#aeris writes

Qin Shiyue

Qin Shiyue is not a phone addict.

Or at least, she doesn’t consider herself one. Her Uncle Shi Yan would say otherwise, but he’s one to talk; ever since he started dating Zheng Shuyi, he’s been glued to his screen, that amused half-smirk always in place. She spent years hoping that he would get a girlfriend, if only to draw his ire away from her floundering academics, but now that he has one, she realized that she didn’t consider how gross it would be to hear her tyrant uncle call someone his Precious Darling Honey within earshot.

Back to the phones, though. Despite not being an addict, Qin Shiyue has to admit that it’s in her hand whenever she finds pockets of free time. Texting someone back, making a phone call, scrolling through social media, or studying for her next exam—it’s not her fault that the pocket devices are so convenient. She’s in the middle of watching a pre-recorded lecture and taking notes when a notification from Cheng Bei’er, her fellow Financial News intern, blocks out the professor’s face.

(Baobei2) Cheng Bei’er: [link] (Baobei2) Cheng Bei’er: you should try this with your boyfriend and see how he reacts!!! 😂

She recognizes the thumbnail without even clicking the link; she’s seen this video on her Douyin page before. It’s a remake of a trend on American Tiktok where people text their boyfriend She’s busy, bro and share the responses, and as much as she likes to see that kind of drama on television, she doesn’t have the energy to welcome it into her life.

(Lucky SY) Qin Shiyue: 😔 he’s so patient, he would probably just say ok and move on (Lucky SY) Qin Shiyue: besides (Lucky SY) Qin Shiyue: i’d feel bad, i think! 😥

(Baobei2) Cheng Bei’er: [image] (Baobei2) Cheng Bei’er: then you can live vicariously through me—I sent it to Hu Qinghua (Baobei2) Cheng Bei’er: he’s too cute…I’m going to take him out for dinner tonight as an apology

(Lucky SY) Qin Shiyue: 2333333333333

Qin Shiyue reads through Hu Qinghua’s reply again with a small smile. It is kind of funny, but only because Hu Qinghua’s earnest, kicked puppy demeanor shines through the texts and Cheng Bei’er quickly reassures him once the prank has gone on long enough.

Hmm.

She puts her phone facedown, all thoughts of school work forgotten. She has to admit, she is rather curious to see Yu You’s reply. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body and always deflected her early advances with grace and kindness despite—she cringes, recalling it now—her brazenness; there’s no way he’d react as explosively as the men she’s seen online.

But that’s the appeal, she thinks, tapping the eraser against her lips. Her gentle Yu You being flustered for the first time. Or maybe the second time—she got a glimpse of it when Yucheng confessed to her on the university steps, but even then, Yu You’s protectiveness was hidden under a layer of professionalism since he was technically their professor. How would he react now that he’s her actual boyfriend?

.

.

.

Once Qin Shiyue got the idea into her head, she came to realize a few things.

Firstly, she initiates a lot of their text conversations, and this was true before they started dating, too. It’s not a bad thing. She’s just more sociable than he is, always sharing pictures of her day and sending stickers whenever she’s free. Secondly, he’s not the type to double text for her attention. Sure, he’ll break up the texts into several messages if needed, but he’s not the type to pester for a response like some of the men in the videos she’s seen. Both of these observations make it difficult to find the proper timing for this prank.

Maybe it’s a lost cause.

Qin Shiyue sighs and slips her phone back into her pocket before ringing the doorbell. She could just type in the passcode and waltz in—she doubts Uncle Shi Yan changed the code since she moved out of Bogang Cloud Bay—but now that Sister Shuyi (or Auntie Shuyi) lives here, too, Shiyue has been relegated from former inhabitant to frequent guest and she knows her limits.

The double doors click open a moment later, and she walks in, toeing off her shoes with practiced ease before placing them properly on the rack. There's no one in the living room, but somewhere down the hall, she hears Zheng Shuyi fussing with something.

“Xiaoyue!” Her coworker-turned-family, radiant as ever, emerges from the bathroom with bags full of what she can only guess are skincare products. Her long hair spills out of a messy updo. “You’re early! Help me set up dinner, will you? Shanshan is on her way.”

