The morning sun spilled across the schoolyard, and Xinya happily skipped toward class, humming to herself. Her cheeks still burned when she remembered Yuxuan's warm hand wrapped around hers yesterday.
But the moment she turned the corner—
"Xinya."
She froze. Zhao Lin leaned against the railing, his uniform jacket draped over one shoulder, casual as ever but with eyes that pinned her in place.
"H-hey, Zhao Lin." She rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Um, I'm running late—"
He cut her off. "So it's true. You and Yuxuan."
Her breath caught. "…W-what about it?"
He tilted his head, smiling lazily, but his tone was sharp. "Funny. Didn't you say once you wanted a guy who could make you laugh? A guy who could keep up with your chaos?"
She blinked. "I… I don't remember—"
Zhao Lin stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You think he can do that? That cold-face? Xinya, you'll get bored. And when you do… you'll come looking for me."
Her heart pounded. "That's not true!"
But before she could step back, Zhao Lin leaned in—so close she could see the dangerous glint in his eyes. "Wanna bet?"
Later – The Classroom
Xinya sat stiffly at her desk, unable to concentrate. Her notebook lay open, but instead of writing rules, she had scribbled:
Why does Zhao Lin care? Why now? Why do I feel… nervous?
A hand slid a note onto her desk. She glanced up—Yuxuan. He didn't say anything, just gave her that calm, steady look.
She unfolded the note:
"You look troubled. Tell me later."
Her chest tightened. He noticed…
At the back of the classroom, Zhao Lin twirled a pen between his fingers, watching them both with a wolfish grin.
After School – Rooftop Confrontation
Xinya finally found herself standing between the two boys—Yuxuan on her left, quiet but protective, and Zhao Lin on her right, smirking like he already won.
"Choose carefully, Xinya," Zhao Lin said, his voice silky. "Do you want a boyfriend who barely speaks, or someone who knows how to set your world on fire?"
Her throat went dry. The air between them felt like it could shatter.
Yuxuan finally spoke, his voice low but firm. "She doesn't need fire. She needs someone who won't let her burn."
For the first time, Zhao Lin's smile faltered.
Xinya's heart pounded louder than ever.