Chapter 1: His Scarf

Winter solstice had just passed, and the sky was overcast and heavy, looking as though it could snow at any second.

Inside the classroom, the doors and windows were shut tight. Foggy condensation trickled down the glass in thin, watery streaks. Lucas lay slumped sideways on his desk, his eyes half-lidded, staring across the narrow aisle at another desk.

It was physical education class, and everyone else had gone down to the gymnasium. Lucas was the only one who had made up a vague excuse to stay behind and rot at his desk. He wasn't particularly sleepy; he was just far too lazy to move. So, to pass the time, he had been staring at that desk for the past half hour.

That was Ethan's desk.

It sat diagonally behind his own. Textbooks from the previous class were stacked neatly on top, while a scarf and a backpack hung over the back of the chair.

Suddenly, without warning, the scarf slipped. In the blink of an eye, it tumbled to the floor and crumpled into a soft heap.

"Ah..." Lucas let out a tiny gasp of surprise. He finally straightened his back and glanced around guiltily like a thief. Once he confirmed that no one was walking down the hallway, he slid out of his chair, walked quickly behind the desk, and leaned over to pick it up.

It was a knitted yarn scarf, seemingly handmade, soft and cozy to the touch with a simple, clean pattern.

It carried a faint, almost imperceptible scent.

Yet that trace of scent acted like a transparent fishing line, tugging at him, making him lower his head unconsciously, leaning in with nervous caution. The tip of his nose touched the soft knit, and the aroma grew distinct with every breath. Lucas found it hard to describe what it smelled like—it was simply the scent of Ethan, something he occasionally caught a faint whiff of whenever they passed each other in the halls.

In that instant, everything turned subtle. He was merely holding Ethan's scarf, yet he felt the surreal illusion of being held close against Ethan.

...It felt like being intoxicated, his face flushing warm.

This was way too creepy. If anyone saw him right now, they would definitely think he was a total pervert. Lucas knew this in his mind, and he knew he should put the scarf back right away and return to his seat to resume playing dead. But...

P.E. class wasn't over yet, right? Even if he dragged his feet a little longer, no one would come back early, right? As long as he put it back before the bell rang... right?

He felt like his mind was splitting in two. His body stayed frozen on the spot, feeling Ethan's lingering presence with every breath, while his brain engaged in a fierce debate, unable to reach a decision.

Suddenly, the back door of the classroom was pushed open, followed by a soft, puzzled sound: "Hmm?"

Lucas turned his head instinctively, his eyes widening in shock. Ethan stood near the door, a faint heat radiating from him after exercise. His left arm was raised awkwardly in midair, and his eyes were fixed right on Lucas as he stepped inside.

B-Busted on the spot!

Lucas could hear his own heart thumping frantically against his ribs. He was so terrified that he forgot to hang the scarf back up. He remained frozen in that exact posture, staring blankly as Ethan approached step by step. It would have been bad enough if a random classmate had caught him, but to be caught red-handed by Ethan himself—and worst of all, he had no idea how much Ethan had seen. Did he just see him picking up the scarf, or did he witness the perverted moment when he leaned down to smell it?

Before Ethan could ask what he was doing, Lucas blurted out in a burst of desperate quick thinking, "...Your scarf fell on the ground."

"Yeah, thanks."

However, Ethan's gaze didn't linger on his face for even a second. He responded indifferently, passed by Lucas, picked up the scarf, and hung it back over the chair.

Taking the opportunity, Lucas slunk back to his seat and pulled the hood of his down jacket over his head. "...Did P.E. class end early?"

"No. Sprained my wrist, came up early."

No wonder his left hand looked a bit stiff. Lucas pulled his hood down further, burying his face against his desk to play dead again. "Shouldn't you go to the infirmary to get some ointment?"

"No need."

"Oh..."

After their brief exchange, the classroom fell dead silent again. He could hear the faint rustling of Ethan turning book pages, as well as the loud hammering of his own heart—turns out a guilty conscience really makes your heart race.

*Calm down already,* he thought. *If it keeps pounding like this, I'm going to have a cardiac arrest.*

Only the two of them were in the classroom, and not a soul was passing by in the corridor. Rounding it off, this practically counted as a world for two. Lucas shoved his hands back into his jacket pockets, silently rubbing the inner fabric between his fingers to soothe his nerves. Using only his hearing, his mind perfectly mapped out Ethan's side profile as he read.

