He's Into Him

Renjun comes home one day with a fresh haircut, a small change that somehow makes him look brighter and sharper, different enough to catch Xiaojun's attention immediately. Xiaojun doesn't try to hide it. He keeps pointing it out, praising how handsome Renjun looks and how perfectly the new haircut suits him, his compliments coming a little too easily and a little too often.

From the sidelines, Hendery notices everything.

As Xiaojun's roommate and someone who's quietly liked him for far longer than he's willing to admit, each compliment lands heavier than it should. Hendery has always been known for his long hair, the kind people say fits him so well it's almost part of his identity. Friends call him attractive because of it, and Hendery agrees. He has always worn that confidence comfortably.

But hearing Xiaojun gush over Renjun again and again plants an unfamiliar doubt in his chest.

If a haircut is all it takes to draw that kind of attention, Hendery begins to wonder what would happen if he changed too. For the first time, he seriously considers cutting his hair, not because he dislikes it, but because he wants to be seen the same way Renjun suddenly is.