A Stand-In

And at that moment, when Lu Bai saw the young woman weeping, squeezing her eyes shut, and clinging to his clothes in a desperate effort to make him stay, his heart ached.

Later on that very same night, she kissed him.

The young woman pressed her trembling lips to his. It was so sweet and delicate, with a touch of soft innocence.

Yu Xi had already stolen his first kiss. But she was not even aware of it herself.

It was unfair.

It was unfair that only he was acutely aware of this fact, but Yu Xi was not. And yet, he was not able to do anything about it.

Lu Bai knew he could not share it with her, nor was it possible for him to openly speak about it with anyone else. He was only able to keep that knowledge to himself. It was not fair at all. It was uncomfortable. But he could simply do nothing.

And today, Yu Xi kissed him again. For the second time. But when it comes down to her perspective, this kiss is likely to be the first one.