The air on sports festival day was crisp and buzzing with energy. Banners fluttered from the bleachers, and the schoolyard smelled faintly of fresh grass and grilled snacks from the stalls lining the field.
Meiyu arrived early, helping set up cones for the relay races. She wore her PE uniform—loose white T-shirt, navy shorts, and a red ribbon tied in her hair to keep it out of her face.
"You look… different," a familiar voice drawled behind her.
She turned to find Zhao Yichen standing there, hands stuffed in his pockets, his own white shirt rolled at the sleeves. "Different?" she echoed.
"Yeah," he said, eyes sweeping over her in a way that made her feel warm. "Like someone's about to cheer for me all day."
She gave him a look. "Or maybe I'm cheering for my class."
He smirked. "Same thing."
---
Their class was buzzing with excitement as events began. Tug-of-war, obstacle courses, three-legged races—the usual mix of chaos and laughter. Meiyu was busy running from one event to another, clipboard in hand, when she heard the announcement for the boys' 200-meter sprint.
Her eyes scanned the lineup. That's when she saw it: Yichen at the far left… and Haoran two lanes over.
The air felt instantly heavier.
"Of course," she muttered to herself.
Yichen's gaze found hers across the track, a silent promise in his smirk. Haoran noticed too, and his mouth curved into an easy smile as if to say watch me instead.
The starter raised the pistol.
"On your marks… get set—"
Bang!
---
The runners launched forward, sneakers pounding against the track. Yichen was explosive off the line, his stride long and powerful. Haoran, however, had a smooth, efficient rhythm that quickly closed the gap.
By the halfway mark, they were neck-and-neck. The crowd's cheers swelled.
Meiyu's heart pounded as her eyes flicked between them. She didn't even realize she was holding her breath until the final stretch.
Yichen gritted his teeth, muscles straining, and surged forward just enough to cross the finish line first.
The whistle blew.
He didn't raise his arms in victory or even slow down right away—he turned immediately to find Meiyu. His smirk was faint but loaded with meaning: That was for you.
---
Haoran came in just a fraction of a second later, panting lightly. "Not bad," he said to Yichen, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Save the compliments," Yichen replied, brushing his hand off. "I didn't do it for you."
"Oh, I know," Haoran said with a smile that wasn't entirely friendly. "You just looked like a guy who didn't want to lose in front of a certain someone."
Yichen's jaw tightened.
---
Later, during the girls' relay, Meiyu ended up running the final leg for her class. She wasn't the fastest, but she pushed herself hard. The crowd cheered as she sprinted toward the finish line—
Only to stumble in the last few meters.
Before she could hit the ground, someone's arm caught her.
She blinked up to see Haoran, who had been standing near the track, steadying her with a concerned look. "You okay?"
"Y-Yeah… I just tripped," she said, embarrassed.
From a distance, Yichen saw the scene. His grip on the water bottle in his hand tightened until the plastic crumpled.
---
When the lunch break came, Meiyu went to the stall selling grilled squid skewers. She had just gotten her food when Yichen appeared, grabbing the skewer right from her hand and taking a bite.
"Hey!" she protested.
"You were going to burn your tongue," he said casually, though his tone carried an edge.
She narrowed her eyes. "You're upset."
He didn't deny it. "Why did he have to be the one to catch you?"
She sighed. "I didn't plan it, Yichen. I fell. He was there."
"He's always there lately," he muttered, gaze dropping to the ground for a moment before meeting hers again. "I don't like it."
Meiyu softened slightly. "Yichen… I'm with you. You don't need to prove anything."
"Maybe," he said, leaning closer so only she could hear, "but I want to make sure everyone else knows it too."
---
That afternoon came the main event: the mixed relay race. Each class had four runners—two boys, two girls. Their class team? Meiyu as the second runner… and Yichen as the anchor.
And, of course, Haoran was the anchor for the rival class.
The starting gun fired, and the first runners took off. The crowd roared as the baton passed to Meiyu. She sprinted as fast as she could, determination burning in her chest, and managed to keep them in the lead.
She passed the baton to the third runner, who kept the lead until the final handoff—Yichen vs. Haoran.
---
It was a blur of motion. Both boys ran like their lives depended on it. Yichen's strides were raw power, his expression fierce. Haoran's pace was smooth and relentless.
Halfway through, Haoran began to close the gap. The crowd was on their feet.
Meiyu was shouting without even realizing it. "Come on, Yichen!"
Her voice seemed to ignite something in him. He surged forward, pushing past his limit, and crossed the finish line barely a step ahead.
The crowd erupted.
---
Yichen didn't even bask in the cheers—he walked straight to Meiyu, still catching his breath. "Told you," he said, his smirk back in place. "I don't lose."
She laughed, shaking her head. "You're unbelievable."
Then, before she could react, he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. In front of everyone.
The crowd's cheering turned into gasps and teasing shouts. Meiyu's cheeks burned, but she couldn't stop smiling.
Behind them, Haoran stood with an unreadable expression, but there was the faintest flicker of something—challenge, maybe—in his eyes.
---
That night, Meiyu replayed the moment in her mind. Not the kiss, not the crowd—just the way Yichen had looked at her before the race, like she was the only finish line that mattered.
She realized then… that maybe she didn't need him to say "I love you" yet. She could already see it.
---