She had the right to choose her own happiness too, didn’t she?
If she kept thinking only of others’ happiness… could she ever find her own?
So, she would choose the person she loved!
Liang Sheng unfolded the crumpled scrap of paper clutched in her palm. With unwavering determination, she scrawled the three bold characters “Gu Yuqi” across it.
A twinge of guilt tugged at her.
But if she could be with Senior Sister Yuqi forever…!
Liang Sheng leaped to her feet.
The evening breeze tousled her long green hair as she darted through the twilight grass like a graceful doe, the wind whistling past her ears. She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face—her cheeks flushed pink, her lips curved upward, all radiating her utter bliss.
Knock, knock, knock.
The front door of Gu Yuqi’s house echoed with the sound.
Liang Sheng panted for breath.
Gu Yuqi opened the door.
“Junior Sister Liang Sheng, what…?”
Before she could finish, Liang Sheng flung open her arms and lunged forward in a few tiny steps, wrapping her arms around Gu Yuqi’s waist.
Her small head nestled right against Gu Yuqi’s chest.
This was the first time Liang Sheng had ever been so bold. Gu Yuqi stood there utterly bewildered and blushing, her hands hovering awkwardly in midair, unsure where to place them.
“I missed you so much, Senior Sister Yuqi! I missed you more than anything!” Liang Sheng’s arms tightened around her, as if she wanted to pull her right into her own body.
Gu Yuqi’s eyes went wide.
Was this… a confession?
“L-Liang Sheng…” Snapping out of her shock, Gu Yuqi bit her lip to hide her grin, but it was no use. She slid an arm around the green-haired girl’s shoulders and swept her up in a princess carry with effortless strength. “Whatever it is, come inside to talk. It’s cold out here.”
Liang Sheng looped her arms around her senior sister’s neck.
They settled onto the sofa, where Liang Sheng clasped Gu Yuqi’s hand. Her eyes shone as bright as the midday sun, her cheeks rosy. “Senior Sister Yuqi, there’s something I want to tell you.”
Suddenly, Gu Yuqi raised a finger to Liang Sheng’s lips.
“Shh.”
Liang Sheng, all set to pour out her confession, clamped her mouth shut and stared at Gu Yuqi in bewilderment, wondering what her senior sister was up to.
Gu Yuqi smiled softly and reached out to ruffle Liang Sheng’s hair.
“Shouldn’t I be the one confessing to you? That would be better, don’t you think?”
This—!
It was too much! No one could resist that!
Liang Sheng was utterly enchanted, her eyes practically spinning in a daze.
“S-Senior Sister, how did you know I was going to confess to you?”
Gu Yuqi leaned in slowly, pressing her forehead gently against Liang Sheng’s. “Junior Sister, no one knows your heart better than I do. And even if you hadn’t planned to confess… I would have confessed to you someday anyway.”
Gu Yuqi sat up straight, paused for a moment, then clasped both of Liang Sheng’s hands with utmost seriousness and solemnity. “Because I like you the most!”
Liang Sheng’s lips quivered as she stammered, “S-Senior Sister Yuqi, when you say ‘like’… do you mean as in… for a lover…?”
“No!” Gu Yuqi cut in sharply.
Liang Sheng’s heart plummeted to the depths. Her smile froze on her face.
But Gu Yuqi burst out laughing, reaching over to flick her forehead playfully. “Silly girl! It’s the kind of like for a wife—the kind that’s love!”
“Woo!!”
If Liang Sheng had wings, she could have taken off right then and circled the Earth three times.
“Senior Sister Yuqi, you’re too mean!” Liang Sheng dove into Gu Yuqi’s arms, clinging to her like a koala.
“I like you the most too—the most, most, most! I’ll like only Senior Sister Yuqi forever and ever!”
“Senior Sister…” As she gazed at Gu Yuqi, a misty veil of tears shimmered in Liang Sheng’s eyes.
At long last, her bitterness had turned sweet. In this cruel world, she’d finally found her happiness.
The two drew closer without thinking.
Gradually, their positions shifted.
“S-Senior Sister…”
Liang Sheng touched her neck.
She was waiting eagerly for what came next.
But Gu Yuqi suddenly halted. She pulled away and stood up.
“Senior Sister?” Liang Sheng looked at her in confusion.
Gu Yuqi straightened her shirt and retied her collar.
She gave Liang Sheng’s head another affectionate ruffle.
“Silly, you’re not in university yet. We can’t.”
Though Gu Yuqi desperately wanted to claim Liang Sheng for her own, the time wasn’t right. An unripe fruit wouldn’t taste good—and she didn’t want to harm her junior sister’s health.
Warmth bloomed in the green-haired girl’s heart. She hugged Gu Yuqi from behind, pressing her cheek to her warm shoulder. “Okay?”
With that, she yanked at Gu Yuqi’s freshly straightened tie.
The tie wrinkled once more.
“I like you, Liang Sheng.”
Those were Gu Yuqi’s final words of confession as she walked Liang Sheng to her door.
She planted a gentle kiss on Liang Sheng’s forehead, then toyed with her long hair. “I was planning to apply to A University, but… does Junior Sister Liang Sheng have a dream school in mind?”
Liang Sheng shook her head and captured Gu Yuqi’s hand where it lingered on her cheek. She smiled. “Senior Sister, I’m going to A University too. From now on, I’ll follow right in your footsteps.”
Liang Sheng had no real hobbies anymore. All she wanted was to build a home with Gu Yuqi someday.
“Good girl.” Gu Yuqi pinched her cheek. “We won’t see each other much for a year, so…”
Though the separation would ache, Liang Sheng didn’t want Gu Yuqi to give up her preferred university.
She hugged her once more. “It’s fine! Just a year of long-distance. I’ll get into A University next year too!”
As they parted, Gu Yuqi walked down the empty street, a pang of sorrow in her heart. Liang Sheng was so understanding it hurt— she could have whined and begged her to stay in the city, but…
Maybe she should change her plans and apply to C University here instead.
As if reading her mind, Liang Sheng called out to her retreating back. “Senior Sister! Listen—if you make some stupid decision just for me, I’ll get mad and ignore you for a long, long time!”
Gu Yuqi turned around. She understood.
“Okay!” She nodded.
Gu Yuqi took two more steps, then spun back again. Under the starry night sky, facing the small but dazzling figure of Liang Sheng in her eyes, she shouted, “I like you, Junior Sister Liang Sheng!”
This time, having shattered her own inhibitions, she would no longer fear anyone’s gaze.
