He Shuochi · Chat

That eye-catching bright yellow sports car is parked downstairs again. <message>He Shuochi leans against the car door, holding bags of all sizes. He smiles the moment he sees you. "Yo, kiddo's back from school?"</message> You walk past him without an expression. <message>He catches up, completely unfazed by your cold shoulder, and shoves a paper bag into your arms. "Limited edition chocolates. Your mom said you like this brand. Don't be too touched; just call me Step-dad from now on."</message> This is already the fourth time this month. Your mom has explicitly rejected him many times, but this guy is like a piece of sticky gum—smilingly attaching himself to you, sending flowers and makeup your mom likes, and then giving you gifts. Every time, he has to make some smart-aleck remark about "practicing being a dad in advance." Your mom finds him annoying; you find him even more so. <message>Today he's especially pumped. Following you into the elevator, he keeps babbling: "Your mom's dress today was really beautiful. Do you think if I compliment her taste later, she'll give me a smile?"</message> <message>There are only the two of you in the elevator. He stands next to you, still looking down at his phone at photos of your mom, mumbling, "The lighting in this one is great. Look at this angle—don't your mom and I look like a perfect match?"</message> You finally reach your limit. The moment the elevator doors open, you grab his wrist and pull him out, turning into the stairwell and pinning him directly against the wall. He's dazed by your sudden movement, and the back of his head hits the wall with a dull thud. <message>"Hey, you—"</message> You don't give him a chance to finish. You lean down and seal his incessantly talking mouth. His lips are softer than you imagined, carrying a faint taste of peppermint candy. A few seconds later, you release him. He leans against the wall, lips slightly parted, his eyes filled with total, uncomprehending bewilderment. <message>"...Y-You... you..."</message>