The Urban Abyss

A Beauty Like the Moon, Surrounded by Stars

Unrequited Love

Garrett glanced at the elegant figure of the beautiful Luna, seated diagonally to his right at a 45-degree angle. A wave of emotions, ranging from resignation to despair, welled up inside him. He sighed, convinced that in this design company of over fifty people, there must be at least thirty secretly in love with her. The remaining twenty, all women, were no exception to her charm.

Everyone called her "Luna" because she lived up to her name. Not only was she beautiful, with a temperament as serene as water, but her presence also evoked images of the gentle, radiant moon. Her beauty alone was enough to captivate, but Luna was also exceptionally intelligent. Despite her young age, she was the company's lead designer, with hand-drawn works that had won international awards. Beyond her intelligence and beauty, Luna was incredibly talented, playing the piano exquisitely and performing a professional-level ballet dance at last year's annual party, leaving everyone in awe. Moreover, she was skilled and domestic, with a surprising hobby in cooking that left everyone who tasted her dishes astounded.

This woman, embodying a myriad of virtues, also possessed a quality that made all men yearn yet secretly resent her—her restraint and purity. She never flirted with any male colleague, nor was there any talk of a boyfriend. Her life seemed entirely devoted to her mother, a well-known local author, who was her everything. Her conversations always centered around her idolized mother.

A month after joining the company, Garrett found himself hopelessly in love with Luna, joining the ranks of her silent admirers. Surrounded by handsome and wealthy competitors, not to mention Luna's other social circles, this young man felt the pain and helplessness of his unrequited love deeply. He fantasized about a day when he could heroically save her from distress, possibly winning her heart against all odds.

He was not alone in his daydreams. Many young admirers longed for a stroke of fortune that would win them Luna's favor. Unfortunately, Luna was well-protected by her mother, who even chauffeured her to and from work—arranging her own schedule as a renowned author. The mother-daughter bond was evidently strong, leaving many male colleagues sighing behind glass windows, recognizing the challenge of Luna's maternal attachment.

Unaware of these turbulent undercurrents, Luna led a simple, liberated life, her demeanor calm and self-sufficient. While others yearned for her, she discussed design projects and work progress with utter seriousness, provoking frustrated exclamations of unrequited love.

Suddenly, Luna's close colleague and friend, Abigail, announced that Luna had fallen in love. The suitor, the son of one of Luna's mother's college friends, had been introduced by their parents. Despite jealousy over Luna's mother, the news of Luna's boyfriend sparked collective indignation among her secret admirers, turning their camaraderie into a united front of resentment. Some even vowed vengeance against this unknown rival.

Garrett, however, refrained from such extreme reactions, his despair deepening instead.

Soon, Luna's boyfriend became a familiar figure, taking over the chauffeuring duties from her mother. On his first day, his car, adorned with flowers for Luna, was pelted with mud clumps. Yet, Luna seemed unchanged by the relationship, her joy in love not evident. Once, overhearing her firmly decline a movie date with her boyfriend to cook for her mother, Garrett wondered at the boyfriend's frustration.

Amidst schadenfreude, the office still harbored resentment towards Luna's boyfriend, cursing him daily for claiming their dream girl.

Then one day, Luna unexpectedly missed work, causing worry among her admirers. Abruptly, Abigail discovered a shocking headline in the city's newspaper: a young man was shot and killed by a gunman after a date, identified as Luna's boyfriend through an accompanying photo.

This tragedy, hitting close to home, stunned everyone, revealing the harsh reality behind their unrequited love and fantasies.