Math. Biology. Physics. And finally, Higher Math.
The chaos of the senior hallway was a constant variable, but today, nobody minded the noise. They were savoring it. It was their last year, after all.
One by one, the lectures ended. Students flooded out, hurrying home as if the classroom air had suddenly turned toxic.
Liànlěi sat amidst the shuffling commotion, carefully packing his bag with deliberate, polite movements. He stood up to leave, a small, thoughtful smile playing on his lips—the reason for which remained a mystery.
"Fenix, Operation: Walk Him Home is a go!" Jay-Z announced, loud enough for half the corridor to hear. He shoved Fenix forward like a sack of potatoes. "Go! He's a 'Your Highness' new to these roads. He needs an escort!"
Jimmy grinned, leaning against a locker. "Yeah, yeah, go!"
"And buy him a smoothie," Sole added with a calculated smirk. "Since we all know it'll take Jay-Z three business days to actually treat us."
Kayel shot him a wink. "All the best, bro."
Fenix looked at them—his chaotic, hopeful, oversized toddler-friends—and sighed.
"Yes!" the group cheered in a hushed whisper, huddling together like proud parents watching their child graduate kindergarten.
Fenix shook his head and turned around. Liànlěi was already nearing the door. Swallowing his embarrassment from their earlier encounter, Fenix adjusted his bag strap and jogged to catch up.
"Hey," Fenix called out. "Sorry again. About the misunderstanding earlier."
Liànlěi paused and turned. His smile twitched, holding a fraction longer than usual—polite, sweet, and unreadable.
"It is okay," he chuckled, the sound slightly awkward. "I know I might look... unusual enough to be mistaken."
Fenix chuckled softly with him, the tension easing. "Would you mind if I... guided you to the bus stop?"
Behind them, four heads poked out of the classroom doorway to watch.
Liànlěi blinked, genuine confusion in his eyes. "You know which one I need?"
Fenix smiled, soft and fond. "There's only one bus stop near here. Logic dictates it has to be the Gold Line."
Liànlěi realized the logic immediately. He hadn't considered that the nearest stop was the only stop. That certainly made things easier for a beginner.
"O-oh, I see! Thank you for this," Liànlěi said, bowing slightly. Then he hesitated. "But... you don't need to make things hard for yourself. You have to go home too, right?"
"I'm used to getting home late; I hang out with those idiots all the time," Fenix jerked a thumb back toward the school. "A little detour won't make them worry. Besides... you're new. It would be bad luck to get lost on your very first day."
Liànlěi awkwardly touched the back of his neck—a nervous habit. He nodded softly. "Alright... if... you have no problem."
He began to bow again, a reflex of his upbringing.
Fenix reached out, gently catching Liànlěi's hand to stop him from lowering himself.
"It's fine, really! You can be casual with me," Fenix said hurriedly. "I'm not some Dàozǔ you have to bow to."
Liànlěi stood straight, his eyes dropping to where Fenix was holding his arm.
Fenix realized he was touching him without permission—again.
"Sorry," he whispered, retracting his hand as if burned.
"You can be casual with me too..." Liànlěi replied, his voice quiet. His cheeks were dusted with a faint flush, even though his smile remained steady.
Fenix cleared his throat, nodding rapidly. He pushed the heavy school door open and gestured for Liànlěi to exit first.
They walked side by side down the corridor, now almost empty. The rhythmic tap-tap of their shoes against the floor echoed in the quiet space. A tiny, comforting silence settled between them as they stepped out into the afternoon.
"You know," Fenix started, hoping he wasn't overstepping his bounds. "I could keep dropping you at the bus stop. Or maybe... even directly to your door. If... you'd be my friend."
Liànlěi stopped walking. He looked at Fenix, his brown eyes sparking under the orange glow of the setting sun. The gentle breeze caught his long hair, making it dance behind him like ink in water.
Fenix held that beautiful gaze. He was waiting for an answer, yes, but mostly he was thinking that he could admire this view for a very long time.
"Friends?" Liànlěi mumbled, testing the word. "The... real kind?"
Fenix blinked, struck by the tone. Was this sweet man always this lonely? To ask about friendship like it's a rare artifact? He's literally a real-life Crown Prince.
"Y-yes," Fenix stammered, recovering. "The real kind. The kind you can laugh and cry with."
He started walking again, and Liànlěi fell into step beside him. Liànlěi didn't answer immediately, but a smile bloomed on his lips—not the polite one from before, but something raw and bright, like a marigold learning to open for the first time.
"Okay," Liànlěi said with an eager nod.
The energy in his voice was infectious. Fenix felt a surge of adrenaline. He chuckled, but Liànlěi cut him off with a bold, unexpected statement.
"Do not run to any other friend by mistaking them for girls!" Liànlěi declared, his smile widening into a playful wink. "Only I get to be the weird friend."
Fenix blinked, his cheeks flushing hot. The possessiveness in the tone was sharp, contrasting wildly with the polite boy from the hallway. Is this the same Liànlěi?
But then, Fenix nodded. He found he didn't want anyone else taking that specific spot in Liànlěi's life either.
"Of course," Fenix teased back, finding his footing. "You'll be my only weird friend. Top of the list titled: 'I Only Look Like a Cultivator, I Promise!!' Right?"
Liànlěi laughed, a clear, bright sound, and skipped slightly ahead. His hair flew wildly in the wind.
"You cannot make my dialogue into a list!" Liànlěi called back over his shoulder.
"Of course I can! I'll make it a nametag too!"
"You will not!"
"I will! Fenix always wins his bets!"
"This is not a mission to win!"
"Yeah," Fenix grinned, "because it's going to be purely 'Friendship Spiritual Energy'!"
They both laughed, the sound carrying down the street as they turned toward the Gold Line station.
For the first time, Liànlěi felt the warmth of connection—real, tangible warmth, not just a polite glimmer.
And Fenix?
Looking at Liànlěi laughing in the sunlight, Fenix knew one thing for certain:
He wasn't doing this for the bet anymore.