The instant Pu Yu heard those words, she felt the whole world fall silent.
The announcements in the carriage, the crying children, the rustle of the woman across from her peeling an orange-all of it receded far into the distance.
It took a long time before she found her voice:
"...Yuan Su."
"Mm."
"Say what you just said again."
There were a few seconds of silence on the other end.
Then came his low voice:
"I like you."
The words were soft. He had probably never said anything like this before, and his voice tightened a little at the end.
"Ever since our last year of high school. I've liked you all this time."
I like you.
Ever since our last year of high school. I've liked you all this time.
Pu Yu felt her heartbeat spiral completely out of control.
Each beat pounded against her chest, leaving her a little dizzy.
She had waited two years to hear those words. She had even done something so bold on the platform just now. Yet now that she actually heard him say them, her mind went blank instead. Her fingertips curled around the edge of her phone, trembling slightly.
"...I thought you were going to push me away again."
Pu Yu buried her face in her scarf. Her muffled voice made his heart tremble. "Like before, saying nothing and leaving me to guess... I was just thinking, if you pushed me away again this time, I really would never-"
"I can't push you away anymore."
Yuan Su cut her off, his voice coming through the phone low and hoarse with a hint of helplessness. "And I have no right to anymore."
Pu Yu's breath caught. "Why?"
"Because I'm afraid you'll think I don't care."
Standing by the station exit, Yuan Su