From that day on, there was one more person on Ellie's way home.
The young man always followed behind her, maintaining an appropriate distance, but never overstepping or crossing the line.
As long as she turned her head, she could see him.
"William," she called out to him loudly.
"I'm here."
Ellie stopped and walked up to him, saying, "Thank you for escorting me home every day."
William just looked at her and smiled.
He had to ensure her safety and see her home safely.
He had lost her once and could not afford to lose her again.
...
William often asked her questions.
Daniel went from being shocked initially, thinking William was possessed, to accepting it later.
He felt that William might have fallen in love.
William knew the answers to those simple questions, but he still wanted to ask her.
Because only then could he talk to her more.
...
William placed the milk on her desk.
Ellie looked at him somewhat blankly.
"I take up so much of your time every day asking questions, please have some milk."
Ellie said, "Thank you for the milk, then."
It started with milk, then it was fruits, sometimes cakes and candies.
He didn't know if this was a dream or if he had been caught in a dislocated space-time and returned to that summer.
If it was a dream, he was willing to never wake up.
He didn't know if one day he would wake up and return to the original world.
...
Days passed, and many things continued as before.
Seemed to deviate a bit.
William still called her "little teacher" as before.
...
William went to look for Coco in advance.
He searched the entire community but didn't see Coco.
He suddenly heard a sound from the garbage can next to him.
He turned his head and saw a black cat emerging from it.
It was dirty all over, with many parts of its fur missing, seemingly bitten by other cats, and it was carrying fish bones in its mouth, which it must have dug out for a long time.
"Coco."
William called out to it, thinking it would be scared away.
But Coco dropped the fish bone and ran towards him, rubbing against his pant leg.
It kept meowing pitifully.
As if saying, why didn't you come to find me sooner.
William squatted down, rubbed its head, and said, "If you're also back, meow once, not twice."
He said it and laughed at his own absurd thought.
He said, "What am I talking about? I must be crazy."
"Meow～"
Coco meowed once and rubbed against his pant leg.
William looked at it and said, "If you are, meow twice."
"Meow～Meow～"
William squatted down, picked it up, and laughed, "Let's go home, I've come to pick you up."
Coco happily lay on the ground, purring.
...
"Little teacher, let me introduce you to a new member."
A black cat entered the screen.
"It's so cute, does it have a name?"
William pretended to think and said, "Not yet, would little teacher like to name it?"
Ellie looked at its color and said, "Let's call it Coco."
"Okay, let's call it Coco."
In fact, William was very curious why she chose this name.
"Is there any special meaning to this name?"
"I just hope it's full of energy, and the word 'yuan' means black in ancient times."
So that was why she named it Coco before.
Coco looked at Ellie on the screen, meowing and greeting her.
Ellie looked at William, somewhat bewildered, not knowing what it said.
"It says hello, it really likes you."
William watched the girl in the screen, her eyes smiling into crescents, as she said, "I really like it too."
...
When Ellie was blocked by thugs, he appeared again.
He shielded her behind him and said to those thugs, "Talk about your mother."
That was the second time he saved her.
When the power went out in the class, she saw a small spark suddenly burst in front of her.
Her heart had also been pried open a small gap at some point.
He could always sense her sensitive emotions.
He would take her for a motorcycle ride when she was in a bad mood.
He also remembered every one of her preferences very clearly.
...
A warm afternoon.
Everyone in the class had left.
Sunlight shone through the window, sprinkling every corner of the classroom.
William pinned her against the wall and said, "I like you, would little teacher like to date me?"
He saw Ellie's ears turn red.
But he still wanted to tease her; he hadn't seen such a vivid Ellie for a long time.
"If little teacher doesn't agree, then let me kiss you."
Ellie looked up at him, her eyes full of disbelief, her ears red to the roots, she said, "What kind of twisted logic is this?"
"I came up with it myself."
"William."
"Here."
"You... you..."
Ellie stuttered, unable to say a complete sentence.
William looked at her, his black eyes staring straight at her, then laughed, "Think I'm a hooligan?"
"Exactly a hooligan." Ellie glared at him.
"A kiss or being called a hooligan, I think it's worth it."
Seeing Ellie on the verge of tears, William felt he had gone too far.
He was flustered and at a loss.
"I'm wrong, I won't say it anymore, I won't tease you, hit me."
Ellie reached out and lightly hit him.
William took her hand and hit himself, wanting to use force but not daring to, he said, "As long as it relieves your anger, do whatever you want, even kill me."
He really couldn't bear to see her shed a tear.
Ellie was amused by him and said, "No more nonsense in the future."
"Not nonsense, I really like you."
"Not this sentence."
William was tickled by her cute appearance, he lowered his head and said, "I understand, I won't say it anymore, can I hug you then?"
Ellie didn't respond.
"Just a hug, okay?" William said pitifully.
"William, did you have someone you liked before? Who looks very similar to me." Ellie raised her head and finally asked what she wanted to ask.
William said, "Why do you ask like this?"
Actually, Ellie had this guess a long time ago, she remembered what William said when he first saved her.
She thought he might have a deceased white moonlight.
And that girl should look very, very similar to her.
Seeing Ellie a bit distracted, William said, "I don't have anyone I like, only you, from beginning to end, just you."
"I believe you." Ellie looked into his serious eyes and said.
"Can I hug you then? Little teacher."
With her consent, William carefully reached out his arm and pulled her into his embrace.
Ellie heard his violent heartbeat, beat after beat, deafening.
Not only his, but hers too.
Also beating very, very fast.