Azuki's family was wealthy. They owned two homes, one in their hometown, and another that was an apartment within walking distance of the campus; that was where Azuki lived, and she lived there alone.
Chen Mo and Azuki would casually waltz in together, passing through security without any issues; Chen Mo was a regular at this point. Even the guards would gossip amongst themselves,
"Have we ever seen those two holding hands?"
"Somehow, no."
The two guards shrugged, exchanging amused glances before sharing a quiet laugh.
After a brief elevator ride, Chen Mo and Azuki arrived at her unit. The apartment itself was designed for a family. The living room connected seamlessly to the dining area and the kitchen. Beyond that, five doors lined the interior. One led to the bathroom, another was made of glass and opened out to the veranda. The remaining three led to bedrooms, of which only one was actually in regular use.
This place was originally meant to be a vacation home, but since Azuki ended up studying nearby, it had become her temporary residence for the time being.
Chen Mo didn't bother doing any sightseeing, but anyone else certainly would have, since the place was decorated exquisitely.
The kitchen was predominantly marble, its surfaces smooth and polished, while its lighting originated from tiny bulbs encased in crystal-like structures that radiated a quiet opulence.
The dining table was made of glass, its seats cushioned with fine leather. A carpet beneath it was crafted from authentic animal hide, while a miniature chandelier above cast a warm, romantic golden glow.
The living room, in contrast, was much cuter. It was decorated with an excessive number of plushies, filling the couch with colour and nearly burying the unused television.
There was a bigger screen, however, and both of them knew it. They'd saunter past all the visible luxury and enter Azuki's room that resembled a miniature theatre hall.
Three sides of the walls were painted a soft, feminine pink, while the entire remaining wall was dominated by a massive black screen.
The two would lazily set their bags down in a corner before taking their seats atop the queen-sized bed, softer than a cloud itself.
Azuki quickly hugged a bunny plush, nearly as large as herself into her arms, while Chen Mo simply sank into the comfort of the bed's thick comforter, something he knew he would never be able to afford himself.
It was only 4:30 in the evening. Azuki sighed as she turned on the large screen; reflections interfered with the display. "Tsk."
She got off the bed and moved to close the curtains, sealing the room into a cinematic atmosphere where the only light source came from Netflix.
"I've already watched the first two episodes," Azuki explained as she squirmed her way closer to Chen Mo on the bed, inching toward him. "But I guess I'll rewatch them for your sake."
"It's fine," Chen Mo stated plainly. "I'm only here for your company anyway."
"..." Azuki still played episode one. She crumpled up the blanket and pulled it closer, covering Chen Mo with it before wrapping herself in it as well.
...
After an episode that was approximately an hour long, the two paused Netflix to prepare dinner.
Before the kitchen, Azuki would change into a tight, navy blue camisole, accentuating her hourglass figure and showing off her delicate shoulders. Chen Mo didn't have the changing option; it wasn't his home.
They cooked up a stir-fry consisting of a random assortment of vegetables and meats, namely whatever leftovers Azuki had in her refrigerator. This wasn't unusual for them; they cooked together and ate together all the time.
After finishing a meal where the only discernible flavour was salt, the two returned to the bedroom for episode two.
It was now seven in the evening.
The main character of the show turned around with an exaggeratedly dramatic expression. "But I loved her!" he declared, his eyes brimming with tears.
His best friend, portrayed by a far more convincing actor, retorted, "She's out of your league. Why can't you recognise that? Everyone likes her. You're competing with everyone. What kind of chance do you think you have?"
What a line. Chen Mo thought, as his self-deprecating tendencies whispered that he would never win in a competition for a girl.
Meanwhile, Azuki pouted. "Ugh, I hate that I had to rewatch this scene. This is literally me and Roxanne."
"Have you asked where she's been?" Chen Mo questioned only to initiate some form of conversation.
The two weren't exactly cuddling, but Azuki ensured that their proximity was close enough for their shoulders to brush lightly. "Yeah… I think people have been saying she's sick, or something."
"You should just go for someone else!" the main character's friend shouted through the surround-sound speakers embedded in Azuki's room.
"Tsk, he sounds like you." Azuki smirked faintly.
Chen Mo merely hummed in response; he wasn't particularly enjoying the show. It was supposed to be horror, yet he found it difficult to feel any fear toward something so clearly fabricated.
"Roxanne's so pretty though… Absolutely every guy I know likes her... aside from you, of course. She's kind, she's pretty, and those lilac eyes could kill a girl. Ugh." Azuki mimicked a stab through her chest dramatically.
Chen Mo let out a soft chuckle in response.