Ethan probably hadn't noticed what he was doing earlier, right? Otherwise, he couldn't possibly be acting this unfazed.

Gradually, Lucas's heartbeat settled down. The panic and anxiety faded over time, transforming into an indescribable sensation. Part of him felt a quiet flutter of joy over this crude "alone time," while another part felt immensely relaxed just listening to the soft sound of Ethan turning pages.

Right at that moment, as if reading his mind and refusing to let him stay calm, Ethan spoke out of nowhere.

"...Are you free this weekend?"

"Huh..." Lucas didn't even raise his head. His voice was muffled, sounding like someone who had just woken up. But most classmates were used to his demeanor—he would never stand if he could sit, never sit upright if he could slump, and was capable of falling asleep anywhere at any time while perpetually looking half-asleep.

"Want to go watch a movie?" Ethan asked.

Lucas slowly turned his head, his cheek touching the cold desk, only then realizing how hot his face actually was. "What movie...?"

It sounded a bit suggestive, but in reality, Ethan's face was completely devoid of expression, his eyes not even shifting away from his textbook. Ethan had a high nose bridge and an exceptionally handsome profile, though he rarely showed any emotion, even while speaking. Lucas had once wondered if Ethan suffered from facial paralysis, but he discarded the idea after seeing him slightly out of breath after playing basketball.

Ethan said softly, "*So Close, Yet So Far*. The one that just hit theaters recently."

"I've heard of it..." Realizing Ethan wasn't looking at him, Lucas grew bolder, staring openly at the boy's face. "You want to see it?"

"My family won two tickets from a raffle. Want to go?"

—*If you're asking me out, don't mention that the tickets were free! At least let me overthink it a little!*

"...Two guys going to the movies together...?"

"Asking a girl might cause misunderstandings."

"Why don't you ask your desk mate..."

"If you don't want to go, I'll ask him later."

"No," Lucas blinked, trying to see the crisp contours of Ethan's face more clearly. "I'll go."

"All right. I'll send you the time and address."

"Mm."

Lucas let out a vague response, turning his head back to hide his face against the desk once more, desperate to prevent Ethan from catching on to his excitement.

—

The first time he had ever spoken to Ethan was during the summer break of their freshman year.

In school, Lucas was basically an invisible ghost. It had nothing to do with bullying or being anti-social; he was simply lazy—too lazy to talk, too lazy to invite people out. When classmates talked to him, he would give a token reply. Over time, everyone just became strangers sharing the same classroom for three years, with no personal connection, let alone friendship.

Ethan was both similar to and the complete opposite of him.

Lucas was expressionless because he was lazy, whereas Ethan wore that indifferent, detached expression no matter what he did. But Ethan was handsome and excelled academically. Whenever classmates asked him for help with schoolwork, he always answered. Even when girls approached him with obvious ulterior motives, his attitude remained unchanged. Occasionally, Ethan would accept invitations to play basketball, making him seem far more normal by comparison.

Throughout their entire freshman year, Lucas hadn't said a single word to Ethan. Even when their eyes occasionally met, both would casually look away.

However, everyone needs a friend once in a while—like when standing at a McDonald's dessert counter, wanting to enjoy a "buy one, get second half price" deal, but being unable to finish two ice creams alone. Lucas couldn't remember why he had broken his routine and left the house that day. In any case, on his way home, he passed a McDonald's. He stood near the dessert queue, staring at the menu board filled with item names, hesitating for a long time.

"Want to order together?"

The voice suddenly sounded near his ear, giving him a fright. Turning his head, he saw Ethan standing beside him in a simple white T-shirt and track pants. Ethan was exceptionally good-looking—the kind where every facial feature was perfectly proportioned and harmonized seamlessly, his slender eyes pairing nicely with his usual cold demeanor.

It was a face that Lucas found immensely pleasing to look at.

Lucas drew out a long "Ah..." before asking hesitantly, "Which one do you want...?"

"Anything," Ethan said. "I just felt like having something cold."

"Oh. Let's get it together then."

The two naturally joined the line. Lucas didn't avoid looking at Ethan; instead, he was quite curious, as it was his first time seeing Ethan in casual clothes. "...Are you by yourself?"

