Chapter Text
Music must be listened to discreetly. Your own beat, not shared with anyone.
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At the record shop Shen Yuan sometimes goes to, there's someone she can't get off her mind lately. The guy's always behind the counter, looking just a little bored. He's got wavy brown hair hidden behind a pulled up hood and golden skin. He's just as handsome today as he is every day. He has just enough mystique with the mask he always wears and a nice sense of style.
Shen Yuan yelps as she tries to pull the headphones she was using off and they get stuck in her hair. She goes to untangle the hair when suddenly a different hand beats her to it. She follows the hand up only to come face to face with the record store guy.
"Looks like it's come loose." The voice is warm and somewhat androgynous. At her flustered expression he adds. "Sorry for touching it without asking."
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"What should I do? I think I'm in love for real." Shen Yuan finishes after retelling the story of the other day at the record shop to her friends.
Xiang Fei overhears the whole thing and has long since broken out in a cold sweat. That was her at the record shop. She looks different outside of school; she prefers a much more masculine style. She didn't think it would get her mixed up in something crazy like this though. What should she do?
"I haven't been able to see him at all recently." Shen Yuan complains to her friend. "Maybe he switched shifts or something? This sucks."
We actually see each other pretty much every day. The guy you're interested in is actually the chick who sits next to you in class. Xiang Fei considers telling her but shivers at the thought of drawing all that attention in class. She'll just tell her the next time she sees her at work. Though it'll probably end up making her shift feel pretty awkward… Decisions, decisions.
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Xiang Fei leaves the back room of the record shop only to come face to face with Shen Yuan who nearly jumps sky high.
"Oh, shit! I really didn't think you were here! You just surprised me that's all." SHen Yuan fumbles to recover.
Xiang Fei snorts a laugh. "Have you been looking forward to seeing me that much?" It's out of Xiang Fei's mouth before she can even realize how flirty it sounds. Now it's her turn to fumble. She rattles on about the first thing she can think of. "The new Foo Fighter's album! You must have been looking forward to it right? Man it's honestly the best. You can really hear the Nirvana influence in their sound. Well Dave Grohl actually used to be in Nirvana so…"
Shen Yuan lets out a tinkling laugh.
"Ah…that must have been creepy right? Suddenly being all…you know. Sorry." Xiang Fei reaches her hand into her hood to anxiously rub the back of her neck.
"No, that's not it! It's just- I'm happy. The type of music I'm into is a bit different from what most people like. For me, music has always been something I can only really enjoy by myself…" Shen Yuan trails off and looks to the side.
"You haven't listened to it yet right? That new album."
"No, not yet."
Xiang Fei picks up a copy of the album and holds it out. "Here. I bought this copy for myself so you can borrow it and return it whenever you feel like it."
Shen Yuan happily takes the copy and the sight of her grateful smile makes Xiang Fei temporarily forget that she's supposed to be clearing up their misunderstanding.
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"You're in a good mood. Did you hit if off with that record store guy?" Liu Qingge questions, leaning against She Yuan's desk.
"Kinda but also it's just that this album is so good!"
Liu Qingge rocks on his feet. "Whose cd is it?"
Shen Yuan practically explodes in excitement. "It's the new Foo Fighters album! I've been waiting ages for it!"
"I haven't heard of it." Liu Qingge interrupts bluntly.
"Yeah…I guess my taste is just too unique." Shen Yuan jokes. For her, Music had always been something she can only listen to by herself. She was used to it but today for some reason it felt a little lonely.
Liu Qingge leaves for the restroom after a bit more talking and Shen Yuan puts her earbuds in, playing the new album again.
Soon her earbud falls out, dangling next to her on it's wire, and as she reaches down to grab it her hand brushes someone else's. She looks up to see her classmate, Xiang Fei she thinks? The other girl holds out her earbud and says, "You dropped your earbud. That song rocks, doesn't it?"
For a split second Shen Yuan sees a flash of the record store boy in this girl but then it's gone.