One Present at a time

Dan Heng sat at his table, staring down at his phone. The screen lit up with a weather notification for rain, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. It was a good thing he had brought his umbrella. The quiet ambiance of the Lotus Bistro surrounded him as he waited, scanning the room for any sign of the person he was supposed to meet. He hadn’t even seen a glimpse of March’s friend yet.

His attention shifted as the door to the restaurant swung open. A woman rushed in, slightly disheveled, her hair a little wild from the rain outside. His eyes immediately locked onto her, and though she looked a bit hurried, something about her caught him off guard. *She’s... absolutely beautiful.*

Stelle took a few rushed steps into the bistro, scanning the room before her gaze landed on him. "Are you... Dan Heng?" she asked, her voice slightly out of breath.

"Yes, that’s me," Dan Heng responded, still staring at her, unsure of how to break the sudden silence between them.

Stelle looked down at herself quickly, then glanced back up, asking, "Is there something on my shirt?" She mumbled, clearly self-conscious, "I’m sure I picked a clean one."

Dan Heng snapped out of his daze, clearing his throat. "No, nothing at all. I didn’t mean to stare."

They both awkwardly shifted in their seats, the silence stretching on until the waiter, Aventurine, approached them.

"Ah, Miss Stelle, I didn't know you were dating," Aventurine teased with a sly grin, clearly trying to break the tension. "If I wasn't already dating Ratio, I might have gone for Dan Heng here."

Stelle smirked, playfully engaging with Aventurine. "I mean, who wouldn’t? He’s got that mysterious vibe going on."

Dan Heng couldn’t help but notice how Stelle’s smile seemed to light up the room. It was infectious. *She’s easy to talk to, at least,* he thought to himself, even as his mind ran through a hundred ways to mess up this date.

As the waiter left them to place their orders, they finally managed to ease into conversation. Stelle asked about his major, and Dan Heng explained his work in the history department. Stelle, in turn, shared that she was in the fine arts department.

"I met March in one of my classes," Stelle admitted casually. "And you?"

"I was in a study group with her," Dan Heng replied. "She’s... interesting."

Their conversation drifted to lighter topics, and Dan Heng found himself genuinely enjoying the evening. As they discussed their personal lives, Stelle revealed that she had a twin brother, though she casually called him "the only asshole I’ll ever love." Dan Heng chuckled, thinking about how he could never relate. "I don’t know what that’s like. My little sister, Bailu, is probably the sweetest person I know."

They talked about their hobbies, with Stelle revealing she was into musicals, while Dan Heng surprised her by saying he was once quite good at javelin toss in track and field.

Just as their food arrived, Dan Heng noticed that Stelle’s plate seemed to contain a bit of everything. "You like variety, huh?" he remarked, trying to make small talk.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "I know the owner here, so I get to try everything." Then, her eyes flicked down at his plate. "Wait, you’re vegan, right? Then why do you have fish?"

Dan Heng paused, a bit embarrassed. "I’m pescatarian. My hometown is by the sea, so fish is part of my diet."

Stelle smiled at him again, and Dan Heng felt a warmth in his chest.

As the night went on, they learned more about each other. Stelle shared that she was a foster child, and while her story wasn’t easy, she spoke fondly of her foster parents and her twin brother. Dan Heng felt a pang of sympathy, but she brushed it off with her usual humor.

"That’s rough," Dan Heng said quietly. "I can’t imagine not having a sibling like that."

Stelle gave him a playful smirk. "Maybe your little sister can teach me how to be sweet."

"She’s got that covered," he replied with a chuckle.

The evening passed quickly, and before they knew it, the restaurant was closing. Aventurine gave them a gentle reminder to leave, and as they stepped outside, they realized it was raining heavily now.

"Guess I’ll run home," Stelle muttered, seemingly ready to dash out into the storm.

Dan Heng paused, then said, "My apartment is nearby. You can wait out the rain at my place if you want."

Stelle hesitated, clearly caught off guard by the offer. "You sure?"

Dan Heng nodded, his stomach fluttering in a way he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know what came over him, but he was glad to offer.

The walk back to his apartment felt surreal. Dan Heng couldn’t stop thinking about how easy it was to talk to Stelle, and her presence seemed to fill the space around him. She hummed a tune as they walked, and somehow, they both ended up humming it together.

When they arrived at the apartment complex, Stelle asked, "Do you know Robin’s music?"

Dan Heng paused, thinking. "The name rings a bell, but March would know more about the current trends. She’s in the journalism department."

"That makes sense," Stelle laughed.

Once inside, Stelle took in the apartment’s layout. "This is nice. A mix of modern and oriental, huh?" she observed.

Dan Heng nodded, leading her to the living room. As they sat down on the couch, an alert flashed on the TV screen about high winds and storms. Stelle sighed. "Guess we’re camping out here tonight," she said sheepishly.

