The seconds and minutes ticked by.
Li Zhi glanced down at the damp patch spreading on her shoulder—the piece of paper meant to block the sweat had long since been soaked through.
The boy's short hair tickled her neck, and the rising heat, mixed with his lime-scented sweat, formed a pocket of humidity where their clothes pressed together.
"How long are you going to lean on me?" Her fingertips curled around the hem of her school uniform, her voice lighter than the willow catkins floating in the air.
In the distance, a wave of cheers erupted from the track for the final sprint of the men's 3000-meter second heat, making their corner feel exceptionally quiet in comparison.
Shen Yuan suddenly buried his face deeper into the crook of her shoulder. "Are you free after school?"
The whiny end of his question was drowned out by He Zhiyu's sudden burst of choked coughing. From the gap of a locker diagonally behind them, two pairs of bright eyes trembled, pressed against the metal door.
