"Hey! Aren't we friends? Just lend me some cash!"

The guy towering over me was a third-year student—one grade above me. His bulky frame blocked the light as he slammed me against the concrete wall. The strength difference made resistance impossible.

This was the eighth time this month he’d "borrowed" money. More like stolen. Extortion, really. But with nearly a hundred yuan demanded each time, I couldn’t afford it anymore. My monthly part-time earnings barely hit a thousand. For days now, I hadn’t spent a single yuan on myself.

"Didn’t you just... borrow from me two days ago? Is it... already gone?"

My voice trembled. Every time he failed to get money, he beat me. Old wounds throbbed under my skin.

Bullying happened everywhere. But for me? It was relentless. Maybe it was time to accept fate. Struggling in this life was pointless—I’d just die worthless in the mud. Suicide had crossed my mind, of course.

"Huh?! You’re bringing up last time? Separate issues! Last time was last time. This is now! You just don’t wanna lend me shit, do you? Wanna get punched, damn bitch?"

He grabbed my sailor uniform collar, yanking it out of shape. I clawed at his thick wrist—useless.

"Oh? You’re resisting now? Got guts all of a sudden?!" He spat in my face. Disgusting droplets blurred my glasses. *His spit.* Nausea rose, but I couldn’t move. "Don’t think I won’t slash your face just ‘cause you’re a girl!"

His insults were routine. He released my collar. I looked up. A vile smirk twisted his lips. He was calculating what to do to me in this dark alley—

A brutal impact exploded on my left cheek. I crashed to the ground. Pain shot through my skull. My glasses flew meters away—he’d slapped me hard.

"You’re just a bastard orphan! Who even knows where your parents are? I could kill you here and no one’d care! Kneel and thank me! Any human touching an ugly bitch like you is a fucking privilege!"

I pushed myself up, wiping grime from my face with my sleeve. My left cheek burned. Pain refreshed itself, familiar yet sharp. Something hot pooled in my mouth—blood? My left ear buzzed, muffled.

"Damn bitch, if it weren’t for me, you’d never even talk to a guy. Crawl over and lick my shoes. Maybe I’ll go easy on you."

A shoe pressed onto my palm braced on the ground. Agony pierced my fingers—

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"

His kick slammed into my stomach. Arm pain flared—he wasn’t just stepping; he was grinding my hand into the pavement.

"Who told you to scream?! Shut it!"

He feared drawing attention. His leg lifted again for another strike. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing—

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"

His scream cut through the air. I peeked open my eyes. A metal baseball bat gleamed before me. No wonder—he’d been struck on the shin.

A boy in another school’s uniform stood between us. He glared at the thug now writhing on the ground, clutching his deformed leg. The bat swung again—this time at the arm shielding the injury. Another shriek tore out.

Minutes later, he helped me out of the alley. Only then could I see his face—but without my glasses, it stayed blurry.

We rested on the riverside grass. Sunset painted the water in dazzling gold. This ordinary spot felt beautiful because he was here.

I held my aching stomach as I sat. He released my arm and settled beside me on the right.

"...Thank you."

All I could manage.

"No problem. Just pissed me off seeing him bully a girl." He scratched his head, smiling shyly. The sunset made that smile glow. "Are you okay? Can you get home alone?"

"I’m... fine. I can... manage..."

Talking to others always made me stumble.

"Xiao Yuan! There you are!"

A girl’s voice called from behind. We turned. A petite figure approached, too distant to see clearly.

The boy stood immediately. Someone he knew. If I didn’t ask now, I’d regret it—

"Wait!"

My shout froze him mid-step. He turned, waiting.

"Your name... please tell me..."

"Ah... Byakuya Gen. But we’re from different schools. Probably won’t meet again. Bye!"

He flashed another bright smile—forced this time—then ran off. Just as he said. We’d likely never cross paths again. Even if we did, we might not recognize each other.

My eyes caught the hazy scene: the girl standing on tiptoes, playfully patting his head. Like the river behind me reflecting the sunset—brilliant, yet unreachable. He and I? Parallel lines. Never meant to intersect.

*Beep beep beep—*

An alarm sounded. My room didn’t even have a clock. Oh—right.

*I’m in someone else’s room.*

"Tch... Why’d I remember all that? It’s been two years already..."

I pushed down my cat-ear beanie and rose slowly from the bedside. My body ached from sleeping slumped over all night. I glanced at the man sleeping on the bed.

What tied us together was pure coincidence. He was so noble. And I...

I leaned down, tucking stray hair behind my ear. My lips brushed his forehead. *How does anyone sleep with hair this messy?*

"Well then... goodbye. Hope you slept well."

I turned the doorknob without hesitation, slipping out as quietly as possible. Yes. We were parallel lines. Close, yet impossibly far apart—

A light tap landed on my shoulder.