"I... I like you, classmate Huayuan! Please go out with me..."

The girl before me slightly lowered her head. From beneath bangs covering her eyes, she peeked at me with gray pupils—then instantly looked away the moment our gazes met. Her voice sounded like a shout, yet soft and sweet.

You’re not imagining things—this really was a confession scene. Exactly one month after I confessed to my childhood friend, someone was now confessing to me.

It mirrored how I’d acted when confessing to Mengxiang. Finally, I understood her feelings—truly awkward, deeply troubling—

"W-wait—You’re the one who left that note in my desk drawer this morning, right?"

I’d found it at school: less a love letter, more just a time and place scribbled down. So after class, I canceled everything and came to this rooftop—the spot where Brother Cheng once fought.

This place was usually locked, but today the lock was broken. Probably her doing. Could a girl really have that strength?

"Y-yes... it was me..."

Her voice was incredibly soft—that gentle-girl tone I adored. But if Xia Mo hadn’t desensitized me with her constant teasing, I might’ve already melted.

Especially when she fumbled words from nerves—that moe detail was intoxicating. Who wouldn’t feel happy being confessed to by such a cute girl? Honestly, my heart raced—

But I didn’t recognize her. At first glance, she seemed delicate—soft features, petite frame—stirring a protective urge. Her slightly long eyelashes made her look perpetually drowsy, adding to the charm.

"Um... who are you?"

"Lu Zixuan! Call me Xiao Xuan, or just Xuan..."

She cut in before I finished, as if waiting for the question. Odd—why was a girl my age, maybe younger, using honorifics with me?

"We’ve never met before... right, Lu classmate?"

"Eh... y-yeah... You probably forgot long ago—but it doesn’t matter! I like you so much, I can’t hold back anymore!"

My question stunned her. After a pause, she covered it up. Truthfully, I had zero memory of her—not even her name—

Still, hearing "I like you" in such cheesy lines made me blush. I felt awkward—

Even so, I had to reject her. No matter how much she appealed to me, I couldn’t date a stranger. (Though there was that one time.) Besides, I was technically taken now. I refused to be a scumbag. (Even if I already was.)

"Lu classmate... you might not know—I have a girlfriend already. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have confessed. I’m with someone else, so I can’t accept this—"

Let’s be clear: I didn’t consider Xia Mo my girlfriend, but it was a handy excuse. If she attended school regularly, she’d know the gossip and never have confessed—

Unless she skipped class like delinquent Lingchuan. But if she rarely came, how could she even like me? I couldn’t figure it out—

"I know... I don’t come often, but I know about your girlfriend—the school goddess, right?"

Slowly, she lifted her head, staring at me. Her lips curled into a sunlit smile—goddess-like, seemingly pure. Unlike Xia Mo’s tainted grins, this felt genuine. Yet if I had to define it, only one phrase fit—

Wreckage after a storm.

No matter how beautiful that smile was, all I read was devastation. Ignoring that—for now—was she implying she’d steal me? I wouldn’t forgive the world!

"So why did y—"

"Just get rid of the girlfriend—"

"BANG!"

A crash from the rooftop door cut me off. It flew open, kicked wide. The figure there was obvious—

"So you hid here. I thought your family had an emergency. If I hadn’t heard you were on the roof—you’d probably be hitting on that cutie. Typical horny beast—"

Xia Mo radiated energy, mocking me mercilessly as she strode over, her tone accusatory—

"And who’s this pretty thing...? Picking up girls again on your walks?"

She spoke to me, but her eyes locked onto Lu Zixuan. Xia Mo narrowed her gaze, studying the girl carefully.

"Let’s go... Your business is settled, right? Our after-school date starts soon—"

After a minute of staring, Xia Mo grabbed my sleeve and dragged me toward the door. I hesitated, nodding. Then—a chilling growl echoed behind us—

"That won’t do..."

The voice was distorted, yet unmistakably the same girl. What the hell? Xia Mo and I froze, turning back—

The timid girl now strode toward us. Head down, hair shadowing her eyes, but a bone-chilling aura radiated from her.

"That won’t do... This confession was just for us. Bringing another girl? You really hurt me!"

"I already said it—I have a girlfriend. Her, right there. Give up!"

I pointed to Xia Mo on my left. She didn’t flinch.

"I don’t care—kill the girlfriend! You’ll be mine anyway! Your brain, body, limbs, nails—you’re all mine! No one else touches you!"

What sick nonsense was this?

"So... the girlfriend should just die, right? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha..."

Laughing maniacally, she advanced, pulling a silver scalpel from her thigh strap. The curved blade gleamed eerily—

"Run! Now!"