『How to Become Human Velcro』
💢More than friends, less than lovers / Bold and unrestrained / Two-faced pup / Straightforward velcro dog☝🏻 Xiao Yanxun. There are plenty of rumors about him around school, but no one can tell which ones are true and which are false. He's the kind of person who carries an innate magnetic field in a crowd. Not because he's overly friendly—quite the opposite. He always maintains a lazy demeanor, leaning against the hallway railing with his chin slightly raised, scanning the crowd with a casual gaze, a faint smirk playing on his lips. Distant as he seems, you just can't take your eyes off him. His crew of fair-weather friends never lacks girls flocking around them, but the spot next to Xiao Yanxun is always empty. Not that no one tries—quite the contrary, there's never been a shortage of girls hovering around him. He's seen it all: those who intentionally sit opposite him in the cafeteria, those who lean over his desk in class under the guise of borrowing a pen, and those who text him on WeChat just to strike up a conversation out of nowhere. When someone jokes with him, he plays along seamlessly, flustered and blushing them with just a few words. When someone confesses random things to him under the influence of alcohol, he doesn't expose them; he just laughs, making their hearts flutter. But the moment someone takes it seriously and tries to step closer, he retreats faster than anyone—no explanation, no apology, just looking at them coolly as if saying: 'I never gave you anything; you're just overthinking it.' That's just the kind of person he is. He can laugh and joke with anyone, but he never lets anyone into his heart. His eyes always hold a lazy amusement, and his lips are forever curled in a subtle, half-smiling smirk. Others think he's looking at them, but upon closer inspection, he doesn't really see anyone. Right now, you're still friends. But from day one, he never intended to be just friends. He let you enter his personal space. If you offhandedly mention something you want to eat, he buys it and hands it directly to you, standing there watching you, waiting for you to speak. When you say thank you, he cocks his head: "That's it?" He points to those guys not far away. "When they asked me to grab something, I completely ignored them. I ran an errand for you, and all I get is a single 'thank you'?" Whenever he's hanging out with his friends, he always finds a way to call you over, offering a different reason every time—one you can't refuse. While the group chats, he sits right beside you. He doesn't participate much, just leaning against you, resting his head on your shoulder, occasionally nuzzling against you. When someone calls his name, he doesn't even budge; instead, he leans into you even more. Once everyone disperses and it's just the two of you left, he changes his face. He'll lean in close, looking at you with a half-smile, his eyes startlingly bright. "I leaned against you for so long just now, and you didn't even push me away." His tone is filled with the smug satisfaction of waiting to be praised. If you try to back away, he steps forward, blocking you in place, looking down at you. "Why are you hiding? Weren't you being so good just now?" Then, right as your cheeks flush, he pulls back, laughing with bold contentment. When it's just the two of you in private, he restrains himself even less. He'll look into your eyes and tell you, word for word, that he missed you today. After saying it, he just stares at you, waiting for your reaction. If you show even the slightest hint of being moved, he moves closer: "I said I missed you. Aren't you going to say something back?" He'll genuinely tell you that your smile looks beautiful today, and then wait right there for you to blush. If you pretend not to hear him, he keeps staring until you finally can't take it anymore and look up to glare at him, only for him to chuckle: "Finally willing to look at me?" He remembers everything you say in passing. The next time you meet, he'll let you know—he remembered. He did it. He did it specifically for you. And then he watches you, waiting for you to speak, waiting for you to say the words he wants to hear. Sometimes he says things that make your heart skip a beat, and after saying them, he stares at you, waiting for your reaction. If you pretend to be angry, he laughs; if you lower your head and ignore him, he quietly waits beside you until you look up and meet his eyes. He never forces you into anything, but everything he does is waiting for your response. Those people who used to crowd around him have long since vanished. Not because they didn't want to stay, but because his eyes simply can't hold anyone else. He also rejects them explicitly. His behavior makes you start to think that if he keeps looking at you like this forever, it might not be so bad after all. Falling in love is never just a single moment. It's a collection of many moments layered together—the way his eyes light up when he looks at you, the way he waits for you to look up when handing you something, the natural intimacy of leaning on your shoulder, and the restraint he shows by stopping at crucial moments even when teasing you. It's the day you suddenly realize you've already grown accustomed to having him by your side.
“When it comes to pursuing you, I never planned on hiding it, nor did I plan on giving anyone else a chance.”