(1)
The rain gradually stopped.
Water droplets still swayed on the lush leaves, falling in the wind, but the dark clouds above had dissipated, revealing the pale purple sky dotted with stars.
An Jing and Zhu Ying sat in front of a coffee shop that had already closed, holding juice they’d just bought from a nearby vending machine, sipping it slowly.
On Zhu Ying’s lap lay a box of Pocky chocolate sticks, also bought from that vending machine.
“It’s stopped raining.”
“Yeah, but the wind still smells of moisture.” An Jing touched her slightly damp hair. “I’ll need to shower when I get back.”
“We can go back a little later.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to go back right away…”
“…If only dawn never came.”
“I just hope it doesn’t get light too early before I wake up…”
“Will tomorrow be good weather?”
“Looks like it’ll be a clear day.”
“It’s going to get hot again.”
“That’s what summer’s supposed to be. Otherwise, with all this rain, I feel like we’ve skipped straight to autumn.”
“Is that family watching a movie?”
“Where?”
“There.” Zhu Ying pointed to a self-built house by the street.
In the first-floor window, a figure was facing the TV, the screen flickering with light and shadow, the picture unclear.
“Looks like a sci-fi movie?”
“I think it’s more of a city comedy.”
“There are still people awake this late.”
“We’re not asleep either.”
“Do people often stay up late at night?”
“There are always some.”
“What do people who can’t sleep think about at night?”
“They think about why they can’t sleep?”
“Pfft…” An Jing couldn’t help but laugh. “Even though that’s probably true, why does it sound so… funny when you say it out loud?”
“Xiao Jing rarely has trouble sleeping, right?”
“Yeah, when I want to sleep, I usually fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.”
“I occasionally can’t sleep—I really want to go out for a walk. Not the kind of tired-but-can’t-sleep feeling, just feeling really energetic.”
“Is this the first time you’ve actually gone out?”
“Yeah, before when I couldn’t sleep, I’d just lie by the window watching the world outside, thinking about what kind of scenery I’d see if I went out.”
“Is today the scenery you wanted to see?”
“I don’t know—but I’m pretty happy.” Zhu Ying turned to An Jing with a beaming smile. “Especially with Xiao Jing by my side.”
“Uh, ahem… I’m a little hungry.”
“Oh? Do you want to eat me?”
“Huh?! What are you even saying? I meant open the Pocky and eat that…”
“Tsk, I thought Xiao Jing suddenly got bold.”
“Who’s thinking about dirty things all the time?!”
“That’s not a dirty thing.” Zhu Ying reached out a slightly chubby finger and drew a circle on An Jing’s collarbone. “That’s also part of liking someone.”
“Th-then even if you think about it, at least restrain yourself a little. Just think about it secretly in your head.”
“Why keep anything from me?”
“Suddenly I want to ask—are all girls this bold?”
“That depends on who they’re with.”
“But I feel like guys usually don’t express their desires so bluntly, especially the more they like someone, the more they, um…”
“The more they act calm? Even intentionally distant?”
“Cough… Something like that.”
“Guys are so complicated. If you like someone, just say it directly. Especially between couples, there’s no need to hide it.”
“It’s mainly that… expressing too much makes you seem, well…” An Jing stammered, searching for the right words in her mind. “Vulnerable?”
“Not at all.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Being bold in expressing yourself is a right everyone should have.”
“Whether it’s fear, or liking, or any other emotion, it’s okay.”
“Mm, it’s okay—I mean, in front of me, you can be anything you want. As for others, well, I’m not them, so it’s fine to wear a mask.”
“Uh…”
“There’s no need to wear a mask in front of me. Hmph, even if you did, it wouldn’t work—I can always hear what Xiao Jing is really thinking, you know?”
“That’s true, but it’s still hard to change all at once.” An Jing scratched her head. “Actually, I don’t think it’s just a guy problem. Guys are raised differently from girls—like being told not to act spoiled and to be strong as they grow up. It’s not like girls, where even if they show weakness, others think it’s normal.”
“Even though what you said kinda annoys me, it does seem true.”
“Girls are privileged in this world.”
“Everyone has their own privileges, and everyone tends to ignore the privileges they have.” Zhu Ying downed the remaining half can of juice, gently licked the corner of her mouth, “And Xiao Jing doesn’t need to envy; once you’re in high school, you’ll get those privileges too.”
“I’m not envious…” An Jing murmured softly, pouting.
“By the way, Xiao Jing, do you want more to drink?”
“Uh… not really thirsty. Do you want more?”
“Yeah! I’m still thirsty!”
“Hey, how long have you been using mind reading today?!”
