Chapter 1
After three years of pining for the cold campus heartthrob with nothing to show for it, my cousin finally had enough.
She decided to step in and give me a live demonstration.
"Watch closely and learn well. I'm only going to show you this once," she said.
She looked like the perfect good girl on the outside, but in private, she was up for anything.
"The worst thing you can do when chasing a guy is to act all prim and proper," she said.
"Emma, you need to be more proactive."
I laughed and teased, "Lucas said he doesn't like girls who are too forward."
Three days later, my cousin sent me a video.
She said, "Sorry, Emma. I was supposed to give you a demonstration, but things got a little out of hand."
"You said he didn't like girls who make the first move, but honestly, he's totally into it.
"He's going so hard I can barely handle it...
"He's really not your type, you should pick someone else."
In the corner of the video, I could see a ripped hem of a skirt.
*****
When I got home, I ran into a delivery guy heading upstairs.
He asked if this was Building A, Unit 2.
I turned my head and spotted the label on his delivery bag.
Just one look, and my face turned bright red.
I looked down and mumbled, "Yes, this is Building A, Unit 2."
The delivery guy said, "Thanks."
He went straight up to the sixth floor.
When he knocked on the door of 601, my heart completely dropped.
Because the delivery slip had "ultra-thin 001 condoms" written on it.
And the guy living in 601? That was Lucas, the senior I'd been secretly crushing on for three years.
Meanwhile, my cousin messaged me.
She sent over a video.
In the video, she bowed her head, looking apologetic.
"Sorry, Emma. I was supposed to give you a demonstration, but things got a little out of hand.
"You said he didn't like girls who make the first move, but honestly, he's totally into it.
"He's going so hard I can barely handle it...
"He's really not your type, you should pick someone else."
"If you really can't find anyone, I'll hook you up with my ex. He's got a thing for sweet, innocent girls."
The video flickered and ended.
The bathroom light went off.
A man stepped out and asked, "Who are you video chatting with?"
My cousin's words were cut off, and she stammered in a sweet, flustered tone, "No one, just told the delivery guy to leave it at the door."
"Come on, hurry up! I can't wait anymore," the man said.
I heard the door on the sixth floor open.
I heard a familiar guy's voice from inside.
He said softly, "Thanks."
After the rustling, I could hear my cousin whimpering, begging for mercy.
As soon as the video call ended, tears welled up in my eyes.
Staring at the fruit platter I'd so carefully arranged, I suddenly felt like such a fool.
*****
Three days ago, my cousin, who was staying at my place, accidentally stumbled upon my secret crush diary.
She laughed at me, "Seriously? You've been chasing after him for three years and he still hasn't said yes?
"Is there something wrong with this guy?"
My cheeks flushed bright red.
I mumbled, "No way, Lucas said he won't even think about dating until after he graduates."
My cousin just scoffed.
"Come on, that's just an excuse. No guy can really resist if a girl makes a move. Honestly, you're way too shy.
"Guys hate girls who pretend to be all innocent. They love it when a girl takes charge."
She tilted my chin up.
"You're gorgeous, but you're just too innocent. Guys aren't into girls who play it safe.
"Basically, they don't want someone who's dull.
"Sometimes, you gotta make the first move.
"Otherwise, why do those flirty girls in webnovels always get all the attention from guys?"
"No way," I cut her off.
Lucas Reed was the campus heartthrob.
He always kept to himself, aloof and self-controlled.
He sticks to a routine, just school and home, nothing else.
He didn't have any female friends and never went to any parties.
People said he was good-looking but boring.
He'd even turned down a pretty senior before.
That girl chased him all the way to our building.
I overheard Lucas say to her at the stairwell corner, "I like girls who are sweet and innocent."
During the three years I secretly liked Lucas, I finally confessed my feelings to him.
But he just looked at me with a calm, distant gaze.
"Emma, be good," he said.
"I'm not ready to think about dating yet. Let's wait until after graduation, okay?"
I understood.
He was a senior.
Graduation and grad school applications were weighing on him, and he didn't want anything else to distract him.
But I still liked him.
I kept quietly doing nice things for him.
I waited for him quietly, holding onto hope until the day he would finally graduate.