When Love Across the Time

She glared at me with widened eyes. "Just you wait! I'm going to tell him!" With that, she ran off to find Kenny. I followed her and observed them from ten feet away.

The girl spoke earnestly and urgently, but Kenny remained unmoved. I saw his lips moving, but I couldn't hear him. The girl froze for a moment and then ran off in tears.

Kenny glanced up at me and flashed a smile. I skipped over to him, affectionately patting his head.

Since childhood, people had always tried to sow discord between us, but none had succeeded. Just like this girl, they came confidently and left in dejection.

Each time, Kenny would dismiss them with some simple words. Though I didn't know what he said, it must have been something like "She's my family, not your concern."

It wasn't until much later that I learned the truth. What he really said was, "We will get married sooner or later. I hope she loves me back, or I'd be pining away."

Our high school days passed quickly, and we were off to university.

My grades were average, but during the college entrance exams, I performed exceptionally well and secured a place at Windrider Academy. A year later, Kenny also managed to get in.

An outstanding freshman like him naturally attracted a lot of attention right from the start. Just his basketball playing would draw seven or eight girls asking for his contact information.

If I were someone who didn't know him, his handsome face alone would have captivated me. Coupled with his six-foot stature and his sunny yet shy personality, he was truly a heartthrob.

Sitting on the sidelines, I admired his pretty face and thought how great it would be if he were my boyfriend.

The images of Kenny's post-shower appearance came back to me. His abs were fantastic, and his face was pretty. I wondered if he was also good in bed.

Suddenly, I snapped out of it and blamed myself for harboring such a thought.

But a handsome guy was still worth admiring.

Just as I was quietly comforting myself, halftime arrived. He sat on a bench during the break, and a girl came over to offer him water. He politely declined. I picked up my bottle of water and walked over. When I faced the girl, she pouted with displeasure.

Kenny noticed I was standing in front of him but gazing at that girl. His brows furrowed slightly. He pulled me closer until we were just an inch apart. Only then did I turn to look at him. He got up to take the water from my hand and drank it.

Sitting next to him, I took out a tissue to wipe his sweat, saying, "That girl isn't good for you. Her makeup is too heavy, and it seems that she has a bad temper. I'm afraid you'll be bullied if you're with her."

Surprisingly, Kenny didn't choke on the water this time. Instead, he drank calmly, as I watched him. He finished the water in one go, stood up, and walked away to throw the bottle into the trash.

As I stared at my empty hands, it dawned on me that he had drunk and discarded my water. Just as I was about to ask him why he didn't buy his own water, I noticed his back soaked with sweat as he walked back towards me.