informed you that your ex-boyfriend came by."

The word "ex-boyfriend" still stung. "I was just worried that Jack might have done something stupid and caused you any trouble."

"He didn’t," Mrs. Linda replied, finishing her writing in a book before setting her glasses down.

"So, what happened?" Lydia asked, her curiosity eating at her.

"I must say, for a moment, I thought it was his twin who visited, not Jack," Mrs. Linda said. “He just came to give me a card."

"A card?" Lydia frowned.

"Yes. Would you like to see it?”

Lydia nodded. The card was simple, plain, and the color of cardboard—obviously chosen by a man who prioritized practicality over sentiment. However, the penmanship was unmistakably Jack’s. He had the most beautiful handwriting.

Mrs. Linda,

I owe you an apology. I used to think that you were unfair to Lydia and that my unannounced visits with my guitar or encouraging Lydia to take more breaks than she should were unimportant. But this week, I’ve had to face some hard truths, one of which is that I wasn’t considerate of you in the past. Lydia has told me that you’ve always been a kind boss to her, and I want to thank you for that and apologize for disturbing your business more than once.

Please accept my apologies.

Sincerely,

Jack

Lydia reread the card, stunned. The handwriting was Jack’s, but the thoughtfulness of the message wasn’t. Was this some elaborate attempt to win her back? She was just so confused.

"He also left a card for you and asked me to give it to you," Mrs. Linda added.

"Where is it?" Lydia asked, trying to hide her eagerness.

Her boss met Lydia’s eyes. "Are you sure you want to read it?"

Lydia nodded.

Sighing, her boss handed over the card. "Lydia, I don’t know if the boy is really changing for the better or not, but I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen people truly change—and never this quickly. Just don’t get your hopes up, okay, sweetie?"

"Of course. It’s not like I’m thinking of getting back together with him," she protested, looking away, embarrassed.

"I know, sweetie. Just tread carefully."

"Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow," Lydia said.

"See you tomorrow."

Lydia walked away, Clara shooting her curious looks. She signaled that she’d call her later and exited the cafe. She walked until she reached the bench where she had broken up with Jack, then opened the card.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

This card, unlike the first, had a flower on the front.

Lydia,

On the day we broke up, you told me some things that were difficult to hear. At the time, I heard your words, but I didn’t really listen. A lot has happened since then, and I can only say that you were right. I’m sorry.

I understand why you ended our relationship. I’m sorry for disappointing you. For what it’s worth, I miss you.

Jack

Lydia reread the card several times, then set it down, staring at the busy street. Could it be that she had actually gotten through to him during their last conversation? Was he really sincere? Was he really changing? Suddenly, she wasn’t so sure about her decision to break up anymore.

*

Jack checked his phone one last time. No messages from Lydia. He coughed to clear the lump in his throat, knowing she probably wouldn’t reach out. With a sigh, he put on the VR helmet, lay back on his cousin’s couch, and logged into New Earth.

He spawned near Erwind’s shack, where three bushcrafters sat around a fire, busy purchasing upgrades for their professions. With no XP left to buy anything, Jack turned away from the fire and headed toward the lake, searching for a new campsite.

A notification popped up: You’ve received messages.

Curious, Jack opened them.

From: BeeLoverBeeatrice

Subject: Portable Hive

My friend told me you can make portable hives. Please call me as soon as possible, as I’m interested in buying one.

Best regards,

Beeatrice

Jack rubbed his hands together, a grin spreading across his face. He’d almost forgotten about this potential customer. He quickly skimmed the other messages to see if anything else was important.

From: Horace

Subject: ‘Sup?

Hey, Jack. I saw you get online just now. What are you up to? Wanna do a quest or something?

Jack chuckled at how Horace always took the initiative. He immediately called him back.

“Hi, Horace!”

“What’s up, Jacky?”

“I thought you had big plans for the weekend. Weren’t you going on a motorcycle ride?”

Horace’s expression shifted, his usual confident demeanor faltering. His brows furrowed, and he suddenly looked like a child upset over a broken toy. “It didn’t work out. My motorcycle isn’t starting. I have to take it to the mechanic. So, here I am, back in the game.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, man. I took the morning off, too, but after a few hours, I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

“What are you up to?” Horace asked.

“I’m at Red Lake.”

Horace whistled. “That’s a sweet map. A little advanced for you, though.”

“I’m not hunting dinosaurs or anything. Just leveling up my bushcraft.”

