All to Myself [Childhood Friends]

[New book, Heartbeats Crossing the Line [Fostered], now available. Please add it to your library!]

◎ Childhood friends / He has a secret crush

① The Yu and Shang families in Jing City have been close for years.

Yu Qianwan and Shang Kejing were the youngest children in their respective families, and both grew up pampered and cherished. They had known each other for as long as they could remember, and had been classmates since kindergarten. They were together nearly every day, and in everyone's eyes, they were the perfect childhood sweethearts.

Shang Kejing had a pair of flirtatious eyes that made him look sincere no matter what he looked at. Combined with his slightly roguish nature, he seemed at first glance like a carefree, playboy rich kid. But everyone who knew him understood that Shang Kejing was devoted to one person only: Yu Qianwan. She was the only one who mattered to him.

People often teased Shang Kejing for how blatantly he played favorites, treating Yu Qianwan well and not caring what happened to the rest of them. There were plenty of jokes like that, and Shang Kejing never denied them. He would just grin and bump Yu Qianwan's shoulder, looking rather pleased with himself. "Hear that? Everyone says I'm good to you. You should be even nicer to me."

All he ever got in return was a withering, exasperated look from Yu Qianwan.

Everyone thought Shang Kejing and Yu Qianwan would fall in love and marry happily, including the elders of both families.

But at a gathering of the two families, when their elders jokingly tested the waters by suggesting a marriage alliance, Shang Kejing, who usually loved sticking close to Yu Qianwan, firmly rejected the idea.

② In her senior year of high school, Yu Qianwan fell for an older student who returned to school for a promotional event. Later, when he entered the entertainment industry, she became one of his most devoted fans, spending a fortune to support him. New to love, Yu Qianwan gave him all her enthusiasm and made her feelings unmistakably clear.

As childhood friends, Yu Qianwan naturally talked to Shang Kejing about the older student more than anyone else. He knew nearly every detail of her secret crush.

Yet one day, Shang Kejing, who usually understood Yu Qianwan's feelings better than anyone, argued with her over the older student's subject, and a subtle awkwardness crept between them.

Not long afterward, Yu Qianwan ran into the older student at a banquet. By chance, she overheard him talking with someone in a quiet courtyard, and realized she had misjudged him. Reality was far more blunt and hurtful than anything Shang Kejing had said. Every word of his flippant remarks was like a blade, cutting into her heart.

Feeling guilty, Yu Qianwan called Shang Kejing.

The two of them, having fought and never made up, fell into a long silence on the phone. Then Yu Qianwan let out a faint sob, and Shang Kejing instantly forgot all their awkwardness. "Where are you?"

That night, Yu Qianwan got completely drunk and gave up on the awful older student for good.

Shang Kejing stayed by her side, watching the damp, reddened corners of her eyes, still sad even as she slept off the alcohol. He sighed helplessly, his voice so soft it seemed liable to vanish on the breeze. "...When will you finally see me?"

Later, just as he wished, Yu Qianwan did see him.

But the circumstances and the mood were nothing like what he had imagined.

They were doing something utterly ordinary, without a hint of romance. Then, out of nowhere, Yu Qianwan asked him directly, "Shang Kejing, do you like me?"

Shang Kejing answered just as directly. "...Yes."

[Blurb written on November 21, 2023]

-- New book: Heartbeats Crossing the Line --

◎ Fostered / Mutual secret crush / A powerful Hong Kong man moves to Jing City for love

1. When Li Shuyue was little, her mother's job transfer took her to the Hong Kong district, where she lived with the Huo family.

When Li Shuyue first arrived at the Huo household, she was nervous and uneasy in the completely unfamiliar place, unsure of how to act. But before long, she became the little princess everyone in the Huo family knew, and some even called her Huo Shuyue.

During the more than ten years she grew up in the Huo family, Li Shuyue was often grateful to have Huo Yanzhi there as her older brother. He seemed cold and taciturn, but had a warm heart. He was considerate and knew how to take care of people. Most importantly, they weren't that far apart in age, so they could talk like peers. At least she wouldn't be lonely.

Later, Li Shuyue grew to hate the word "brother" most of all.

She and Huo Yanzhi weren't related by blood, and they weren't even distant relatives. Yet after years of living together and growing accustomed to one another, everyone knew she was a member of the Huo family. Even she couldn't help getting caught up in it, enduring years of frustration.

She buried this unspoken love deep in her heart.

But years of restraint came bursting out all at once.

The summer before her senior year of college, Li Shuyue drank too much. In her drunken state, she somehow found the nerve to sleep with Huo Yanzhi.

After that night of reckless pleasure, Li Shuyue no longer dared face Huo Yanzhi. Soon afterward, she fled to Jing City under the pretext of going to graduate school.

Who could have guessed that on the very first day of graduate school, Huo Yanzhi would block her at the school gates? He looked down at her timidly lowered eyes, his cold, imposing presence enough to make her panic. Then he coolly tossed out, "You've gotten bold, haven't you?"

Li Shuyue, who loved him but was also afraid of him, lowered her head even further...

--

2. Huo Yanzhi stayed in Jing City for work.

The two of them had moved from the Hong Kong district to Jing City, and were living together once more.

But that night haunted Li Shuyue, replaying over and over in her mind. Anxious and uneasy, she could no longer pretend to be his sister and live with Huo Yanzhi under the same roof as she had before.

Seeing him made her heart race.

When she couldn't see him...the longing only grew worse.

It was maddening. Li Shuyue was practically going insane.

Then one day, after Li Shuyue had been hurt and was secretly wiping away her tears at home, Huo Yanzhi caught her. He asked what was wrong, but she said nothing.

Li Shuyue was easily swept up in her emotions. She couldn't talk to Huo Yanzhi at a time like that, because he was never ruled by emotion. He was always the rational one, and she couldn't keep a clear head and reason with him right then.

Unexpectedly, the man suddenly scooped her up. His soft, tender lips gently wiped away her tears, and he comforted and cherished her with a tenderness that was nothing like the man she had known.

Li Shuyue stopped crying. She stared at Huo Yanzhi in stunned disbelief. Through her tear-filled eyes, she could clearly see the years of restraint accumulated in his gaze.

The man who always put reason first was utterly defeated in her presence. Fully conscious, he surrendered and kissed her lips. His rich voice grew hoarse, yet his soft words shook her to the core. "You've done far more than that. Can't I kiss you?"

Theme: Two people choose each other and grow together.