Afternoon came to an end.
Ji Yu left without saying a word to Tang Li, and of course, without bothering with Yang Wenhong either. She changed her clothes and headed straight for the Student Council office.
The moment she pushed the door open, she saw a few senior boys and girls crowding around her guitar, whispering among themselves.
"Senior brothers and sisters? Is it not allowed to keep my guitar in the office?" Ji Yu's voice was soft, gentle like flowing water. Though the military training sun had left her looking a little worn out, her quiet elegance still carried a subtle charm.
"Junior, so this guitar is yours? It's not that you can't put it here, it's just that President Mo made a rule, and well… he doesn't really like guitars."
"Ah…"
"I never said it wasn't allowed."
A calm, refined voice came from the window behind her. "But this is the Student Council office. Look around—do you see anyone else's personal belongings in here?"
Ji Yu turned around and met Mo Yachen's glasses. Maybe it was the light, but she couldn't see what lay behind those lenses.
Fiddling nervously with the hem of her shirt, she had no idea how to respond.
Only when everyone's attention lingered on her did Mo Yachen finally give a faint smile.
"Next time, keep your personal things in your dorm or with a friend. After all, this place is meant to be public."
"…Mm."
Head bowed, Ji Yu struggled for a long time before squeezing out a single syllable. Even without seeing the stares around her, her nerves were sharp enough to sense the heat in the air.
Thankfully, the seniors were tactful. To spare her further embarrassment, they quickly filed out of the office.
"…"
"…"
Silence.
Only two steady rhythms of breathing filled the room. Mo Yachen looked at this overly timid girl with some helplessness. He had only made a simple clarification of council rules, but somehow it felt like he had bullied her.
Finally, his gaze shifted toward the guitar—the very thing that had sparked this non-incident. After studying its details for a moment, he spoke:
"It's a beautiful guitar. The little decorations and words on it are quite interesting. I can tell you've taken good care of it."
Ji Yu froze, and for the first time in a while, she lifted her head to meet his eyes. This time, she could see his expression clearly. It wasn't the usual stern, rigid look. On his face was something… almost like the gentle patience one would use to coax a child.
"…"
"…"
Just when she thought the awkward air might finally break, Ji Yu only stared back without answering.
This was her "illness."
Social anxiety? Not exactly. More like, when it came to strangers, she had little desire—and nearly zero ability—to build a bridge of communication. But with people she was familiar with, she could even crack excessive jokes.
Rather than "social anxiety," she was simply too slow to warm up.
She hadn't met Mo Yachen many times. And each time, his presence carried a kind of pressure that made her shrink back, like a rabbit before a wolf—an instinctive fear.
The last person who had made her feel this way… was that man.
"…Would you like to hear how this guitar sounds?"
Mo Yachen's eyes narrowed with interest, his gaze flickering between Ji Yu and her instrument.
"May I?" he asked.
But Ji Yu gave no answer. Instead, she let out a soft laugh, then swiftly lifted the guitar in her arms with practiced ease, and—
———————————————
Sunset light was different from the rest of the day. Its warmth draped over those who had worked all day, deepening their fatigue, while the city stretched lazily with the white-collar workers on the sidewalks.
Only after a song ended did the suffocating tension begin to lift.
"Ji Yu, why do I feel like you're afraid of me?"
"No, no… it's just, with your status and position, I feel like I shouldn't get too close…"
"…Sigh. Alright then. Seems like it'll take time for our friendship to grow before things feel natural."
"…"
"…"
After a few polite exchanges, Mo Yachen dismissed her. He swore this had been the most awkward conversation of his life.
Ji Yu, guitar strapped to her back, strolled aimlessly on the rubber track. Compared to the lively crowd, she seemed cold and distant, as if no amount of warmth could draw her in.
Just then, Tang Li, having finished dinner, spotted her wandering along the track. He immediately ditched his two stuffed roommates and jogged over.
"Where were you this afternoon? I looked all over for you."
A gentle voice came from behind. Ji Yu turned to see him walking against the setting sun, the smile on his lips as reassuring as the morning breeze.
"I went straight to the Student Council. Time was tight, so I didn't call you. What, you missed me already after just one afternoon?"
A faint trace of shampoo still lingered in the air, clinging to Ji Yu's clothes and hair in the breeze. Her tone was soft, tinged with playful teasing.
Tang Li lowered his head, staring at that increasingly delicate face, momentarily at a loss for words. He patted his pants, then casually took the guitar from her shoulder.
"The instructor said we should prep some entertainment for tonight. You really did bring this thing, huh?"
Slinging the guitar over his back, he gave Ji Yu's shoulder a light pat before heading toward his squad's area. Ji Yu, meanwhile, stood in a daze, her gaze fixed somewhere ahead, her thoughts elsewhere.
"Hm?"
Not getting a response, Tang Li turned back, only to see her staring blankly into the distance.
"What are you daydreaming about, silly?"
"Uh… ah?"
"Why do you always look so down after you've been to the Student Council?"
Ji Yu gave a vague nod. But when her eyes brushed against the burning intensity in his gaze, her body trembled in surprise.
Her odd reaction made Tang Li laugh. Shaking his head, he looked up at the line of freshmen descending the stairs.
"You'll get used to it. After all, you won't always have familiar people around to back you up."
Hearing that, Ji Yu smiled. In the golden glow of sunset, her dark hair swayed gently with the cool evening breeze. Beads of sweat on her nose glistened against the light, her pale, tender skin echoing the warmth of the sun.
"You sound like some nagging old lady. How come I never noticed you talked this much before?"
With that smile, Ji Yu finally eased the quiet discomfort that had come from her "social phobia."
The evening wind was cool, but with the sunset, its warmth was just right.