Capturing Stars

To Bai Lan, the transfer student, whose gentle personality and striking looks made her the center of everyone's attention, was nothing but a huge nuisance. She was always clinging to Bai Lan: group projects, classroom duty schedules, even sit-ups in pairs... The transfer student was always smiling, and loved to say, "I want to be with you." She could even find Bai Lan hiding in all sorts of places before and after school, then walk alongside her through the school gates, no matter how unwilling Bai Lan was. But Bai Lan was convinced she was a delinquent who was good for nothing. She was mean and had a terrible temper. And Lu Xingxing was a pure little star fallen from the heavens. Bai Lan would only stain her. So she said, "Lu Xingxing, stop smiling at me. It won't work, even if you're gorgeous!" And, "Why are you always bothering me? Can't you go tease someone else? I really will hit you!" After hearing it so many times, Lu Xingxing stood on the platform with her hands behind her back and smiled. "You really don't like me?" Bai Lan swung her schoolbag over her shoulder and turned to leave. "No. I. Don't. Like. You." A clear voice behind her murmured to itself, "So Bai Lan has never dreamed about me, and doesn't secretly look at me in class. Mm-hm, so I was just imagining things." Bai Lan's face burned as she fled in a panic. Because Lu Xingxing was right. Bai Lan really did sneak looks at her. That face was so pretty anyone would look twice. And she really did dream about her, too. / In her dreams, Bai Lan was an injured gray wolf. Whimpering, she stumbled into a grassland locked in eternal night, a place that seemed to lie at the edge of the world. In pain, she staggered and collapsed into someone's arms. The girl tended her wounds with a gentle touch and even scratched behind her ears. Mmm... H-how did she know scratching me there would feel so, so good? The little wolf narrowed her eyes and wagged her tail. The girl laughed softly, then pressed her forehead against the wolf's fluffy head. "If you can, please stay here... okay? I promise I'll love you well. No matter when or where. Even if you wake up." Bai Lan jolted awake from the dream and clutched her heart as it pounded wildly, her breathing ragged. She knew all too well why her heart was racing: the girl had the same face as Lu Xingxing. / One-on-one romance, school setting, episodic stories Tsundere delinquent x scheming transfer student Theme: Everyone deserves to pursue beautiful things