Yi Yun hates her new school.

Or more like her new classmates.

Yi Yun knows that she’s a little bit different from other girls. Besides her short blonde hair, she chooses to dress differently, too. Even though she does wear the mandated school uniform, she always pairs it up with an oversized hoodie which earns disapproving looks from her teachers.

Her people skills – or the lack thereof didn’t help her like her school as well. She only stuck around because the school lives up to its reputation of being the best music academy in China.

“Get her.”

Yi Yun doesn’t know why the girls pick on her so much. She’s not pretty enough to be envied on and guys don’t really worship the ground that she walks on for them to worry about her getting the boys’ attention.

She shrieked when a cold bucket of water was poured on her, drenching her from head to toe. The girls shoved her, making her stumble backwards, her bottom landing on the wet bathroom floor. Her predators sneered as they mocked her. Yi Yun fought back tears that were threatening to fall as she felt their words cut deep down her soul, reminding her of her younger days of not being enough – not pretty enough, not smart enough.

With one last dirty look, her predators retreated back to their classroom, probably to mock her some more to their other friends.

Yi Yun finally sighed in relief and she felt hot tears fell down her cheeks. She bit her lips to prevent her sobs from coming out. She tried hard to be strong, knowing that she doesn’t have anyone else to rely on but herself. So she hugs herself tightly, whispering thousands of false promises and better tomorrows.

Xianhua loves his new school. The music program was excellent and as soon as the opening ceremony ended, he sent his brother, Zhou Mi, a long voicemail of love and appreciation for sending him to the school.

His happiness faded quickly during his first period. After learning that he was trained at violin and piano since he was a kid, his professor gleefully asked him to perform a piece and he was more than happy to comply and make a good impression. He danced and played to his own composition, fingers moving simultaneously with his feet. His professor sang praises while he smiled bashfully. He turned to his classmates and his smile faded as he was welcomed with disapproving looks. He gulps before getting back to his seat, receiving dirty looks and plenty of sneering along the way.

Show off!

Xianhua frowned before crumpling the paper that was thrown at him and stuffing it in his bag.

His brother called him back during lunch. Zhou Mi laughed joyously at his voicemail and asked if he made some friends. Xianhua wants nothing more than to hug his brother as he remembered all the dirty looks and painful shoves.

“Xianhua?” He heard Zhou Mi called from the other line. He stayed quiet, biting his lips hard to avoid his sobs to echo in the cramped cubicle in the bathroom.

“Everything’s fine, ge. I’m fine.”

Misery loves company, they said. And that’s exactly what Yi Yun found out when Xianhua saw found her drenched and crying in her arms in the school rooftop. He offered his handkerchief and smiled. Yi Yun blinked because his smile was the same as hers – strained and broken.

Xianhua winced as his back hit the wall, his violin bag dropping on the floor. Three upperclassmen towered over him, looking at him with a dangerous glint in their eyes. Xianhua frantically looked around, looking for someone to save him but he was greeted by the cold emptiness of the hallway.

“You think you’re better than us, huh, newbie?” the one who had pushed him said as his grip on his shoulders tighten.

Xianhua shook his head. “N-no, it’s not like that!”

The senior leaned in and whispered, “I don’t believe you.”

Xianhua yelps in pain as his fist came in contact with his stomach. The two other seniors laughed as they dragged Xianhua up to make him stand up again. He struggled to breathe as the leader delivered swift punches – on his shoulders, on his guts, on his chest. Xianhua closed his eyes, surrendering himself to the pain that enveloped him.

“Hey, I wonder what you would do if something happened to your precious violin.”

Xianhua’s eyes snapped open and he reached his hand out to take his violin which was now in danger of being smashed onto the ground.

“No, please, not my violin!” Xianhua begged. The leader laughed and paid him no mind as he raised the violin in the air.

Xianhua’s world grinded into a halt as he watched his violin snapped in half, its pieces scattering on the floor. He slumped down to the ground, crawling to what was once his solace, his comfort, his only source of orientation. The sound of his predators’ mocking laughter muffled in his ears, their running figures blurry as he picked up pieces of his broken violin, trying to gather them up in false hopes that they’d magically become one again.

A small hand handed him a piece and he looked up just to see a pair of sad brown eyes staring up at him.

Yi Yun.

Xianhua held back his tears and looked away, not wanting her to see him crying. He was supposed to be the strong one. He’s been trying really hard to protect her even if he can’t even protect himself. He felt her tug on his wrists, pulling him close.

“It’s okay, Xianhua.” Yi Yun ran her fingers through his hair, whispering words of comfort. Her heart broke when Xianhua finally wrapped his arms around her waist, sobbing as he clung to her for some sort of lifeline.

Yi Yun hugged him tighter, afraid that if she didn’t hold him tight enough, he’ll shatter and slip away just like the broken instrument on the floor. 

Xianhua fell for Yi Yun soon enough. In between running away from their predators and trying not to get beaten up, Yi Yun would play her guitar for him, her slender fingers dancing over the string instrument and Xianhua would be delighted when she starts singing. Her voice was beautiful, almost like an angel and sometimes, he would harmonize with her and she would give him the most beautiful smile and Xianhua would fight the urge to kiss her senseless.

She was changing, Yi Yun realized. Little by little, her smile became less broken, less strained and soon enough, she was smiling again like the way that she used to all those years ago. Life at school became easier, even though she was still chased by bullies, things got better with Xianhua around. He was always trying to protect her, even taking the beating once and got a nasty cut on his arm. She never let that happen again. It hurts her whenever she would notice a new bruise on his face or a cut on his lip but he would only smile at her and tells her that he was fine. Yi Yun hated that about him.

But Yi Yun had let herself fall for Xianhua and she did not protest when he suddenly kissed her one day after she finished playing her guitar. She stumbled backwards a little bit as he suddenly grabbed her by the neck, pressing his lips firmly against hers. Their foreheads touched as Xianhua pulled away and she kept her eyes closed, listening to the sound of his breathing. She giggled as his breath tickled her lips before pecking his lips once more.

Xianhua held her closer, burying his face in her hair, strings of promises slipped pass his lips – a promise of escape, of love and of beautiful dreams and Yi Yun nods because Xianhua never breaks his promises. 

A/N: lol idek what this is. This was supposed to be included in a long parallel universe kind of thing fic but i don't know how to continue that so I cut this part out lol 
Plus, i really really like Henber's Chinese names. I hope you enjoyed it!