Sunshine & Bright Stars Ch. 26

Sunshine & Bright Stars Ch. 26: Be my girlfriend...

I thought we could be together forever. That was my concept of our future.

But that was only my assumption. I couldn't escape those cliched plotlines that wouldn't be out of place in any novel.

Ren Jian: "Ah-Ming, would... you like to be together with me?"
Ah-Ming: "Huh? Aren't we together?"

Ren Jian: "What I mean by being together..."

Ren Jian: "Is being my girlfriend."

Ah-Ming: "You're joking."

Ren Jian: "I'm not!"
"Found you guys!"

"What were you two talking about?"
Ah-Ming: "What did the teacher call you in for?"

"As you'd expect, my scores from this last test..."

Ah-Ming: "Ren Jian, we'll go first!"
"Don't change the topic! What were you talking about?"

Ah-Ming: "He said he likes me."
"So he really does like you!"
Ah-Ming: "You knew?"
"Hehe, it's a woman's sixth sense~"
Ah-Ming: "Stay over at my place tonight."

Ah-Ming: "What to do? Tell me."
"...Is it ok for us to remain like this? What if you guys didn't hang out with me anymore after getting together?"

Ah-Ming: "How could that be? You're my best friend."

"Your blanket's so ugly!"
Ah-Ming: "Then what type do you like?"
"Starry ones! I want one with stars!"

The next day, I pretended as if nothing happened, thinking Ren Jian might forget.

Ren Jian : "Ah-Ming, what I said yesterday... what's your answer?"

(Choke-)

Ah-Ming: "I don't understand... what's wrong with staying good friends?"

Ah-Ming: "What are you doing?!"

After that day, Ren Jian didn't look for me again. Before, me, Tang Ren, and Ren Jian would be together every day after school.
Ah-Ming: "Tang Ren, I'm so worried."
Tang Ren: "Because of Ren Jian?"
Ah-Ming: "Yeah, he hasn't been with us for many days."

Tang Ren: "Isn't that a good thing? Or... do you also like him?"

Ah-Ming: "I just feel uncomfortable when he's avoiding me."

Even the current me would easily blur the lines between friendship and love, right?

You'd notice a pretty girl at a glance.

Especially a pretty girl who didn't wear her uniform and kept short hair.

I got to know Ah-Ming through mutual friends.
Ren Jian: "You'll be competing with girls at the sports tournament, right?"
Ah-Ming: "Yeah... but playing with guys is better for practice."

I approached Ah-Ming from the start with goodwill. Every action, every detail was done to get closer to her.
Listening to music she liked. Reading books she liked.
Pretending to run into her at drum classes.
Collecting everything she loved.

Ah-Ming: "Hello, I'm looking for Ren Jian."

"Ren Jian, a pretty underclassman is looking for you. Introduce us~"
Ren Jian: "Get out of here."

Thinking about it now, I fell in love with Ah-Ming at first sight. It's hard to not be moved by a girl like this. She easily wins over any other clingy girl.

Ren Jian: "What is it?"
Ah-Ming: "Let's get CDs together after school. xxx has a new special."

After she threw my hand off at the gym, I hadn't contacted Ah-Ming for 3 days. Maybe it was because I didn't want to see her so on-guard, or maybe it was because I didn't want to go back to our brotherly relationship.
Ren Jian: "Ok."

Ah-Ming: "We haven't hung out together in a while."

Ren Jian: "Yes, you know the reason."

Ah-Ming: "I'll answer you."

"Ah-Ming? Ah-Ming!"
"Come back! Come back to your senses!"

Ah-Ming: "Huh? What happened?"

Chengzi: "What's wrong?"

Ah-Ming: "...Nothing."