The clicking of keyboards and the rapid-fire tapping of controllers filled the dimly lit computer shop. The glow of monitors reflected in the wide-eyed intensity of six college students, each lost in the heat of their game. The room smelled of cheap instant noodles, energy drinks, and the faint musk of overused chairs, but to them, this was paradise.
"Mateo, cover me!" Zixuan's voice rang out, sharp with urgency as her in-game character sprinted through an abandoned battlefield.
"I'm trying!" Mateo shot back, fumbling with his mouse. "But someone keeps stealing my kills—"
"That's called teamwork," Daniela teased, grinning as she racked up another headshot.
Harith groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. "You mean kill-stealing. Someone take her out already!"
"Not a chance," Daniela smirked.
Beside her, Paige was quieter, her fingers moving at lightning speed on the keyboard, focused on strategy rather than banter. Cecilion, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair, one hand lazily resting on his controller. He played effortlessly, as if the game was second nature to him.
"One enemy left," he murmured.
"Where?" Zixuan asked, gripping her mouse tighter.
"Northwest building. Third floor. Behind the crates."
Without hesitation, Zixuan adjusted her aim, fired, and the screen flashed Victory. A chorus of cheers erupted from the group.
"Alright, admit it," Zixuan smirked, pushing her chair back. "We make an unbeatable team."
"No argument there," Paige agreed, stretching. "But next time, let's play something that doesn't end with me sweating like I ran a marathon."
"You always say that and then refuse to lose," Harith pointed out.
Paige rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
It was like this every week—meeting after class at their favorite computer shop, laughing, teasing, and battling in virtual worlds like their lives depended on it. They weren't just a team in the game; they were a team in real life.
Outside, the sun had long since set, casting the streets in neon reflections from passing cars. The city buzzed with life, but inside the shop, time had stood still, their little world untouched by reality.
"One more round?" Mateo asked hopefully.
Zixuan checked the time. "It's late. We should head back before we miss the last bus."
The group groaned but agreed, gathering their things.
The streets outside were as alive as ever, despite it being past 10 PM. The distant sound of car horns mixed with laughter from bars and street-side karaoke stalls. Groups of drunken men sat on plastic chairs, raising their beers while slurring out lyrics to old songs. The city never truly slept—it only shifted moods.
"This song again?" Paige scoffed as they passed by a small store with a loudspeaker blaring an off-key rendition of a popular ballad.
"Classic," Harith said, pretending to wipe a tear. "Who broke that guy's heart?"
"Probably himself," Daniela quipped, making everyone burst into laughter.
The six of them walked together, their conversation flowing effortlessly, until they finally reached the bus stop. A single dim streetlight buzzed overhead, casting their shadows long against the pavement.
The bus arrived with a tired screech, the doors creaking open. The inside was mostly empty, save for a few late-night commuters sitting silently, lost in their own worlds.
As they took their seats, Zixuan found herself doing what she always did—reading the signs along the road. Storefronts, advertisements, billboards, street names. She absorbed them all, mapping the city in her head like an instinct. It was why her friends always relied on her when they got lost.
"You memorize this entire city like a game map," Mateo had once joked.
And he wasn't wrong.
One by one, her friends began to get off at their stops, waving goodbye as they disappeared into the night. Paige left first, then Daniela and Harith. Mateo was next, leaving just two passengers from their group—Zixuan and Cecilion.
It was always like this.
Cecilion sat across from her, his tall figure leaning slightly against the window, staring at the passing streets. His face was as unreadable as ever, pale under the flickering bus lights. He wasn't much of a talker.
But he wasn't a nerd either—not the stereotypical kind, at least. He was smart, rich, and stupidly good-looking. Tall, fair-skinned, sharp-eyed. If he weren't so quiet, he'd probably be the most popular guy in their class.
Zixuan glanced at him, then back outside. They had done this countless times—sat in the same bus, at the same time, in the same silence. It wasn't awkward, just… how things were.
The bus turned a corner, and something felt off.
Zixuan sat up straighter, frowning as she looked at the familiar buildings passing by. Cecilion's stop was coming up.
And then it passed.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh! You missed your stop," she gasped, immediately turning to him.
Cecilion didn't react.
"Cel!" she called, slightly louder.
He blinked once, finally looking at her. His expression was unreadable, as always.
"It's okay," he said softly. "I'll walk you home."
Zixuan stared at him, caught off guard.
