บท 23: Harsh Reality
On the quiet street, two cars raced at breakneck speed, creating a buzzing atmosphere.
The vehicles moved so swiftly that their lights and shadows merged into one, an exhilarating blur rushing down the road.
Sitting inside Mia's car, Penny tightly gripped anything she could hold onto, screaming incessantly.
"Slow down! Ah! Slow down! We're about to crash!" Penny's voice grew higher and more hoarse with each passing second.
A similar scene played out in Sheldon's car. Sheldon clutched the seatbelt with both hands, his screams mirroring Penny's. "Slow down! I'm going to die! You're driving too fast! I'm going to die! Ah!" His voice turned hoarse, his eyes wide open, until he couldn't take it anymore and passed out.
Meanwhile, Mike skillfully led the race, leaving Mia, who was following behind, astonished.
"When did Mike become such a skilled driver?" Mia wondered, surprised by Mike's impressive driving skills.
She watched Mike in front of her and couldn't help but recall memories of her brother from their childhood.
The way Mike was driving reminded her of her brother, and her heart fluttered a little faster as she watched the car ahead.
In the midst of the chaotic race, Penny continued to scream and flail, desperately trying to grab onto something for stability.
With a sharp turn, Sheldon woke up from his momentary unconsciousness, only to be greeted by the road ahead. He screamed again for a few minutes before passing out once more.
Mike knew that when Sheldon was younger, their father George had been hospitalized due to a mild heart attack.
The siblings, worried about their father, decided to go to the hospital to accompany him.
George Jr., the eldest brother, "borrowed" their grandma's car and drove his younger siblings to the hospital.
However, George Jr. had little driving experience, with his only prior experience being driving a tractor.
The journey was riddled with mishaps, and Sheldon, armed with self-protection measures, experienced a chaotic ride, with George Jr. knocking over numerous mailboxes and trash cans along the way. This incident contributed to Sheldon's aversion to driving.
Sheldon's overthinking nature and tendency to contemplate the consequences of each action further discouraged him from driving.
He feared the potential risks and preferred to pretend that he couldn't drive, except for one episode when he drove Penny to the hospital.
Mike's reckless racing shattered Sheldon's already fragile heart, causing him to pass out constantly in distress.
Concerned, Mike looked at Sheldon and wondered, "Will my actions make Sheldon afraid of driving in the future? Is this a second injury to him?" After they reached the starting point, Mike didn't assist Sheldon, who had sore legs, in getting out of the car.
Ignoring Sheldon's curses, Mike distanced himself from Mia as she went to Sheldon out of concern.
He then finds a table where he sat alone followed by Penny as she's repulsed by Sheldon vomiting rainbows.
Seizing the moment, Mike turned to Penny, his expression serious and filled with determination. He spoke with sincerity and a touch of firmness, "Penny, we need to have a serious conversation. It's clear to both of us that we live in different worlds. I've come to realize that you can't fully adapt to my lifestyle, and I've realized that I shouldn't have to change myself for you either. The truth is, although it was you who initiated the breakup, it wasn't just you who wanted to break up. I made the decision as well because I believe it's not suitable for us to be together anymore."
He paused for a moment, looking into Penny's eyes, and continued, "And the other thing I want to be honest about is that the love between us has faded. It's no longer there. We've both felt the distance growing between us. I just wanted to clear things up so that there are no awkward misunderstandings or false hopes in the future."
Penny fell silent upon hearing Mike's words. It was a genuine dilemma for her, as she realized that their lifestyles were vastly different. If this was the real Mike, Penny needed to seriously contemplate their compatibility. She didn't enjoy living in constant fear, and her search for a new boyfriend was, in reality, a manifestation of her own insecurity.
"I understand," Penny finally spoke, her voice tinged with resignation. "I've come to realize that the primary reason for our breakup is that the love between us has faded. I'm the kind of person who believes in being honest about my feelings. If I no longer love someone, I won't force us to stay together. That's how I approach love. We can still be friends like we are now, but as a couple, we're done." The two of them lapsed into silence, each accepting the reality of their situation.
Mike gazed into the distance, realizing the cruelty of his decision for Penny. Yet, he understood that forcing their relationship would be even more painful.
Finally, Penny took a deep breath and said, "Perhaps you're right," before returning to her car.
"I'm sorry", Mike apologized
Penny just wordlessly got back into Mia's car. They decided to follow Mike's lead.
Mia observed Penny's pensive demeanor and deduced that Mike must have said something that left her feeling this way—a clear and heartless rejection, most likely.
Mike parked the car at Sheldon's apartment, and Penny hurried back to her own place without uttering a word. Mike helped Sheldon, whose legs were sore, into their apartment.
Leslie had already departed, leaving Sheldon to retreat straight into his bedroom, desperately in need of rest.
In Mike's heart, a sense of remorse surfaced for Sheldon. He wondered how much his actions had diminished Sheldon's trust and affection. Yet, Mike possessed the unique skill of [Brotherhood], realizing that it wouldn't allow Sheldon's favorability to diminish further.
Leonard, who had witnessed Mike's return, approached him and said, "Hi!"
"Penny needs to control her own choices. If you're not genuinely interested, it's better to abandon your pursuit early on. Acting this way is only causing harm to everyone," Leonard awkwardly remarked.
Mike patted Leonard on the shoulder, then left with Mia.
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