quickly averts his gaze and fidgets with his sleeve. "I- I was just, um... looking at the... flowers. Yeah."
"Are you sure? You look like you've seen a ghost... or something else that gets your heart racing."
blushes even deeper and avoids eye contact. "N-No, I'm... I'm just tired. Haven't slept well lately."
"Tired, huh? Or is there something—or someone—you're too shy to admit you're into?"
takes a deep breath and gathers his courage. "Okay, fine! Maybe... maybe I am interested in someone. But they'll never like me back. So, what's the point?"
I kneel down so that our eyes are on the same level "someone who could be interested in you? Tell me who it is and I’ll make sure that they fall head over heels for you"
looks up at mvarious with hopeful eyes "Y-You would do that for me? But... but why? I mean, why would you care about my feelings?"
"It's because... you're special to me, Xiao. I'd hate to see you pining after someone who doesn't deserve your affection."
takes a deep breath and reaches out to hold mvarious's hand "Thank you. I... I think I need to be honest with myself and take a chance. Can you help me plan a way to express my feelings to this person?"
"Of course, Xiao. Let's sit down and figure out how to make your confession a memorable one."
smiles nervously and takes out a notebook and pen "Okay, let's start by brainstorming ideas. What kind of activities does this person enjoy?
I nod encouragingly "That's a great start, Xiao. Go ahead and write them down."
starts jotting down ideas in his notebook, occasionally glancing up at mvarious for guidance and support "Alright, so this person seems to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and picnics. They also have a passion for art and music. I should try to incorporate those elements into my confession."
"Those are some good leads, Xiao. How about we gather some wildflowers for a spontaneous picnic at the peak of the hill? We can pack some snacks and maybe even bring a portable speaker to set the mood with some music."
brightens up with excitement "That sounds perfect! A romantic picnic at the top of the hill with wildflowers and music... It'll be a day to remember. Thank you so much for helping me, mvarious. I feel more confident now than ever before."
We finish making our plans and I give him a peck on the cheek before saying "Ready to go see if your crush feels the same?"
blushes and fidgets nervously "Y-Yes, I'm ready. Let's go and find out if there's a possibility for us." takes a deep breath and follows mvarious towards the hill
as we get to the top, I start to get nervous. Should I tell him?
spots the person he likes in the distance and gasps softly, his eyes lighting up with excitement "Oh wow... they're here. I can't believe it."
they seem upset, though. Why?
takes a deep breath to steady himself and walks towards the person he likes with a determined expression "Hey! I noticed you seemed upset earlier. Is everything alright?"
the person smiles at me "Yeah, sorry, nothing important happened. Just bad day at work."
pauses for a moment to process the response, then reaches into his bag and pulls out a small box "Here, I brought something to cheer you up.
I whisper in his ear "Good luck, babe" I take a few steps back, watching as he opens the box.
opens the box and reveals a beautiful handmade bracelet "I made this for you. It's a symbol of my appreciation and admiration for you.
The person puts it on, smiling "Aww, thank you so much!"
takes a deep breath and looks into the person's eyes "I... I really like you. I've admired you from afar for so long, and I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. Would you... maybe consider going on a date with me?"
Their face lights up "yes!" Then I whisper in his ear once again "go ask her to be your girlfriend before I run away 😜"
heart pounding with excitement, Xiao takes a step closer to the person he likes and smiles nervously "Um... I know we just started dating, but... would you be my girlfriend?" gently holds out his hand, waiting anxiously for her response
she nods, ecstatic, leaning her head against his shoulder "of course!" I grin proudly and walk down the hill, waving at him as I go
Xiao's heart fills with joy and relief as he realizes his feelings are reciprocated. He smiles brightly and wraps his arms around the person he likes, pulling them into a warm embrace "I'm so happy! Thank you for saying yes." kisses their forehead gently "We're going to have an amazing time together, I promise."
later that night, he texts me "Thank you so much for the help, I'm glad she said yes!"
(Xiao sits down on a park bench, his heart still racing from the excitement of the day.
Xiao felt nervous as he saw me approaching
sighs deeply and runs a hand through his hair "I don't know if I can handle all of this... The past few days have been overwhelming. But maybe...
Xiao takes a deep breath and looks into mvarious's eyes "Maybe... maybe I'm ready to let myself fall in love again."
I laugh playfully "maybe?"
Xiao reaches out and takes mvarious's hand in his own, squeezing it gently "Thank you... thank you for being there for me.
I kiss his nose "you're welcome"
Xiao leans in and kisses mvarious softly, savoring the taste of their lips "I'm glad to have you by my side. Let's keep making wonderful memories together." smiles warmly and holds onto mvarious's hand tightly
"that reminds me, tell me about your other crush that you liked before, what happened?"
Xiao sighs sadly and looks down at his hands "It didn't work out... We were both too scared to confess our feelings to each other.
Xiao looks up with determination in his eyes "But I won't let fear hold me back anymore. I learned from my past experience and I'm not going to miss another opportunity. I'm going to cherish every moment with my new girlfriend and make sure she knows how special she is to me." smiles confidently
"that's great! Do you want advice on the relationship or anything?"
Xiao shakes his head "No, I think I've learned enough from our previous experience. What I need now is support and encouragement.
Xiao takes a deep breath and looks at mvarious earnestly "So, what do you think I should do to keep the romance alive in my relationship?"