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The first time Lin Shu sees him, he’s running into class on the first day of term.
He’s half an hour late, doesn’t actually mean to be late, but his dementia-strickened grandmother wakes up a little earlier than normal today and sees him as he tries to run out of the house for class. She asks him questions about how he’s doing, where he’s going, and whether he’s already eaten, and Lin Shu would rather go straight to the seventh layer of hell than ignore her, so he stops and makes happy conversation with his dear Nana.
Once he’s satisfied all of her curiosities, he rushes to class, barely stopping to catch his breath outside the classroom door before he pushes his way in and lock eyes with the most gorgeous person he’s ever met in his life, ever.
An odd shiver of recognition zings through his body.
The most gorgeous person he’s ever met (or had met?) is sitting in the front row, giving him disapproving eyes and watching as he runs smack dab into a table with the professor’s notes.
The table legs screech as metal scrapes along floor, papers go flying, and Lin Shu stumbles and bows at the same time to the professor, scrambling to clean up the area as best as he can before falling into the seat behind Mr. Incredible.
Who turns back around and proceeds to ignore him for the rest of class.
*__* *__* *__*
Unbelievably, against Lin Shu’s hope, the owner of the gorgeous eyes turns around after class officially ends, introduces himself and offers to help him catch up with the first part of lecture.
“You didn’t miss much, he went over the syllabus in detail and then started discussing general expectations of the subject and why we need to shed our preconceptions about Eastern Philosophy,” Jingyan explains, after having heard from Lin Shu why he was late. The compassion in Jingyan’s eyes just made Lin Shu melt even more inside.
Marry me, Lin Shu wants to say. Instead he just nods along and hands over his phone when Jingyan asks for it, punching his number into Lin Shu’s phone with a tiny furrow between his brows. He nods, a small cute little dip once he’s ensured the number in Lin Shu’s phone is correct.
uwu, Lin Shu thinks in the privacy of his mind, barely managing to keep his shoulders from doing the same.
*__* *__* *__*
What follows is literally two months of torture and humiliation, the worst Lin Shu has ever had because Xiao Jingyan, bless his non-existent ability to notice anything, just. Doesn’t. Get It.
“Did you write him a note? Something discussing your feelings and his exceptional attributes. Maybe with check boxes, ‘Do you like me? Yes, no, check one’ at the end?” Meng Zhi asks.
“Yes,” Lin Shu says into the wood, his forehead bonding with the surface of the table and very much becoming fast friends. “He thought it was a brilliant poem wrangled from a 14 year olds’ point of view. He thought I was trying to recreate Twilight.”
The table collectively shudders at that.
A pause, before Yujin asks, “Did you actually turn it in?”
“To English Composition? Yes, again. Got a 97. Might as well get some credit for it if I’m going to do all that work.”
“Well, that’s disturbing,” Jingrui mildly comments. “I guess that means Twilight actually is good literature, if we’re assuming the construct of a teenager’s voice is that hard to recreate-”
“Cousin, please. Can we stay on subject here?” Lin Shu begs.
“On subject about your suffering? Sure.” Jingrui pats his shoulder, then rubs a soothing hand down his back before suggesting, “What about flowers? Or chocolates? That always seems to work with the ones Yujin crushes on.”
“Yeah, it really does. They love it! Especially if I get flowers from that Aerith girl on 83rd.”
“That’s because the ones Yujin crushes on are simple to please. Jingyan thought I bought them for my grandmother and complimented me on picking her favorite colors. Then he suggested I return the milk chocolates for dark ones. How does he even know her favorite colors? How?”
“Oh. Um.” Jingrui looks a little shifty, hands patting at Lin Shu’s back a bit quicker. “I may have. Given him her email? It helps if she stimulates her brain with new activity and Jingyan is not plastic wrapped new, but he’s still new enough and he was so nice when Yujin, Xia Dong and I met him so…”
“Okay, Nana’s comments about settling down with that nice boy she doesn’t remember the name of makes so much more sense now. Maybe that’s how he knew about my allergies to Hazelnut too, practically saved my life when he slapped it out of my hands the other day.” Lin Shu finally lifts his head, a large red indent prominent on his forehead. “Look, I’m just going to do it. I’m just going to flirt with him and like, skywrite this sucker until fate finally cooperates and Jingyan falls in love with me, ad nauseum. And then we’ll get married after college, move to somewhere exciting and adopt two puppies, one kitten, four plants and maybe a kid. And get a Tesla. A midnight blue one.”
