Leaves and Homework | Zuo Ye

First Meeting

Zuo Ye was Fanchen's classmate, and he was always sitting in the corner seat of the back row, next to the window. He'd been pretty quiet when the class was getting to know each other, resulting in him being left alone.

Fanchen had her own friends, Xinyi and Yuexi, who she spent a lot of time with. It didn't occur to her how Zuo Ye must have felt, until Xinyi mentioned it over lunch one day.

Her chin resting on her clasped hands, she said, "Don't you think Zuo Ye's a little sad? He just eats in the corner by himself, and he doesn't talk to anyone." Fanchen frowned, not liking the idea of anyone being alone.

"You're right, it is sad." She picked up her tray, walked over to the table Zuo Ye sat at, and sat down. Zuo Ye was picking at his food, but when Fanchen sat down, he looked startled. "Hi, I'm Fanchen from your class. Shall we eat together?"

Her smile was all the convincing Zuo Ye needed, and he nodded. The two ate in silence for a while, before Fanchen asked him questions; how was his day, what did he like, what did he dislike, and more.

Zuo Ye responded curtly to every one of her questions, a little stunned that someone was talking to him, especially Fanchen, who was talked about by many of the guys from their class.

The school bell rang promptly after they finished eating, and they headed back to class together. Fanchen took her usual seat by her friends, and they immediately started asking her questions.

She had laughed loudly, catching Zuo Ye's attention as she did. Looking down at his lap, he smiled to himself, thinking about how she had tried her best to talk to him.

Maybe she could be someone he could rely on, after all.