Lu Sheng told himself he wouldn't cry.
He wouldn't let Jiayi's words get to him.
But as he walked aimlessly through the cold evening streets, he couldn't ignore the burning in his chest. The weight of loneliness pressing against his ribs.
For the first time in years, he truly felt alone.
He pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over Chen Xiao's contact.
He wanted to call. To demand answers. To scream at him for abandoning their friendship without a single explanation.
But in the end, he locked his phone and shoved it back into his pocket.
What was the point?
Chen Xiao had already made his choice.
---
Meanwhile…
Chen Xiao sat in his bedroom, staring blankly at his ceiling.
His mind was a mess.
Lu Sheng's absence felt like a gaping hole in his life, one that nothing seemed to fill. Not Jiayi. Not his other friends. Not even basketball, which usually helped clear his thoughts.
He had tried to convince himself that this was the right thing.
That Jiayi was right. That Lu Sheng would move on.
But why did it feel like he was the one suffocating?
A soft knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Chen, can we talk?" Jiayi's voice was gentle, almost hesitant.
Chen Xiao sat up, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Come in."
Jiayi stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She looked at him carefully before sitting on the edge of his bed.
"You've been distant lately," she said, her voice laced with concern.
Chen Xiao sighed. "I've just been thinking a lot."
"About Lu Sheng?" Jiayi's voice was quiet, but her eyes sharpened at the mention of his name.
Chen Xiao hesitated. "I… yeah."
Jiayi exhaled, reaching for his hand. "Chen, I didn't mean to upset you with what I said before. I just… I don't want to lose you."
"You won't lose me," he murmured automatically.
But deep down, a small voice whispered—What if I'm the one losing something?
Jiayi squeezed his hand. "Then prove it."
Chen Xiao looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Let's make it official," Jiayi said softly. "No more hiding. No more doubts."
His breath caught.
She was asking him to confirm their relationship—to finally be the boyfriend she wanted.
For a moment, he imagined saying yes.
Moving forward. Forgetting about Lu Sheng.
But then he thought about Lu Sheng's quiet smiles.
The way he always knew exactly what to say when Chen Xiao was upset.
The warmth of their memories, stretching back years.
His chest ached.
But what choice did he have?
So he forced a small smile and nodded. "Yeah… let's do it."
Jiayi beamed, wrapping her arms around him. "I knew you'd make the right choice."
But as she hugged him, all Chen Xiao felt was emptiness.
And far away, alone in his small apartment, Lu Sheng finally let the tears fall.