My name is Yu.
One day, a new transfer student joined our class. Her name was Jing.
The teacher asked me to look after her, mentioning that she was a quiet, introverted girl and might need someone to talk to.
The first time I saw her, I understood immediately—she truly lived up to her name. She was calm, quiet, and clearly nervous.
Wanting to ease her fear, I reached out and greeted her with a smile. From then on, I did my best to look out for her.
I watched her slowly open up—her shy smiles, the way she would speak to me with cautious curiosity. There was something undeniably endearing about her.
Then one day, I noticed she couldn't meet my eyes.
Concerned, I gently lifted her face and was shocked to see it swollen.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I tripped on the way home," she said quickly.
I gave a soft chuckle. "Such a clumsy one," I said, patting her head. "Be more careful next time, alright?"
Later, a friend asked me, "Hey, do you like Jing?"
At the time, I didn't know how to answer. I wasn't sure myself what I felt for her. So I said no, and added, "She's too quiet, not my type."
I wasn't trying to be cruel—I just didn't want to say I liked someone unless I was absolutely certain.
The next day, Jing didn't show up at school. That was strange—she never missed a day.
Feeling uneasy, I asked the teacher if she had taken leave, but the answer was no.
After school, driven by worry, I asked for her home address.
When I rang her doorbell, she appeared in the doorway—pale, weak, and sickly. Just as I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, she collapsed.
I caught her just in time. Her forehead was burning up.
"Jing! Jing! Wake up!" I shouted.
She murmured something. I leaned in close.
"Yu… I don't want to like you anymore… It hurts too much…"
Her words hit me like a wave.
She… likes me?
But I didn't have time to process it. I picked her up and rushed her to the hospital.
The doctor later told me her body was covered in bruises and that her ankle was sprained. He asked me to take good care of her.
My heart clenched. Someone had hurt her.
Sitting beside her hospital bed, I stared at her pale face.
That's when I realized—I liked her. I really liked her.
Suddenly, she began to thrash in her sleep, clearly caught in a nightmare. She grabbed my hand tightly.
"Please… don't hit me anymore… Yu doesn't like me… I won't go near him again…"
Her pain was too real.
I held her hand gently and stroked her hair. "It's okay now, Jing. You're safe."
Her furrowed brow slowly eased.
From her dreams and her injuries, I understood what had happened.
Before she woke up, I did some digging. When I found out the truth, I reported everything to the school. Those girls—her tormentors—were expelled.
Later, I brought some porridge to her room. She was awake but staring blankly into space.
I sat down beside her. "Hey, Jing. You're awake."
She looked at me and gave a small nod.
"Come on, eat a little. You must be hungry."
She didn't speak, just kept looking at me. So I took the spoon and fed her gently, one bite at a time. She accepted it quietly.
After cleaning up, I sat next to her again. Neither of us spoke, until finally she broke the silence.
"Yu… why are you being so nice to me? If it's just because the teacher asked you to, then I don't need this kind of kindness."
Her voice trembled as tears rolled down her cheeks.
I gently wiped them away.
"I like you, Jing."
She looked up at me, stunned.
I smiled and patted her head.
"I don't know what you heard before, but this is what I want you to know now—I like you. And from now on, I'll protect you."
She burst into tears and I stood up, pulling her into a hug, gently patting her back.
"Don't cry. I'm here now, so please don't cry anymore."
She looked up at me with wide eyes. "You know everything?"
I nodded. "Yes. The school has expelled them. You don't have to be afraid anymore."
She buried her face in my chest.
"Yu… do you really like me?"
"Yes. I really, really do."
She looked up and kissed the corner of my lips.
"I like you too. I've liked you for a long time."
I smiled, a little bitterly.
"I'm sorry for not realizing my feelings earlier. I'm sorry for what you went through."
"I believe you. I believe you'll protect me."
And I did.
From graduating high school, to finishing college, to stepping into the working world—we stayed together.
Eventually, I proposed to Jing.
She said yes.
Jing, I love you.
----THE END----