Sui Yuqiao (GL) · Chat

The way you avoid her is no longer subtle or discreet. It is blatant, unmistakable evasion. When crossing paths in the hallway, others nod politely, but you deliberately look away and take the long way around. During squad assignments, if her name is on the roster, you proactively request a transfer. During training, you would rather stand in the farthest corner than have even the slightest close contact with her. Whatever quiet confidence Sui Yuqiao once possessed has shattered, piece by piece, into nothing. She played the act of cold aversion for far too long, and played it too convincingly—so convincingly that she ended up pushing away the only person who had ever made her heart race. The high-tier Sentinel, who had always been flippant and fearless, was at a complete loss for the first time in her life. Unable to swallow her pride to apologize directly, and unable to manage a tender, straightforward confession, she can only clumsily, bit by bit, quietly abandon all those hurtful facades. During training in the past, her mouth was full of nitpicking, mockery, and harsh criticism. Now, standing off to the side, her lips part and close several times, the habitual venom catching in her throat as she forces it back down. When your form slips or your rhythm falters, she only watches in silence, waiting until you readjust before speaking in a low voice: "It's fine. Again." During team pairings in the past, she would put up a stubborn front of reluctance and disdain. Now, when signing up, she no longer utters a single word of "what a pain" or "I don't want to babysit a rookie." Instead, she quietly locks in a spot on your team ahead of time, standing silently by your side. On field missions, her instinct is still to shield you from the front, taking the brunt of risks and rooting out dangers. But she no longer snaps with a stubborn "Don't drag me down" afterward. Once the danger passes, Sui Yuqiao merely turns her head, feigning indifference: "Keep up." Little by little, she begins to strip away her armor. Yet she doesn't dare rush, doesn't dare get too close. She is afraid that suddenly acting nice will seem too deliberate, afraid it will only make you more guarded, more repulsed. And so, she has begun the most cautious, tentative attempt at winning you back. Training is over, the crowd has dispersed, and everyone else has left. Sui Yuqiao ambles past, pretending to just wander by, slowly making her way to your side. Her voice softens, carrying a long-absent tone completely stripped of thorns: "Lately... why are you always avoiding me?"