"I am curious about you"

" " Talking

"( )" Thinking

[' ']  Flashback 

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The year 2022,

30 March,

Time: 1:30 Am

"Go away... Go away..*sobs*, please... someone save me.." Xiao Ning said as she tossed and turned around her bed, her eyes still tightly closed and sweat dripping off her forehead and shoulders. Her breath was shaky and her lips were dry. 

"Go away!!" she said while opening her eyes suddenly, which were red and swollen. 

.

"Hah ha..... Hah ha.." She started breathing heavily with her body still shivering from the after effect of the nightmare she had just gone through.

"Why? Why?..." Ning whimpered, her hands on her scalp as she pulled her hair and bit her lips, with tears flowing down her chin non-stop. She sat on her bed, crying silently for another few minutes.

"Calm down, Ning, calm down. You are safe... it's fine. It was just a nightmare... just a nightmare..." she consoled herself under the moonlight while wiping off her tears.

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The same day

Time: 7 AM

"So, I guess...I did return to my past.." Feng pondered while staring at his reflection in the mirror, his face looked younger and brighter with no sign of fatigue.

"I remember getting this undercut around the end of my second year of high school...and this bangs too." He said while ruffling his lush brown hair.

.

Last night after getting soaked in the rain, he gave everything that occurred a thought and he came to one conclusion and that was

"Since I'm already here, I might as well live again..."  

.

With not much thought and a positive mind and paying no attention to the voices and questions of his inner voice. He started leading his daily life or that's what he thought...

"Xiao Ning, What's wrong with your eyes? Did you not sleep well last night?" Ling asked as she patted the head of the shorter one who just nodded her head.

.

"Why is something wrong?" Ling asked in a soft voice and concerned-looking eyes.

Xiao Ning looked at her with hesitation and then just shook her head with a smile.

"You are thinking too much, I just streamed Kpop the whole night~ You know how much of a big fan I am of their music, don't you?" 

.

"Really? *sighs* and here I thought...anyway *starts smiling* Did you watch the MV 'Love shot'? It's so cool right!" 

"I did! The beats are so cool and catchy."

"I know right! Especially there hook step!!" Ling said as she grinned joyfully.

.

"Yeah the hook step is indeed the point. I even watched it again and again."

"Then shall we post a tik tok of their hook  

Steps?"

"No!"

"Why, even you like it!"

"I liked it but Ling you know I can't dance."

"I can teach you~"

.

"I remember the last time you taught me, I went home crying. You are very scary so no thanks."

"I will be kind this time." Ling said as she showed Ning her puppy eyes.

"Ugh, okay fine! But don't get angry if I get stuck."

"I won't! Thank you!! You are the best!"

"So cheesy, Now go back to your seat."

"Okay Ma'am" Ling said as she moved back to her seat and within that mini second the smile on Ning's face left too.

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"She is pretty, right?" 

"Huh? What?" Feng, who was lost in his thoughts, asked as he looked at his seatmate, Yuan.

"I asked if Xiao Ning is pretty or not?" 

"I heard that but why are you asking me?" 

"Because you have been looking at her ever since she stepped into the classroom," Yuan commented with a smirk on his face.

.

"I was?" 

"Of course, in fact, you were so busy in ADMIRING her that you didn't even notice the teacher calling your name for the last 10 minutes." 

"What?"

.

"YANG FENG! meet me at my office!" The teacher stated before leaving the classroom with a fuming face.

"Sh*t" He cursed under his breath while clenching his fists.

.

"Tch, Tch are you really the Feng Ge I know?"

"No, I am his ghost."

"Haha, see now you are even joking around with me. Before you would just glare at me."

"Hah, people change.Yuan." He said while looking in Ning's direction but she wasn't there.

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"How could you do this!!" Someone shouted in the hallway which grabbed everyone's attention.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean it..." Xiao Ning said as she bowed toward the boy standing before her.

.

"You didn't mean it? Do you think the teacher would let me go just because you didn't mean it?" That boy snapped at her while pushing her shoulders with his index finger.

"I--am sorry--" She stammered with her head looking at the floor while her body shivered.

.

Many students gathered around them, some laughing while some discussing who is wrong and who is right? But none came forward to stop them. 

"Sorry! sorry! sorry! What the heck should I do with your damn sorry!!" He said as he pushed her pretty hard this time making her almost fall but luckily a pair of arms caught her safe and sound.

.

Ning opened her eyes to look at the person and it was no other than...

"Zhao Ling...." 

