Extra 9: The Jealousy Game

At first, Shen Yu had never taken Lu Zhixuan's playful flirtations seriously. They had always been a part of his charm—those teasing smiles, the way he would casually flirt with anyone, making everything feel like a game. Shen Yu had thought it was harmless, something that Lu Zhixuan did for fun, without meaning much by it. But as they got closer, something started to change. Shen Yu started to notice that there was more to Lu Zhixuan than just the carefree, cocky attitude he displayed to the world. There was something deeper, something that made Shen Yu realize that, maybe, just maybe, Lu Zhixuan cared more than he let on.

It happened on a normal school day, right after the bell rang and everyone poured out of their classrooms to take a break. Shen Yu was standing by his locker, sorting through his books when a classmate, Xiao Wei, approached him. He was friendly enough, asking about a project they had to work on together for history class. Shen Yu smiled, nodding along as they talked about deadlines and assignments, but the conversation took a shift when Xiao Wei casually leaned in just a little too close. Shen Yu shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep the conversation focused on the work, but Xiao Wei didn't seem to notice—or maybe he did, and just didn't care.

But then, without warning, Shen Yu felt a presence behind him. The air around him seemed to change, and before he could react, a warm arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him in just a bit closer to the side of someone very familiar. He turned his head, and there was Lu Zhixuan, his usual cocky smirk plastered across his face, looking like he had just strolled in from a movie set.

"Are you lost?" Lu Zhixuan asked the classmate in that smooth, almost mocking tone of his, the words dripping with something that made Shen Yu's stomach flip. Xiao Wei blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance of Lu Zhixuan's possessive gesture.

"I—" Xiao Wei started, clearly flustered by the sudden tension. "I was just—"

Lu Zhixuan cut him off, his arm tightening around Shen Yu's shoulders in a way that was possessive, protective. "If you need something from Shen Yu, you can ask him later. He's busy." There was a subtle edge in his voice, something in the way he stood that made Shen Yu's heart flutter unexpectedly. His gaze lingered on Xiao Wei for a moment, who took a small, awkward step back, clearly understanding that his presence was no longer welcome.

"Right," Xiao Wei muttered, looking between the two of them. "I'll catch you later, Shen Yu."

Shen Yu couldn't help but chuckle softly as Xiao Wei quickly excused himself, practically retreating. He glanced up at Lu Zhixuan, whose smirk hadn't faltered. "What was that about?" Shen Yu asked, his voice teasing but with a hint of something more curious.

Lu Zhixuan shrugged, his hand slipping down to hold Shen Yu's, a casual but possessive move that made Shen Yu's heart race. "Just making sure people know who you belong to," he said, his tone light, but his gaze was intense, as though daring anyone to challenge him. "You're mine. Got it?"

Shen Yu blinked, a little caught off guard by the words, but also, strangely, comforted by the way Lu Zhixuan said them. It wasn't the words themselves, but the quiet certainty behind them that struck him. It wasn't about controlling him, it wasn't about being possessive for the sake of control. It was simply Lu Zhixuan's way of showing that he cared, in his own way, in the only way he knew how.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" Shen Yu replied, a teasing smile tugging at his lips as he leaned into Lu Zhixuan's side. He didn't mind it—not at all, in fact. But he had to admit, it was a little surprising to see Lu Zhixuan act this way, even if it was only for a moment.

Lu Zhixuan raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning into something softer, something that only Shen Yu could see. "Nope. Not too much." He gave a light squeeze to Shen Yu's hand, pulling him closer as they began walking toward the schoolyard. "Besides, you don't seem to mind it. You're still standing here with me."

Shen Yu rolled his eyes, but the warmth in his chest betrayed him. "You're insufferable, you know that?" he muttered, but there was a softness in his voice, a quiet fondness that was impossible to hide.

"Maybe," Lu Zhixuan said, his grin widening. "But I'm your insufferable person, right?"

Shen Yu paused for a moment, then glanced up at him, his heart skipping a beat. "Yeah. You are." The words left his lips before he could stop them, and for a moment, it felt like the world around them disappeared. It was just the two of them, walking together, their hands still intertwined, and Shen Yu couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, but Shen Yu found himself thinking about that moment. He had always admired Lu Zhixuan's boldness, his charm, and his confidence, but today, he had seen a different side of him—a side that was protective, a side that cared in his own quiet way. It made Shen Yu realize that there was so much more to their relationship than he had originally thought.

It wasn't about jealousy or possessiveness for the sake of control. It was about the way Lu Zhixuan made him feel like he mattered, like he was special. And maybe, just maybe, Shen Yu was starting to fall even more in love with him, not just for the big gestures, but for the little moments—the ones where Lu Zhixuan showed him, without saying a word, just how much he cared.