Drifting Through the Dark

#Secret lovers, with the secretly-in-love man making it official x the woman who sleeps with him first and falls in love later#

Su Jinyue and Lu Yuchuan have been neighbors since childhood. From kindergarten through university and even graduate school, they attended the same schools.

But they aren't close like childhood sweethearts. In fact, they barely know each other.

Their friends see it the same way, teasing them as the most familiar strangers.

No one could have guessed that they had been in an illicit relationship for years.

In everyone's eyes, Su Jinyue is devoted to academic research and utterly laid-back about everything else. Her cool appearance and aura make people hesitate to approach her. Like her name suggests, she's as distant and beautiful as the moon in the sky.

But whenever her research hits a roadblock and she needs to unwind, Su Jinyue messages that "not-so-close friend": [Are you coming over, or should I?]

[I'll come over]

[Ugh, failed again. Where are you now?]

[A4502]

[On my way]

They kept up these exchanges for three whole years.

Su Jinyue was perfectly happy with their arrangement. She hated complications and couldn't be bothered to spend the time and effort to maintain a relationship. Taking care of each other's needs with Lu Yuchuan, whom she knew inside and out, was great.

At some point, Lu Yuchuan's needs stopped being limited to that.

In the heat and humidity, he'd bite her little earlobe and demand, like a resentful husband, "You promised you'd come to yesterday's basketball game. Why didn't you?"

"So many people bring you flowers. You don't need another bouquet from me."

Lu Yuchuan would fall silent, but his movements grew more and more forceful, as if he were venting something.

Su Jinyue noticed, but couldn't be bothered to care. As long as she felt good, that was all that mattered.

Then, one day, as usual, Su Jinyue messaged him, but Lu Yuchuan didn't respond.

Puzzled, Su Jinyue sent a question mark: [?]

[Is it a bad time?]

Lu Yuchuan: [Is this the only reason you ever come to me?]

Su Jinyue: [If it doesn't work for you, forget it.]

Lu Yuchuan knew Su Jinyue well. If she let it go this time, she probably wouldn't bring it up again.

He closed his eyes, but there was still a strange, hard-to-name edge to his mood: [I'm home. Dare to come over?]

Only after Su Jinyue arrived did she realize he had a fever...

Blurb written on October 3, 2024.

Theme: Choosing each other and growing together