ADOMANIA || zhong chenle

chapter 74

that afternoon, daiyu and chenle decided to take a walk around the garden, and maybe stop by the training field to visit their friends before heading over to the director's office, where they had been commanded to be at five.

their hands were intertwined as the two teens strolled through the park-like NSOE garden.

daiyu couldn't say that she was used to it — the physical contact, the looks he gave her, all of the affection she was recieving from chenle of all people.

she still hadn't believed the past days' events yet.

and that's not even about their little face-off by the riverbank.

it was their kiss at the infirmary, and the way they fell asleep together in the waiting room right after. it was the kiss he recieved her with at his door that morning, and the breakfast he had prepared for the both of them. that was what she couldn't quite process yet.

things felt as if they were a real couple, as if she was living in a dream.

but the thought of eventually dating chenle for real also brought fear with it.

heartbreak was not a joke to her, and with how bumpy their friendship had been in the beginning, one could only assume that something bad was bound to happen.

"chenle?"

she should just be mature and talk it out with him.

"yeah?"

'screw it. there's not much too lose now, is there?'

except that there definitely was. her (currently) healthy friendship with chenle was on the line.

"did you really mean it when you told hyewon that we should date?"

he stoppen walking, forcing her to do the same due to their interlaced hands.

"did i sound like i was joking?"

he was frowining a little, almost as if he was worried that daiyu would've taken his words like that.

and she didn't really know how to reply to that.

"i... i don't think so?"

"well, i wasn't. and i'm gonna be straight forward now. daiyu — i like you. i like you, and at first, i didn't like the fact that i like you at all. but after what happened the other day and thinking it throughly, i don't see a point in denying this anymore."

daiyu was at a loss of words. there was no way he had actually just said all that.

what was she even supposed to answer?

"i- what... okay, wow."

a small chuckle left his mouth, mainly just to relieve stress though.

"come on, you can't actually be this surprised. did you think i was kissing you just for fun? i mean — that's not completely wrong, but you know what i mean."

"i know, but like, i didn't really expect you to confess or anything."

chenle nodded, seemingly understanding what she meant.

"i know i said we should date, but we can take thing slow. everyone knows that we're a bit... difficult sometimes, especially together, right? so if you want to some more time and wait a little, i'll wait."

her gaze softened. because truthfully, she was scared. daiyu didn't know if she could or wanted to be in a relationship with someone at the moment. she really needed some time to go over it.

"listen, i know you're aware of the fact that i very much like you too. you don't sound like you doubt it, at least. but as much as i have feelings for you, i do think it's better if we take things slow."

daiyu paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next.

"if you're fine with it, i would like some time to think it through. but if you're willing to wait, i really do see myself dating you in a near future."

chenle gave her one of his beautiful, warm smiles, and she felt extremely relieved at that.

everything would be alright, they would be alright.

"that's perfectly fine with me, as long as it's what you're comfortable with."

returning the smile, daiyu wrapped her arms around his torso, engulfing him in a tight hug.

"thank you." she mumbled into his chest, and she could feel it vibrating as he chuckled.

"you don't have to thank me for being a decent human being and respecting your boundaries. i know i was a dick to you for a long time, but i'm usually really not like that, i don't know what got into me back then."

daiyu would've told him that she had taken notice of that a long time ago already, but she liked the fact that he was aknowledging his mistakes.

"we were both bad. but you we're definitely worse."

she pulled away from the hug and started walking again, taking his hand back in hers.

"but i've changed, haven't i?"

daiyu only hummed in agreement, but internally, she was laughing.

'we certainly both have.'

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tangsuyuk hours 🫢

no but i love them sm but i'm also rly excited for the next book lol i like the female character a lot 🫣

so i just recently asked this, but let me ask again in case your opinion has changed; what are your guesses for the next books male lead? 👀