"Yeah." Ethan looked back at him. "Just happened to pass by and saw you."

"I was just passing by on my way home too..."

"Which way is your house?"

"Over there." Lucas was too lazy to lift a hand, so he merely tipped his chin to indicate the direction.

It was their turn to order. Lucas quickly asked for two ice creams. Ethan's hand reached past him, placing two bills on the counter. Along with that hand came a soft, casual sentence: "I'm heading that way too."

And so, under the scorching sun and the annoying hum of cicadas, each holding an ice cream, they walked side by side for a good while.

Lucas said, "I didn't bring cash."

Ethan replied, "You can pay next time, or give it to me when school starts."

Lucas nodded, keeping the plastic spoon in his mouth as he quietly enjoyed the sweet ice cream melting on his tongue. The cool sweetness seeped into his heart, feeling remarkably similar to the impression Ethan, the top student, gave him—just right, making him feel completely comfortable.

"I'll give you my number then," Lucas said. "Whenever you feel like eating ice cream, you can call me."

"Mm."

They didn't chat much more that day, only exchanging phone numbers. It was probably because Lucas wasn't someone who initiated conversations, and Ethan was naturally reserved. As they reached Lucas's apartment building, Lucas simply said, "I live here." The other boy nodded and replied, "See you," without letting his gaze linger on him, turning and continuing down the street.

He left Lucas with only a handsome view of his back.

In reality, "next time" didn't happen until after the new semester started, because Lucas didn't set foot outside for the rest of the summer. He spent his days lazily sprawled in his room, reading web novels and watching movies.

It was during this subtle period that Lucas realized he was attracted to men. If there was a specific trigger, it was when he was watching a normal movie with passionate romance scenes, and his eyes ended up completely locked onto the handsome, sexy male actor.

He felt down and gloomy for several days after realizing this, but after having a dream about Ethan, he calmly accepted his sexuality. Being attracted to the same sex was hardly the end of the world for Lucas. After all, as long as he didn't date anyone, whichever gender he liked made zero difference in practice.

He naturally assumed he would never date anyone—just looking at the word "romance" was enough to give him a headache from all the implied trouble.

For the rest of the summer, Ethan probably didn't crave ice cream, so he never called. It wasn't until their sophomore year began that Lucas started bumping into Ethan on his way home after school—once, twice, three times... The frequency wasn't super high, but it wasn't low either. At first, neither had much to say, yet they implicitly agreed to walk together, buying an ice cream or some other cold sweet along the way, strolling slowly while eating. Later on, Ethan would occasionally utter a phrase or two, and Lucas would respond casually, taking quick, secret glances at Ethan's face during pauses in their conversation.

The more he looked at Ethan, the handsomer he found him. That face was tailor-made for his aesthetic preferences.

This relationship—a bit deeper than strangers, a bit shallower than friends—gradually spilled over into their time at school. Just like earlier, when Ethan returned to the classroom early and asked if he wanted to see a movie together.

Soon, the end-of-class bell rang. Students filed back into the classroom, some chatting quietly, others laughing loudly, bringing noise and vitality back into the space. Only he and Ethan remained quiet, separated by several rows of desks, each silently engrossed in their own business.

Ethan was busy reading. Lucas was busy being lazy.

For a split second, Lucas felt like the laughing and shouting classmates around them were nothing more than motion-blurred phantoms, while only the two of them, like a frozen frame, were real. The thought was somewhat childish and sneaky, as if his brain had deliberately conjured up an answer just to find a commonality between them. The faint scent he had smelled on the scarf still lingered in his senses, and his hand, tucked inside his pocket, felt warm and slightly clammy with sweat.

Then his phone vibrated. Still keeping his forehead pressed against the desk, he surreptitiously pulled out his phone to check the message.

**From "Ethan":**

*"Times Square, Paramount Cinema, Saturday, 15:42."*

He quickly replied with an "OK," his face beginning to burn again.

Lucas hated trouble, loved lounging around lazy, loved ice cream, loved desserts... and secretly loved Ethan.

Chapter 2: His Text Message

Friday evening.

Lucas had just stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel as he walked toward his bedroom. His sharp-eared older sister immediately raised her voice from the living room: "The last one to shower washes the clothes—!"

