You Are the Apple of My Eye

In 1994, Ko Ching-teng is publicly embarrassed after being caught masturbating in class and sits directly in front of Shen Chia-yi. The incident marks the first uneasy interaction between them, as Chia-yi is popular among teachers and classmates while he remains an outlier. This moment seeds a complicated dynamic that gradually shifts from irritation to interest.

Chia-yi forgets her English textbook; Ching-teng lends his own book and endures a long lecture as punishment. Moved by his generosity, she guides him toward improvement by preparing a practice exam for him. She also persuades him to stay after school to study with her, and his grades begin to rise.

After graduation, Ching-teng enters National Chiao Tung University while Chia-yi attends National Taipei University of Education with mediocre results. He consoles her with late-night long-distance calls from the university, laying the groundwork for a lingering emotional bond. Their distance tests their connection but deepens their attachment in subtle ways.

During the winter holiday they share their first date, and Ching-teng asks whether Chia-yi loves him. Fearing her answer, he decides not to hear it, though it is revealed later that her reply would have been yes. The moment underscores the fragile line between love and doubt in their relationship.

Ching-teng stages a fight night to impress Chia-yi, inviting her to watch. She finds the display of self-inflicted injury childish and disapproves, sparking a heated quarrel. The event ends with them breaking up and losing touch for a period of time.

For two years after the breakup, the couple has no contact. Ching-teng enrolls in a graduate research program at Tunghai University and begins writing online stories, channeling his experiences into new creative work. He longs for a chance to reconnect, even as their paths diverge.

After the 1999 Jiji earthquake, Ching-teng calls to check if Chia-yi is safe. They have a long conversation and admit they were not fated to be a couple, but their affection lingers. The disaster becomes a catalyst for honest reflection.

Years later, in 2005, Chia-yi calls to say she is getting married. Their old friends gather to celebrate, and they realize their past emotions have matured into a quiet, enduring friendship. The moment reframes their connection as something more stable and platonic.

Around the wedding period, Ching-teng begins writing a web novel about his experiences with Chia-yi. The act turns their romance into a reflective, narrative journey and gives him a new outlet for processing their story. The writing marks a shift from memory to art.

During the wedding reception, friends joke that someone should kiss the bride. The groom challenges anyone to do so, and Ching-teng kisses him instead, in a bold, symbolic gesture. He recalls the old fight and regrets not apologizing earlier, tying the past to the present.

The kiss triggers a quiet reflection on what might have happened had Ching-teng apologized years before. The memory becomes a personal closure, reaffirming that their lives have followed different but meaningful paths. Their bond remains, softened into friendship rather than romance.

The story culminates in a realization that Shen Chia-yi and Ko Ching-teng have transformed into deep friends who can support each other from afar. Their shared history continues to influence their choices and the art they create. The ending emphasizes growth, acceptance, and the enduring value of memory.