“Hmm… Want me to check the quest board? Maybe we can find something that works for both of us and involves bushcraft. How does that sound?”

Jack’s eyes widened. He had planned to set up another camp, but the thought of going on an adventure with Horace was too tempting to pass up. He’d spent hours grinding bushcraft XP—something new would be a nice change of pace. Plus, quests involving professions had always yielded good rewards. Who knew? Maybe he’d even unlock a special skill or recipe.

“Alright! Let’s do it!”

“Sweet! I’ll find us a quest and then head over to meet you.”

“Can you make it out here on your own? Will you be alright?” Jack asked.

Horace frowned for a moment, but then he laughed. “Bah! The great Horace needing help? Hahaha. You’re a riot, Jack. I’ll be fine. I’ll let you know when I’m close.”

Horace disconnected, leaving Jack grinning. When they first met, Horace didn’t seem to like him. Horace was a veteran player, and Jack was still a novice. But now, Horace had reached out to him, wanting to go on a solo adventure together. Jack had earned his respect. After feeling terrible about how he treated Mrs. Linda and Lydia, this was the boost he needed.

Jack did some quick math. Between finding a quest, visiting the museum, and traveling to Red Lake, Horace would take at least two hours. He needed to make good use of his time until then.

He decided to follow up with Beeatrice, so he called her. She answered immediately, and Jack was taken aback. Beeatrice was gorgeous and around his age. He couldn’t help but flush. Her curly brown hair, light-brown eyes, and freckles made her look adorable. She wore a black and yellow dress, one earring with a black stone, the other with a yellow one.

Behind her were several boxes with tiny dots buzzing around them. Jack gulped. She was surrounded by at least forty hives. Talk about a beekeeping enthusiast. Just as he was sizing her up, she seemed to be doing the same to him. But instead of fascination, her expression was a scowl. Jack didn’t blame her. His moss suit and cape made him look like a walking bush. However, her eyes lit up when she noticed the bees around him, sparkling with excitement.

“Hey, I’m Jack.”

“Hi, Jack. I’m Beeatrice. My friends call me Bea.”

Jack flushed an even deeper shade of red. Her voice was beautiful, sweet like honey. When she moved her hair, the locks swayed in a mesmerizing way. Jack had to stop looking, or he would start drooling.

“So, you’re interested in one of these?” Jack asked, turning slightly so the camera could catch his hive.

“Yes, I am.”

“How many do you want?” Jack ventured.

She frowned. “From its size, you can only carry one. Correct?”

“Correct.”

“What are the item’s details?” she asked, eyeing him suspiciously. Maybe his shabby appearance wasn’t helping.

Jack shared the details of the item with her. “Hmm… Interesting. No bonuses, though. There’s even a debuff.” She pouted, clearly disappointed.

“Wait, what do you mean no buffs?”

She looked at him, surprised. “How long have you been a beekeeper?”

“Only a day. Is it that obvious?”

She stepped aside, revealing her hives. “The better the hive box, the better it is for the bees. As your hives grow, you’ll have to fight against diseases, parasites, and predators. The boxes can offer bonuses to help your bees survive or increase honey yield.”

The way she spoke reminded him of Amari—like she was teaching a class or talking to a camera. He discreetly opened a browser and typed in her game tag. Sure enough, she had several tutorial videos about beekeeping. “You’re a streamer!” he gasped.

She smiled but didn’t respond. “Tell you what. I’ll buy one.”

Jack’s heart sank at the small order. “How much?”

She paused, considering. “I think a fair price would be 30 gold. What do you think?”

Jack frowned. “30 gold? That’s too low for an item like this. How about 70 gold?”

Bea raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing slightly. “70? That’s a bit steep for something with no bonuses and a debuff. How about 50 gold?”

Jack thought for a moment, then decided to take a risk. “50 gold if you agree to answer one question truthfully.”

She frowned. “Is it about beekeeping? Or are you a creep trying to get my phone number?”

Jack waved his hands defensively. “Nothing like that. I just want to gauge this item’s market value. You’re obviously knowledgeable. Do you think other beekeepers would be interested in buying this hive? How much would they pay?”

Bea paused thoughtfully. Jack tapped his foot nervously. She was willing to buy his [Pot Hive] for 50 gold, which he could exchange for over 60 credits. If he could sell five or six [Pot Hives] for this price, he would have enough to pay rent.