[Completed]
As choices, rules, timeless deeds, and beginnings attract then push Zhan away between two peaks of bliss, he learns: It's easy to fall, but harder to love. It's one thing to spend a star-aligned winter, but something else to bear the war...
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The next day, dad wakes me early to be on with my life. Reality crashes right back in. At school, I talk over my new college plan with my teacher, which was good, because he seemed genuinely interested in directing me in the procedure. So all that was left was my parents.
On the way back to my class, I meet Yibo around the stairs with his classmates. He brushes past me, but slides a few fingers up my forearm, casting a smile. And then when I sneak a peek at my phone in the class there's a text saying, see you after school. I think my hand kept tingling for at least an hour after.
Avoiding Mingyu was a form of art, but I run out of ideas towards the end of the school hours. As soon as I step out of the stairwell, she finds me and I find her on the grounds, with the on-duty armband and a notepad, walking towards me with her big smile; the best I manage is to walk ahead faster than it's necessary with feigned ignorance.
Just a few steps away from the gate, the weight of an arm snakes around my neck, and then Yibo's familiar voice asks, "Aren't you being stalked?"
"Yeah, save me."
Yibo sniggles. "All right. To the gate, and we run."
"Okay."
He almost tackles me forward to keep up with those impossibly fast steps he takes. And at the gate, he drops his hand, grabs mine, and breaks into a sprint dashing through the sidewalk of surprised students. A glance behind; Mingyu is at the gate, gaping at us, looking confused. I laugh.
Yibo drags us past the intersection, crosses the road, and pulls us into an ally next to a flower shop. I lean against the wall to catch my breath—it's painful through giggles, but the pleasant kind—and Yibo's on my shoulder, panting but also quivering in turn.
"Thanks," I wheeze through the laughs.
"Is that what happened with Feng?" Yibo asks, head raised through a few more ragged breaths.
"More or less." I snicker. "She must be thrown off her head now."
Yibo chuckles. "Right."
"I'll have to go all the way back to get my bike, though."
"Not regretting," Yibo says, grinning a perfect half of that mouth.
I laugh. "Me neither."
"You're not coming with me today?"
"No," I murmur and pull his collars close, taking his mouth. It's so random, and Yibo is taken by surprise once again—I guess I like doing that to him. "I have to go home today." I push him off, walk away, continuing, "Let's practice at night."
"Hey, hey." Yibo grabs my hand, contently grinning. "You can't just kiss me and run off."
I drag him on with a swift pull, saying, "Follow me to the parking, then." He does, grinning around like a golden retriever who's on the road for the first time. "I feel like I'm raising a puppy."