Dan Heng felt a quiet joy. He had never been more at ease.

"I can let you take a shower," he offered, nervously adding, "I can give you some clothes to wear if you need them."

Later, when Stelle emerged in his clothes, Dan Heng felt his face heat up. She looked... cute. He didn’t realize how red he was until he stepped into the shower and saw his own reflection.

By the time he returned to the living room, Stelle was engrossed in the discovery of a new galaxy on the TV. Dan Heng quietly watched her from behind, admiring the way she seemed so comfortable in his space.

As the evening wore on, Stelle began to dose off. At around midnight, Dan Heng gently offered, "You can sleep in the bed if you want."

**(Author's note: I know this is a bit cliché, but hey, who really cares?)**

Stelle shifted uneasily on the couch. She gave a sheepish smile and said, "I really don’t mind taking the sofa... after all, I’m crashing at your place."

Dan Heng shook his head, his mind racing. "No, you’re a guest. You should get the bed."

They went back and forth like this, both a little embarrassed and stubborn, each trying to be considerate of the other. Finally, Stelle sighed, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "Well... I wouldn’t mind if we shared the bed..."

Dan Heng’s heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t sure what to think of that, but he nodded and led her to his bedroom, trying to keep his composure. Inside the room, he noted with a nervous chuckle that this was probably the most anxious he’d ever been in his own bedroom.

Stelle, however, seemed unfazed. She quickly climbed into bed and curled up under the covers, as if she had no trouble at all. She turned to him with a sleepy look and asked, "Why aren’t you coming in?"

Dan Heng hesitated, glancing at her before replying, "Maybe it’s better if we sleep separately." He wasn’t sure what was driving his hesitation, but something about the situation felt too overwhelming for him to handle.

Stelle raised an eyebrow but gave him a smile. "Okay, then..." Her voice trailed off, and before he knew it, he found himself under the covers, next to her.

The room was quiet except for the sound of their breathing. Dan Heng could feel the warmth of her body beside him, and it made him all the more aware of his own racing heart. He tried his best to keep his distance, terrified of touching her by accident, not wanting to make things awkward.

But what he didn’t know was that Stelle was awake too, listening to the gentle rhythm of his breathing. She shifted slightly, making the quietest of movements, and then, in the softest voice, she asked, "Can I hug you?"

Dan Heng’s heart pounded in his chest, and he nervously agreed. "Yeah, okay." He prayed she wouldn’t hear how loud his heartbeat was as he laid there.

To his surprise, Stelle wrapped her arms around him in a gentle, reassuring hug. "You can hug me too," she murmured into his ear, her voice warm and inviting.

Dan Heng hesitated for a moment, then, unable to resist, wrapped his arms around her. The intimate moment felt like bliss, like he was exactly where he was supposed to be. But just as he let himself get lost in the feeling, Stelle broke the quiet spell with a soft giggle.

"Your heart’s beating so fast," she teased.

Dan Heng froze. His mind went blank, and before he realized what he was saying, the words slipped out. "I... I think I might be in love with you."

Stelle paused, her grip tightening slightly as she processed his words. "Might?" she repeated, a teasing laugh in her voice. "Well, I think I might be in love with you too."

Dan Heng’s mind reeled. A girl like Stelle... could she really like him? His thoughts were interrupted when Stelle suddenly pressed a quick, soft kiss to his lips. He blinked in surprise, his heart racing, as she pulled back and whispered, "Let’s go to bed, lover boy."

Dan Heng, stunned and overwhelmed, allowed himself to sink into the warmth of the moment. With a small smile, he let the exhaustion of the night wash over him, holding the girl of his dreams in his arms as they drifted to sleep together.

**Two Days Later**

Dan Heng sat at his desk in the university library, trying to focus on his individual study session with March. He watched as she struggled with the material, always more comfortable with pictures and writing articles than studying complex concepts. He had been patiently helping her with her assignments when his phone buzzed on the table.

A message popped up on the screen, and his eyes widened when he saw who it was from.

It was Stelle.

Dan Heng smiles to himself before replying:

As Dan Heng sent his message, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The last few days had been a whirlwind of new emotions and unexpected moments, and he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something had changed between him and Stelle.

He leaned back in his chair, his mind drifting back to their time together—how effortless their conversation had felt, the way her smile made everything seem brighter, and how, despite his nerves, he found himself wanting to spend more time with her.

The phone buzzed in his hand, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw Stelle’s reply:

Dan Heng chuckled softly to himself, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. Maybe this was the start of something new, something worth exploring. With a sense of contentment, he put his phone down, ready to face whatever came next.

For once, he wasn’t worried about what the future held. He was just... looking forward to it.

And with that, the chapter closed, leaving behind the promise of more shared moments, laughter, and maybe even love.