“That’s oddly specific,” Jingrui laughs. “Doesn’t Jingyan have a choice in any of this?”
“We could always just trope it and lock you both in a room,” Yujin suggests, nodding as if this is the best idea ever.
“No, that’s kidnapping,” Meng Zhi protests even as Jingrui talks over him with, “I think an Escape Room would be better, don’t you? Then they can bond over their puzzle solving skills.”
“No, flirting first. Illegal detainment after,” Lin Shu declares, straightening with purpose. “All right, Yujin, Jingrui, Meng Zhi, give me your best pick-up lines.”
*__* *__* *__*
“My friend thinks you’re cute,” Lin Shu tries first thing in the morning, right as they’re about to walk into English Composition 201.
“What friend? I don’t think I’ve met many of your friends,” Jingyan answers, baffled.
“Me. I’m my own friend,” Lin Shu cheekily says.
Jingyan just stares at him for a second and Lin Shu thinks that this, this is it, he’s going to get it, he’s finally going to-
“Who do you like, Xiao Shu? Is it that girl in our Philosophy class? I can help put in a good word for you. And of course you can practice all your pick-up lines on me, I don’t mind,” Jingyan offers generously.
Nope, Xiao Jingyan doesn’t get it at all.
*__* *__* *__*
“If I told you I worked at FedEx, would you let me handle your package?”
“Oh, you do? That’s great actually, do they give you a discount? We could send out presents for Christmas. But I thought your parents didn’t want you to work, are you sure you can handle that on top of your schoolwork? Wait, why are you crouching down? Are you okay? Xiao Shu?”
*__* *__* *__*
“You look familiar. Did we take a class together? I could’ve sworn we had chemistry.”
“No, just English Composition and Philosophy. But we can take Chemistry next semester. I think the lab’s on Friday so that would work perfectly for me. Xiao Shu? Where are you going?”
*__* *__* *__*
“Oh no! Xiao Shu! Those were pick-up lines you were practicing on me! I apologize I didn’t get it before. Here, I’m free now, try it on me again. Xiao Shu? Xiao Shu, why are you running away?”
*__* *__* *__*
“It’s not working. Failure! Who the heck has a pick-up line about someone being named Google just because they’re what I’m searching for?” Jingyan rants to the table at large. Yujin timidly raises his hand, Jingrui slapping it down before it gets too high and Lin Shu spots it. He still remembers what happened the last time Lin Shu decided to take revenge on them, and being tied to a tree as a prop for A Midsummer Night’s Dream production was not his idea of fun.
“Just take him out somewhere romantic.” Meng Zhi looks around and notices the other two perking up in agreement. “Go with the classics, they’re classics for a reason. Candlelit dinner, walk on a beach, couples ice skating with hot chocolate, probably not at the same time…”
“I agree,” Jingrui pipes in. “At this point, actions may speak louder than words.”
“There’s an ice skating rink at Christmas in the Park downtown. You can take him there. I think there’s a deal online too!” Yujin volunteers. “Two for the price of one.”
“That’s perfect, actually.” Lin Shu cheers up at this, life returning to his eyes as the humiliation fades out. “I’m going to show him the best date he’s ever had, teach him how to skate, and ask him to be mine forever afterwards.”
“Maybe dial back on the forever part, but I agree with the rest,” Jingrui laughingly nods.
“Okay. Wish me luck, guys.” Four fists meet in the middle, fist bumping three times before being ‘booyah!’-ed away.
*__* *__* *__*
“Oh my God! Xiao Shu! What happened to the back of your thighs?” Xia Dong grabs his hips from behind, staring in horror at the mottled black and blue mess crawling up like a dark omen, starting just above the crook of his knees and disappearing into his running shorts.
“…I don’t want to talk about it,” Lin Shu sullenly answers.
