I Don't Want to Be Just Your Friend

* A love-struck girl who never once considered her friend a romantic prospect x a jealous, possessive friend who's wanted her for ages and can only get mad about it

* Content warning: A groveling chase after the heroine fails to win over her senior; the jealous friend gets the girl; a four-way romantic rivalry

Just thinking about this gives me a headache.

My friend and I went to high school together, and we went to college in the same city.

I finally started dating the senior I'd had a crush on for ages, and my friend gave me a furious scolding.

Her reason was that she hated love-struck people and couldn't stand seeing me and my senior parading around in front of her.

I said I'd promise to try not to do that in front of her. She sneered and told me to choose between her and my senior.

Guys, isn't that completely ridiculous? What does one thing have to do with the other?

We haven't spoken since that day.

But she was right about one thing.

It wasn't long before my senior dumped me.

My friend started making snide remarks to me. I don't know if she was taking a jab at how I'd betrayed her before.

For instance, whenever I was feeling down, she'd suddenly say in a frosty tone:

"That's what you get for letting me down."

"I told you ages ago, you should've liked me instead of her."

"Happy breakup!"

Coming soon: Family

* Proud younger sister x cold older sister * Pseudo-incest, no blood relation * Eleven-year age gap

1.

Who at the school didn't know Lian Hua?

Student council, campus radio, all the big events, provincial competitions: if there was a chance to be seen, she was there.

Her roommate asked how she could keep running around nonstop without ever seeming tired.

The phone on her pillow glowed faintly. The hurt from a huge fight with her sister was still stuck in her throat.

Lian Hua lowered her head and cried, but her voice still held a smile.

"Because I want to prove myself to my sister."

2.

Shi Jingye was a top-rated host at the provincial TV station. Word in the industry was that she had turned down several offers from the national network.

She was devoted to her job at the provincial station, diligent and conscientious.

The lobby was packed on the day the interns arrived.

Standing in the crowd, Lian Hua watched her sister walk forward, step by step.

Shi Jingye passed her in a formal suit, her gaze sweeping over her lightly as if she were a stranger.

3.

That evening, Shi Jingye opened her apartment door and saw Lian Hua. Her brows knitted. "You shouldn't be here today. Go back to school."

Lian Hua didn't retreat. Instead, she took a step closer.

Shi Jingye's voice turned colder. "Lian Hua..."

She stopped abruptly.

Lian Hua wrapped her arms around Shi Jingye's waist and lifted her chin with her fingertips, her gaze burning as she leaned in, about to kiss her. Shi Jingye's body tensed. After a moment of standoff, she finally closed her eyes in silence, allowing it.

Unexpectedly, the kiss never came.

Lian Hua smiled softly.

"Sis, I came back today just to thank you for taking care of me all these years."

"Don't worry. I'll be good."

"I'm graduating soon. I'll move out obediently and stop clinging to you."

She turned to leave. Just as she passed the silent Shi Jingye, a hand suddenly clamped around her wrist and yanked her back.

The usually calm eyes could no longer hide their fury.

"Lian Hua... What do you think I am to you?"

Theme: The many forms of love