Since I didn't know anyone at the party, I decided to sit at a small table for two tucked away in the far corner of the hall. The distant hum of voices and laughter filled the air, but here, I could enjoy some quiet. It wasn't that I didn't like socializing—I just found it difficult sometimes. Large crowds made me uneasy. I had enough self-awareness to know that I wasn't the life of the party, and I wasn't about to force myself into the middle of the noise just to feel like I belonged. Besides, I could always slip out unnoticed if I felt uncomfortable.
The table I chose had a small window next to it. The faint breeze coming through was refreshing, a break from the heat of the crowded hall. I sat down, checking my phone mindlessly as I tried to push the feeling of being out of place out of my mind. I could feel the hum of excitement all around me—the music, the laughter, the clinking of glasses—but it all seemed distant, like I was in another world, watching from the sidelines.
My fingers swiped absentmindedly on my phone screen, scrolling through messages, checking for any missed notifications, anything to distract me. But before I even realized it, someone had quietly taken the seat across from me.
I didn't notice at first. It wasn't until I finished texting and put my phone down that I looked up, only to be met with the piercing gaze of a man sitting across from me. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a wave of panic rise in my chest. How long had he been sitting there? Had he been staring at me this whole time?
I wasn't exactly ready for a conversation. In fact, I wasn't ready for anything at all. The air in my lungs felt a little thinner. His presence suddenly felt overwhelming, and I couldn't quite place why. Was it the way he looked at me, or the fact that I didn't expect anyone to sit down with me?
"What's wrong?" His voice startled me. His tone was casual, almost amused, but there was a hint of something else—curiosity?
I blinked, momentarily thrown off guard. Was I really that obvious? Was it that clear I had no idea what I was doing here? I didn't have a ready response, and for a moment, I didn't know how to react. His presence seemed to make the entire space feel suddenly smaller.
"Uh... sorry, you just surprised me," I managed, trying not to sound completely flustered. It was true. I hadn't even noticed someone had sat down. Maybe I was just too caught up in my own thoughts, or maybe it was that overwhelming feeling of being out of place at a party full of people who seemed to know exactly what they were doing.
"Oh, didn't mean to scare you," he said, his voice taking on a slightly more apologetic tone. "I just thought you looked a little lost, like you were trying to disappear into the walls or something."
I blinked, trying to process his words. Did I look that out of place? His observation was sharp, almost too sharp, but it caught me off guard. I wasn't sure how to respond. The last thing I wanted was for someone to notice how uncomfortable I was, especially in a place like this.
I couldn't help but study him for a moment—he was dressed impeccably in a crisp white suit, exuding confidence with every movement. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his gaze—those dark eyes—seemed to see right through me. I hated how easily he seemed to assess me. Was it my clothes? My awkwardness?
"I'm sorry," I said quickly, trying to shift the conversation away from how much I was floundering. "I'm Yang Jiang."
He nodded, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Nice to meet you, Yang Jiang. I'm Wen Lin," he said with a casual ease that made me wonder if this was how he always was. Confident, effortless, the kind of guy who walked into a room and owned it.
For a second, I considered retreating into my shell again, sinking back into the anonymity of the crowd. But something about the way he was looking at me stopped me. His smile was genuine, and for some reason, I didn't feel like he was looking down at me. There was no judgment in his eyes, only curiosity.
I glanced down at my hands, feeling suddenly self-conscious. "So, uh... are you here with someone?" I asked, the question tumbling out before I could stop myself. I realized how lame it sounded the moment it left my mouth.
He chuckled, a low, smooth sound that seemed to ease the tension in my chest. "Nope. Came alone. I'm usually the kind of guy who doesn't like parties, but sometimes, it's good to push yourself out of your comfort zone, right?"
His words were strangely comforting. Maybe it wasn't so bad being out of my comfort zone. After all, I had been standing in the corner for the last hour, feeling like the outsider. Maybe talking to him wouldn't be so bad. Maybe this could be a start.
"So," Wen Lin began again, his eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and curiosity, "what brings you to a party like this?"
I hesitated for a moment. What was I supposed to say? "I... I just wanted to see what it was like," I answered truthfully, surprising even myself. "I've never really been to something like this before."
His eyes widened, clearly intrigued. "First party? Ever?"
I nodded, feeling a blush creep up my neck. Was I really admitting that?
"That's pretty brave of you," Wen Lin remarked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm impressed."
I laughed nervously, not sure what else to say. I couldn't help but feel a little less alone at that moment, despite the crowd around us.
"So," I ventured, trying to steer the conversation somewhere safe, "what about you? Are you really here just to push yourself out of your comfort zone, or do you have some hidden agenda?"
He smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe a little bit of both," he said with a wink, his playful energy shifting the mood entirely. "But mostly... I'm just here to see who I can meet. And so far, it looks like I've met someone interesting."
I raised an eyebrow, feeling the heat of his gaze. Was he flirting? It didn't matter. For the first time in a long while, I wasn't thinking about how awkward I felt. I wasn't thinking about how out of place I was. I was just... present.
The music played on in the background, the chatter of other guests filled the space around us, but for a brief moment, it felt like just the two of us in the room.