Chapter 2: Can I Hold Your Hand Anytime from Now On?

“Let’s adjust the seating arrangement.” The homeroom teacher clapped their hands and announced the new seating chart.

Xie Jun and the chubby boy, Lu Yuan, switched places, making Xie Jun Kui Ming’s new deskmate.

Lu Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Kui Ming was too intimidating, and he was a bit afraid of him. Lu Yuan quickly packed up his things and moved, taking both his desk and himself away.

Xie Jun moved his desk over, placing it right next to Kui Ming’s, the edges perfectly aligned.

Xie Jun had a faint scent, probably from his body wash, and sitting next to him made the air seem a bit fresher.

During math class, Kui Ming lay on his desk, sleeping.

Through the gap between his arms, he could just see the surface of his deskmate’s desk.

Xie Jun was meticulously taking notes. His nails, with that faint hint of pink, moved with the tip of his pen, like spring flowers blooming across the white paper.

Kui Ming’s gaze followed the movement of his fingers.

As if sensing his gaze, Xie Jun turned his head slightly, his lowered eyes falling on Kui Ming’s face.

Kui Ming kept his eyes shut, pretending to be sound asleep.

Xie Jun turned back and continued to let his fingers glide across the notebook.

…

The bell signaling the end of evening self-study rang, as if breaking a seal, and the students burst out laughing and chatting like fish leaping from water.

Xie Jun, carrying his backpack, walked at the back of the crowd.

The teaching building was brightly lit, but as he walked further, the lights dimmed. The yellow street lamps lit up the road one by one, with gaps of darkness between each pool of light.

Xie Jun’s footsteps paused for a moment.

At the corner ahead stood a figure, boldly blocking his way.

This person grabbed Xie Jun’s wrist and pulled him into the darkness of the corner.

Outside, a few students passed by intermittently, but no one noticed the two figures hidden in the shadows.

“Xie Jun.”

Kui Ming held onto Xie Jun’s hand, interlocking their fingers tightly, gripping his hand firmly.

In the dim night, his hand appeared less cool in tone, as if covered by a soft, warm yellow filter.

Xie Jun raised his eyes and slowly revealed a slight smile. “Congratulations, you improved by 30 points.”

Kui Ming held his hand, his fingertips gently rubbing the back of Xie Jun’s hand. “I better make the most of this.”

In the depths of the night, countless hours of study were exchanged just for the permission to hold hands.

When the results of the monthly exam were released, Kui Ming appeared calm on the surface, but inside, he was overjoyed. He couldn’t hear a word of what the teacher was saying on the podium—his mind and eyes were completely focused on Xie Jun’s pair of hands.

“Does this mean I can hold your hand whenever I want from now on?” Kui Ming grabbed Xie Jun’s other hand with his free one, using his pinky to hook around Xie Jun’s fingers, never staying still for a moment.

“Mm.” Xie Jun responded softly.

Kui Ming leaned his whole body against Xie Jun, burying his head on Xie Jun’s shoulder, like a large, furry dog. “Then can I get a kiss?”

“No.” Xie Jun ruffled his fluffy head as if he were petting a dog.

“I’ll take it in advance,” Kui Ming said, using his tall, broad-shouldered frame to his advantage while batting his eyes playfully.

Xie Jun chuckled and pinched his lips, shaping them into a little duckbill. But he still mercilessly uttered two words, “No way.”

Kui Ming held Xie Jun’s hand, bringing it to his lips, and planted a firm kiss in his palm.

Then, he kissed each of Xie Jun’s fingernails, which were like petals with a faint pink hue.

Xie Jun pulled his hand back.

Kui Ming stuck close to Xie Jun, their shoulders touching, arms brushing against each other. As they walked, their hands occasionally bumped together, and Kui Ming, finding this quite amusing, lightly used his fingers to hook the back of Xie Jun’s hand.

“Come over to my place tomorrow,” Xie Jun said, gently patting his mischievous hand, as if in warning, though it felt more like indulgence. “I’ll tutor you.”

Kui Ming almost jumped for joy, his smile bright like sunshine. “Okay!”