He didn't even glance away from the window as he spoke, as if he had already made up his mind before she even noticed.
She wanted to protest—tell him he didn't need to—but the words didn't come out. Instead, she just nodded, feeling strangely… shy.
The bus ride felt longer after that, but soon, they reached her stop. As she stepped out, Cecilion followed, hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed but unreadable.
For the first time, Zixuan truly felt like Cecilion was a friend.
They walked in silence, yet it wasn't uncomfortable. His quiet presence felt different now—less distant, more familiar. She had never really thought about it before, but maybe Cecilion wasn't just a classmate or a teammate in their games. Maybe he was something more.
As they approached her house, the night sky rumbled. A second later, heavy raindrops began pounding against the pavement. Within moments, it became a downpour. The streetlights flickered under the relentless assault of water, and the world blurred in the downpour's intensity.
Zixuan barely had time to rush under the awning of her front gate before she was drenched. She turned to see Cecilion still standing a few feet away, letting the rain soak him without any urgency to move.
"What are you doing?!" she shouted over the rain. "Get in here!"
Cecilion hesitated, glancing at the house.
"It's fine," he said, barely audible over the storm. "I'll head back once it slows down."
Zixuan rolled her eyes. "You'll drown before that happens!" She grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the house. "Come inside. You can't go home like this."
Cecilion didn't argue. Maybe he knew she wouldn't let him refuse.
The moment they stepped inside, the warmth of the house contrasted sharply with the cold rain. The lights cast a soft glow over the polished floors, and the faint scent of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air.
Their two housemaids, Auntie Lin and Xiao Mei, were the only ones home. They both looked up from the dining table, where they were chatting over tea, surprised to see Zixuan bringing someone in.
"Xuan? You brought a guest?" Auntie Lin asked, peering at Cecilion with motherly curiosity.
"It started pouring the second we got here," Zixuan explained, pulling off her soaked hoodie. "He'll stay until it stops."
Xiao Mei quickly stood. "I'll get towels."
Cecilion remained by the entrance, droplets of rain dripping from his hair onto the marble floor. His uniform clung uncomfortably to his frame, but he didn't look too bothered by it. He simply glanced around the house, his expression unreadable as always.
Zixuan disappeared for a moment and returned with a towel, tossing it at him. "Dry yourself before you flood the place."
He caught it easily and began patting his hair dry, though his damp clothes remained a problem.
"Do you want to change?" she asked, glancing at the staircase. "I can lend you some of my brother's old clothes."
Cecilion hesitated again. "It's fine. I'll be leaving soon."
"You say that, but the rain's getting worse," she pointed out, tilting her head toward the window, where the downpour had only intensified. "Come on. Wei left a bunch of clothes when he moved out. They'll probably fit you."
Cecilion finally sighed and nodded. "Alright."
Zixuan led him upstairs to her brother's old room. It was mostly empty now, just a neatly made bed, a closet, and a desk left behind in case he ever visited. She dug through the drawers and pulled out a simple gray hoodie and a pair of sweatpants.
"These should do," she said, placing them on the bed. "Bathroom's across the hall."
Cecilion took the clothes with a small nod. "Thanks."
Zixuan left him to change and returned downstairs, where Auntie Lin and Xiao Mei were still watching her with amused expressions.
"What?" she asked, sitting down at the dining table with them.
"Nothing," Auntie Lin said with a knowing smile. "It's just rare for you to bring a boy home."
"It's not like that," Zixuan muttered, pouring herself a cup of tea. "He's just a friend."
"Mm-hmm," Xiao Mei hummed, clearly unconvinced.
A few minutes later, Cecilion returned, now dressed in Wei's clothes. The hoodie was slightly loose on him, but he somehow made even the simplest outfit look effortlessly good. His damp black hair hung over his forehead, and his usual sharp presence felt softer.
"Do you want something hot to drink?" Auntie Lin asked kindly.
Cecilion shook his head. "I'm fine, thank you."
He glanced at Zixuan, who was sipping her tea quietly, pretending not to notice the way her maids kept sneaking glances at them.
"It's late," she said, setting her cup down. "Might as well stay the night. The rain doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon."
Cecilion didn't protest. Maybe he was too tired to or probably ran out of words.
And just like that, he stayed.
Zixuan never thought much about it before, but that night, as she lay in bed listening to the rain, knowing Cecilion was just across the hall in Wei's old room, something felt different.