When love Found Us

As the weeks bled into autumn, their secret sanctuary in the greenhouse became a daily routine. But reality has a way of shattering quiet spaces.​The mid-term exam results were posted on the grand bulletin board in the main courtyard. Ren’s name was at the top, as always, but his score was two points lower than the perfect mark his father demanded. Standing at the back of the crowd, Mei watched Ren face his father’s personal assistant, who had delivered a cold, public reprimand right there on campus.
​Ren stood perfectly still, his face an emotionless porcelain mask, though his fists were clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles turned white.​When the crowd dispersed, Mei followed him to the courtyard’s edge. Without a word, she reached out and gently placed her hand over his clenched fist.​ "You don't have to be perfect all the time, Ren," she whispered.
​Ren flinched as if burned, turning his intense gaze on her. For a terrifying second, Mei thought he would push her away. Instead, his shoulders dropped, his hand relaxed under hers, and he let out a long, ragged breath. The mask had cracked, and what lay underneath was entirely human.