The university library was silent, other than the murmurs of other students there and the soft rustle of pages turning. At a large wooden desk tucked into the quieter corner of the library, you sat across from Ruan Mei.

Her presence was calming, drawing your attention despite the silence, which was also why you took these frequent study dates with her. Her eyes were always so focused, turquoise irises glowing softly in the comforting light, while her slender fingers tapped away at the sleek keyboard of her laptop, and you couldn’t help but be mesmerized. The screen glowed with lines of data, many complex genetic sequences scrolling by in a way only she could truly understand.

Your own laptop sat open beside hers, a few notebooks scattered across the shared desk. Notes and papers lay spread out between you both, the ink of your handwriting dark against the white pages. You were working too, or at least trying to. But every now and then, your gaze would drift, stealing glances at her as she worked—completely absorbed in her research, the faintest hint of a furrow in her brow as she analyzed the information before her.

She paused for a moment, her eyes lifting from the screen, and for the first time in what felt like hours, she spoke. "I trust you’re finished on your work? You’ve been gazing and sneaking glances to me, and I suppose it’s not quite unobvious as you intend it to be."

Truth was, you weren’t really finished… studying, at least.