After PE class ended, school was out.

I wasn’t exactly blameless—but anyway, Gu Qianqian kept shooting me sharp glances now and then. It stung. My game felt off. Even Wang Jingzhe, who’d sworn “There’s no way I’m playing basketball,” showed up anyway. He played center; I was small forward.

Lin Muke stayed unusually quiet the whole class. Sometimes I’d catch her sitting alone—a lonely silhouette. She never once looked my way. Girls are shy, I thought. She must’ve given up.

My first ever half-formed confession… brushed off by my own feigned cluelessness. If she weren’t someone I actually liked, I might not care. But Lin Muke was a genuinely good girl… Wait. Did I just accidentally hand her the “nice guy” card *again*?

Class ended. I slung my pre-packed backpack over my shoulder, basketball in hand, and walked toward the gate with Fang Liancheng. Behind us, it felt like a little tail was trailing. Fang kept glancing back, tugging my arm—but I gritted my teeth and marched forward, pretending not to notice the girl following.

It was Lin Muke… She’d followed again.

Other girls’ voices trailed behind, urging her:

“Muke! Don’t be so stubborn…”

“We thought he was decent before… but now…”

“Don’t hang yourself on one tree!”

…

My chest tightened. Then came Lin Muke’s reply—and even Fang started side-eyeing me. Guilt prickled under my skin.

“I’m sorry to worry you all. But Classmate Ye really is a good person.”

“It’s… it’s that *I’m* not good enough. But to become worthy of him… I’ll get better.”

Lin Muke stopped walking. Those words tore away the last veil of shyness—turning hesitation into a clear confession.

I pressed a hand to my chest, forcing my face calm. In my mind, I called out to my senpai… pictured Xiao Xian’s sweet smile. A flicker of her yandere side flashed—but just a moment. I believed, with my guidance, Xiao Xian would grow into a bright, ordinary girl.

I didn’t stop. Feelings can’t be forced.

I wasn’t a jerk. For Xiao Xian and my senpai—I had to stay firm.

Noon sun warmed the autumn air—gentle breeze, perfect temperature. Yet my undershirt clung, damp with sweat: half from resolve, half from the future Xiao Xian described.

I glanced at Fang Liancheng, whose eyes held envy, jealousy, resentment.

“Hey. Do you think I’m a jerk?”

“Didn’t before. Now… kinda.”

“I gave up the whole forest for one cloud.”

“What if the cloud drifts? Lin Muke—ah, I mean, isn’t *this* tree stunning? ‘The tallest tree in the forest’—that’s her! Such a beautiful… girl. You flat-out rejected her. If I were you, I wouldn’t be so harsh…”

“She won’t drift.”

“What?!” Fang frowned, misunderstanding.

I sighed. “That cloud won’t drift… because I have rain.”

“Ugh, you’re so cryptic!”

I didn’t explain. Xiao Xian’s existence stayed my secret—for now.

Back then, I never considered another possibility.

Was Lin Muke… also a beautiful cloud?