secret love
The late summer breeze began to pick up a chill, and the evening sun dyed the playground a warm orange. Chen Yu sat in the stands, clutching a workbook, but his gaze involuntarily followed the leaping figure on the basketball court.
Jiang Yizhou wore a white jersey today, his back stained darkly with sweat, like a casual painting. His dribbling was smooth, and as he leaped for the shot, the sun caught his raised jawline, gleaming with tiny drops of sweat on his forehead.
"Bang——" the basketball went into the net.
A burst of cheers erupted from the sidelines. Jiang Yizhou tilted his head as he landed, his gaze accurately passing through the crowd and landing on Chen Yu in the stands. He grinned and mouthed, "Are you stunned?"
Chen Yu's cheeks suddenly felt hot, as if burned by the setting sun. He hurriedly lowered his head to look at the exercise book, but his fingertips left a shallow mark on the paper.
Their interactions had been increasing recently. Jiang Yizhou would bring him breakfast, and on the way home from school, he would deliberately slow down his pace and follow him closely, not too far behind, until he saw him turn into the alleyway leading to the old building.
Chen Yu no longer resisted like he did at first, and even began to look forward to these subtle approaches. Just like getting used to the morning sunshine and the evening breeze, he gradually got used to having Jiang Yizhou by his side.
It’s just that some emotions, like seeds buried in the soil, break out of the ground at some unintentional moment, growing at a speed that makes him panic.
After the basketball game, Jiang Yizhou walked towards the stands, holding the ball. His hair was wet and stuck to his face, and beads of sweat were dripping down his neck along his collarbone. He sat down next to Shen Yu, handed her an unopened bottle of mineral water, and opened another one himself, tilting his head back and drinking most of it. The curve of his Adam's apple was particularly clear in the sunset.
"That three-pointer just now was awesome, wasn't it?" Jiang Yizhou turned his head to look at him, with a hint of pride in his eyes.
"Yeah." Chen Yu responded softly and pushed the mineral water towards him, "You drink it, I'm not thirsty."
Jiang Yizhou didn't take it. Instead, he stuffed the bottle back into his hand: "What's given to you is yours." He paused and suddenly asked, "Are you free this weekend?"
Shen Yu was stunned for a moment: "What?"
"I'll take you somewhere." Jiang Yizhou's eyes lit up a little, as if hiding stars. "I guarantee you'll like it."
Chen Yu gripped the cold mineral water bottle, his fingertips slightly tightening. He didn't really have any "free time"; weekends were spent in his empty house, sorting through his parents' belongings or working on his homework. But seeing Jiang Yizhou's expectant eyes, he couldn't help but nodded gently, "Okay."
Jiang Yizhou smiled even more happily and reached out to ruffle his hair, the action as natural as if he had done it a thousand times. "Then it's settled. I'll wait for you downstairs at your house at nine o'clock on Saturday morning."
Chen Yu's hair was a little messy from being rumpled, but he didn't hide away like usual. He just lowered his head, feeling his ears begin to burn again. The tree in his heart that had quietly sprouted seemed to have put out a few new leaves, with a timid joy.
On the way home, Chen Yu walked very slowly. The evening breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees. He looked down at his shadow stretched out by the streetlights, and thought of Jiang Yizhou's smile just now, and his heart beat faster for some reason.
He recalled the photo in his parents' album, his mother leaning on his father's shoulder, their eyes curved with smiles. Back then, he didn't understand why, when they were together, the air seemed to be filled with a sweet scent.
But now, when he thought of Jiang Yizhou's eyes, his smirk when he was teasing him, and his persistence in giving him the jacket, he felt a soft, sweet feeling in his heart, like cotton soaked in honey, which made him a little flustered and a little greedy.
Chen Yu stopped and looked up at the moon in the sky. The moon was very round, and its clear light fell on his face, reflecting the confusion and helplessness in his eyes.
He seems to... like Jiang Yizhou a little.
This realization is like a stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples that linger for a long time.
He didn't know if this kind of liking was right, he didn't know if it was just a whim for someone as dazzling as Jiang Yizhou, and he didn't know if someone like him who lived in the shadows deserved such light.
But he knew clearly that the once withered tree in his heart was sprouting new branches little by little because of Jiang Yizhou's appearance, and was striving to grow towards the light.
Perhaps, liking someone is something that does not require a reason.
Chen Yu clenched the bottle of mineral water in his hand, turned around, and continued walking home. His steps were lighter than before, and even the evening breeze seemed to have become gentler.
He was beginning to look forward to the weekend.
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