The Seat by the Window

Liang Meiyu stepped through the iron gates of Huayang High School, clutching her new bag like a lifeline. Her first day as a transfer student had barely begun, and she already felt like every pair of eyes in the hallway had sized her up — from her old-fashioned braids to the floral-printed lunchbox hanging from her wrist.

She tried to ignore the whispers trailing behind her.

"Who's the new girl?"

"She looks like she came from a textbook."

"Too soft for this class. Just wait till she meets him."

Him?

She didn’t have to wait long.

The classroom buzzed like a beehive when she entered. Meiyu found the seating chart pinned on the notice board and traced her finger down the list. Seat 8... by the window. Desk partner: Zhao Yichen.

Her breath caught.

She’d heard of Zhao Yichen in the five minutes it took her to walk from the gates to the classroom. He was the school’s certified bad boy — leather jacket, loud motorcycle, and a reputation as cold as the winter wind. Detentions clung to his name like stickers on a well-worn laptop.

She made her way to the desk, placing her books down carefully and sitting with her back straight, eyes on the board.

The empty seat beside her radiated warning signs. Still, she told herself she could handle it. She had survived worse.

That was before he walked in.

Late, naturally. With his hair slightly wet from a morning drizzle and his black hoodie tossed over his shoulder like he was modelling apathy. Zhao Yichen barely glanced at the teacher as he slid into the chair beside Meiyu, earbuds dangling from one ear.

He didn’t look at her. Not at first.

Then, without warning, he nudged her elbow. “You’re blocking the light.”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

He tilted his head lazily, eyes half-lidded with boredom. “Sunlight. Window. Your head’s in the way.”

Meiyu flushed. “Maybe try focusing on class instead of suntanning like a plant.”

A small smirk curled at the edge of his lips. “Cute.”

She turned away, ears red. Why did he call her that like it was an insult and a compliment at the same time?

The teacher began class, but Meiyu couldn’t concentrate. Not with Zhao Yichen tapping his pen rhythmically against his desk. Not with him doodling skulls and cats (why cats?) in the margins of his book. Not with the occasional sideways glance he threw her way like she was some strange puzzle, he was still deciding whether to solve or burn.

Then it happened.

She reached into her bag for a pen and paused. It was gone.

Turning to Zhao, she found her pen twirling between his fingers.

"Give it back," she whispered.

"I’m just borrowing. Team bonding."

"This is not bonding."

"Sure it is. Look how close we’ve gotten already."

Before she could snatch it back, he tossed it gently onto her notebook — barely missing her water bottle.

Meiyu stared at him, exasperated. “You’re unbelievable.”

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “And you’re fun when you’re mad.”

The rest of the day passed in a blur of chalk dust and side-eye battles. But as the final bell rang and students poured out of the classroom, Meiyu stayed behind for a moment longer.

Zhao Yichen was still at his desk, sketching something in the corner of his page.

A kitten. Wearing sunglasses.

He looked up. “Say anything, and I’ll deny it.”

Meiyu smiled — just a little.

Maybe this year wouldn’t be so boring after all.

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