Repulsive

#The guy who poked my back every day from the desk behind me in high school moved in across the hall ten years later#

The person Lin Yan hates most in this life is named Zhou Yanchi.

For all three years of high school, Zhou sat behind him, poking him in the back with a pen cap, sneaking a look at his diary, and even reading his love letters aloud in front of everyone. He took being annoying to the extreme. On graduation day, Lin Yan thought, At least I won't have to see that face again for the rest of my life.

Ten years later, Lin Yan emptied his savings to buy a secondhand apartment. On the first day he moved in, he heard a power drill next door.

At 9:40 that night, he was crouched among piles of boxes with a cup of instant noodles when a familiar voice came through the wall: "Hey, everyone! Thanks to 'Did Yanyan Draw Today?' for the rocket! Come on, newcomers, give me a follow, "

Lin Yan choked on his soup.

Zhou Yanchi: In high school, I sat behind him and poked him in the back with a pen cap every day. He'd turn around and glare at me, and I'd be happy for half the day. After graduation, I thought I'd never see him again. Then he moved in across the hall. What a coincidence: I saw him standing at his door the day I moved in and burst out laughing. He immediately wanted to cancel his lease.

Lin Yan: In high school, I sat in front of him and got poked in the back every day. After ten years of peace and quiet, I thought I wouldn't have to listen to him blabber again. Then he moved in across the hall. What coincidence? I suspect he did it on purpose. But I have no proof.

Later, the two of them became roommates. They stuck a dividing line on the fridge: his stuff on the left, mine on the right. He cooks, I do the dishes. He livestreams, I draw. He comes into my room all the time and helps himself to my food like it's only natural.

Later still, they peeled the tape off the fridge. They put away the sofa bed. They got three cats.

Zhou Yanchi: It was wrong of me to read your diary in high school. But on the first page, you wrote, "Zhou Yanchi poked me in the back again today. So annoying." On the second page, you wrote, "Zhou Yanchi got called out by the teacher for talking in class. Serves him right." You wrote two whole pages about me. You cared about me a lot.

Lin Yan: "...I was insulting you."

Zhou Yanchi: "Insulting me still means you care. Would you write two pages about someone you didn't care about?"

Reader's guide:

· A talkative, annoying pest x a sharp-tongued, soft-hearted artist

· From living across the hall to sharing a place, getting married, and raising cats. A slice-of-life chronicle.

· High school classmates become a couple. Annoyance first, love later.

· No angst, just everyday life. The more you read, the hungrier you'll get.

Theme: Devotion to one person.