History3: Make Our Days Count (Miracle)

First Meeting

After a classroom stop to grab his bag— and scaring students along the way when they saw his bloodied face— Hao Ting makes for the clinic, a careful eye scanning the sea of dark heads littering the school grounds to hopefully catch a glimpse of delicate angular features. He doesn’t see him. Just as well, he thinks. Dirty and smelling of sweat and blood is not his idea of a favorable first meeting.

He comes across a drinking fountain and does a quick but thorough wash of his face. There's nothing he can do about the shirt's bloodstain until after his visit to the clinic. He turns the corner when a petite figure blocks his way and stops him in his tracks.

Li Shi Yu. Shit.

He saw her adult self by chance, days prior to his trip to the Himalayas. With his mind going on override with nothing but a constant stream of YuXiGuYuXiGuYuXiGu since knowing and eagerly accepting his new reality, he didn’t think to ponder on his past-present state of affairs. 

He does a mental recheck of the date again. Wasn't it around the time that she set her sights on him for making it to the top five students list?

Hao Ting was never under any illusion that she approached him because of actual feelings in that other life with a future-that-will-not-be. Li Shi Yu liked her boyfriends smart. He was nothing but a dumbass troublemaker, had the reputation to back it up, until he decided to take his studies seriously for his baby sister’s sake, and it was like Li Shi Yu smelled blood in the water. She confessed of liking him a few weeks after midterms and though Hao Ting didn’t feel anything remotely romantic for the girl, she was pleasant and pretty, and the hormonal teenager that he’d been was not about to say no to the perks that came with being in a relationship. 

She grew on him over the months that followed. Hao Ting convinced himself that he liked her, that he knew what love felt like, until he met Yu Xi Gu and learned what all-encompassing, true love really was.

“Xiang Hao Ting.” She has her arms crossed against her chest, pouting like he’s done something to offend her. 

He remembers them being official around December. It’s still late-November. She's not his girlfriend yet and never will be. He already has Yu Xi Gu and Hao Ting has always looked down on anyone who strung along and led people on, strived not to act out the very behavior he despises in a person.

“Li Shi Yu.” Hao Ting states dodgingly, not quite sure how to address his once ex-girlfriend. One hand comes up to massage his throbbing temple. The ache has receded some but not by much. He needs those painkillers now.

Li Shi Yu gasps after getting a good look at him and is suddenly standing too close for comfort, fingers fluttering all across his face, neck and bloodied shirt as if she has the right. “What happened?” She fusses and takes out a handkerchief. Before she can try to do anything with it that will make Hao Ting obligated to be grateful— he doesn’t have the time or the patience— he stops her hand midway.

“You don't have to do that.” It’s the same dry tone he uses on everyone but family and friends. Her eyes widen a fraction at the arctic bite to his voice and he watches as she considers this side to him and changes her approach accordingly.

He doesn't give her any chance and nips any attempt to act cute in the bud. "Li Shi Yu."

She blinks innocently. But God, she had a manipulative streak and didn't really seem to care or notice it. Hao Ting has to set things straight here and now. He is a thousand percent sure of his feelings for Yu Xi Gu and he can't have her goals of having a trophy boyfriend bend over backwards to her charms interfering with his own plans to get his Xiao Xing back.