The gym lights flickered overhead as the basketball team's practice came to an end. Sweat clung to Chi Cheng's skin, his hair damp from the scrimmage. As the other players peeled off to the showers, Guo Cheng Yu leaned casually against the wall near the exit, arms folded, a towel slung around his neck.
Chi Cheng clocked him immediately. "You waiting for me?"
Cheng Yu's grin was lazy. "I'm always waiting for you, Chi-ge."
Chi Cheng didn't even roll his eyes. "If you're here to flirt, find someone else."
"Oh, don't worry. I'm not here to flirt with you," Cheng Yu said smoothly, pushing off the wall and stepping closer. "But I do want to talk about someone else I've been flirting with lately."
Chi Cheng's jaw tightened.
"Suo Wei."
That did it.
"Stop messing around with him," Chi Cheng said coolly, wiping his neck with his towel. "It's not funny anymore."
Guo Cheng Yu raised a brow. "Oh? Since when do you care who flirts with Wei Wei?"
"Since you started doing it on purpose."
Cheng Yu's expression shifted, the teasing falling from his face. "You noticed."
Chi Cheng tossed the towel aside. "You wanted to get under my skin. Congratulations."
A beat of silence passed between them.
"I thought so," Cheng Yu said finally, quieter now. "You could've just told me."
"I'm telling you now," Chi Cheng replied. "He's mine."
Guo Cheng Yu gave a small, surprised laugh. "Wow. That's the first time I've heard you say it out loud."
Chi Cheng met his gaze directly. "So stop toying with him."
"…Alright," Cheng Yu said with a nod. "Fair enough."
He hesitated, then added with a softer edge, "For what it's worth, I wasn't trying to hurt him. I like Wei Wei. He's easy to care about."
"I know," Chi Cheng muttered. "That's why I'm warning you."
Meanwhile, outside the science building, Wu Suo Wei clutched his backpack straps tightly, walking in awkward silence beside Jiang Xiao Shuai.
He'd wanted to tell him, a hundred times. But the words never came.
"You're acting weird again," Xiao Shuai said, stopping in his tracks.
Suo Wei froze. "Huh?"
"You're hiding something. Again."
Suo Wei's mouth opened and closed. "I… it's complicated."
Xiao Shuai stared at him for a second before gently patting his shoulder. "Da Wei, whatever it is… I'll support you."
Suo Wei blinked rapidly, lips quivering. "Really?"
"Of course," Xiao Shuai said with a small smile. "Even if you're dating a jerk like Chi Cheng."
"W-We're not–!"
Xiao Shuai gave him a look.
"…Okay," Suo Wei whispered.
Xiao Shuai snorted, wrapping an arm loosely around his shoulder. "It's about time. You've been sighing like a lovesick squirrel all semester."
Later That Evening
The hallway outside their apartment door was quiet.
Chi Cheng reached up to unlock the door while Suo Wei clutched a bag of fresh bread their neighbor had given them. As the key clicked and the door creaked open, Chi Cheng's hand came down gently to ruffle Suo Wei's hair.
"You worry too much," he murmured.
"I-I can't help it," Suo Wei mumbled. "Everyone's watching…"
Chi Cheng leaned close, eyes serious. "Then let them. I won't hide if you don't want me to."
Suo Wei stared up at him, heart pounding.
Unbeknownst to them behind the potted plant down the hall a student crouched silently, phone raised.
The screen glowed with the image of Chi Cheng's hand brushing through Wu Suo Wei's hair like it belonged there. Another shot showed both of them stepping inside the same door.
Seconds later, a new post went up on the university forum:
"CONFIRMED: Chi Cheng & Wu Suo Wei live together?! 👀🏠💥"
photo 1: Chi Cheng patting Suo Wei's head
photo 2: them entering the apartment
photo 3: blurry heart emoji added by someone in the comments
The post exploded within minutes.
The secret they'd worked so hard to protect… had just cracked wide open.