“Hehe~”
(2)
The streets were different from daytime, the sky was different from daytime, and the silence was different from daytime.
The novelty that the night had brought An Jing and Zhu Ying was slowly fading, and the remaining excitement was dissipating with time.
Now they no longer felt that everything was full of interesting places; instead, they just felt increasingly sleepy. An Jing had already yawned several times. She put the last Pocky stick in her mouth and ran her fingers through her hair vigorously. “We should probably head back, right?”
“Or should we stay up a bit longer and wait for breakfast when dawn comes?”
“Hey, I can’t stay up any longer.”
“Xiao Jing is totally useless!”
“You’re no different; you’ve yawned plenty of times too…”
Zhu Ying tilted her head to look at An Jing, didn’t answer, but sat on the other’s lap and suddenly leaned her face down.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“I want to eat too!”
“…This is the last one.”
“So let’s eat it together.” As she said that, she gently bit the other end of the Pocky stick, and then crunch, she took a small bite.
An Jing’s legs seemed to heat up slightly, a strange sensation creeping into her heart. She even forgot to chew, just watching helplessly as Zhu Ying bit down on the chocolate stick bit by bit, bringing the distance between them closer and closer.
Warm breath hit An Jing’s cheek, as if trying to completely dry the dampness from the rainy night.
The last piece of Pocky was finally bitten off, and in the next second, burning lips pressed against hers.
An Jing’s body stiffened slightly, but she didn’t resist. Instead, she slowly placed her hand on Zhu Ying’s back and gradually hugged her.
Although she was very shy, this time she didn’t want to shy away like usual.
A moon like a love mark hung in the night sky, quietly watching the two embracing.
An Jing felt her body burning, but not with a painful sensation as if it might ignite, but rather a warmth like being in bed.
She couldn’t help but immerse herself in the sweet scent radiating from the other, never wanting to let go.
Suddenly Zhu Ying couldn’t help but squint her eyes and chuckle.
She leaned back slightly, lightly wiped the sparkly saliva from the corner of her mouth, then suddenly leaned down and pressed her lips tightly against An Jing’s collarbone.
Like sucking a snail, she gave a hard suck.
“Ee… It hurts a little.”
“Look, I planted a little strawberry.”
“Cough.”
“Do you want to try, Xiao Jing?”
“Th-then can I choose a different spot?”
“Of course you can.”
“Mm… how about… the waist?”
“Waist? That’s a weird place.”
“Mm…”
“Usually it’s the neck or collarbone.”
“That’s too common; I want to try somewhere different.”
“Then…” Zhu Ying shyly lifted the hem of her shirt bit by bit, her cheeks even hotter than An Jing’s. “G-go ahead?”
“Um…”
“Eeep—”
“Hurt?”
“Pfft, that tickles—”
“I’ll have to use more force…”
“Hurry up…”
“Mm—”
Like sucking on a snail that wouldn’t come out, An Jing used a lot of force, and in the silent night, it even made a squeal sound.
Zhu Ying’s face was so red it seemed ready to drip.
Only then did An Jing let go, leaned back, and admired her “masterpiece.”
“Success! A big strawberry!”
“It’s like being bitten by a big mosquito…”
“I’m not a mosquito!”
“Big mosquito Xiao Jing~!” Zhu Ying pulled her shirt down, turned her blushing face away. “Alright, alright, aren’t you sleepy? Let’s go home and sleep.”
“Who started that just now…”
“Hmph~ What did my tongue taste like?”
“Like… hot jelly made from ripe apples.”
“What a weird comparison.”
“What about me?”
“Hmm—I didn’t really get a taste. Want to try again?”
“Sure, bring it on.”
“Eeek!!”
“What, what? I’m not dodging, but you’re the one getting shy now!”
“Tsk, I just think Xiao Jing isn’t as cute when she’s not shy.” Zhu Ying gently poked An Jing’s forehead. “From here, is it closer to your house or mine?”
“In this direction… mm, going down that small path might be closer to my house?”
“Then I’ll sleep at your place today.”
“You’re not going home to sleep?”
“Too far, can’t be bothered—unless you carry me?”
“It’s not that much farther…” An Jing pouted helplessly. “Then when we go back, keep your voice down, don’t wake Fei up.”
“It’s hard not to make noise when showering, right?”
“Then let’s shower together. That way it’ll be faster.”
“Ee?! Xiao Jing actually said something so bold!”
“Hey, you’re the one who told me to be more honest!”
“Ahem~ I’m not used to it~”
“A-anyway, I want to shower together! Are you showering or not?!”
“Then, mm… shower together?”
“Xiao Ying, your face is really red.”
“No it’s not!!”
“Suddenly I understand why you liked teasing me so much before…”