Pulling Her Up

“Senior?”

“Senior!”

A sharp, crisp voice rang out by my ear, jolting me awake from my thoughts of Ling Yan.

“Xiao Xi, could you not shout right into my ear? You’re about to deafen me.”

I covered my ear, which was tingling from the shock, and glanced helplessly at Xiao Xi, who had somehow climbed out of the pool and was now sitting beside me.

Her petite body was clad in her school swimsuit, dripping wet. Her fair, delicate skin looked especially alluring under the glistening water droplets. Her cute face was flushed pink, her cherry-like lips were slightly pouted, and her lively eyes stared at me with displeasure.

“You weren’t answering me at all! I’ve been calling you for ages, Senior.”

Xiao Xi gently bumped me with her slender shoulder, as if venting her frustration.

“Sorry, I was just lost in thought.”

I smiled and apologized with my hands together in a prayer gesture.

“Lost in thought? About what?”

Xiao Xi tilted her head up to look at me, a puzzled expression on her face.

“That’s something I can’t tell you.”

I shook my head with a wry smile.

Back when we left the classroom, Ling Yan had told me not to tell anyone. It must be something quite secretive. Besides, I didn’t know why Ling Yan had specifically asked me of all people. Logically, Xiao Lu was her best friend—if she needed help, she should have asked her. I was honestly worried I wouldn’t be able to help Ling Yan properly.

“What? Fine, don’t tell me. I don’t care anyway.”

Hearing my words, Xiao Xi’s puzzled expression turned into displeasure. Her cheeks puffed up like a balloon as she turned her head away, ignoring me.

(Was she really mad?)

“Sorry, but this matter really isn’t easy to talk about.”

I lowered my head, clasped my hands together on top of it, and spoke with utmost seriousness.

Although I wasn’t looking at Xiao Xi, I could feel her gaze on me.

“I-is that so? Well, then, I’m not an unreasonable girl. I’ll forgive you, Senior.”

After a few seconds of silence, Xiao Xi’s sweet, soft voice came through, her tone gentle.

I looked up. Xiao Xi still had her head turned away, not looking at me, but her expression showed she was no longer angry.

That made me breathe a slight sigh of relief. I didn’t know why, but even though I’d only known Xiao Xi for two days, it felt like we had been friends for a long time. Probably because our personalities clicked. I really didn’t want to make her angry.

“By the way, Xiao Xi, after training today, let me treat you to a meal.”

I glanced at the club members training in the distance, then suddenly remembered that Ling Yan probably had something to do after practice and wouldn’t need me to walk her home.

“Huh? Aren’t you accompanying Senior Ling Yan?”

Xiao Xi supported herself on the bench with both hands, looking at me. Her fair, delicate little feet left the ground, swinging back and forth playfully.

I had actually expected Xiao Xi to refuse—after all, her thanks at noon had been somewhat harshly rejected. Not that I had said it; it was Xiao Lu. But I thought it would create a rift with Xiao Xi, so I planned to use this opportunity to explain. But her reaction seemed like she didn’t care at all.

“Yeah, Ling Yan has something today, so I’m free for once. And you still owe me a meal of thanks, so I figured I’d drag you along.”

Good, she didn’t seem to mind. But I still needed to explain things properly to Xiao Xi. Xiao Lu and Ling Yan liked her so much—if she grew distant from them because of that incident at lunch, they would surely be sad.

“Tch, I was wondering why you weren’t accompanying Senior Ling Yan. So that’s it. I’m just a backup option, huh?”

Xiao Xi stopped swinging her feet, her toes touching the ground, and looked at me with an unhappy expression.

I broke out in a cold sweat under her gaze. Why did she make me sound like some kind of playboy?

“No way!”

I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead and defended myself.

Even if there was a little bit of that thought, I definitely wouldn’t say it out loud.

“Hmph, obviously you are! You like Senior Ling Yan so much, there’s no way you’d give up a chance to go home with her just for me. Anyway, you’re just a simp senior! Bleh~”

Xiao Xi looked at me scornfully, then pulled down her eyelid with her finger and made a face at me.

“You little… I am not a simp!”

“Yes, you are!”

“No, I’m not!”

“Yes, you are!”

“…”

After a few rounds of this war of words, I couldn’t out-argue her, so I had to let her triumphantly declare that I was a simp.

(But I really wasn’t a simp. I just really liked Ling Yan. Though I felt a strange pang of guilt—maybe it was just my imagination.)

“So, Xiao Xi, it’s settled. After training, I’m taking you to dinner.”

“Alright, Simp Senior~”

Xiao Xi looked unwilling, but she still agreed. However, the drawn-out tone at the end got on my nerves.

Beep, beep…

Just as I was chatting with Xiao Xi, Teacher Xia’s whistle blew, signaling that the first round of training had ended.

Xiao Xi and I quickly got up and went our separate ways, distributing water and towels to the resting club members.

Perhaps because we were in too much of a hurry, I hadn’t counted the items properly. By the time I got to Ling Yan, I had nothing left.

“Sorry, Ling Yan. Could you go grab some from my spot?”

I scratched my head awkwardly, speaking to Ling Yan, who was sitting by the edge of the pool.

“Mm.”

Ling Yan looked up at me and extended a fair hand.

(What did this mean?)

I looked at Ling Yan in confusion.

“Pull me up.”

Her cool voice sounded, and I finally understood. I fumbled a bit as I reached down and helped her to her feet.

“Um, Ling Yan, are you alright?”

I looked at her with some concern.

Even though the swimming club’s training was intense and muscle weakness was common during breaks, Ling Yan had never asked me to pull her up before.

“I’m fine. I just felt like doing it.”

Ling Yan shifted her gaze slightly, her thin lips parting, and then, before I could react, she headed toward the rest area.

I stood there stunned for a moment, then followed after her.

(I felt like Ling Yan was acting a bit strange.)

By the time Ling Yan and I reached the rest area, Xiao Xi had already finished distributing her items and was sitting on a bench resting.

“Ling Yan, sit down and rest for a bit. I’ll get your towel and water right away.”

“Mm.”

Watching Ling Yan walk over to sit next to Xiao Xi, I quickly headed toward the storage box not far away.

On the way, I glanced at them and noticed that Ling Yan had actually initiated a conversation with Xiao Xi. That made me realize Ling Yan really liked Xiao Xi.

Otherwise, why would the normally aloof Ling Yan take the initiative to talk to someone? Even Xiao Lu rarely saw her do that; it was always Xiao Lu who started the conversation.

I deliberately lingered by the storage box for a while to give them enough time to chat privately.

“Ling Yan, here’s your water and towel.”

After a while, I came back. Ling Yan and Xiao Xi had stopped talking.

“Mm.”

Ling Yan took the water and towel as usual. But Xiao Xi glanced at me, then at Ling Yan, and remained silent.

(What was wrong?)

I was about to sit down and ask Xiao Xi, but Ling Yan pulled me over.

“Sit here.”

Ling Yan patted the spot beside her, her dark eyes fixed on me.