"I should…" the main character on screen lowered his head. "I should find someone else… shouldn't I?"
"Hm… I'm wondering that myself." Azuki mirrored his pensiveness. Her fingers fidgeted with each other, and her lips struggled to settle.
"You should," Chen Mo concluded logically. "You should find someone else."
"Like who?" Azuki hugged the bunny plush tighter, her violet eyes meeting Chen Mo's brown ones.
"Someone who likes you," Chen Mo explained. "At least… I think that's the most important criterion."
He had been single his entire life, so his answer carried little confidence.
Nonetheless, Azuki misinterpreted it. She blinked, leaning even closer. Her palm pressed against Chen Mo's, both of them sinking slightly into the mattress under her weight.
She closed her eyes, puckered her lips, and leaned in for a kiss.
Chen Mo pulled away instinctively. Their lips barely brushed, not even lasting more than a fraction of a second.
He also withdrew his hand from hers. The only thing that remained was their gaze locked onto each other.
Chen Mo's was cold, with a faint trace of surprise and shock.
Azuki's was sombre, with disappointment, frustration, and a tangle of negative emotions trembling visibly within her eyes.
On the screen, in contrast, the two men accepted themselves and kissed passionately.
"I'm sorry." Azuki apologised, forcing her head to turn away.
Chen Mo said nothing; he didn't know what to say. He simply sat there, engulfed in darkness, a short distance away from Azuki.
The main character in the show unintentionally added salt to the wound with his line: "I love you… I'm sorry…"
"It's okay," his former friend, now lover, replied, gently caressing his cheek. "We have each other now."
After a moment of silence, Azuki finally spoke again, sneaking a subtle glance toward Chen Mo. "She's still in your mind?"
He nodded.
"Hmph. Thought so." Azuki scratched her head, running her fingers awkwardly through her short raven hair. "I've seen the way you look at her, after all."
Azuki buried herself into the bunny plush, practically fusing into it. "I'm not Soph, I understand that... but I am someone who likes you…
"I don't understand, Mo Mo. What does she have that I don't?
"White hair? Blue eyes?"
"I don't really know myself," Chen Mo admitted quietly.
"Sorry. It's just been three years," Azuki justified softly. "I thought that would be long enough. I guess not… Who am I to you, Mo Mo?"
Azuki still avoided eye contact. Chen Mo was undeniably uncomfortable, but he stayed in consideration that Azuki was his closest friend. "You're my best friend."
"And... can that line ever be crossed?" Azuki asked, her grip on the plush tightening to the point it nearly burst.
"Maybe. I don't know," Chen Mo muttered.
"If it can… let me know. Okay?" Azuki's voice was barely audible, yet Chen Mo still caught it over the TV's outro.
"Sure." Chen Mo nodded. Although, Azuki refused to look.
Her face was turned completely away from him, and her right cheek pressed against the plush, dampening it with quiet tears. "I want to sleep."
"Okay." Chen Mo understood the cue and got off the bed. He grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and left the bedroom.
Soon, he was walking through the apartment lobby. The guards gossiped again.
"Yo, alone? That's rare, isn't it?"
"Yeah, yeah. She usually walks him out."
"Lover's quarrel?"
"Eh, I don't know. She's probably just busy."
Their gossip wasn't exactly quiet; Chen Mo could hear everything, he just didn't respond.
Instead, his mind drifted back to three years ago, searching for the reason behind his lingering obsession with someone long gone.
... ...
His mind returned to Delta High School.
Azuki hadn't been in the same class as him back in high school, so he had been especially lonely then. Isolated. Always seated at the back of the class, alienated by his peers.
Not only that, his classmates' gossip had been just as loud as the guards'. Back then, he would overhear countless students discussing him. Nearly every remark that left their lips was negative, mocking the quiet, eccentric boy.
At one point, Chen Mo remembered pulling out a notebook, ready to jot down his own 'kill list'.
But then—
"Hello! Chen Mo, right?"
Silver-haired, blue-eyed Sophie Laurent, strikingly similar to Amelia Cunningham, stood before him, her uniform worn neatly unlike the other girls who tried to reveal as much skin as possible for attention. She carried the sweetest smile, one that reached the corners of her eyes, paired with the gentlest demeanour Chen Mo had ever encountered.
Was it love at first sight? Chen Mo couldn't remember.
What he did know, with absolute certainty, was that he would never forget a single detail of the moment she befriended him.
"Hey… I'm sorry about them. They're jerks, hehe…" she apologised softly for actions she had never committed.
That single act of kindness numbed Chen Mo's ability to love for three years straight, and counting.