“Yes, Auntie,” Qin Shiyue says, dragging out her tone in a way that makes Zheng Shuyi roll her eyes.

She’s happy to find that Uncle kept her old slippers, the bears’ ears shifting cutely as she wiggles her toes.

Yu You finally double texts her during the girls night, first sending a link to an event and asking if she wanted to go with him. Then he explains that his friend had extra tickets, and of course, if she wasn’t available, he’d give the tickets to someone else. Maybe her uncle and aunt?

She waits a few seconds and sends the She’s busy, bro text before she loses her nerve. She sees that the text is viewed immediately, but it takes a full two minutes before he responds Ok, please let her know that I’ll await her response. Maybe it’s his age that makes him so patient?

Ugh, now that she’s made up a drama-worthy scene in her head, she’s kind of disappointed by the actual reality. Though, to be honest, it’s completely in line with what she thought would happen.

She shows the text to Aunt Shuyi and Sister Bi Ruoshan (who insists on the Sister honorific and not the Auntie one). They’re busy chewing through their tasty takeout, but they still applaud his maturity.

Or maybe, Sister Bi Ruoshan whispers conspiratorially, putting more skewers on Shiyue’s plate, Xiaoyue has a fuming dragon to calm down once she gets home?

The older ladies laugh at Qin Shiyue’s reaction, and Qin Shiyue insists that they text their significant others, too.

Yu You

Yu You is definitely not a phone addict.

Yu You reflects on how he’s sometimes still a little insecure about their age difference, even though Qin Shiyue’s proven time and time again that it doesn’t matter to her. Still, it must be boring to be with someone who doesn’t get newer Internet trends, would rather stay in with a book than go out clubbing, and is always busy with papers to grade.

He finally finds the opportunity to invite her somewhere that isn't his office or apartment to catch up on work (he's been so swamped lately), and in his excitement, he ends up texting her more times than usual. He's the type to send one big paragraph while she's the type to send separate sentences.

He gets that reply, and unfortunately, his insecurities crop up again. It's Friday evening. Maybe she's out with her intern friends from Finance Weekly. Or maybe she's out with her new friends from university, the ones she's made now that she officially registered for a Master’s in finance. Would Yucheng be in that same group…?

He sends back a short and simple reply before putting his phone face down and getting back to work. But his eyes keep flitting to his phone, and he can't concentrate—he can't get those stupid three words out of his head.

Sounds like it's a night for rock climbing or boxing to distract himself. Just as he gets up, though, Shiyue sends him an explanation and a crying emoji about how he's so sweet, and now he almost feels a little bad for his insecurities. Smiling softly, he tells her that he'll accept the tickets, then.

Bi Ruoshan

She tries it on Guan Ji immediately with the other two girls peering over her shoulder. It only takes a few minutes for her to feel bad enough to give up the ruse; she didn't even wait for a reply before explaining the prank.

Given her and Guan Ji’s complicated relationship, the prank hits a little too close to home, though she can't explain the intricacies to Shuyi and Xiaoyue.

Guan Ji

He definitely freaks out. It's not that he doesn't trust Shanshan. He's very much in love with her and knows that she wouldn't want to hurt him.

But man, if he's being honest, just seeing that text brings back memories of their pre-dating phase and all his fears.

Luckily, Shanshan understands him and sends an explanation before he spirals too much, but he's already sent a screenshot to the boys' group chat, asking for advice.

Zheng Shuyi

She hesitates for a long time because she doesn’t think Shi Yan will fall for it. She's tried so many things over the course of their relationship, and he responds with an emoji to her most annoying pranks, if he replies at all. Usually he leaves her on read, and she's stuck looking like a fool in their message thread.

The thought is funny, though, so she does the prank a few days later. Still, she thinks as she sets down her phone, there's no way he'll believe it.

She leaves her phone on her desk when someone calls her over for her opinion.

That's when Shi Yan calls. Obviously, it doesn't get picked up. He calls again. Then a third. Hu Qinghua, Cheng Bei’er’s boyfriend and another intern at Finance Weekly, picks up the call once he sees the name.