"...Am I really the last one?" Lucas pouted slightly. "What about Dad?"

"Away on a business trip."

Defeated, he turned around and trudged over to the balcony, dumping his worn clothes into the washing machine. He hung his head and slowly poured in the laundry detergent, disinfectant, and fabric softener. Lucas had always believed that his laziness wasn't entirely his fault—being terrified of effort was a trait deeply coded into the Tong family DNA. From his parents to his sister, four years his senior, down to him, every single one of them was an unapologetic slacker. Even basic chores like putting clothes into the machine, adding detergent, and turning it on felt like monumental tasks that required strict house rules to enforce.

Watching the washing machine slosh as it filled with water, Lucas slouched back inside.

As if she had timed it perfectly, his sister called out again, "There's strawberry cake. You want some?"

"Yeah..."

"Then get it from the fridge. Bring me a slice too."

"............"

Realizing too late that he had walked right into his sister's trap, he gave his wet hair a few half-hearted rubs, draped the towel over his shoulders, and went to grab the cake for her.

In the living room, his mother and sister were curled up on the long sofa watching television. Lucas brought the cake over and joined them on the single armchair. His sister shot him a quick glance. "Isn't it time you got a haircut?"

"Huh?"

Lucas pulled down his damp bangs in front of his forehead, looking up at them with half-lidded eyes. Come to think of it, his last haircut was about a month ago.

—He was going to see a movie with Ethan tomorrow. The thought suddenly popped into his head, making his heart, which had finally settled down, start thumping wildly again. He let go of his hair and muttered, "I'll go get it trimmed tomorrow morning."

His mother looked at him in surprise as he ate his cake. "Do you have a girl you like?"

"...No."

"Then why are you so eager to get a haircut?" his sister chimed in. "And in the morning, no less? Can you even wake up? Something's definitely suspicious."

"High schoolers aren't allowed to date," his mother said, trying to sound strict, though her gaze had already drifted back to the TV screen. "If the school finds out, they'll call the parents. It's way too much trouble, and I really don't want to go..."

"That's your main concern?" his sister laughed.

"Well, of course! I don't even like going to parent-teacher meetings—it's such a hassle. Besides, your brother's grades aren't great. Every time I go, I keep thinking I should've sent his father instead..." His mother's mind began to wander, launching into a casual chat with his sister about his academic performance.

Having half of his inner thoughts guessed right by his family, Ethan's face kept flashing across his mind amidst their chatter.

Before his face could flush red, Lucas abruptly stood up, carrying the cake he had only taken one bite of toward his bedroom. "I'm heading back to my room..."

It wasn't that he was afraid of his family finding out he had a crush, nor did he particularly care about his crush's gender—it was just that having his family know about such things was excruciatingly embarrassing. Lucas retreated to his room like a fugitive escaping a disaster. Sitting down in front of his computer, he nibbled on his fork and began browsing for a movie to watch before bed. Yet the moment the word "movie" flashed in his mind, Ethan was back to running circles in his head without pause.

The strawberry cake in his hand suddenly lost all its flavor.

He really wanted to text Ethan—even a casual chat or some meaningless nonsense would do. Lucas didn't know if everyone in love felt this way, but once the urge surfaced, it became utterly unstoppable. He scrambled over to his bed, grabbed his phone, and collapsed into his soft duvet, flipping through their text messages from that afternoon.

Just looking at the time and location in the text message was enough for Lucas to visualize Ethan's voice—slightly deep, flat, devoid of emotional swings. Even inviting someone to a movie sounded like answering a question in class.

"Let's get lunch together before," he slowly typed out those words. As he watched the cursor blink at the end of the sentence, his face began to burn again.

If he wanted to ask him to lunch, he should have said so earlier. He could have easily framed it as grabbing a bite since they were meeting for a movie in the afternoon anyway. Words had an expiration date; saying them after the moment had passed made things seem strange and out of nowhere, especially now that a whole day had gone by.

With that thought, Lucas hit backspace repeatedly.

"Lucas, if you're getting a haircut, I'll go with you tomorrow morning..." Right at that moment, his sister suddenly swung his bedroom door open. "I happen to need a trim too."

"Eek?!" Immersed in his romantic turmoil, Lucas was startled so badly he nearly bounced off the bed. He turned around in panic, knitting his brows helplessly. "Knock before you come in..."

