After finishing his exam, Ke Bu crumpled the test paper into a ball and stuffed it into his desk drawer. Resting his head on the desk, he idly swung his legs. So cold. Why was the weather this awful? He should have worn another layer. Turning his head toward the window, he watched leaves being scattered by the winter wind. The sky was gray and gloomy, the school buildings dark and lifeless. It seemed as though the entire world was shivering from the cold, drained of all color. Two classroom buildings were connected by a skybridge, and from Ke Bu’s seat he could see the classrooms and rooftop of the building opposite. A boy stood on that rooftop, his hair lightly stirred by the wind as it brushed across his clean, handsome profile. His light-blue jacket was so bright and vivid that it outshone the sky itself, becoming the only color in Ke Bu’s world. A girl stood opposite him, but she soon left. Ke Bu stood up and stretched lazily.
“Ke Bu, where are you going?”
“Just taking a walk.”
“But it’s freezing outside. Aren’t you the one who hates the cold the most?”
“That’s exactly why I need some exercise,” Ke Bu replied as he headed out of the classroom.
He crossed the skybridge and climbed the stairs. Still there? Pushing open the old rooftop door, that patch of color came into focus. Zhi Li was leaning against the railing. Turning his head, he looked at Ke Bu and said, “So tacky.”
The insult failed to hide Ke Bu’s good mood. For some reason, he laughed. “You’re the tacky one.” Stuffing both hands into his pockets, he walked over to stand beside him. “This outfit is based on the latest high-school fashion magazines, you know. Do you even understand fashion?” Ke Bu was making it up on the spot.
“I suggest you go home and burn those magazines.”
Ke Bu lightly kicked Zhi Li’s shoe in response before hunching his neck against the cold. “That girl just now was confessing to you, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
“Tsk, tsk. Popular people really are different. A girl from Class Three came looking for you a few days ago too, right? And before that, one from our class. Having a face that’s good for absolutely nothing except looking pretty sure is nice.” There was a trace of mockery in his voice.
“You remember all that pretty clearly.”
“You think I want to? It’s because I keep seeing it. You always end up in my line of sight whether I want you there or not. Seriously though, with this many pretty girls liking you, how can you have no reaction at all? High school students aren’t supposed to date, sure, but it’s not like you’re some model student who follows the rules.”
“What kind of reaction are you expecting?” Zhi Li asked expressionlessly in his usual cold tone. “You think every time someone confesses to me, my shoulders should tremble slightly, and then I’d tenderly drape my jacket over her shoulders? Then there’d be a delicate pink background and moving music playing while our eyes accidentally meet and sparks fly. From there, we’d begin a passionate high-school romance. She’d slash her wrists for me, and I’d jump off a building for her. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“What kind of hypothetical conversation is that?” Ke Bu stared blankly for a moment after hearing Zhi Li casually say all that. Then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’m confiscating that line.” The phrase Don’t be ridiculous lodged itself firmly in Ke Bu’s mind and gradually became one of his own habitual expressions.
“Have you noticed how boring our conversations are?” Ke Bu suddenly asked.
“You’ve always been boring.”
“Even I would feel hurt hearing that said with such certainty.”
“Ke Bu.”
Zhi Li suddenly called his name.
“Hm?”
A cold hand reached toward Ke Bu’s face. The sudden chill made him shrink back.
“Cold?”
Rubbing his cheek, Ke Bu shouted, “Of course it’s cold! Your hands are freezing! Pull a stunt like that again and I’ll push you off this roof. Believe it or not.” The spot Zhi Li had touched felt strangely hot.
“Ke Bu.”
“Hm?”
Zhi Li reached out with that icy hand again.
“You’re doing it again?!”
“Your reactions are really slow.”
“Apologize to me! Besides, if you’re cold, wear more clothes. Don’t tell me you expect me to see you freezing and kindly take off my jacket to lend it to you. Then hold your hands and breathe warm air onto them. Then generously lend you my warm body too. Don’t be ridiculous. My body isn’t for you, Zhi Li. That kind of touching romantic cliché should be saved for the person I like. Then that girl can cry tears of gratitude and fall hopelessly in love with me.” Ke Bu immediately put Zhi Li’s own phrase to use.
“Aren’t you the one who hates the cold? You’d really let someone stick their hands inside your clothes?”
The conversation was drifting further and further off course. Now that Zhi Li mentioned it, Ke Bu realized he probably wouldn’t like that. Just imagining it felt cold, like someone shoving ice cubes down the back of his collar. After some thought, he compromised. “If it’s just inside my jacket, I guess it’s fine. Of course, that privilege would only be for someone I like very, very much.”
“You think pretty highly of yourself.”
Ke Bu was about to fire back when the class bell rang. Time always seemed to pass quickly when he was chatting with Zhi Li. Pushing Zhi Li from behind, he urged him forward. “Hurry up. Class is starting.”
After gym class, Ke Bu was carrying his jacket while running up the stairwell when he ran into Zhi Li. Zhi Li glanced at him and turned away. “So tacky.”
“You don’t need to say the same thing twice!” Ke Bu roared.
Zhi Li returned to his classroom, leaving Ke Bu behind, baring his teeth and claws in frustration.
At lunchtime, Ke Bu sat with his tray of food, wearing a dark expression. He had run into Zhi Li far too many times today. It really was true that the person you least wanted to see somehow kept appearing in front of you. Zhi Li entered the cafeteria with several other boys, drawing plenty of attention. As he passed by Ke Bu, he gave him a quick once-over and suddenly said, “So tacky.”
“That’s the third time today, Zhi Li!” Ke Bu pointed his chopsticks at him.
“Sorry. I accidentally said what I was thinking.”
“Even if that’s supposed to be an apology, your tone and expression have absolutely no sincerity!”
Finally, school ended. Ke Bu slung his backpack over his shoulder, grabbed his bicycle key, and headed home, eager to play video games. While riding his bicycle, he spotted Zhi Li walking ahead of him. An evil thought immediately surfaced. I’m going to run you over today. Pedaling harder, he steered toward Zhi Li. Just as the wheel was about to brush past him, Zhi Li stepped aside perfectly. The timing was absurd. Ke Bu turned his head. “Lucky you.”
“Watch out ahead.”
“Tch. You think I’d fall for that trick? Not happening.” Ke Bu made a face at him. After all, from middle school until now, Zhi Li had tricked him countless times, leaving behind a small psychological scar. The moment he turned his head back around—crash. His bicycle slammed directly into a utility pole. Ke Bu landed on his backside with a painful thud. Grimacing, he looked up to find Zhi Li standing there with an expression that clearly said: See? I told you so.
Ke Bu extended a hand. Zhi Li grabbed it and pulled him to his feet. Dusting himself off, Ke Bu righted his bicycle. The two naturally ended up walking side by side. Opportunities to go home together like this were rare. Pushing his bicycle, Ke Bu glanced at Zhi Li’s profile from the corner of his eye. Zhi Li’s existence was special, just like the person himself. That uniqueness stirred something restless inside Ke Bu. A feeling without shape, quietly spreading and covering everything. What was it? He couldn’t see it, but he could feel its warmth. A warmth that made him feel like he no longer needed another layer of clothing.
Suddenly, Ke Bu asked awkwardly, “Zhi Li, do you think we’ll ever fight someday?”
“Who knows?”
“What kind of answer is that?”
Zhi Li reached out and zipped up Ke Bu’s jacket. His expression remained indifferent. “When that happens, I’ll forgive you.”
“Why does it have to be you forgiving me?!”
Zhi Li gave his clothes another look. “Still tacky.”
“You really want to start a fight, don’t you, Zhi Li?!”
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