Yu Yuan's words didn't stir any particular emotion in Ji Yu's heart.
No excitement at catching a free ride, no sigh of relief—right now, she was focused entirely on figuring out how to get to campus without touching him unnecessarily and without revealing her new… feminine features.
Of course, the silver-haired senior with that slightly roguish air had almost certainly already seen through her.
"You know," he said lazily, "you don't have to wedge your books between us like that—it's uncomfortable. And you're not a girl, right? Two guys sticking close for a bit isn't the end of the world. I'm not grossed out; why are you?"
His tone was light, teasing, with just a hint of laughter—maybe mocking Ji Yu for still insisting he was a guy despite the obvious signs, maybe poking fun at her over-the-top caution.
"So, little junior, what's your name?" he asked, sensing the stiffness in her posture.
"…Ji Yu. Freshman, Broadcasting Department."
She'd thought it over in a flash—from social niceties, to keeping her secret, to the unspoken idea of being "accomplices." She decided to give him her real info.
Ji Yu wasn't stupid. She could tell this senior had figured out she was a girl. But if he was willing to play along with her already-busted act, then at least he meant no harm.
No way something out of a Japanese school romance was about to happen… right?
"Miss Ji, you wouldn't want the fact that you're a girl getting out, would you?"
Her head shook instantly, her face twisting into a pained grimace at her own wild imagination. He felt her hands against his abs tighten slightly, but the pressure was barely enough to tickle.
Yu Yuan took the hint that she didn't want to talk, twisted the throttle twice, and roared onto the road.
The faster they went, the more the wind stung Ji Yu's helmetless face. In her mind, motorcycles ranked near the top of the "most dangerous things" list for good reason. Her eyes could no longer hold onto the blur of retreating scenery, so she pressed her forehead to his back, fingers curling more tightly against him…
He noticed. But as history had shown, the fear of the weak often only made the strong more reckless.
The bike surged faster—still under the speed limit, but just enough to savor the rush of morning wind and the intoxicating sense of freedom.
Her black hair couldn't keep up with the speed, streaming and fluttering behind her like the dangerous, beautiful tail of the Polar Light.
It was only a few minutes before they swept through the south gate of Yuyang University, the scent of campus greenery in the air. Her hair finally settled against her back, and she could breathe again.
The moment they stopped, Ji Yu jumped off and bolted toward the central clock tower, not even bothering to tuck her hair away.
"Junior, your hair!"
Yu Yuan didn't even check if the bike was parked properly before striding over and tugging her hair—hard enough to make her scalp sting.
"Ow! What are you doing?!"
With practiced ease, his long fingers stuffed the loose strands back under her cap and gave her shoulder a pat.
"If you don't hide your hair properly, are you trying to make your boyfriend jealous?"
Facing that crooked grin, Ji Yu felt a prickle of unease. She didn't answer, just turned away and kept walking.
"Press the brim low on the back of your head," he called after her. "At least then no one will see your neck."
Whether she heard or not, she just hugged her stack of books and headed into the sunshine toward the tower.
At the classroom door, she heard Tang Li's familiar voice pleading,
"Teacher, Ji Yu's almost here, can't you wait a little longer?"
Warm relief flickered in her chest. She knocked lightly twice.
"Come in."
Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door.
"Teacher, I'm Ji Yu. Sorry for being late today—it won't happen again!"
The first person she saw wasn't the professor at all, but the student council president—the same one who had stood on stage yesterday, looking so stern. Tang Li was behind him, staring wide-eyed.
She shot Tang Li a quick wink, then tugged him into bowing and apologizing profusely to the middle-aged teacher.
Back in their seats, Tang Li grabbed her hand. Anyone who knew Ji Yu could see something was… different today.
"Hey, did you put on makeup?"
"Let go. You're the one who looks made up."
She shook her hand free, glaring at him with faint contempt.
"Heh, your hand's so smooth. Still say you didn't dress up? And it's not illegal for a guy to put in a little effort."
Her glare deepened, but after a moment's thought she leaned close and whispered,
"I turned into a girl."
The soft rustle by his ear made it tickle, but the words themselves hit harder than anything else—stunning him into silence.
"Huh?!"
In a flash, his face was right in front of hers, so close he could feel the faint sweetness of her breath—
"You two in the back—what do you think you're doing?!"
The professor's voice cracked like a whip. Every head in the room turned their way. With Tang Li bent over her like that, it… looked bad.
"You can date in college, fine. But you can't be doing intimate things in class, during lecture!"
Ji Yu ducked her head instantly, burying her face in the desk. Tang Li, on the other hand, stayed calm, nodding solemnly to the teacher—drawing even more eyes.
When class ended, they were the first to slip out. Tang Li carried both their books as they strolled down a shaded path lined with couples.
Near a little fountain at the crossroads, loud, braying laughter rang out. A messy-haired upperclassman in a tank top and slippers was eating instant noodles while calling to passing couples:
"Sister, have you eaten? Want some of my noodles?"
The crowd laughed as he moved from couple to couple, egged on by his equally disheveled friends filming the whole thing.
Then his gaze met Ji Yu's. No one turned down the chance to look into a pair of blue eyes. He strode over, bowl outstretched.
"Junior? Want to try my secret recipe? Guaranteed to make you puke!"
Laughter erupted behind him. Ji Yu ducked her head, but Tang Li stepped forward, snatched the chopsticks, and grinned.
"Senior, let me have a bite. I haven't eaten in three days."
"Wha— you're actually eating it?!"
In his rush to retreat, broth sloshed over him, staining his clothes with the soup's strange "fragrance."
Still laughing, the senior pointed at Tang Li.
"Kid, you've got guts."
His friends howled, leading him away. The onlookers smiled and went back to their own conversations.
Tang Li turned back—and found Ji Yu's blue eyes smiling at him. His heart skipped.
But she turned away quickly, uneasy at the hint of… longing? in his gaze.
"You've got a lot of classes today," he said. "Why don't you rest in my dorm?"
"… …"
"No, I mean… um…"
"What you told me—was it true?"
The sunlight was dazzling. Ji Yu shrank back into the shade.
"Mm. It happened overnight."
Tang Li stayed behind her, not moving to block her path—giving her space to speak freely.
"Then…"
"We're still friends, right?"
She stood on the stairs, coat unzipped halfway, fingers fidgeting, looking up at him. His gaze flicked briefly from her chest to her eyes.
No way. An overnight sex change?
She used to be 172 cm—not tall for a guy, but average. Now, at 164, she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes.
He didn't answer immediately, and she grabbed the next class's textbook from his arms, turning away as if nothing had happened.
"Of course," he said finally, resting a hand gently on her head as he caught up. "Whether you're a boy or a girl, whatever you do in the future, we'll always be good friends."
She tossed the book back into his arms without looking at him.
"Tch. So cheesy. You trying to hit on me or something?"