"Oh, forgot." His sister gave a knowing smirking curve of her lips. "Are you reading trashy novels? I'll leave you to it then."

"No, wait—"

BANG!

Without leaving him a single second to explain, his sister shut the door and left. He let out a long sigh, his eyes drifting back to his phone screen—and his heart stopped. A new message had been sent in their chat box. It contained a single, solitary word: "I".

AAAAHHH—HOW DID THAT SEND?! CAN YOU UNSEND A TEXT MESSAGE?!

Lucas wailed internally, his fingers frantically typing "Wrong person!" Ethan had to be reading or showering at this hour, right? He definitely wouldn't notice this instant text! As long as he clarified immediately that it was sent to the wrong person, Ethan would surely pretend he never saw it.

Yes, that's it! That's the plan!

Lying flat on his bed, he muttered nervously while editing the follow-up: " ...It was... meant for... my sister... sorry... "

VZZZ—VZZZ!

Before he could hit send, his phone vibrated violently, shaking his entire hand.

A new notification popped up:

Ethan: ?

HELP! WHY DID HE REPLY INSTANTLY?!

Lucas's hands trembled as his heart hammered wildly against his ribs, feeling as if it might leap straight out of his throat. He held his breath unconsciously and typed back at lightspeed.

Lucas: Sent to the wrong person

Ethan: You can't make it tomorrow?

Lucas: No, I can go! It really was a mistake

Lucas: Pressed it by accident

Ethan: See you tomorrow then

Lucas: OK

After sending that final "OK," he finally let out the heavy breath he had been holding. He flipped over to lie flat on his back, his chest heaving dramatically as if he had just finished a brutal marathon. He clutched his phone tightly, terrified of missing another text. But deep down, he knew Ethan wouldn't reply further—his response was a clear end to the conversation.

—I am NEVER saying "OK" again. At least not to Ethan.

That night, he tossed and turned in bed until the sky grew light. One moment he was trembling with anticipation for tomorrow's hangout, and the next he was replaying past interactions with Ethan in his head... eventually spiraling into philosophical existentialism like "Why do humans fall in love with another human?" until sleep finally claimed him.

—

The next day.

"Let's go, Lucas! What are you dawdling for... You don't even wear makeup..." They had agreed to leave at nine-thirty, but as eleven o'clock approached, Lucas still hadn't emerged. Unable to take it anymore, his sister marched back to his room for the third time. "...Are you ready yet?"

Lucas was still in his pajamas, standing in front of his open wardrobe holding two down jackets—one in each hand—looking at her in distress. "...I don't know which one to wear..."

His sister peered at them. The designs were virtually identical, except one was black and the other was bright yellow. "They both look fine. Pretty good, actually. Pick whichever."

Lucas's brow furrowed deeper. "Ah... now I really don't know which one to choose..."

"It's just a haircut, not a date...!" His sister complained offhandedly, but then a sudden lightbulb went off. "Wait! You're actually going on a date, aren't you? That's why you were so eager to get a haircut..."

"No! It's not! I'm just going to the movies with a classmate..."

"A girl classmate?"

"A guy." Lucas turned his face away, pretending to meticulously inspect the subtle differences between the two jackets.

"Huh? Oh, so you like guys?" his sister said casually. "Wear the yellow one then. It makes you look brighter and more cheerful."

"............"

The very question that made his heart leap into his throat was brushed past by his sister's offhand tone. Lucas missed his window to deny it, and bringing it up again to clarify would only make him look more guilty. He obediently put the black coat back, put on the bright yellow jacket, ruffled his hair in front of the mirror twice, and finally walked out the door with his sister.

He remained surprisingly calm while sitting in the barber's chair, blankly watching the stylist mess with his hair in the mirror. Two hours later, when they were both finished, his sister suggested grabbing lunch, but Lucas turned her down. He arrived at a milk tea shop near their meeting spot more than an hour early, sitting by himself as he waited for Ethan to show up.

However, the moment he sat down in the boba shop, nervous tension took full control of his body and soul once more.

Lucas had never held a strong passion for anything growing up, which made him an anomaly in his household—his father was a music enthusiast, his mother worked in fine arts, and his sister was a novelist. Only he possessed no notable hobbies worth cultivating.