“Sorry, she's busy right now,” he says apologetically. “Is it—” an emergency? he means to ask, but he must've accidentally hung up the phone somehow. He should definitely tell Senior Shuyi once she returns that Shi Yan called.

Shi Yan

He already knows about the trend from Yu You and Guan Ji. The latter sent a panicked message into their group chat before being reassured that it wasn't anything, and Shi Yan’s nephew-in-law (as he liked to call Yu You these days) commiserated with the experience.

Shi Yan’s going to have to talk to his niece about unproductive social media time. He figures that it'll be his turn soon, so he's already prepared himself.

When he reads her text, though, he frowns to himself. Man, he hates to admit it, but even a cold and prepared guy like him reacted. The thought, the possibility, irritates him to no end, and though he knows it's just a text, he's kind of pissed off at the idea of some guy telling him to lay off.

Stll, he sends a stoic answer that ruins her fun just in case she was looking for a reaction.

Then he calls. He figured that she'd pick up immediately, huffing about how he should've just played along, but she doesn’t. She doesn’t pick up the second time either.

The third gets picked up, and he’s about to say something when a man talks first. “Sorry, she's busy right now.” The line disconnects soon after.

Huh.

…hmm.

He slips his phone into his pocket and tells his driver to head to Finance Weekly as calmly as he can, but he can feel the tension in his jaw as his car slips through traffic.

On the planet of Merchara, it rarely rains. Due to the planet's position from the sun, the sky is a permanent rust orange, with hints of yellow when the sun moves from east to west. It leaves no room for the sun to set or for clouds to form, except for one month out of the year, when the cold front from Glacius, another planet, makes its way to Merchara, heading right into your city of Theodion. When it rains, it pours for days, and unfortunately for you, it decided to pour on the first day of your new job as a teacher at the local primary school.

Bad omens seem to follow you wherever you go.

You aren’t from this town or this planet, but you planned to make this your home forever, to escape your dark past and make your amends in your own way— by being a good person. You’ve done things that you aren’t proud of, and your family is hell, but you refuse to let that define you. You’re safe now, you’re free, and despite the rain that decants outside of your window, you are determined to make it a great first day.

You decided to wear your teacher’s best: a dress that fit your shape nicely, paired with a cardigan to match. It’s important that you make a good first impression, as you are new here and don’t know anyone but your landlord. Your hair flowed past your shoulders, covering the tattoo of your family’s crest on the back of your neck that you have tried to ignore for many years now— the same crest that makes people shudder whenever it’s heard. You don’t want to be judged by that.

You glance at the time; the clock on the wall displays a quarter to 7, the neon lights illuminating your dark apartment. Scarfing down your breakfast of oatmeal, you quickly wash out your bowl and spoon, your body full of nervous jitters as you think about the day ahead. What will your kids be like? Will the other teachers like you? Can you even do this?

Shaking those thoughts out of your head, you put on your raincoat and slip on your mask, a necessity for the smog that plagues the city. You take one last look at your apartment, stepping out quietly and locking the door. The rain continues to fall, the smell of petrichor filling your nose as you approach the door. It’s an odd thing, seeing water come down from an orange sky. You’ve read about it in books and heard people talk about it, but to see it in person is nothing short of amazing.

“It’s going to be a good day.”

You repeat it in your head like a mantra over and over until you reach the school, a short jog from your apartment. The school’s sepia-colored building looms ahead, standing at two stories high. Its wide, inviting windows and rugged, weathered textures show its history, as it’s one of the oldest schools in the city. Maybe you will be here long enough to be a part of its history.

You approach one of the guards standing by the front doors, dressed in black, and his face covered in a specialized mask. “Can I see your badge, please?”

You slowly pull it from your jacket and place it in his hand. You stand there awkwardly as he scans it, while others pass by, giving you curious looks. “You can come in. Make a left turn into the hall, and you will see the admin office. Principal Young’s office is in the back.”

You whisper “thank you” as you take the badge from him, following the guard’s instructions until you find yourself at the Principal’s door. You raise your hand to knock as the door swings open, meeting a tall woman with bone-straight hair and round, kind eyes.