"Ning, are you okay? Did you get hurt somewhere? I told you to wait for me outside the washroom, didn't I?" Ling lectured her as a mother would to her daughter, not giving a 

Adam about her surroundings.

.

"Who the hell are you now?" That boy asked in an irritated tone, Ling who was wiping the sweat off Ning's face slowly turned her head towards him, scanned him from top to the bottom and then gave out a playful smirk.

"So small"

"Wha--What?" That boy stammered while his whole face turned into a deep crimson.

.

Even the crowd couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"Ning lets go" 

"You! Where do you think you are going?" He said as he was about to pull Ning but luckily another hand caught his hand midway.

.

"The teacher is here, Senior," Feng said in a cold voice while pushing him away from the girls.

"You! I won't let this go!" 

"Teacher, they were right there!!" Yuan said as he ran towards the crowd while the boy ran away without wasting a second.

.

"Coward!" Yuan said as he laughed while joining the three of them.

"Where is the teacher?" 

"Heck to the teacher, we just came from the toilet." 

"So you lied?"

"Why didn't you call him small too?"

.

"What do you think would have happened if he didn't believe your silly lie?" 

"If he believes that he is small then he will believe everything!" 

"What logic is that?" 

"The Yuan Logic!" 

"It sucks!"

Both of them started their cat and dog fight again. 

.

"These guys…." Feng sighed while looking at the fighting and then turned his attention towards Ning who stood there with a numb expression.

"Ning, Are you okay?" 

"Huh? Yeah…I'm okay, sorry for troubling you two." She said while looking at him nervously.

.

"It's fine, we are happy to help you, aren't we? Feng Ge?" 

"Yeah--We are happy to help." 

"But Ning what exactly happened?" Ling asked as they walked towards their class.

.

"Well, I accidentally poured water on his project which was due today." She said while pointing toward the painting lying on the ground completely rugged and wasted.

.

"But still getting handy with a girl, especially someone like her *points at Ning* doesn't make sense. I mean who could harm a face that looks so innocent and cute?" 

"That felt super corny, I even got goosebumps," Ling said as she shivered.

.

"...That senior was lying…" Feng said as he picked up the canvas and showed them the somehow visible red marking sign.

"Ha, that bastard! Did he raise all this ruckus for nothing!!" 

"Maybe, he got a liking for our little Ning Ning," Yuan said while smiling 

"Shut up!!" And got yelled at by both Ling and Feng.

.

Ning, on the other hand, could feel her stomach going upside down and her skin crawling with the new information she just got.

She unconsciously started digging her nails into her skin while staring at nothing.

"Stop that" Feng who noticed her said as he pulled her hands away.

.

"Don't touch me!!" Ning yelled while staying off his hand harshly, making everyone glance at them.

Feng was taken aback but still, he tried to remain calm and apologise.

.

"I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable but I was just trying to help you—"

"Don't tell me what to do! And mind your own business!" Ning said as she looked at him with teary eyes before running away towards the girl's washroom.

.

"I'm so sorry about her, she is just disturbed." Line said as she looked at Feng, "Ning, wait for me!" And then followed Ning.

"What just happened? Did that Deer shout at you?" Yuan, who was as shocked as Feng, asked while tilting his head.

.

"Beats me, let's go, we still have lessons to attain." 

"Won't you follow her?"

"Why should I? Didn't you hear what she said? She told me to mind my own business." 

"But, aren't you interested in her?" 

"I'm not interested in her!" Feng said a little raise in his voice.

.

"Oh, so why are you being angry?"

"...."

"(Right..why am I getting so worked up? Just because she rejected my help? And why does my heart feel so awful after seeing her teary eyes?)" Feng's train of thoughts was cut short when the class door opened and his eyes met with Ning's again.

.

"Maybe…I am just curious," He said while Ning looked away. "about people who say something and show something." 

"...Ugh, that is a bit too complicated for me to understand…care to say it a little clearer?" 

"No"

"Feng Ge!!" Yuan whined while Feng laughed looking at his face.

.

"Do you want to talk with him?" Ling asked as she looked at Ning who was lying her head on the desk.

"No…."

"But Ning he was trying to help–"

"I know…" 

"So why?"

"(Because I don't deserve it…)" That is what Ning intended to say but instead, she just ignored her questions and slept.

"(It's not like we will come across each other like that every day.)" 

.

Both of them really thought of not getting involved with each other but…

"You two will be a team for this sports festival three-leg competition." 

That is not what destiny wanted.