It was a bright, sunny day—the beginning of my college life. I stepped through the college gates with dreams in my eyes and determination in my heart. I was ready to study hard, earn good grades, and hopefully land a job through campus placements.
Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself—I'm Zhou Ye, a Computer Science student. Finally, I felt like a free bird, released from the cage of high school.
But there was one small crack in my excitement: it was a girls' college. No handsome boys to admire. Still, I held onto hope that I'd make good friends, just like I had in school.
As with every college, our journey began with orientation. The speeches were long and sticky—like jelly. The students looked drained, but when it finally ended, applause erupted as if energy had magically returned to us. Seniors guided us to our classrooms. I chose a seat in the third column on the left—our "secret spot," since teachers usually focused on the middle row.
Pulling out my phone, I began texting my old school friends who had just started college too. Around me, it felt like I was surrounded by ghosts—not students. Just then, two girls sat beside me and started talking. I was surprised but smiled and said hello. They smiled back, and although it started awkwardly, we were soon chatting—sharing names, hometowns, and school memories.
A girl sitting behind us caught our attention. She was silent, completely absorbed in her phone. Curious, I asked the two beside me if they had spoken to her. They nodded and said, "Yeah, she just said hello."
Since we didn't have any professors that day, we continued chatting. Suddenly, the quiet girl stood up, walked to our bench, and asked, "Can I join you?" We nodded. She removed her headphones and began talking.
Her name was Xin.
That's how our group began—Xin, Ling, Meng, and me. It felt like fate had stitched us together with the same hobbies and mindset. We were all obsessed with dramas, especially K-dramas. It felt like I had found my soul sisters.
At lunch, we unpacked our food and sat together. A new girl entered the class. She had joined late because her hometown was far away—an 11-hour journey—and she stayed in the hostel. I remembered her from orientation; she was a topper, so I assumed she must be a serious bookworm.
She sat beside me and introduced herself before heading out again to finish her hostel formalities. The day flew by, and after waving goodbye to my friends, I made my way to the bus stop.
It was 5:20 p.m. when my bus arrived.
Standing near the window, I scrolled through my phone. Suddenly, a girl fainted from low blood pressure. People rushed to help her, and some elders offered biscuits. As the clock ticked toward 6:00 p.m., I noticed a man standing beside me. I moved to another seat. Then another man stood next to me. I was too tired to care—until I looked up.
And saw him.
My heart skipped a beat.
Sunlight kissed his face. Though he was lost in his phone, I was completely lost in him. My heart pounded. I couldn't look away. It wasn't that he was exceptionally handsome—but he had something. An unexplainable pull.
Like quiet lightning had struck me.
Eventually, I found a seat, but I kept stealing glances. He stood across from me, unaware of the storm he had stirred. At 7:00 p.m., I suddenly realized—he was gone.
My heart sank.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
His face haunted me.
Hello dear readers 💖
I just wanted to let you know that I've deleted the previous version of this story and have re-uploaded it in a new, chapter-wise format with better pacing, clearer writing, and improved flow.
I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, especially to those who had already read or added the story to their library. But I promise this version is cleaner, more engaging, and much closer to how I always wanted the story to be shared.
Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and continued support. I hope you'll enjoy this updated version of An Unrequited Love — and fall in love with Zhou Ye and Xiang all over again. 🌸
With love,
– Byeonchen