---

---

“He’s definitely gay! He has Blue!”

“When he turned just now, I heard a notification sound from Blue on his phone!”

“What’s Blue?”

I had just asked, but before I could get an answer, Gu Yu squeezed in between us. Liang Qing immediately fell silent.

As Gu Yu and I were leaving, I glanced back to see Liang Qing mouthing two words at me: “Trust me!”

I could feel his frustration from not being able to speak in front of Gu Yu. It seemed like he was about to cry from desperation.

Both of our basketball jerseys were soaked in sweat by the time we reached the equipment room to change into dry T-shirts before heading out for dinner.

I quickly pulled on my T-shirt, and as my head emerged from the collar, I noticed Gu Yu standing completely still, staring at me. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed a few times.

“Xia Huai, you’re really pale.”

“Oh, it’s natural.” I replied casually, then asked, “Why haven’t you taken yours off? Doesn’t it feel sticky?”

Gu Yu’s mind seemed preoccupied as he stared blankly at me.

“My hands are dirty.”

“You should’ve washed your hands when you went to the bathroom, right? So you…”

His eyes suddenly lit up.

“Can you help me take it off?”

---

10

“Sure!”

What’s the big deal? We’re brothers, after all.

I reached out to help him take off his sweaty basketball jersey, but Gu Yu suddenly lost his balance and pinned me against the wall.

I was trapped by Gu Yu, who was a few centimeters taller than me, and gasped sharply.

Gu Yu lowered his head slightly, meeting my eyes with a gaze that wasn’t quite right!

Something felt off.

I started to panic, avoiding his eyes and glancing around. But at this distance, all I could see were his chest muscles, abs, or the biceps on his arms.

Gu Yu was in great shape. His muscles were well-defined, and every inch of his body seemed perfectly sculpted.

He leaned closer to my ear and whispered, “Sorry, lost my balance.”

His breath was warm against my ear and neck. He paused, then clarified with two words: “Slipped.”

Slipped? Really?

“Oh… oh, okay.”

I repeated myself a few times, but Gu Yu didn’t move away. Just as I was about to look up at him, he suddenly pressed forward, his body brushing against mine in a move that resembled a full-frontal hug.

I could feel the firmness of his chest and abs pressing against me.

In a low, husky voice, he said, “Xia Huai, you smell really nice.”

Uh…

Can I ask something?

Would a brother tell another brother he smells nice?

A surge of thoughts rushed through my brain, and I suddenly remembered Liang Qing’s warning.

Could Gu Yu actually be…

I shot my head up, only for my nose to bump into his as he bent down. We froze for a couple of seconds as Gu Yu’s breath grew uneven. I could hear the sound of him licking his lips, and I saw the endless desire in his eyes.

---

11

Oh my god.

In a flash, I ducked under his arm and slid away.

“Uh, I… I just remembered I have something to do. I’ll be going now!”

I rushed back to my dorm room, my mind replaying everything that had just happened and Liang Qing’s constant insistence that Gu Yu was gay.

Over the next few days, I avoided Gu Yu. But then, a thought occurred to me.

I couldn’t let his girlfriend stay in the dark!

She hadn’t done anything wrong and deserved to know the truth!

But I didn’t have her contact information. How could I meet her to tell her?

I came up with an idea and sent Gu Yu a message.

”The couple’s escape room I work at has a new horror theme. Wanna try it out with your girlfriend?”

After rejecting him multiple times recently, this time I took the initiative to invite him. He agreed right away.

”If you’re the one playing the ghost, then sure.”

”Yeah, I’ll be the ghost.”

”Then it’s a deal.”

The day Gu Yu and his girlfriend arrived, I was hidden in the darkness, dressed as a ghost, waiting to ambush them.

When they passed by, I suddenly jumped out and screamed. They both shrieked in fear.

While Gu Yu was still startled, I quickly grabbed his girlfriend and ran!

To avoid suspicion, I only grabbed her by the sleeve as we ran.

I led her to a corner and closed the small door behind us, whispering, “Shh! Don’t make a sound! Listen to me first! I have something important to tell you!”

I was panting from running too fast, struggling to catch my breath as I bent over to steady myself.

She gently patted my back to help me breathe.

“Thanks, no need.”

I stood up straight.

“I know this may be hard to believe, and I know you might not be able to accept it right away, but I have to tell you something—”

This was tough, but I had no choice.

I paused.

“I have to tell you… your boyfriend is gay.”

In the darkness, the figure in front of me wavered. Something felt wrong…

How tall was his girlfriend again?

Then a low, male voice sounded next to my ear.

“How did you know I’m gay?”

---

12

Oh no!

I grabbed the wrong person!

How did I end up pulling Gu Yu instead of his girlfriend?!

I immediately dropped to the floor, pretending to be dead, but Gu Yu picked me up in a princess carry and rushed out.

As they left, his girlfriend gave me a look that was completely different from before.

I swear I’m not the other man!

After that, I completely stopped replying to Gu Yu’s messages.

Unlike before, this time he couldn’t just come to my school or wait for me outside my dorm.

Because it was summer break.

I went back home to my grandmother’s place.

She lives in a remote village far from the city. After a night on the green train, I woke up and had arrived.

Aside from visiting my grandmother, I was also trying to escape. I needed a mental break.

I wanted to leave behind the noise of the city and feel the serenity of the open countryside, where the breeze gently brushed past.

Because I was upset.

Very upset.

First, I was angry that Gu Yu, despite being gay, had deceived his girlfriend. Second, I was upset that I had genuinely considered him a close brother.

But maybe, just as Liang Qing had said, sending good morning and goodnight texts every day isn’t typical for straight guys—it might be more of a “player” thing.