Luo Yun Xi had always prided himself on knowing his students well, not just as learners but as people. There was one student, however, who had always intrigued him—a bright, quiet boy who consistently impressed him with his insight. But it wasn’t just the student that caught his attention. It was the lingering question of who his parent was.

A single mother, he’d been told, had a habit of arriving late to pick up her son, often after the last bell had rung, leaving only a few moments for a brief, polite exchange. Sometimes, Yun Xi would try to catch a glimpse of her in the schoolyard, but just as often, his work would call him away. He’d ask his colleagues about her—but descriptions always seemed vague—none of it seemed to paint a complete picture.

Weeks passed, and the feeling of not knowing gnawed at him in ways he couldn’t quite explain. Why had it become such a pressing thought? It wasn’t like him to be so nosy, but there was something about her being unknown that fazed him. So one afternoon, after the last student had fled out the door, Yun Xi decided to stay. He would wait. He had no real reason to rush home today. Just a little longer.

Yun Xi rushed outside, following the little boy as he finally stepped afoot outside the school doors. He froze in his tracks. There you were, wrapping your arms around your son as Luo Yun Xi finally laid his eyes on you.

There was something so captivating about you to Yun Xi—something about you that fed to his desire of learning more about you. Without even realizing it, seeing you managed to sneak into Yun Xi's daily routine. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Yun Xi would go out of his way just to see your face every single day. Rather, the thought of you not being in his life made him feel incomplete—even if the words you've exchanged were just mere glances.