Turned Into a Puppy Drenched in the Rain

Late at night, a new post suddenly appeared on the front page of L University’s forum:

#I've had a crush on my childhood friend for over ten years, but he only sees me as a friend...#

The original poster asked: How do I break the stalemate?

3F: How close are you and your childhood friend?

OP: We're the closest people in the world.

6F: Then turn into a cat, a tiger, or a dog caught in the rain.

Qu Chi had a clingy little shadow of a best friend since childhood. His name was Mu Mingzhu.

Mu Mingzhu was just as his name suggested: sculpted as delicately as jade, radiant as a bright pearl.

From the day they met until they started university, they were inseparable.

In Qu Chi's eyes, Mu Mingzhu was the best brother in the world. Qu Chi brushed off everyone else's warnings to keep some distance, along with their comments about Mu Mingzhu's excessive possessiveness.

Mu Mingzhu just didn't like him getting too close to other people. It was just the possessiveness friends felt toward each other.

Besides, Qu Chi thought he had some strange possessive feelings toward Mu Mingzhu, too.

Then one day, Qu Chi caught Mu Mingzhu taking medication. Only after pressing him for answers did Qu Chi learn that Mu Mingzhu was sick, and seriously so: he had a severe separation disorder.

The medication changed Mu Mingzhu's personality. It made him clingy, unable to bear being apart from Qu Chi, and deeply insecure.

Qu Chi hadn't wanted to keep indulging Mu Mingzhu, but the moment Mu Mingzhu looked at him with those pleading eyes, Qu Chi's resolve melted.

So Qu Chi slipped an arm around Mu Mingzhu's shoulders, smiled with crinkled eyes, and said softly, "A hug, a hug for Mingzhu."

At that moment, Mu Mingzhu felt his very soul tremble.

"If you feel sorry for me, then come love me, Qu Chi.", Mu Mingzhu

※ Turn into a cat, a tiger, or a dog caught in the rain., Yuji Sakamoto

Written on 2023.4.14, revised on 2024.5.10.

Theme: Have the courage to express your love.