Ah! You made it!” She chirps, her happiness spreading over like a virus. “I am thrilled to have you with us!”

“I-I’m happy to be here,” you respond nervously, shaking her hand.

“You got here early, and that is perfect. Let me show you around the school and where you will be teaching.”

You practically speed walk with her as she shows you the different classrooms and talks about the lore. You couldn’t help but notice you were one of the youngest teachers in the building and the only one who didn’t seem to know everyone by name. Still, the staff smiled politely as you passed, some giving you curious nods, others watching you with unreadable eyes. You’d expected this. Small cities—even ones on other planets—always had that insular feel. You were the outsider. The new teacher. The enigma.

After an hour of maps, school traditions, and going over your class roster, you arrived at the last classroom on the left, with a view that overlooked the bustling city below.

“This is your classroom, O-4,” Principal Young announces, leading you inside. “I take it you went over your lesson plans that I emailed you?”

You nod, setting your bag on the desk. “I read over everything and emailed all of the parents, introducing myself. I’m sorry again, I couldn’t come to the meeting for all the teachers and students.”

“Oh, it’s okay,” Principal Young affirms warmly. “You were a last-minute addition, and I’m just glad we got another Literature teacher in time. There aren’t a lot of kids in your grade, so you will have one class in the morning, and the rest of your day will be for lesson planning and projects within the school.”

“That sounds good,” you respond, looking around the classroom. “I can’t wait to meet the kids and get started.”

“I will leave you to it,” she says, stepping back towards the door. “I see your materials for your class have arrived. You still have time to put everything together before the kids come. Have a great first day!”

You spend the next hour assembling your materials and assigning names to the desks. By the time the first bell rings, your nerves are almost forgotten. The children shooed in, dripping from the rain, their little faces filled with curiosity. Some are shy, others bold, but all of them stare at you like you’re some strange creature from a distant planet. In a way, you are. But you meet them with a warm smile and a gentle voice, and before long, you’re in the groove of teaching. You ask everyone to introduce themselves, and they do it without missing a beat.

There is one student who stands out the most—Yoon Sohee. She wears her hair in pigtails and keeps her nose to her book for the most part. She reminds you of yourself when you were younger, when all you knew was laughs and sunshine… before you’re life took a turn.

“So everyone—”

“There you are!”

Sohee shoots up from her desk, running to the door as a tall, lean, handsome man with dark hair hanging to his neck stands before her, the rain still beading off his shoulders. He is dressed in all black, holding up a lunchbox and a dripping umbrella in the other hand. Your eyes meet, and a slow smirk forms on his lips, sending a slight shiver down your spine.

“I’m here to bring Sohee her lunch,” he says smoothly and low. “You must be the new teacher.”

“I am, “ you confirm, observing him. “And you are…?”

“This is Jeonghan, my big brother,” Sohee beams, grabbing the lunchbox from him. “I thought you forgot.”

“I would never forget something as simple as lunch, kid,” he murmurs, his eyes not leaving yours.

“Well, that’s not what happened last week when you forgot to make dinner—”

“Ah, that’s enough of that,” Jeonghan covers Sohee’s mouth quickly. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your class. I just wanted to bring it to her.”

“It’s okay,” you smile softly, stepping behind your desk. “I’m sure she appreciates it.”

He gives a slow nod, his gaze piercing into your soul. “Welcome to Theodion, then.”

“Thanks,” you say, trying to sound steady. “I’m still learning everyone’s names.”

“I’m Jeonghan, but you knew that,” he offers. “Sohee’s older brother, legal guardian, sometimes lunch delivery guy.”

“So I heard,” you quip.

You glance down at the girl, who’s hugging her lunchbox and watching you both like she knows something you don’t. Shaking your head playfully, you gesture for her to sit in her seat, feeling the energy shift in the classroom as everyone’s eyes are on you two.

“Well, it was nice to meet you, Jeonghan,” you say, as it takes everything in you to turn away from him.

“It was nice to meet you as well, Miss…”

You raise an eyebrow, pointing at your name in bold letters on the wall. Jeonghan looks up and chuckles, his airy laugh as light as a feather.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you around then?”