Yang walked through the bustling corridors of the college, his tall figure towering over the crowds. He was used to the attention by now, having been the most popular guy on campus for as long as he could remember. Old ladies would stop him on the street to compliment his good looks, while little kids would tug at his shirt, asking for high-fives. He never minded the attention; it was just a part of who he was.
As he walked, he caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance - Yin, the girl who had captured his heart since the first time he saw her. She was talking to her friends, Sarah and James, and as always, she looked like she had a chip on her shoulder. Yang had always found her cold demeanor intriguing, and it was one of the reasons he had fallen for her. He wanted to get to know the real Yin, the one beneath the icy exterior.
He quickened his pace, hoping to catch up with her before she disappeared into her next class. As he got closer, he noticed that Sarah and James had already left, leaving Yin all alone. He took a deep breath and approached her, a charming smile on his face.
"Hey there, Ice Queen," he said, using the nickname he had given her when they first met.
Yin rolled her eyes, but Yang knew that was just her way of hiding her true feelings. "What do you want, Yang?" she asked, her voice as cold as ever.
"I just wanted to say hi," he replied. "You looked like you were in a hurry, and I didn't want to miss my chance to talk to you."
Yin raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by his boldness. "Well, you caught me," she said, her lips curling into a small smile. "What did you want to talk about?"
Yang hesitated for a moment, trying to think of the right words. He didn't want to come on too strong, but he also didn't want to beat around the bush. "I was just wondering if you wanted to grab lunch together sometime," he said finally. "I know a great little cafe off-campus, and I think you'd really like it."
Yin seemed taken aback by his offer, but she didn't say no. "I don't know," she said, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I'm pretty busy with schoolwork and stuff."
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Yang knew that was just an excuse. He had seen the way Yin's eyes lit up when he was around, even if she didn't want to admit it. "Come on," he said, putting on his best puppy-dog eyes. "It'll be fun. You can even bring Sarah and James if you want."
Yin sighed, clearly torn. Yang could see the struggle on her face, the part of her that wanted to say yes, but the other part that was too afraid to take the risk. He took a step closer, hoping to ease her nerves.
"Yin, I promise it'll be worth it," he said, his voice low and soothing. "Just one lunch, that's all I'm asking for. And if you hate it, I'll never ask again."
Yin stared at him for a long moment, her eyes flickering with indecision. Finally, she let out a small sigh and nodded. "Okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "One lunch. But just so we're clear, this doesn't mean anything, okay? We're just two friends having lunch."
Yang's heart leaped with joy. He knew that this was just the first step, but it was a step in the right direction.
"Of course, just two friends having lunch," Yang repeated with a smile, knowing that this was his chance to get to know Yin better.
As they made their way to the cafe, Yang tried to make small talk, but Yin remained quiet and distant, as usual. He could tell that she was nervous, and he didn't want to push her too hard. They arrived at the cafe and found a quiet corner to sit in, away from the prying eyes of the other students.
They ordered their food, and Yang tried to keep the conversation light and casual. He talked about his hobbies and interests, hoping to find some common ground with Yin. She listened intently, nodding occasionally, but didn't say much.
Suddenly, Yang's phone beeped, interrupting the conversation. He glanced at the screen and saw that it was a message from one of his friends, asking him to meet up for a game of basketball.
"I'm sorry, Yin, but I have to go," he said apologetically. "I completely forgot that I made plans to play basketball with some of the guys."
Yin looked disappointed, but she tried to hide it. "No problem," she said. "I should probably get back to studying anyway."
Yang stood up and reached for his wallet, but Yin stopped him. "Don't worry about it, I'll pay for myself," she said firmly.
Yang didn't want to argue, so he nodded and left the cafe, feeling a twinge of regret that the lunch had ended so abruptly. As he walked back to campus, he couldn't help but wonder what Yin was thinking. Had he blown his chance? Was she angry that he had to leave so suddenly?
He arrived at the basketball court and joined his friends, trying to push the thoughts of Yin out of his mind. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed an opportunity.
As the game ended and his friends started to head back to their dorms, Yang's phone beeped again. He saw that it was a message from Yin.
"Thanks for the lunch. It was nice."
Yang felt a surge of hope. Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe there was still a chance to win Yin's heart.
He typed out a reply, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Anytime. Let's do it again sometime."
He hit send, wondering what her response would be. Would she say yes? Or would she once again retreat behind her icy facade?
He waited anxiously for her reply, knowing that his fate was now in her hands.