[Scene: Morning – Mengqi’s bedroom. Alarm ringing loudly.]
Mengqi: (groans, hitting alarm) Ughhh… already? Five more minutes… (sits up, hair messy) fineee, I’m up…
[She washes up quickly, sits at the table. Mom places breakfast in front of her.]
Mom: Eat properly, don’t just run off like that day.
Mengqi: (munching) Don’t worry, mom. I’ll be good today.
[Cut to: Mengqi in her school uniform, hopping on her bicycle. Youyou is waiting outside on her own bike.]
Youyou: Took you long enough! Let’s go or we’ll be late again!
Mengqi: (laughing) Hey, at least I’m awake today!
[They ride together, laughing and chatting on the way to school.]
[Scene: School, snack break.]
[Mengqi and Youyou walk down the hallway, heading toward the restroom. They suddenly hear raised voices from the principal’s office.]
Principal (angry, muffled through door): Do you think school is a playground?! How many times have I told you two to behave?!
[The girls exchange a look and quietly peek inside through the slightly open door.]
[Inside: two boys stand with their heads slightly bowed. One looks mischievous, smirking even while being scolded. The other stands straight, calm but with a faintly cold expression.]
Youyou: (whispering, eyes sparkling) Ohhh… that one on the left… he’s kinda handsome, isn’t he?
Mengqi: (eyes widen, staring at the other boy) Wait… (thinking) …why does he look so familiar?
[She racks her brain, then gasps softly as a flashback plays — the boy crouching in the park, patting the puppy, glancing up at her with that faint chuckle.]
Mengqi (thinking, clutching her chest): It’s him. The puppy boy…
[Her cheeks turn pink. Meanwhile, Youyou is still lost in staring at the other boy, completely oblivious.]
Mengqi: (whispering urgently) Youyou… that boy—!
Youyou: (dreamily) Mhm? Yeah, yeah, so handsome…
Mengqi: (pouting, whispering to herself) Not him! The other one…
[The girls duck back before the principal notices. They press their backs against the wall, both blushing for totally different reasons.]
Youyou: (grinning) Omg, Qiqi, we just discovered our type at the same time\~
Mengqi: (groans, covering her face) Youyouuuu… don’t say it like that!
[Scene: Outside school – afternoon after classes end.]
[The street is busy with students, bicycles parked everywhere. Youyou and Mengqi walk side by side, carrying their bags.]
Youyou: (grinning) Qiqi, should we stop by the tofu shop? I’m starving.
Mengqi: (brightening) Yesss, tofu sticks are the only cure for my suffering\~
[They stop at a small open food stall. The uncle hands them freshly grilled tofu sticks on skewers, sprinkled with chili and sesame. The girls sit on a low bench nearby, munching happily.]
Youyou: (teasing) Qiqi… sooooo, are you still thinking about that boy from earlier?
Mengqi: (nearly chokes on tofu) W-What boy?!
Youyou: (smirking) Don’t play dumb\~ your puppy boy. He’s actually cuter than I thought. I guess you finally learned to recognize handsome guys. Unlike before, when you called every random idiot “prince charming.”
Mengqi: (face burning, waving stick) Y-Youyouuu!! Don’t say it like that!
[She bites her tofu angrily, cheeks red. Her thoughts wander.]
Mengqi (thinking): The principal said he needs to study harder to get into +2… does that mean… he’s in 11th grade? But I’m only in 9th… oh my God… he’s older than me?!
Mengqi (thinking, clutching her chest): What’s his name? Why didn’t I ask… ahhh, stupid, stupid!
[She sneaks a glance at Youyou, who is licking her skewer with a cheeky smile.]
Youyou: (teasing again) Qiqi\~ admit it already. You’re totally falling for him.
Mengqi: (groans, covering face with both hands) AHHH stopppp!
Youyou: (sing-song) “Puppyyyy boy\~ puppy boy\~”
Mengqi: (snaps, hitting her lightly with the skewer stick) You’re dead, Youyou!!!
[Both laugh, their voices blending with the lively street noise. Mengqi’s face flushed as her eyes glaze over with daydreams of Hanxu.]
Mengqi (thinking softly): I want to know your name…
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