So when he suddenly felt an intense craving to spend more time with Ethan, Lucas was completely at a loss, having no clue what to do with himself.

He sat by the glass window facing the street, sipping his milk tea with his chin resting lazily on his palm as he watched the bustling crowd outside. Nearby, a couple of stranger girls were softly whispering about whether to ask him for his contact number—their voices were just loud enough for him to hear, but not overtly disruptive. But Lucas couldn't even be bothered to look back, his eyes solely focused on searching for Ethan's figure in the crowd.

"...You came really early," a voice suddenly spoke from behind him.

He turned around sharply, only to see Ethan standing behind him wearing a sleek black windbreaker.

—I SHOULD HAVE WORN BLACK!

That was the very first thought that exploded in Lucas's brain.

Looking up into Ethan's calm, handsome face, Lucas's panic hit an absolute peak. He couldn't even squeeze out a single word of response. So, he just stared blankly at his crush, holding his straw like an idiot and noisily slurp-sucking the bottom of his milk tea.

SLURRRRRP—

The loud, hollow sound of an empty cup echoed through the air. In a noisy milk tea shop, it wasn't overly embarrassing, but it was enough to make him freeze.

Ethan glanced toward the register. "Want to order another one? We still have time."

"...No need," Lucas scrambled to his feet. "Let's go."

"Mm."

He trailed behind Ethan. The instant he laid eyes on him, the anxious little person inside his heart had completely flatlined. His head was filled with self-conscious thoughts: Did this bright yellow jacket look ridiculous? In the dead of winter, everyone else dressed in muted tones while he stuck out like a sore thumb. How was his haircut today? Did Ethan notice he got his hair cut? People always said a new haircut took a few days to look natural—did he look hideous right now...?

Probably not noticeable though, he had only trimmed off a tiny bit.

Stepping out of the tea shop, Lucas stole a quick glance at his reflection in the glass door, terrified that he looked unkempt.

Out of nowhere, the cool guy walking ahead of him asked without even turning his head, "Did you get a haircut?"

Chapter 3: His Earphones

"Did you get a haircut?"

That light, offhand sentence exploded like fireworks inside Lucas's brain with a loud *boom*. He froze for a second before mumbling softly, "I went with my sister to get hers done and trimmed mine a bit too."

"Yeah, I noticed."

Having a crush really makes a person's brain function in strange ways.

Ethan's words were, at most, casual chatter between classmates, completely devoid of any deeper emotional meaning. Yet, having the boy he liked notice a tiny change in his appearance made Lucas feel a sweetness far surpassing the strawberry cake he had eaten the night before.

Lucas's hands inside his pockets began to sweat again. He scrambled to think of something to say next to keep the conversation flowing smoothly, but couldn't pick a single suitable line. In the end, he could only walk beside Ethan with a expressionless face, quietly adjusting his pace to match Ethan's rhythm.

They entered the shopping mall and stood side by side on the escalator.

Neither he nor Ethan were particularly talkative types; when Lucas didn't follow up, Ethan didn't say anything further either. Lucas's eyes drifted across the various store signs, occasionally landing on Ethan before darting away quickly out of fear of getting caught.

He had looked at Ethan's side profile in school countless times—he could accurately picture every single detail even with his eyes closed. Yet every time he caught a sudden glimpse of that face, Lucas couldn't help but marvel internally—how could someone be born so perfectly tailored to his exact taste? He loved everything about Ethan, from the slight downward curve of his lips to his high nose bridge, and even the faint, subtle mole on his chin.

Following the line of his jaw downward, Lucas could see Ethan's neck peeking out from his collar, along with an earphone plugged into one ear while the other side dangled loosely...

As if he was afraid of missing anything Lucas might say.

This was undoubtedly a case of Lucas overthinking things. But the instant he realized Ethan was wearing earphones, Lucas suffered a sudden lapse of sanity. He reached out, took hold of Ethan's dangling earphone, leaned in close, and popped it straight into his own ear. "...What are you listening to?"

"Ugh..." Ethan visibly stiffened for a moment.

The familiar voice of the female broadcaster from their English listening comprehension class drifted through the earbud.

"...English practice?" The moment the words left his mouth, Lucas wanted to die of regret. How could he do something so abrupt? But now, he could only bite the bullet, pull the earphone out, and act as natural as possible. "You're so studious."

