When Spring First Came

🌸Chapter Five🌸

"Did you see Rui today?"

"Yeah, he was hanging out with that girl from Class C again."

"Her name is Mei, right? Isn't it weird? I don't think they knew each other prior to this."

"Apparently they're neighbors. That's what Rui said."

"But still, they've never interacted before this..."

"Maybe they're really close outside of school?"

"Do you think they're already a couple?"

"Maybe. I mean, this is the first time Rui is seen being with a girl all by himself."

The people gossiping at the corner of the classroom sighed. Aiya, it seems like spring finally arrived for that campus prince of theirs. It looks like that they had missed it. They couldn't help but let out a sigh in their hearts.

If only they knew.

Meanwhile, as they were lamenting, the couple in question were doing something else.

"Rui?" He hummed.

"Get off. You're heavy." Rui grinned. They were sitting by the bleachers, with Rui's chin propped on Mei's head, their bento boxes discarded to the side. The sun was high up in the sky, with clouds like stretched out cotton few and far between as they ineffectively blocked the scorching rays from hitting the earth. The only reason they haven't been half baked under the sun was because of the branches of the tall tree behind them, offering as much shade as it could. The air was hot and humid, and everybody was out, either staying in class or rushing out in groups to hang out at a local restaurant or mall. The outdoor court was empty. The change of seasons had already begun.

Luckily this meant, enough privacy for the two of them. People would still see them together, but they wouldn't have to be subjected to a huge crowd anytime soon.

"I was just trying to see what you're doing." Mei huffed, as she feebly tried to shove him away with her arm, hands flying across the keyboard. Sweat was dripping down her temple, and her shirt had tiny blotches of wet spots.

"Cut the crap. You just want to make things hotter for us." Rui chuckled, as he finally pulled away after her elbow grazed his shirt and sat beside her.

"No seriously, I'm curious as to what you're doing that's making you ignore your to-be-boyfriend like this." Her fingers kept typing on the keypad, as her face remained the same monotonous expression on her face. She was already used to his meaningless flirtation. Unbeknownst to her, her ears had already turned into a light pink. Rui noticed but didn't tell, pressing his lips together as he hid his smile.

"I'm writing," she replied.

"The book?" Mei nodded her head. Rui leaned in closer, now staring at the screen in interest.

"Can I read it?" Mei rubbed her nose, feeling awkward all of a sudden. This was the first time, an actual, breathing, living person was going to read and critique her work. Most of her readers came from the internet, so this was a first for her. It was quite different from receiving comments online.

Rui was going to read what she wrote, with her right there with him; the story was also more or less about him, about them. Suddenly, there was this added pressure of making sure everything was right.

She didn't know what to feel. Lately, it seems like a lot of her firsts had been with him. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks.

"A-after I'm done, okay?" Rui grinned. He was intrigued and excited to see what she wrote.