(Setting: 6 Months after Graduation. The Introduction of the Love Triangle.)
The University Karate Dojo was my only sanctuary. The "thwack" of feet hitting mats was the only sound that could drown out the memory of Li Yan calling me "desperate."
"Your stance is too wide, Xiao Xing. You're bracing for a hit that hasn't come yet."
I turned, wiping sweat from my eyes. Hao Ran, the University's star athlete and a 3rd-year Senior, was leaning against the doorway. He was everything Li Yan wasn't: warm, loud, and incredibly charming. He didn't think in binary; he thought in movement.
"I like being prepared," I snapped, resetting my position.
"You're fighting a shadow," Hao Ran said, stepping onto the mat. He didn't wait for an invitation; he sparred with me. He was fast, but he was kind. When I slipped, he caught my arm instead of letting me fall.
"The school year is half over," he whispered, his face inches from mine. "Stop looking at your phone during breaks. Whoever you're waiting for... they're clearly not smart enough to be here."
I looked into Hao Ran's bright, honest eyes. For a split second, the cold memory of the boba shop faded.