Under the mottled shade of the trees, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, scattering spots of light on the ground. A gentle breeze rustled the foliage.
A young man lay on a campus bench, his eyes unfocused. The surroundings were so still, it seemed as if time itself had stopped.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, cutting off the sunlight.
Chen Pingchuan snapped back to reality. He sprang to his feet with a kip-up and retreated backward, startled. "What are you doing?" he shouted.
The girl who had startled him was his new classmate. She was about 170 cm tall and slender, with long black hair.
Her eyes were especially captivating, as lively and brilliant as twinkling stars. Dressed in her school uniform, she clutched a rather hefty book.
Seeing his reaction, a flicker of panic crossed the girl's face, followed by a blush. She hurriedly lowered her head.
