Without realizing it, fifteen minutes had passed. Bus 27 pulled up to the curb-just like Mo said, you heard it before you saw it, its heavy engine whining through the night.

I stepped out of the store and was about to get on when I heard a voice-this time, not from reading someone's mind.

"Hey."

I turned around.

It was Mo Longyan.

He stood outside the sliding doors, his expression soft under the fluorescent lights.

"It wasn't just me who saved the store," he said. "You had a part in it too. So... thanks."

I looked down, feeling a little ashamed.

"But I barely did anything. I kind of just... froze. Honestly, I felt more like a victim than anything else-like the hero."

Mo shook his head gently. "You knew you could've just run. You could've saved yourself, but instead, you tried to help me-even knowing the risk. That takes courage."

He smiled-an open, genuine smile that made something in my chest loosen.

"I guess so," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "And... thank you too. You know-for saving my side character's life."

I said it half-jokingly, with a smile.

Mo chuckled. "No problem. I just wanted you to know-you weren't a side character tonight. Not even close."

We stood there for a while, looking at each other. There was something we both wanted to say, but neither of us could quite find the words. And maybe we didn't need to.

Then the bus driver's voice cut through the quiet.

"Are you getting on or not? If not, I'm leaving," he called, clearly annoyed and exhausted.

The spell broke. The moment shattered.

I blinked, suddenly aware of how long I'd been standing there.

"Oh-yeah, I'm getting on!" I called back, then turned one last time to Mo.

"I guess this is goodbye, Mo Longyan."

"Yeah," he said softly. "I hope we meet again someday."

He meant it.

I could tell.

He smiled, though this one... almost looked a little sad.

The driver shouted again, louder this time.

"Last chance. Get on or I'm gone."

"Coming, coming!" I said quickly, nerves spiking like I was about to miss the last ride home.

I turned my head just once more before stepping onto the bus. Mo was still there, watching. Still smiling. My heart was beating weirdly fast, like I'd almost missed something important.

Then I pulled a ¥1 coin from my pocket-the standard fare for a short-distance ride-and dropped it into the fare box with a soft clink.

"谢谢," - "Thank you," I said automatically to the driver.

He gave a grunt that might've been acknowledgment and closed the doors behind me with a sharp hiss.

I moved to the middle of the bus, slid into a window seat, and turned to look back.

Mo was still there.

Still standing under the glow of the 7-Eleven.

Still watching.

Still smiling.

The bus pulled away.

And slowly, frame by frame, he faded into the night behind me-like the end of a scene I didn't want to leave.

[Author's Note]

There's definitely a little something going on between these two... don't you think? 😏

Whether it's just the kind of bond that forms after a wild night-or something else entirely-I'll let you decide. After all, not everything has to be said out loud to be felt.