She woke up a little late the next day. By the time she ran into the classroom with her backpack, the teacher was already there, supervising morning study hall. The cool morning air, blowing through the open window, sent a shiver across the damp patches of sweat on Xia Yao’s skin, raising goosebumps on her arms. She hurriedly put down her backpack and spread her textbook open on the desk, catching snippets of her classmates’ conversations about the upcoming summer sports meet.

Zhou Ye was standing at the door, listening to the homeroom teacher. Seeing her boyfriend talking to the teacher, Xia Yao’s mind drifted back to last night, picturing him playing the piano for her. His fingers, now hanging loosely at his sides, were long, pale, and strong.

Noticing Xia Yao’s arrival, Zhou Ye’s gaze kept returning to her. He watched the flush that bloomed across her cheeks from running, and his mind involuntarily conjured an image of her in his bed: her soft hands wrapped around his neck, the damp, gentle gasps escaping her lips.

Mid-sentence, the homeroom teacher noticed the young man before him raise a hand to cover his mouth, his expression strange, his ears tinged with red. “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with what I’m saying?”

“Ah… no.” Zhou Ye shook his head, clearing his throat, his voice a little hoarse. “I just choked on my saliva.”

The teacher briefly went over the details of the sports meet again, confirming the participants for certain events before dismissing the class. After the teacher left, Zhou Ye walked down from the front of the classroom and picked up Xia Yao's water bottle from her desk, intending to refill it for her.

Seeing him about to leave, Xia Yao quickly tugged on the corner of his school uniform. Zhou Ye glanced back at her, watching as she fumbled through her backpack and pulled out some homework. “Class president, there are some problems I don’t understand. Could you teach me?”

She opened her notebook and placed it on the edge of the desk. Zhou Ye leaned over to glance at it, thinking her handwriting had gotten even neater. Xia Yao, however, assumed he was looking at the problems, waiting expectantly for him to start explaining.

A moment later, he snapped out of his "My girlfriend is so cute" reverie. Turning to Xia Yao, he noticed her bright eyes, fixed on him as if waiting for him to do something. Suddenly, he felt the urge to kiss her deeply.

He forced himself to focus, feeling a strange shyness. He wasn’t usually so clingy, but lately, he just couldn’t help himself. His girlfriend was so sweet, he just wanted to hold her close and never let go.

“I’ll go get some water first. I’ll explain the problems to you when I get back.”

“Mm-hmm.” Xia Yao nodded, closing her book and patiently waiting for him.

As Zhou Ye left, Xia Yao's deskmate nudged her arm and whispered, “Did you ask him about Chen Yuyue confessing to him last time? She even gave him a love letter.”

“…No,” Xia Yao stammered, shaking her head.

“They both like sports. I bet Chen Yuyue will try to talk to the class president about it again during the sports meet. You better keep an eye on him. Chen Yuyue is really persistent.”

Xia Yao nodded in agreement. She had met Chen Yuyue a long time ago, back in their first year of high school. During a PE class, Xia Yao struggled with the high jump, her form awkward and clumsy. After her turn, many of her classmates laughed, and although she knew they probably meant no harm, she felt embarrassed and couldn’t bring herself to look anyone in the eye for the rest of the day.

Near the end of the school day, as she was about to leave with her backpack, Zhou Ye stopped her. It was an overcast day, with dark clouds looming in the distance. The wind whipped through, scattering the thin layers of clouds across the sky. It felt like rain could start pouring down at any moment.

Xia Yao looked at Zhou Ye, a little puzzled. “Class president, is something the matter?” They rarely interacted in class. Zhou Ye was popular, always surrounded by people, while she was introverted and tended to keep her distance. He seemed to exude a powerful aura; even without touching him, she felt enveloped by his presence. Being alone with him made her feel a little pressured.

“Your high jump form is wrong. Do you want me to teach you?”

She stared at him, slightly stunned. The overcast sky cast a dim light on the corridor, softening the angles of his face, making him seem like a figure seen at night. Although it wasn’t raining yet, the humid air hung heavy in the air, permeating every corner of the campus.

Despite her discomfort at being alone with him at school, she somehow managed a soft, “Okay.” In a quiet voice, she added, “Thank you, Class President.”

Zhou Ye brought out the foam mat from the equipment room and demonstrated the steps the teacher had taught them, breaking down each movement of the perfect Fosbury Flop. At first, Xia Yao was self-conscious, but Zhou Ye’s patience, even after she knocked the bar down several times, gradually eased her apprehension. She slowly stopped being afraid of embarrassing herself in front of him. After all, Zhou Ye was sacrificing his free time to help her. As class president, he didn’t want any students holding the class back, so she didn't dare to be too sensitive and diligently followed his instructions.

The extra practice left her breathless and sweating. Xia Yao wasn’t very athletic and was already exhausted. She sat on the mat, perspiration beading on her forehead. Despite all the effort, she had only managed one successful jump.

In contrast, Zhou Ye still seemed full of energy. He handed her a towel and sat down beside her. Xia Yao felt the mat dip under his weight, the slight incline tempting her to lean against him. She quickly shifted away.

“Is it hard?” he asked casually, opening his water bottle and taking a long drink. Xia Yao noticed how much water he drank; she often saw him refilling his bottle in the classroom. He always passed by her desk on his way to the water fountain, so she had unconsciously memorized his water-drinking habits. No one in the class drank more water than the class president.

Xia Yao nodded, rubbing her hands on her knees. "I don't think I'll be able to clear it anytime soon. You can go back if you want. I'll rest for a bit and practice on my own later."