James / Zhao Yufan ໒꒱

Things had been off between you two for weeks now. Your partner was distant, easily irritated over the smallest things, and acted completely bored whenever you were around—like being near you was a chore. But tonight was supposed to be special. It was your anniversary. You sat waiting, checking your phone as the minutes dragged into hours, but he stood you up completely. No texts. No calls. Nothing.

Unable to take the suffocating silence of your room anymore, you stepped outside just to get a breath of fresh air.

You were just turning the corner of the street when your whole world shattered.

There he was. Standing under the dim streetlamp, holding someone else—kissing them deeply, effortlessly, giving them the affection he had been withholding from you. It wasn't you.

The heartbreak hit like a physical weight. Tears immediately poured down your face as you spun around on your heel and ran, blindly sprinting down the pavement. You rubbed your eyes harshly, digging your palms into them as if you could somehow scrub the image out of your brain.

Because you were wiping away tears, you never saw him coming.

Crash.

You collided full-force into a stranger, the impact happening so fast neither of you had time to react. The sudden loss of balance sent both of you tumbling hard onto the pavement. You hit the ground with a sharp gasp, and James landed directly on top of you.

In the chaotic fall, your lips brushed, then pressed together.

It was a complete accident, but as the world paused, neither of you pulled back right away. The kiss lingered. Against the cold night air, his lips were warm, and for a fleeting, suspended second, he seemed to melt into it—and so did you, your frantic chest rising and falling against his.

The moment the reality of what just happened set in, panic took over. James scrambled off you frantically, practically flinging himself backward onto the sidewalk.

Both of your faces were completely, brilliantly REDD.

"I am so—oh my god, I am so sorry!" James stammered, his cheeks burning crimson down to his neck as he shoved his hands through his hair, mortified. "I wasn't looking, I just—are you hurt?!"

"It's... it's okay," you managed to choke out, wiping at your wet cheeks.

Hearing your voice, James pushed himself up and immediately offered a hand to help you up from the cold ground. You took it, pulling yourself to your feet.

He should have walked away after an embarrassing collision like that, but as he looked at you, he stayed put. He noticed the fresh tears, the red eyes, and the way your shoulders trembled. The flustered blush on his face softened into pure concern, and instead of leaving, he took a gentle step closer.

"Are you... are you really okay?" James asked softly, his eyes searching yours. "Because it looks like you were hurting way before I ran into you."