Ethan quietly took out the other earbud and shoved them into his pocket. "Exams are coming up."

"Oh, right."

—*He's definitely bothered by that.*

*Dead dead dead...* Lucas kept his face rigid, staring strictly in the opposite direction, swearing to himself that he wouldn't dare look at Ethan's face again.

In silent yet tacit harmony, the two made their way to the cinema on the top floor. Ethan went to exchange the tickets while Lucas took the initiative to run over to the concession stand, buying a tub of popcorn to cradle in his arms and holding an orange juice in each hand as he jogged back to Ethan. Ethan took one of the juices and asked naturally, "How much?"

"Don't worry about it. You bought the movie tickets," Lucas said. "Snacks are on me."

Ethan nodded without pushing further.

Lucas rarely went to the cinema, mostly because he was too lazy to leave the house, and partly because he didn't have friends to watch movies with. Ethan handed the tickets to the usher and led him to the correct theater room. Once inside, they quickly found their seats right in the middle row of the hall.

"...These are great seats." Lucas sat down, placed his orange juice in the cup holder, and tossed a few pieces of popcorn into his mouth. "Your family has great luck."

"It's alright," Ethan responded casually, pulling out his phone to text someone.

Lucas wanted to sneak a glance, but felt that prying into someone's privacy was inappropriate. He shifted his gaze away, focusing intently on eating his popcorn while waiting for the movie to start.

Lucas's favorite pastime growing up was staying cooped up in his room watching movies or sitting in the living room watching TV shows with his mom and sister. He genuinely enjoyed films, but he had little interest in standard blockbuster commercial movies like *So Close, Yet So Far*.

He was only here because of Ethan.

If Ethan hadn't asked him, he definitely wouldn't have gone out of his way to watch a newly released commercial hit.

As the movie started, the hall lights dimmed, casting a soft, flickering glow from the screen onto Ethan's face, giving him an almost otherworldly charm. Lucas leaned against his outer armrest with the popcorn resting on his lap, propping his head up with one hand as he watched the movie, occasionally stealing glances at Ethan's profile. Ethan was much more focused than he was, sitting up straight with his eyes glued to the screen. However, the movie turned out to be far more interesting than expected, and Lucas soon found his attention completely captured, gradually forgetting that the person he secretly loved was sitting right next to him.

When his arm grew sore, Lucas unconsciously shifted, leaning toward the other side—still in that tilted posture with his hand supporting his chin. At first, he didn't notice anything wrong, but about five minutes later, during a slower-paced scene, it suddenly dawned on him—his head was only a fraction of an inch away from Ethan's shoulder.

If he lifted his hand right now, he would naturally rest his head right on Ethan's shoulder.

Lucas instantly tensed up every muscle in his body, not daring to touch Ethan, yet not daring to pull away abruptly either. Shielded by the dim light of the theater, his face began to burn again. He knew it had turned bright red without even looking. A faint, familiar scent drifted off Ethan, the exact same scent he had caught on the scarf a few days ago.

He couldn't focus on the movie at all anymore; his mind was entirely consumed by this impossibly close physical distance.

Ethan seemed completely oblivious, remaining seated upright and motionless.

—*No wonder couples in stories always go to the movie theater for dates.* This darkness, this proximity—it was the ultimate catalyst for reckless impulses. He wanted so badly to simply lean over and rest against Ethan, yet he didn't dare move an inch, remaining frozen on the spot as he listened to his own hammering heart.

—

He hadn't fallen in love with Ethan at a specific point in time because of some grand gesture.

At first, he simply thought Ethan was very good-looking. Later, Ethan occasionally teamed up with him at the dessert counter for discounts. Ethan spoke in a calm, quiet manner that wasn't difficult to reply to, and he wasn't the overly familiar type that Lucas struggled to handle. After hanging out more often, Lucas found himself constantly staring at Ethan while lounging lazily at his desk in school—watching his side profile as he listened intently in class, or his expressions when explaining homework problems to others.

By the time he realized it, he was already so in love with Ethan that all his daydreaming was occupied by Ethan's image. Even his innate laziness seemed to obediently subside whenever he was in front of Ethan.

And everyone in the world is the same: when you like someone, you want to look at them, and you want to get closer.

