Falling for the Goddess

Yes, Very Cute

From that moment on, Sara Hart dedicated herself to her studies and learning every little detail about Adrian Blake.

He was naturally a star, the kind of person who stood at the center of every crowd, radiating an irresistible allure.

Before, she hadn't paid much attention to him, but once her world had turned toward him, Adrian's name seemed to echo everywhere.

He won first place in a math competition.

He ranked first in their mock exams.

He was scheduled to deliver a speech at the morning assembly.

A girl confessed to him but got turned down.

He was playing basketball on the court.

Everywhere she turned, there was a fragment of news about him. Adrian seemed omnipresent in her world, whether from classmates, the school radio, or teachers. She pieced together all these scattered fragments to construct an image of him in her mind.

Even though they didn't know each other, he had no idea who she was, this distant figure became her light in the darkness, giving her the strength to survive her bleakest days.

She worked hard to move in his direction, hoping to draw just a little closer to him.

She followed his path from their high school to North Capital University, treading the same footprints he left behind.

Though they had only shared one year of high school together before he graduated, he had been her guiding star. As long as she thought of him, she could endure anything.

"You know," Sara said, a playful glint in her eyes, "I kept that photo of you sitting under the sycamore tree in my book. Whenever I felt like I couldn't hold on any longer, I'd take it out and look at it. You were so handsome—it really helped."

She glanced at him, her tone light and teasing, speaking what had once been her most guarded secret like it was a casual joke.

Adrian's heart clenched at her words. The idea of a younger Sara, silently relying on such a fragile connection to endure her hardships, filled him with both sorrow and guilt.

Unbidden, he whispered, "I'm sorry..."

"For what?" Sara tilted her head.

"If I had known earlier..."

If only he had understood her feelings sooner and had met her sooner, perhaps she wouldn't have had to suffer so much on her own.

"There's no such thing as 'earlier,'" Sara replied softly, her gaze steady as it met his. "Now is just the right time."

If she had confessed in high school, she would have been another girl he turned down. She hadn't been strong or brave enough then. But now? Now it was perfect.

Adrian understood her meaning. The timing couldn't have been better. Not sooner, not later—this moment was theirs.

"And what if," Adrian asked, his voice quieter, "you find out I'm not as good as you imagined?"

When someone is idolized, the weight of those expectations can be crushing. He worried she might be disillusioned if she realized he wasn't the flawless person she had envisioned.

Sara moved closer, her gaze unwavering. "That won't happen."

"I never saw you as a god," she said earnestly. "You're human, Adrian. And humans have their joys, their sorrows, their flaws."

"I've seen you leaning alone against the railing, looking so indifferent. Back then, I used to wonder—what's on your mind? Were you sad? I just wanted to understand you better, to get closer to you, to see if I could make you a little happier."