Chapter 7 - A Habit I didn't Ask for

Chapter 6 : 𝓐 𝓗𝓪𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝓐𝓼𝓴 𝓯𝓸𝓻

By the next morning, everything should have gone back to normal.

It didn't.

Lu Zhen walked into the classroom like he always did—early, quiet, unnoticed.

But this time—

His eyes moved first.

Back row.

Left side.

Occupied.

Lin Xu was already there.

Sitting in his seat.

Like it had always been his place.

Lu Zhen stopped for a second.

Just a second.

"…You're early," he said flatly as he walked over.

Lin Xu glanced up from his book.

"So are you."

"That's different."

"How?"

Lu Zhen didn't answer.

He placed his bag down and sat beside him without another word.

Like it was normal.

Like this—

was normal.

—

A few rows ahead, two voices broke into quiet laughter.

"Did you see his face yesterday?" one of them said, barely holding back amusement.

"I did," the other replied. "I thought he was going to throw the notebook at you."

Lu Zhen didn't look up.

But Lin Xu did.

Two boys sat a few seats ahead.

One leaned back lazily in his chair, expression full of mischief, while the other sat upright, clearly trying to ignore him.

"Zhou Kai," the quieter one muttered, "can you not talk so loudly?"

"I'm not loud," Zhou Kai replied, grinning. "You're just nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"…Shut up."

Lin Xu watched them for a moment, then looked back down at his book.

"…Friends of yours?" Lu Zhen asked without thinking.

The question slipped out before he could stop it.

Lin Xu blinked slightly, then shook his head.

"No."

Lu Zhen frowned faintly.

"…Then why were you staring?"

"They're interesting."

Lu Zhen's expression darkened slightly.

"…You really do look at people too much."

Lin Xu smiled faintly.

"Only when they're worth looking at."

Lu Zhen didn't reply.

But for some reason—

his gaze shifted briefly toward the two again.

—

"Song Yan, you're seriously overreacting," Zhou Kai said, leaning closer.

"I'm not overreacting."

"You are. It was just a joke."

"It wasn't funny."

"It was a little funny."

"It wasn't."

Zhou Kai laughed quietly, clearly enjoying the reaction more than anything.

"…You're impossible," Song Yan muttered, turning away.

"And you still stay," Zhou Kai replied, softer this time.

The words were light.

But something about them lingered.

Lu Zhen looked down at his notebook, his fingers tightening slightly around his pen.

Stay.

The word felt… familiar.

Uncomfortable.

—

"Do you always sit here?"

Lu Zhen's thoughts broke as Lin Xu spoke again.

"…Yes."

"Every day?"

"Yes."

Lin Xu nodded once.

"Then I'll sit here too."

Lu Zhen frowned.

"…That's not how it works."

"Why not?"

"Because I was here first."

"That's fine."

"…That's not the point."

Lin Xu closed his book, turning slightly toward him.

"Then what is?"

Lu Zhen hesitated.

There it was again.

That same question.

The one he never had a proper answer for.

"…You're making it a habit," he said finally.

Lin Xu tilted his head slightly.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"…Because it is."

Lin Xu didn't argue.

He just nodded lightly.

"Alright."

A pause.

"…I'll still sit here."

Lu Zhen clicked his tongue under his breath.

Annoying.

Unnecessarily persistent.

And yet—

He didn't tell him to move.

—

The lecture began, but the atmosphere felt different.

Not loud.

Not quiet either.

Just… filled.

Zhou Kai and Song Yan continued their quiet bickering a few rows ahead, their voices fading in and out between the professor's explanations.

Lin Xu sat beside him, calm as ever.

Close.

Steady.

Present.

Lu Zhen stared at his notebook, but his thoughts weren't on the lecture.

They kept drifting.

To the seat beside him.

To the voice that didn't leave.

To the presence that—

was slowly becoming familiar.

"…You're distracted," Lin Xu said softly.

Lu Zhen's pen stopped.

"…I'm not."

"You are."

"…Stop saying that."

Lin Xu didn't reply.

But the faint trace of a smile returned.

—

When the lecture ended, Zhou Kai stood up first, stretching lazily.

"Finally. I thought I was going to fall asleep."

"You almost did," Song Yan replied.

"I didn't."

"You were snoring."

"I was not."

"You were."

"…You're making things up."

Song Yan didn't respond, already walking toward the exit.

Zhou Kai followed without hesitation.

Like it was natural.

Like it didn't need to be said.

Lu Zhen watched them for a moment.

Then looked away.

"…People like that are annoying," he muttered.

Lin Xu glanced at him.

"Which one?"

"Both."

Lin Xu considered that.

"I think they're honest."

"…They're loud."

"That too."

Lu Zhen stood up, grabbing his bag.

Lin Xu did the same.

Neither of them spoke as they walked out.

But this time—

The silence didn't feel empty.

—

As they stepped outside, the sky was overcast again.

Not raining.

Not clear.

Just waiting.

Lu Zhen walked ahead slightly.

Lin Xu followed.

Not too close.

Not too far.

Just enough to be there.

Like always.

And without realizing it—

Lu Zhen didn't think to tell him to stop.