...And you start to fantazise that maybe, just maybe, they like you back.

—

In the end, Lucas had no idea what happened in the second half of the movie.

The instant the lights came back on, he finally broke his frozen posture. Hanging his head, Lucas scrambled to his feet and brushed past Ethan. "I need to use the restroom."

Without waiting for Ethan to reply, Lucas rushed down the steps like a fugitive, exiting the theater along with the rest of the audience and heading straight for the bathroom. He didn't actually need to go; he just needed to cool down before his head started smoking. Standing before the sink, he didn't even dare look at his own face in the mirror. He turned on the faucet, buried his face in his hands, and splashed cold water over himself.

To manage to stay right next to Ethan for over half an hour without blowing his cover—Lucas thought he was a total genius.

It took quite a while for the burning heat on his face to subside. Staring at his dripping reflection, he slowly dried his face with a paper towel and patted his cheeks to make himself look normal before stepping out of the restroom.

"...Huh? Lucas Tong?!" Before he could even walk out of the hallway, a voice called out his name in surprise.

Lucas's footsteps slowed down, followed by Ethan's calm voice: "Yeah."

"That's crazy! You actually came to the movies with Lucas Tong?... No way, he actually comes out to the movies with classmates? That guy practically has 'DO NOT APPROACH' written across his face... Did you invite him, or did he invite you?"

Ethan: "I invited him."

"This combination is insane, seriously... You barely talk, and Lucas looks miserable every single day. How do you two even watch a movie together?"

"It's fine," Ethan said. "Not as dramatic as you think."

"Just you two coming out to the movies together is pretty dramatic..."

—*When did he ever look miserable? At most, his facial muscles were just too lazy to move!*

Lucas complained in his head before stepping around the corner. The person chatting with Ethan was their classmate—Ethan's desk mate, Leo. Seeing Lucas appear, Leo immediately scratched his hair and gave an awkward smile. "Ah, didn't expect to run into you guys at the cinema!"

Lucas gave a quiet nod, walked over to Ethan's side, and asked, "Do you need to use the bathroom?"

"No."

Leo thought to himself: *How is that face not miserable? We're classmates, and he's too lazy to even say a full sentence!*

The room felt like two human icebergs standing together in the middle of winter. Leo quickly read the room and said, "I'll head out first then! Got a few friends waiting over there for lunch... Bye!"

Watching their classmate walk away, Lucas finally asked, "Are you heading home? I want to go to McDonald's to buy—"

"Together."

As if reading his mind, Ethan gave an affirmative answer before Lucas could even finish his sentence.

Ordering the exact same flavor of ice cream, Lucas and Ethan walked side by side toward his apartment, enjoying their treats. He had to admit, the "buy one, get second half price" discount was truly amazing for people who had a companion. The moment the cold, milky ice cream hit his mouth, Lucas shivered. "...Brrr, so cold."

"Eating ice cream in the middle of winter," Ethan noted. "You really like these?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then why don't you eat two?"

"I have a sensitive stomach," Lucas replied offhandedly, lowering his gaze. Having something to do (eating ice cream) made talking to Ethan feel much more natural. "If I eat two at once, I'll get an upset stomach... Are you heading this way too?"

Ethan glanced at him sideways, though Lucas was eating so attentively he didn't notice at all. "...I'm staying around here lately, same direction as your house."

"Oh, then we're heading the same way." Lucas said, "Does your family own that many houses?"

"...My grandfather's house."

"Oh, okay..."

—

When he got home that day, Lucas remained floating on a romantic high for a long time. He tossed and turned in bed, rolling around endlessly. Whenever he thought of Ethan's face, the corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably—only to droop back down whenever he remembered that they were both guys, and the most likely outcome was just staying friends. In the end, because his emotions fluctuated so wildly, Lucas grew exhausted and fell asleep surprisingly early.

What he didn't expect, however, was Monday morning.

Holding a piece of bread in his mouth with sleepy eyes, he stepped out of his building only to see Ethan passing right in front of his gate, wearing his earphones.

Ethan wore that signature black scarf. The instant he saw Lucas, he pulled off his earbuds and used his index finger to hook the scarf, pulling it down slightly.

"Morning."

"Ah... morning."

—*Going to school is truly the happiest thing in the whole wide world!*