"I'm sorry… I don't think I'm ready," Song Meiqi said, her voice trembling.
Si Haoran sat across from her, a faint, patient smile on his lips—but his eyes betrayed him. A subtle shadow of disappointment lingered there. They had been together for over a year, yet they'd never crossed the line beyond stolen kisses.
"It's okay," he reassured, though the quiet ache in his eyes gave away everything he couldn't say.
Meiqi caught the flicker in his eyes, and a surge of guilt swept through her. Memories of them together unfolded in her mind like a movie. She remembered herself at fifteen, slouched in a quiet café, bored, when a hand suddenly reached out to her.
Her gaze traced his arm, hesitating for a second, before she slowly looked up—and froze as her eyes met those of seventeen-year-old Si Haoran, pale and strikingly handsome.
"Hello. Yaoyao told me your name is Song Meiqi. I'm Si Haoran." He offered a small, easy smile, calm and self-assured, as if meeting her had been expected all along.
Then another memory surfaced—her, surrounded by three men, each with a leering, perverted expression, trying to force her to go with them. And it was him who stepped forward, eyes fierce with determination, and pulled her out of danger.
And, when her label rejected her from participating in the Next Show, it was him who encouraged her not to give up—and ultimately helped her make her debut through the program.
He had always been there for her, and yet she couldn't fully give herself to him. And now… she even found herself doubting him.
Meiqi gazed at him, her fingers fidgeting as she tried to steady her voice. "I told you…" she began, heart pounding. "When the concert's over… I want us to spend a night together."
Haoran froze, stunned. He hadn't thought she was serious before, but now… excitement surged through him. He couldn't wait. A soft smile curved his lips as his hand lightly brushed her head.
Meiqi's lips lifted in a small, shaky smile. I can't doubt him… after everything he's done for me. I have to trust him. She thought.
…
As the sun rose, H.City stirred to life, streets humming with the first rush of the day.
Everbloom members gathered in the dance studio, running through their vocal parts for the afternoon rehearsal with the band. They focused fully on each note, pausing occasionally to rest their voices, laughter bubbling up between lines. The studio thrummed with their effort, yet was softened by quiet moments of laughter and warmth among them.
But beneath all the laughter, a quiet tension lingered between Mengyao and Meiqi—small cracks in their friendship that not even the music could hide.
…
Wang Zi Rui's office buzzed with laughter, bright and lively against the quiet, polished calm of the room.
Jin Muchen burst out laughing at the thought of Mrs. Wang insisting Zi Rui was gay and forcing him on blind dates just to get a grandson. Across from him, seated in his office chair with quiet poise, Zi Rui drew his brows together.
"I can't believe this…" Jin Muchen shook his head, laughing. "They actually think you're… gay?" he teased.
Zi Rui's eyes met his, a sharp, dangerous gleam behind the glasses that made the laughter catch in Muchen's throat. The room seemed to grow colder.
"Sorry… I just can't believe the Cold Prince is stuck with blind dates, just like us peasants." Muchen added, a grin tugging at his lips, even as Zi Rui's gaze bore into him.
"If you have nothing better to say, leave," Zi Rui said, his tone calm but edged with irritation, his face remaining perfectly stoic.
With that, Muchen grinned and stood, straightening his flamboyant shirt—the only splash of color in the room. "Then… I should leave," he said.
He stepped toward the door, then paused and looked back at Zi Rui. "You should go…" His eyes sharpened, locking on Zi Rui. "…to the concert. Yixiao's probably expecting you." His tone was now a stark contrast to the playful image he'd shown moments ago.
Zi Rui watched him leave, then fell into silence, his gaze distant as the Everbloom concert ticket lingered in his thoughts.
…
Time passed as Everbloom ran through the stage rehearsal with live bands, lighting, sound, and cameras. By the time they finished, evening had crept across the city, painting the sky in soft hues. The rehearsal wrapped up earlier than the day before, the members carefully preserving their voices to ensure a strong, flawless performance at the concert.
Hours later, Meiqi lay in bed in her pajamas, scrolling through her Weixun posts. The quiet, dim room glowed softly from her phone. She hadn't opened the app in a long time, plagued by unease and the constant feeling of being watched. But after last night with Haoran, she refused to let fear control her.
…
Elsewhere in H. City, Haoran spotted Mengyao approaching, dressed in black with a gray-tinted coat. A scarf covered half her face, and sunglasses hid the rest, making her almost unrecognizable.
She stopped in front of him, and Haoran spoke, his voice softened with apology. "Sorry for calling you when you should be resting. You're the only one I trust who really knows Meiqi."
She blinked, caught off guard, then shook her head.
Unbeknownst to them, a hidden camera inside a nearby white van captured their every move. Two men lingered in the shadows, smiles twisting with quiet intent.