As Though

[About the Story] Sorry, I won't be updating daily for a while. Feel free to stay or leave. +++On the first day after transferring schools, Xu Ruche accidentally catches a glimpse of Zhou Ye'u's secret: he likes men. At the time, Zhou is being beaten up by a group of people. His face is smeared with blood, yet despite being the one getting beaten, he still has a defiant look in his eyes. When he sees Xu Ruche, he casually wipes the blood from his lips and says, "Excuse me," before walking past him with indifference. The second time they meet is during an exam. Zhou Ye'u cheats, getting Xu punished along with him: they have to write a self-criticism and receive a disciplinary record. The third time, Zhou Ye'u mistakenly accuses Xu of snitching and pretending to be his parent, without even hearing him out. Xu Ruche feels as if Zhou Ye'u is his natural nemesis. Ever since meeting him, nothing has gone right. He'd thought they'd be no more than passing acquaintances who exchanged nods. But after they get entangled for all sorts of bizarre reasons, Xu Ruche discovers that Zhou Ye'u is full of unsolvable mysteries. Perhaps he is a mystery himself. Xu Ruche becomes the only person at school whose name is spoken in the same breath as that of the "pervert" Zhou Ye'u. He isn't afraid, doesn't avoid him or despise him. Instead, he approaches him. Xu Ruche isn't into men. He's not gay, but eventually he falls for Zhou Ye'u. So he becomes a freak and a pervert in the eyes of many, too. But he doesn't care. It's fine, Xu Ruche thinks. Zhou Ye'u likes men, and he is a man. If Zhou Ye'u liked women, he could become a woman too. This stubborn, innocent, unyielding love is just like you, and just like me. Content warnings and notes: 1. A self-indulgent story written for fun. Everyday life, slow burn. 2. Inspired by something I happened to read. 3. The protagonist's name and the title come from the name of a song, "Ru Ye." 4. The blurb has been revised to avoid unnecessary trouble, but the plot hasn't changed. 5. The main story has an open ending; the extra chapters have a happy ending. Theme: Firm love gives us the strength to defy convention and build the life our hearts desire.