A/N a cute fic where Marco has a little crush on Lingzi and Lu Keran knows 👀👀👀
"Oh my god, you're hopeless. Just go talk to her," Lu Keran said, pushing me in the direction of my crush.
"No no no," I said, panicking. "I don't have anything to say and even if I did I wouldn't know how to say it!" I had come to Youth With You hoping to get some training, maybe debut. But now I found myself having an unrequited crush on one of the prettiest and most talented girls on the show. And I couldn't get her out of my head
Lu Keran ruffled my short hair. "Whatever, you don't have to talk to her. Just continue living like she doesn't know you exist."
That did it. Okay. I was going to do it. I was going to talk to Lingzi. Even if I could be her friend that would make me happy. I straightened out my hair, trying to make it look presentable after Lu Keran had messed it up.
So I made my way over to where Liu Lingzi was standing, and promptly tripped on my own feet.
Liu Lingzi quickly moved forward, catching me. She smelled like vanilla. I quickly got myself out of her arms, thanking her. This was going well.
"Are you alright?" She asked worriedly with a hand on my shoulder. I felt a blush come to my cheeks.
"I'm okay," I said. "Yes okay!" I made the Theme song "ok" hand gesture, and Lingzi laughed. My heart lightened. Maybe this wasn't going so badly after all.
I cleared my throat, thinking of things to say to her to start a conversation. "You're um, very tall," I finally decided on. I could imagine Lu Keran facepalming right now.
Maybe I was hopeless.
But Lingzi laughed, as if my awkwardness was actually somewhat amusing. "I've been told that many times," she joked. "Maybe if being an idol doesn't work out I could be a model."
I shook my head furiously. "No of course you'll make it! You're so talented and hardworking."
Lingzi smiled. "Thanks, Lin Fan. I appreciate the sentiment. You're pretty talented yourself, you know." My heart fluttered in my chest. What was this girl doing to me?
She sighed. "I'll be sad leaving this place eventually you know? So many good memories happened here, from making new friends to even having my birthday pass here."
Her birthday was coming soon? "Oh, happy early birthday!" I said.
"Thanks," Lingzi said. "Anyways, I have to get back to training, talk to you later?" I nodded, internally screaming in happiness as to finally have talked to my crush.
I returned to Lu Keran's side. "Maybe you're not a coward after all," she mused. I whacked her on the arm. "Ow!"
~~~~~
Over the next few days Lingzi and I got closer. She was actually very easy to talk to and I found myself falling deeper despite knowing she probably didn't like me back.
Apparently Lingzi really liked dinosaurs, which I found quite cute. When I was younger I liked them too but I kind of grew out of it. However, Lingzi really adored them and even had a dinosaur shaped pillow apparently.
Lu Keran kept relentlessly teasing me about Lingzi. I usually threw whatever I had in my hand at her as a result.
During lunch I waited in line to get my food box. "Lin Fan!" I heard a voice exclaim and I turned around to see the short girl I had become good friends with on the show.
"Anqi!" I exclaimed back with just as much fervour, tapping her on the head while she glared at me and swatted my hand away. It was our 'thing'.
I took my lunchbox, gratefully bowing to the server for today. The cafeteria was fairly empty so I decided to sit down at a random table, beginning to ravenously shove food into my mouth with my chopsticks. Training made a girl really hungry.
"You're gross," Anqi commented.
"As if you don't eat more than me," I shot back to which I got no reply.
We ate in silence for a few minutes. "So," Anqi said. "How's Liu Lingzi going?"
I nearly spit out my rice. No, play it cool. Maybe it's because she knows we've been talking and that we've become friends. "I think she's good. I haven't talked to her in a long time."
Anqi snorted. "Oh, cut it Lin Fan. You're so obvious you might as well have a tattoo of her name on your face." Well, I guess Anqi was always very perceptive.
"I'm thinking of getting something for her birthday," I said.
Anqi places her chopsticks down momentarily, putting her chin in her hands. "Go on."
"I don't know, what's a good present for Lingzi though? What if she doesn't like it."
Anqi scoffed. "Come on, who doesn't like presents? I think you should get her something cute. Can't go wrong with that."
I nodded, contemplating. "She likes dinosaurs..."
Anqi nodded slowly. "I see..."
Just then, an idea came to mind for a perfect present for Lingzi. "I've got it!" I jumped out of my seat, preparing to ask the staff whether something can be arranged.
"Are you not going to finish eating?" Anqi asked, pointing to my food.
"You can have it," I said. I had to hurry, Lingzi's birthday was soon.
~~~~~
"Okay, so let me get this straight," Lu Keran said. "You got Lingzi cute dinosaurs things and a dinosaur plushie for her birthday?"
I nodded.
Lu Keran laughed. "You're such a simp."
Simp? What did that even mean?
I ignored it. "So anyway, I'm hoping that she'll like the present. She's a good friend, she should be happy on her birthday."
"But you want to be more than friends," Lu Keran sang in a sing-song voice. I whacked her again.
"Can I just say something though?"
I nodded, preparing a pillow just in case to whack her again. "Can I just say you haven't even given ME presents this thoughtful before?"
What? "What do you mean? I gave you plenty of nice presents."
Lu Keran rolled her eyes. "Simp."
"What does that even mean?!"
~~~~~
On the day of Lingzi's birthday, I approached her dorm with a giftbag in hand containing the gifts I got her. I knocked on the door lightly, not sure if she was awake or not.
Lingzi opened the door. She was already dressed and ready to go for training. "Lin Fan!" She seemed surprised, enveloping me in a hug. "What are you doing here?"
I held the giftbag to her, smiling sheepishly. After such a long time of conversing with Lingzi and befriending her here I was, nervous again. "Happy birthday!"
Lingzi's eyes widened in shock. She took the giftbag. "Thank you so much! You didn't have to."
"Open it?" I asked shyly.
She opened the bag, taking out the various dinosaur gifts I had got for her. She looked ecstatic, giving me another hug and this time my heart actually skipped a beat.
"You are so sweet," she said, ruffling my hair. "The best friend I could ask for." She hugged the dinosaur plushie tight and I smiled.
I didn't even care if I could only be friends with her. Seeing Lingzi happy made me happy.
