Chapter 7: 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓮𝓽 𝓑𝓮𝓽𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓤𝓼
The classroom was quieter than usual that afternoon.
Not empty—
just calm.
The kind of calm that settled in slowly, like everything had decided to soften for a while.
Lu Zhen sat in his usual seat, notebook open, pen resting between his fingers.
He wasn't writing.
Not yet.
Beside him, Lin Xu was already there.
Of course he was.
At some point—
Lu Zhen had stopped questioning it.
"…You're not reading today?" Lu Zhen asked, his voice low.
Lin Xu glanced at him slightly, then closed the book in his hands.
"I was."
"Then why stop?"
"You spoke."
Lu Zhen frowned faintly.
"…So?"
"So I listened."
The answer came simply.
Like it made perfect sense.
Lu Zhen looked at him for a moment—
then looked away.
"…You don't have to."
"I know."
"Then why do it?"
Lin Xu didn't respond immediately.
A brief pause.
Then—
"Because I want to."
Silence settled again.
But it wasn't uncomfortable.
Not anymore.
—
The lecture hadn't started yet.
Students were scattered around the room, some talking, some scrolling through their phones, others resting their heads on their desks.
Zhou Kai and Song Yan were already there.
As usual.
"You're late," Song Yan said without looking up.
"I'm not late," Zhou Kai replied, dropping into the seat beside him. "You're just early."
"I've been here for ten minutes."
"That's your problem."
"…You're impossible."
"And yet, you still wait for me."
Song Yan paused.
Just slightly.
Then looked away.
"…I don't."
Zhou Kai smiled.
Didn't argue.
Didn't push.
Just leaned back in his chair like he already knew the answer.
Lu Zhen watched them briefly.
Then lowered his gaze.
"…They talk too much," he muttered.
Lin Xu followed his gaze.
"They're comfortable."
"They're loud."
"That too."
Lu Zhen didn't reply.
But something about that word—
comfortable—
lingered longer than it should have.
—
"Do you like silence?"
The question came unexpectedly.
Lu Zhen blinked slightly, turning toward Lin Xu.
"…What?"
"Silence," Lin Xu repeated. "You seem to prefer it."
Lu Zhen looked away again.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"…It's easier."
"How?"
"No expectations."
Lin Xu tilted his head slightly.
"No expectations?"
"No one asking things. No one needing answers."
A pause.
"…No one staying," he added quietly.
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
For a moment—
everything stilled.
Lu Zhen's fingers tightened slightly around his pen.
He hadn't meant to say that.
He didn't even realize he was thinking it.
Lin Xu didn't react immediately.
He just looked at him.
Calm.
Steady.
Like always.
"…That sounds lonely," he said softly.
Lu Zhen's expression hardened slightly.
"It's not."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Lin Xu didn't argue.
Didn't try to prove him wrong.
He just nodded once.
"Alright."
And left it at that.
—
The lecture started soon after.
This time—
Lu Zhen didn't feel distracted.
His pen moved steadily across the page, writing down notes without pause.
But every now and then—
his awareness shifted.
To the space beside him.
To the quiet presence that didn't interrupt.
Didn't demand.
Didn't leave.
Just… stayed.
—
Halfway through the lecture, Lin Xu spoke again.
Softly.
"…This kind of silence isn't bad."
Lu Zhen didn't look at him.
"…What do you mean?"
"This one," Lin Xu said. "It doesn't feel empty."
Lu Zhen's pen slowed.
"…Silence is silence."
"Not always."
A pause.
Then—
"Some silence feels heavy," Lin Xu continued. "Like something is missing."
Another pause.
"…This one doesn't."
Lu Zhen didn't respond.
But his grip on the pen loosened slightly.
—
When the lecture ended, no one moved immediately.
The room stayed quiet for a moment longer than usual.
Zhou Kai stretched, breaking the stillness.
"I'm starving."
"You're always starving," Song Yan replied.
"That's because I don't eat enough."
"That's because you skip meals."
"That's because I'm busy."
"You're not."
"I am."
"You're not."
"…You're annoying."
"And you still talk to me."
Zhou Kai laughed softly, standing up.
"Come on. Let's go."
Song Yan hesitated for a second—
then followed.
Like always.
Lu Zhen watched them leave.
Then looked away.
—
"…You're thinking again," Lin Xu said.
Lu Zhen exhaled quietly.
"…You notice too much."
"I told you."
"…It's annoying."
Lin Xu smiled faintly.
"You've said that too."
Lu Zhen stood up, grabbing his bag.
This time—
he didn't say anything about following.
Didn't tell him to stop.
Didn't need to.
They walked out together.
Side by side.
Not speaking.
Not needing to.
—
Outside, the sky was quiet.
No rain.
No wind.
Just stillness.
Lu Zhen slowed his steps slightly.
Not enough to be obvious.
Just enough—
that Lin Xu stayed beside him.
Matching his pace.
Naturally.
Effortlessly.
Like it had already become—
a habit.
—
And this time—
Lu Zhen didn't think about pushing it away.