An Unaccepted Apology.

In the afternoon, Lin Yu caught Gu Yue alone on the playground.

Without any preamble or warm-up, Lin Yu got straight to the point.

"Have you apologized to Tang Manman?"

"Huh?"

Gu Yue, who had never given it much thought, looked startled. Her expression was blank as she shook her head honestly and said,

"No, I haven’t."

"I think you should apologize to her."

Lin Yu, uncharacteristically serious, spoke with a stern expression.

Gu Yue seemed a little dazed, as if still processing the words, but she nodded obediently and agreed to apologize.

Satisfied with the answer, Lin Yu nodded and turned to leave.

But after a brief pause, as if remembering something, he turned back and asked,

"When do you plan to apologize?"

"I..."

"I haven’t figured it out yet."

Gu Yue scratched her head, sounding hesitant.

"Alright."

"Good luck."

"I believe in you."

Lin Yu didn’t pressure her further, offering a casual word of encouragement before walking away.

Gu Yue acted faster than anyone expected.

Apologizing to someone isn’t easy.

Especially in senior year, when everyone’s pride is at its peak.

It takes serious mental preparation to apologize—convincing yourself first before taking that difficult step.

Yet Gu Yue managed to talk herself into it in just one afternoon.

By evening, when school let out, the entrance was flooded with students.

Like water gushing from a pipe, the crowd spilled out in a wide arc.

Amid the sea of people, Gu Yue stopped Tang Manman, who was about to head home.

Given their history, their confrontation instantly drew curious glances from passersby.

Under the weight of so many eyes, Gu Yue felt a flicker of fear and regretted choosing such a public place to apologize.

Who said this would show sincerity?

I’ll settle the score with them later!

Despite her internal grumbling, if she’d really cared that much, she wouldn’t have gone through with it.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yue steeled herself and, in front of everyone, bowed deeply to Tang Manman. