"AFTER that incident, Ah Yue and I became friends," Shen Yi Mu said.


    Of course, the process of them being friends wasn’t really that simple. Aside from the fact that he was busy with a lot of things at that time, he also faintly felt that he might have had different interest for the adorable freshman that he just met.


    That’s right, Jiang Yue was only a freshman when they met. He was a schrship student from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature. He said that he wanted to have the ability to work abroad confidently that’s why he chose that major.


    Shen Yi Mu found him very charming. Despite the messy hair ang thick sses, it didn’t hide the natural charm he had. It also probably helped that he saw his whole face beforehand. But even if he didn’t, he was sure that he would still feel the same at the end. Because his charm could not only be seen in his appearance but more on how his mind worked.


    In that short conversation they had at the university infirmary, he could tell that he had a very bright mind. That’s probably why he really enjoyed his short conversation with him. When they parted ways that day, he felt a bit loss. He even had an urge to call him back. So, they could spend more time together.


    But he quickly shook that feeling off. After all, he still had to talk with one of his professors.


    The day passed and he thought he had already thrown that incident out of his mind. But when he was about to go to sleep, his mind was suddenly filled with Jiang Yue. His messy hair, his big apricot shaped eyes, the way he smiled, everything just yed in his mind over and over again like some broken record.


    And that’s when he realized that he was attracted to Jiang Yue.


    Instead of feeling grateful, Shen Yi Mu was frightened. He was still at that stage where he couldn’t ept his sexuality. Suddenly finding someone he was attracted to almost felt like there was a noose hanging above his head. The moment he acted on this attraction would be the day that noose would fall on his neck.


    It was a very frightening thought.


    So, he quickly made a decision back then. That he would do his best to avoid the other. It was not only for him, but also for Jiang Yue. How could he dare pull him into the same quagmire he was in?


    But fate moved in mysterious ways. Because the next day, he met Jiang Yue again.


    He saw him at the library when he was about to get some reference books. The other greeted him cheerfully, as if he was very happy to see him. Even though Shen Yi Mu told himself that he should just ignore him, he truly couldn’t.


    That idental meeting was followed by another idental meeting one after another. If he hadn’t understood Jiang Yue’s personality, he might have already suspected that the other was doing it on purpose. Making it looked like it was all an ’idental meeting’.


    Because he couldn’t just ignore him, at the end, he decided that there would be no harm if he tried being friends. That it would be alright as long as he didn’t act on his feelings.


    After a few months, he realized how na?ve he had been.


    Because being friends with Jiang Yue only made him fall for the other deeper and deeper. How could he not when as days passed by, he found out more and more things about him that he loved. But still, he couldn’t make himself end that friendship. And so, every day, he immersed himself in the pit of unrequited love.


    It really didn’t help that whenever the two of them had close contact – like identally holding hands, giving each other a friendly hug – Jiang Yue would show this lovely blush. As if he was being shy. It made Shen Yi Mu have hope that maybe, just maybe, the other also feel the same about him.


    But he knew Jiang Yue was just a ck piece of paper when it came to romantic emotions. Being shy around him didn’t mean that he also loved him. So, he always repeatedly told himself not to think that the illusion was real. That he should always face reality.


    They continued on like that until nearing his graduation. But a week before that, something very unexpected happened.


    "So, what happened next?" Ji Yun asked.


    And so, he continued on with his story.


    =====


    Shen Yi Mu was walking towards that blind spot at the old library building where he and Jiang Yue met. For some reason, that ce had be some kind of meeting ce for them. He was looking for him to tell him the good news that he just finished his game. He wanted the other to be the first one to know about it.


    He knew that Jiang Yue didn’t have any ss. So, he was sure that the other was most likely at that ce. He didn’t tell him that he was looking for him because he wanted to surprise him.


    What he didn’t expect was that when he got there, he was the one who was surprised.


    Jiang Yue was leaning on a tree. He wasn’t wearing his sses because he was wiping the tears that were flowing down his cheek. He wasn’t making any sound and was just crying silently. Which made it all the more heartbreaking.


    Seeing this scene, Shen Yi Mu was frozen on the spot. Every tear that fell from those beautiful eyes was like a dagger that pierced his heart. After the shock came the anger. Just which bastard made his Ah Yue cry? He would make them pay a thousand- no, a millionfold!


    He walked briskly towards Jiang Yue. He had no time to think of anything else and he simply hugged him. He felt the thin body he was holding stiffened but when he heard his voice, it slowly rxed.


    "Ah Yue, who bullied you and made you cry like this? Tell me, I will definitely get back at them."


    Although his face at that time was probably full of anger, the way he held Jiang Yue was full of gentleness. Like he was holding the most important treasure of his life.


    Shen Yi Mu felt Jiang Yue shaking his head, probably not wanting to tell him anything.


    "Ah Yue, don’t be afraid and just tell me, okay?" he coaxed.


    Jiang Yue still continued to shake his head and he even pulled away from Shen Yi Mu’s embrace.


    Shen Yi Mu felt a bit lost seeing Jiang Yue’s downcast gaze. He reached out his hand and wiped out the tears on his cheek. "Ah Yue, what’s wrong? Can’t you tell me?


    "I-I’m fine, Brother Mu," Jiang Yue said, his voice a bit hoarse.


    "How can you be fine when you’re crying like this?" Shen Yi Mu said with a bit of anger. Of course, it was not directed at Jiang Yue but to the person that made him cry. "Or do you think that your Brother Mu is not reliable enough that’s why you don’t want to tell me?"


    Jiang Yue raised his head and immediately said. "I-it’s not like that!"


    "Then why can’t you just tell me who made you cry like this?"


    Jiang Yue’s pretty face was suddenly filled with frustration. Until he finally said;


    "It’s you, Brother Mu. You’re the one who made me cry!"