1
May it nourish resilience. Where hope meets effort, resilience is born.
Seamus Heaney, Ireland
2
“Because I usually have this cool-girl image to maintain,” Ji Nan said lazily.
“What? Cool guy?” Ji Nan’s voice was languid, and Ren Zixi couldn’t make out what she said.
“Cool, girl.” Ji Nan leaned close to her ear and enunciated each word. Ren Zixi’s short hair fluttered lightly with the sound of her voice. When Ji Nan finished, Ren Zixi’s ears suddenly turned bright red.
Ji Nan stared at the flush, apparently realizing she had caused it. Then she drawled, teasingly, “But if you want to call me a cool guy, I don’t mind, ”
3
Ren Zixi seemed to sense that something was off, too. She lowered her gaze and hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
As if she had received permission, Ji Nan finally couldn’t hold back any longer. She grabbed Ren Zixi and strode ahead, almost running. When they reached the restroom, she pulled Ren Zixi into the nearest stall and locked the door behind them.
Ren Zixi watched her hand lock the door. She seemed to have a feeling about what was going to happen, yet she wasn’t scared at all. Instead, she felt a little anticipation.
4
“I don’t want anyone else to watch me, but I want you to see me. Look at me. Keep your eyes on me… okay?” Ren Zixi said, her voice breaking.
Ji Nan kissed her, swallowing her sobs, and murmured, “Okay.”
5
“I’m a cowardly, lazy, anxious, pessimistic, restless, insecure, narrow-minded, hypocritical, selfish, stubborn… person.”
“You’re saying all that just to make me dislike you, aren’t you?”
“And one more thing,” she said, with a faint, helpless smile in her voice. “It’s pretty impressive that you rattled off so many adjectives in one breath.”
Furrowed Brow, Ren Zixi (bottom) x Heartache, Ji Nan (top)
A university campus story, GL, happy ending, with some of the story continuing after graduation.
Fields of study featured: visual communication design, pharmaceutical engineering, and law.
Stable job, stable updates, no hiatuses. Readers, rest assured and follow along! Hope you enjoy the story!
Theme: Love isn’t about what someone can do, but about their existence.
