Xiang finally looked up—and his smile froze.
It was Xin.
Xiang immediately covered his face with his hand in embarrassment.
> "Oh... it's you, Xin."
She raised an eyebrow.
> "Who else were you expecting? Zhou Ye?"
He chuckled sheepishly.
> "Well… yeah."
She crossed her arms.
> "She's still getting ready.
You can either come in or wait outside. What'll it be?"
He panicked.
> "I'll wait outside!"
Just as he said that, I stepped out.
Seeing him, I walked up and hugged him.
> "Did you wait for me?"
He beamed.
> "You look so beautiful today… like a baby doll."
Behind us, Xin cleared her throat loudly.
We turned to see her watching us with mock judgment.
> "Ye, I'm off to watch my drama. You two can continue your drama."
I laughed and waved goodbye.
She rolled her eyes and mumbled,
> "I'm so done with you both."
---
Xiang opened the car door for me, and we started driving.
A few minutes into the ride, he asked,
> "So, where are we going?"
I looked at him and smirked.
> "Actually… can we leave the car at your house?"
> "Huh? Then how are we going to travel?"
> "Just trust me."
---
Once we dropped off the car at his place, we walked to the nearby bus stop.
Xiang blinked in surprise.
> "You… brought me on a date via bus?"
I laughed.
> "This is where I fell for you, remember?
It'll be special if we ride it together."
He held my hand and smiled softly.
---
When we got on, the bus was crowded, so we had to stand.
He held the overhead handle, and I stood nestled in the space inside his arm.
I looked up at his face and smiled.
> "What?" he asked.
> "Back then, when I had a crush on you…
I'd stand just like this.
You were always on your phone, and your arm would bump into my head."
His eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed.
> "Wait—I did that?!"
> "Yep," I laughed.
"I used to think if I ever got the chance, I'd snatch that phone and throw it out the window."
Xiang laughed, red-faced.
> "I was such an idiot."
> "You still are," I teased, and leaned my head gently on his shoulder.
---
We reached the movie theatre, booked our tickets, grabbed a tub of popcorn, and went in.
As the lights dimmed and the movie began,
I couldn't help but glance at Xiang now and then—
His focused expression, the way he laughed at the funny scenes—
It all felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from.
---
After the movie, we headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
The moment I stepped inside, a strange familiarity washed over me.
I looked around—and then it hit me.
This was the same restaurant where I first saw him during our graduation party.
I chuckled to myself.
Fate really does have a habit of bringing things full circle, I thought.
While we were eating, I looked at him and asked:
> "Xiang, would you like to come to my parents' house on New Year's Eve?"
He immediately said:
> "Yes!"
I laughed.
> "Are you that excited to meet them?"
Xiang nodded earnestly.
> "Yeah, of course. It'll be my first time seeing them.
I've only met your brother so far.
I'll buy them some gifts too—we can meet at the station."
> "Alright," I smiled, touched by his sincerity.
---
After dinner, we took a stroll, hand in hand, enjoying the cool night breeze.
Eventually, we caught a bus home.
Luckily, there were two empty seats side by side, and we sat down.
As I leaned against him, I remembered something—
His arm, broad and warm, brushing against my shoulder.
Back then, I used to feel shy and nervous.
Now, it just made me happy.
I hugged his arm and smiled.
---
I pulled out my phone and opened the gallery
to a photo I'd secretly taken of him during our college tour.
Seeing that picture brought back so many memories…
And I didn't even realize when I fell asleep.
---
Xiang looked down at me, gently adjusted my head onto his shoulder,
and softly patted my hair.
Then he noticed the photo on my phone—
the one I'd taken of him.
He smiled at it warmly—
as if seeing himself through my eyes for the first time.
Then, pulling out his own phone,
he quietly captured the moment—
me sleeping on his shoulder—just as I had once captured him.