Xia Dong spins him around, fixing him with sternly concerned eyes and showing him with her expression that there is no way he’s getting out of this one. “If someone is abusing you in any way, shape or form, I am going to commit gruesome murder. And hide the body in an easily accessible place for me so that I can continue to desecrate their final resting place.”
“That’s a bit more violence than I wanted with my breakfast cereal.” Lin Shu gently tugs on her wrist, giving her a pointed look when she refuses to release him. Her grip loosens then and he tucks her hand into the crook of his elbow, pulling her towards the breakfast buffet line in their school cafeteria. “Or maybe French Toast. That smells really good.”
“Xiao Shu, your bruises. They’re massive!”
“I know.” Lin Shu looks around, making sure Jingyan isn’t anywhere near them to overhear. “I took Xiao Jingyan ice skating.”
“The guy you’ve been crushing on?” Xia Dong looks even more murderous now, probably thinking Jingyan is responsible for the bruises.
“Yeah. And he’s a way better skater than I thought he was. He tried to show me how to skate with a girl to make it romantic, and started to spin me in circles. I…may have tried to show off by skating faster and letting go while attempting spins?”
“Let me guess- you went sailing, lost your balance and just oh so happened to be wearing shorts when you scraped the ice,” Xia Dong knowingly predicts, looking distractedly over Lin Shu’s shoulder.
“Yeah. This is a total disaster, Xia Dong. I’ve tried practically everything short of kidnapping, and he’s just not getting it! I’m thinking at this point, Yujin will have to lock us both in a room. Or maybe I can rent a sing-o-gram? How does that even work, do I pick a song, or do they sing my letter or-”
“Hey, Xiao Jingyan!” Xia Dong yells at the top of her lungs, bringing the entire cafeteria to a dead stop as every one turns and looks. Lin Shu just stares at her in abject horror as she yells even louder, “I’ve got a friend named Lin Shu who likes you! He’s clean and smart, loves sea otters, is very sweet to his grandmother and parents. He also has the hots for you and would like to have your metaphorical babies! Want to date him?”
By this point, Lin Shu is already army crawling towards the exit, mourning his short-lived social life and reputation, ready to just call it a year when a pair of Doc Martens boots stops in front of his face. He doesn’t bother looking up because he knows every scuff on those boots, but the boots' owner crouches and gently touches Lin Shu’s face so he really has no choice but to give in.
He’s still the most gorgeous person he’s ever met. Except now, he knows Jingyan is also one of the most hardworking, dedicated, loyal, and generous person he’s met, so he’s pretty much screwed for life. No one else is going to meet up to his Jingyan standards.
And kind. Did he mention kind? Because the look Jingyan is giving him is soft and kind and oh hello, lips coming closer…
…nope, just a soft nose bump. He’ll still take it.
“Is that a yes?” Lin Shu asks because with Jingyan, he never knows and sometimes he just has to demand that receipt.
Jingyan laughs, fond and indulgent, and helps Lin Shu up. “Yes. It’s always a yes for you, Xiao Shu.”
*__* *__* *__*
Years later, after they’ve graduated (Jingyan with a Ph.D. in Economics and Lin Shu in Military History), moved to someplace exciting with one white wolf-dog, two bunnies, and a sensible Toyota Camry, Jingyan will walk past a store selling jewelry and will blow his entire year’s salary on a robin’s egg sized pearl that he can’t seem to take his eyes off of. He’ll present it to Lin Shu on their tenth year anniversary, who bursts into tears for no explicable reason. When Jingyan finally wipes away all the tears to lock eyes with Lin Shu, his eyes will look weary and old, much older than the three decades Lin Shu has lived.
“You found me. We’re happy. I get to finally live my life with you,” Xiao Shu quietly says, almost like he’s afraid fate will snatch it all away.
“I waited for you the rest of my life. I’ll always wait for you, Xiao Shu. Of course I found you.”
Xiao Shu happily sobs at that, clinging to Jingyan until their dog howls at the door, pawing and trying to get inside. They tearily laugh as they get up to let the dog in and in the morning, neither remembers their words to the other the night before.
But every year, Jingyan still brings home plum blossoms on their anniversary, lovingly arranged and beautifully kept, until the end of their years.