The air in the backyard hot spring area carried a faint scent of sulfur.
The stone-paved path was damp with steam, making it a little slippery underfoot.
Wooden railings separated the public bath from the private baths, and faint sounds of laughter and conversation drifted out from within.
Song Tao and Li Li were already soaking in the public bath.
Song Tao leaned against the edge of the pool, holding a drink, and waved when she saw us.
“President! Yan Yan! The water here is so hot!”
Li Li poked half her head out of the water, her face flushed red from the steam, and smiled at us.
Xiao Yan and I headed towards the private baths.
Just as we turned the corner, a girl with a high ponytail approached.
She was wearing a two-piece swimsuit, holding a phone, and smiled as she looked at me.
“Hey, classmate, want to exchange WeChat? That rabbit swimsuit looks really cute on you.”
I froze instantly, instinctively hiding behind Xiao Yan, my fingers clutching the hem of her clothes.
Xiao Yan’s face turned cold.
She took a step forward, completely shielding me behind her, her eyes like sharpened ice.
“Stay away from her. She’s mine.”
The high ponytail girl was taken aback and seemed about to say something else.
Xiao Yan stared at her, her voice not loud, but each word was like a nail.
“Keep bothering her, and you’ll have to leave.”
The girl looked at her, then at me hiding behind her, her lips moved, and she turned and walked away.
As she left, she glanced back once but didn’t dare to come closer again.
I peeked out from behind Xiao Yan and whispered.
“Thank you.”
She turned to look at me, her expression instantly softening.
She reached out and ruffled my hair, tucking the damp strands behind my ear.
“What are you thanking me for? Isn’t protecting you what I should do? Aren’t you mine?”
“Mmm…”
As we passed the public bath, she waved to Song Tao and Li Li.
“Don’t soak for more than twenty minutes, you’ll get dizzy. It’s windy tonight, remember to grab your towels.”
Song Tao, holding her drink, shouted.
“Got it, Yan Yan! Don’t you two be too lovey-dovey!”
Xiao Yan smiled and glared at her.
Song Tao ducked into the water, only half her head showing, bubbles gurgling around her.
The outdoor private bath was smaller than I imagined, but just right for two people.
The warm spring water rose past my waist.
I leaned against the edge of the pool and looked up at the sky beyond the pavilion.
The night sky was an ink-blue, not completely dark yet, with a few stars already beginning to shine.
Xiao Yan leaned beside me, her wrist resting on the pool’s edge.
That old basketball wristband was still on her hand, soaked and darker in color.
She looked down at the wristband and smiled.
“Remember when we were looking through the Founding President’s Notebook?”
Her voice was very soft.
“You got so scared you dropped the notebook, and when you bent down to pick it up, you hit your head on the table. It hurt so much you had tears in your eyes.”
“I laughed at you for being clumsy, and you blushed and glared at me. That’s when I thought, how can someone be this adorable.”
My face grew warm.
That was shortly after we first learned the secret of the transformation.
While flipping through the notebook, my hand shook and I dropped it.
Bending over to pick it up, I bumped my head on the corner of the table, the pain bringing tears to my eyes.
She stood beside me, laughing while rubbing my head.
“It was just… I’d never seen anything like that before…”
I mumbled.
“Who knew transformation was actually real.”
Xiao Yan leaned closer to me, her voice soft as water.
“No matter what you were like before, you’re my little rabbit now.”
She looked up at the night sky, her eyes bright.
“The Founding President’s Notebook said that confessions made under a meteor shower are remembered by the stars. Wishes come true, and so do confessions.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“Han Han, Senior! Yan Yan!”
Song Tao’s voice came from outside.
“The meteor shower is about to start!”
Li Li’s gentle voice followed.
“Don’t soak for too long!”
Xiao Yan laughed in response.
“Got it, we’ll be right there!”
She stood up, water streaming down her body, pooling into a small puddle at the edge.
She reached a hand out to me.
“Come on, little rabbit. Let’s go see the meteor shower.”
The light in the room was a warm yellow.
Two futons were laid out on the tatami, placed very close together.
Outside the window was the stargazing platform.
The night sky had turned a deep blue, stars twinkling into existence one by one.
My hair was still wet.
Xiao Yan picked up the hairdryer and stood behind me.
She expertly began drying my hair, her fingertips running through the strands, from the roots to the ends, her movements gentle and slow.
“Don’t space out with wet hair, you’ll catch a cold.”
Her voice came from above my head, carrying a hint of scolding but mostly affection.
I looked up at her.
She was looking down, her eyelashes casting a small shadow under the light.
The scent of the hot spring mixed with lemon on her was soft and warm.
My heart was beating so fast.
I reached out and hugged her around the waist.
Her body stiffened for a moment.
I buried my face against her side, my voice muffled.
“Xiao Yan… Being with you is really nice.”
She didn’t say anything.
A second of silence passed. Then another.
Then she tightened her arms, holding me closer.
The towel fell to the floor, ignored.
“Silly,”
Her voice was hoarse.
“Me too.”
I looked up into her eyes.
My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would shatter my ribs.
“Xiao Yan… I like you.”
My voice was small, but each word was clear.
“I’ve liked you since the first day we watched the meteor shower together.”
Her body trembled slightly.
She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
Her lips stayed against my hair for two seconds.
“I know.”
Her voice was husky and soft.
“Me too. Since the day you hid in the corner of the club room, blushing while changing clothes.”
I reached out and took the old basketball wristband from her wrist.
Then I pulled my little rabbit hair tie from my pocket.
“This is for you,”
I handed her the wristband.
“It’s our keepsake.”
I offered the hair tie.
“Can you put it on for me?”
She took the hair tie, lowered her head, and gently slipped it onto my wrist.
The fluffy rabbit ears brushed against my skin, tickling.
“Exchanging tokens.”
She looked down at our hands side by side, at the wristband and hair tie, and smiled.
“From now on, you’re my little rabbit, and I’m your caretaker.”
Her fingers laced through mine, our hands entwined.
“Han Han, Senior! Yan Yan!”
Song Tao’s voice floated up from downstairs.
“The meteor shower is starting! Come to the stargazing platform!”
Xiao Yan pulled me towards the door, calling back over her shoulder.
“Wait for us! Save us the best spot!”
“Don’t worry!”
Song Tao’s voice was distant.
“We saved it for you!”
The hem of our yukatas fluttered as we ran.
The wristband and hair tie on my wrist clinked together, making a light jingling sound.
By the time we reached the stargazing platform, the first meteor was streaking across the edge of the sky.
Song Tao and Li Li stood by the railing, looking up.
Song Tao pointed at the sky and shouted.
“There! Over there! Another one!”
Li Li had her hands clasped together, her eyes closed.
Xiao Yan stopped.
Pulled by her, I stopped too.
She turned to face me.
The starlight in her eyes was brighter than the meteors.
She reached out and lifted my chin.
Her fingertips were cool against my skin.
She leaned in close, her nose almost brushing my lips.
“Han Hanhan, look at me.”
Her voice was low.
“Confessions made under a meteor shower, if spoken aloud, will come true.”
My heart was beating so fast it felt like it would stop.
Looking at the stars in her eyes, at the meteors streaking across the sky.
I opened my mouth—