Nina studied both side of the road and saw signboards about half a meter high.
She reached out and touched one of them. It suddenly lit up, brightening up the crooked road. She watched as the lights lit up one after another, all the way down the road.
They were no ordinary signboards. They were cartoon characters of John and her on them.
The two characters clung onto each other, kissing one another lovingly. There were words that read, "Honey, remember to kiss me when you see me."
As soon as she read it, Nina knew it was from John. She burst into laughter and looked at the characters on the signboards. They were depictions of their past.
Nina was always a keen-eyed girl. She noticed that the drawings seemed to have John's signature style about them. She turned around and asked him, "Did you draw all of them?"
"Yes. Not bad, right?" John raised his eyebrows and looked at his masterpieces proudly. "I actually ended up drawing a whole book's worth of them."
"Really?" Nina was impressed but quite shocked in all honesty. She turned around and threw herself into the John's arms. She raised her head and smiled, "Can you give them to me?"
John lowered his head and looked at his little girl in his arms. She was acting like a spoiled child. A hint of slyness flashed through his eyes. "You want the drafts?"
"Yes." Nina nodded profusely.
John smiled deviously and said, "No."
"Why?" She didn't seem to try to charm John, but the way she pouted seemed to be doing the trick. "Honey, just give them to me. Please, I really want them. Please, can I have them?"
After saying that, Nina stood on her tiptoe and kissed the corner of John's mouth. Her desire flashed through her eyes.
"No." No matter how much she begged and groveled, John only shook his head and refused to hand them over.
John had bound all his drafts together and actually made a book that he kept for himself.
Realizing that he wasn't going to budge, Nina wiped the sweet smile off her face. She suppressed every emotion she had, looking completely indifferent. She snorted and said, "Fine, if you don't want to give them to me, then I'll stop asking."
Nina loosened her grip on his neck and glared into his eyes.
John didn't know whether to cry or to laugh. She did this every time she wanted something. She behaved like a spoiled child and if she didn't get what she wanted, she'd pout and turn all sour.
He couldn't help but notice how cute she was though.
"It's no big deal. I don't want them. I can draw by myself anyway." With her back to John, Nina took out her phone and took pictures of all the depictions of them.
John couldn't help but chuckle. He raised his hand to cover his mouth. He wasn't going to disturb her or make her angrier. He just watched as she meticulously took photos of every single picture.
Nina walked back along the road. John didn't follow her because the farther she went, the closer she was to the sea.
It took a lot of courage for John to come to Spring City. It was a place not too far from the sea.
The accident had left a haunting feeling deep in his heart. He never really confronted it so the seed had been ingrained and by now had erupted into a massive tree, consuming his heart.
Nina looked at all the signboards telling a story of their past and the journey they took, falling in love with each other. It was like she was reading a comic book.
When she finally reached the end of the road, the final piece was of the first time they met.
John's hulking figure stood over her, staring at her with his frightening expression. Nina's face was beet red as she stared at his abs.
Nina took the last photo and stared at it fondly. She ran through all the images in her head. It started with them being so close and in love to strangers who knew nothing of each other.
This harrowing thought of them turning to strangers flashed through her mind.
"Ah..." All of a sudden, Nina felt a sharp pain in her head. She closed her eyes and let out a light cry. The strange dream flooded her mind again.
Even though it vanished as quickly as it appeared, she still felt it.
This time, it didn't need to come to her in a dream but it still felt clear as day right now.
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