“Gu Fan, any plans for tonight?”
Since the birthday party was held in the afternoon, the evening should be my time. I hope those people know better than to interfere.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, holding the green tea bottle to my lips without drinking, quietly waiting for Gu Fan’s response.
“Is Zhinian asking me out?”
Gu Fan was like an experienced angler, noticing the fish on the hook but not rushing to reel it in, instead slowly wearing down its strength.
Looking at Gu Fan, propped on his cheek with a mischievous smile, I knew the only thing I could do next was let him playfully toy with me in the water.
Even knowing the hook in front of me would trap me with no escape, I’d still bite down without hesitation, even if it left my mouth full of blood.
“Mm, just the two of us, no one else. Anywhere is fine—you choose, Gu Fan.”
I had wanted to take full control, but my knowledge of this small town is too limited. It’s better to let Gu Fan decide.
If I get the chance later, I should explore the town properly, noting down fun places and shops. Being well-prepared would increase my chances of winning in the end.
But… the thought of competing with others feels exhausting. There’s always someone with a better appearance, or more money, status, education, or other advantages. Perhaps the only thing I can surpass others in is my desire to compete.
If there were a way to whisk Gu Fan and me away to a world with just the two of us…
…a world with just the two of us, I’d press that button without hesitation.
As for Gu Fan… he probably needs friends, right? While having him all to myself makes me incredibly happy, if the cost is him being constantly down, I’d rather give that up.
As long as I can stay by Gu Fan’s side in this chaotic world, I’m content.
Gu Fan fiddled with his phone, flipping it around like he was twirling a pen. The screen wasn’t on, and I knew this was his habit when thinking, so I didn’t interrupt him.
After a few flips, he steadied the phone in his hand, opened it to check the calendar, and then looked at me with a smile.
“Speaking of which, Christmas is coming up soon, right?”
“Oh… yeah, I think so?”
I had marked Gu Fan’s birthday in my calendar app and noticed Christmas wasn’t far off.
“How about we go to the shopping center? Last time we went, they were almost done setting up the Christmas decorations. It’d be nice to check them out.”
“Mmm, sounds good.”
Gu Fan seems to love beautiful things. I often see him staring at scenery, lost in thought. It’s only natural he’d be interested in photography.
I don’t really care about whether decorations are pretty or not—as long as they’re not an eyesore, I’m fine with them. What I love is watching Gu Fan enjoy the scenery and the comfort of being with him.
We’d finished the cake and were now sipping our drinks face-to-face. I glanced back at where the classmates were gathered. The massive three-tiered cake had been mostly divided up.
I looked up party schedules online before, and they usually include a game segment.
They might come looking for Gu Fan later.
I came here to celebrate Gu Fan’s birthday and to keep others from getting too close to him. Originally, I planned to stay here the whole time, but after seeing everyone sing the birthday song for him in unison, I gave up on that idea.
I don’t really want to join in their games, and they might not even invite me. I’d probably just sit on the sofa, watching Gu Fan laugh and chat with others with a resentful gaze, feeling incredibly bitter inside.
It’s better not to humiliate myself. I should quit while I’m ahead. Besides, the evening plans are already set, and I’ve gotten plenty of emotional comfort for now. Tonight, Gu Fan will still go out with me, right?
With that realization, I shifted my butt, which had been sitting too long. My tail immediately sprang out from underneath, and only then did I realize I’d been squishing it this whole time without noticing.
Seriously… is my tail a separate creature from me?
No more thinking about these random things. I gathered my thoughts and, seizing this final moment, asked Gu Fan a question.
“Gu Fan, when you made your wish earlier, did you think about it for long?”
I actually wanted to know what his birthday wish was, but I’d heard that saying it out loud makes it not come true. If it was about me, wouldn’t that ruin it? Better not be too reckless.
Well, I know it’s arrogant to assume his wish must be related to me. Please let me indulge in this fantasy, just to comfort myself.
“Not really, just thought for a bit.”
True to his word, Gu Fan didn’t take long to answer me. He downed the rest of his drink…
After finishing her green tea, she revealed what she had been thinking at the time.
“There aren’t many things I desperately wish for, nor do I have any deeply entangled matters that require a wish to increase the chances of success. So what’s left is just some simple blessings—for myself, my family, and friends to live happy and fulfilling lives.”
…Why does this feel kind of like praying to a deity?
It dawned on me a bit late that Gu Fan had basically said his birthday wish out loud. Hopefully, that won’t cause it to stop working?
“I see, then—”
The topic of birthday wishes ended a bit too quickly. I was just about to find a new topic to keep chatting with Gu Fan when the crisp sound of footsteps echoed—click, clack.
My sharp hearing picked up that the footsteps were approaching our secluded and dim corner, so I quietly stopped talking and looked toward the person arriving.
“Shiratori? What are you doing here?”
Gu Fan, who had been half-leaning on his seat in a relaxed posture while chatting with me, suddenly straightened his back at lightning speed when Shiratori appeared. He clearly hadn’t expected her to show up.
I stared at Shiratori with hostility, making no effort to hide my rejection of her, but she kept her flawless smile the entire time.
Shiratori calmly let her gaze sweep past me and stopped on the somewhat surprised Gu Fan, then said politely:
“Gu Fan, everyone’s waiting for you. We’ve already set up the cake cart, and some of the other students brought board games. Is there anything in particular you’d like to play? Of course, Zhinián, you’re welcome to come too.”
After stating the reason she came, Shiratori then casually extended an invitation to me—as if she had just remembered I was there.
Crack, crack… I bit down hard on the bottle cap, venting the frustration in my heart.
Even though I had mentally prepared myself in advance, when the imagined scene actually played out in front of me, the negative emotions still flared up like a fire doused in gasoline.
“Gu Fan, something urgent came up—I have to go.”
I blurted the words out quickly, grabbed the half-finished green tea, and dashed toward the drink bar’s main exit, nearly bumping into innocent bystanders along the way.
Damn it. So much for making a graceful exit—I didn’t even get the chance to use the one I had planned.