The two remained at an impasse for about ten seconds.
In the end, Yuan Su sighed helplessly and gave in.
"...What a hassle."
He muttered the complaint, but still straightened up again, slipped his hands back into his pockets, and looked up at the stars.
Then he closed his eyes with the barest pretense of effort.
Two seconds later, he opened them.
"Done," he said, bending down to continue dismantling the telescope's stand.
"That fast?" Pu Yu's eyes widened. "What did you wish for?"
"No idea." Yuan Su didn't look up. "Whatever came to mind."
"You can't do that!" Pu Yu grew anxious and crouched beside him. "You have to mean it for your wish to come true."
Yuan Su carefully placed the telescope tube back in the cardboard box, then turned to look at her. "What did you wish for, then?"
"I..." Pu Yu faltered, her face suddenly flushing. "If you say it out loud, it won't come true."
"Then don't ask me, either."
Yuan Su closed the box, picked it up, and headed toward its hiding place.
Pu Yu hurried after him, still hung up on the wishes. "You really made a wish? You're not lying to me?"
"I did." Yuan Su pushed the box back into the brush and carefully covered it with dry grass, his tone flat. "Are you leaving or not?"
"No," Pu Yu said quietly, but she couldn't help pressing him. "At least tell me how many wishes you made."
Yuan Su stood and brushed the bits of grass from his hands. Suddenly, he turned to her, the faintest curve lifting his lips. "Sure you're not leaving? There are wolves in the hills at night."
Pu Yu stopped short, her eyes going round. "How could there be wolves? This hill is tiny."
"No wolves?"