Deep Years, Shallow Songs

Online, Qianqian is open and cheerful, her feelings as clear as her name. In real life, Shenshen keeps her thoughts carefully hidden.

So when he tentatively asked online, "How long have you liked me?" she answered without a care, "I guess it's been a long time, long enough that you don't like me anymore..."

Then both sides fell silent in front of their screens.

After a long while, a truly long while, long enough for her teddy bear avatar to go dark, he finally replied, "That's just what you think."

She stood atop the high wall, and he stood below it. She once thought he had turned and walked away; he once thought she would never jump down. How fortunate that when she finally did, she discovered he had never gone far.