CH 2

Lu Sheng arrived at the café ten minutes late. He wasn't in a rush—Chen Xiao would wait, just like he always did. The little bell above the door chimed as he stepped inside, the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar figure sitting near the window, casually scrolling through his phone.Chen Xiao looked up, an easy smirk forming on his lips. "Fifteen minutes, huh? More like twenty."Lu Sheng rolled his eyes and slid into the seat across from him. "It's not my fault you have unrealistic expectations.""Excuses, excuses." Chen Xiao leaned back in his chair, watching as Lu Sheng pulled off his scarf and exhaled, his breath still slightly foggy from the cold morning air. "I already ordered for you. Figured you'd get the same thing as always."Lu Sheng paused for a moment before offering a small smile. "Thanks."Their usual orders arrived shortly after—a black coffee for Chen Xiao and a caramel latte for Lu Sheng, accompanied by a shared plate of pastries. It was easy, familiar, and for a while, Lu Sheng let himself relax into the rhythm of their friendship."So," Chen Xiao said between bites, "you still working at that bookstore?"Lu Sheng nodded. "Yeah. It's quiet and pays enough. Plus, discounts on books.""Nerd," Chen Xiao teased, but there was no malice in his tone. "Any new recommendations?"Lu Sheng hesitated. He could have given a safe, neutral answer, but instead, he found himself saying, "There's this one novel about two best friends... one of them falls in love with the other."Chen Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like trouble.""It is," Lu Sheng admitted, stirring his latte absentmindedly. "Unrequited love always is."Chen Xiao let out a low chuckle. "And? How does it end?"Lu Sheng swallowed, looking away. "I haven't finished it yet."For a moment, silence stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Chen Xiao took a sip of his coffee, his gaze thoughtful. "Well, let's hope the guy doesn't suffer too much."Lu Sheng forced a chuckle. "Yeah. Let's hope."The conversation drifted to lighter topics—class schedules, upcoming assignments, trivial gossip. But as much as Lu Sheng tried to focus, his heart ached with the weight of things unsaid.Would it always be like this? Dancing around the truth, pretending that his feelings didn't exist?Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it was the only way to keep Chen Xiao close."Hey, Lu Sheng." Chen Xiao's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Let's go somewhere this weekend. Just us."Lu Sheng blinked, caught off guard. "Where?""I don't know. We'll figure it out." Chen Xiao grinned. "Unless you're busy with your bookstore romance novels?"Lu Sheng rolled his eyes, but the warmth in his chest was undeniable. "Fine. But you're paying."Chen Xiao laughed. "We'll see about that."And just like that, the morning felt a little brighter.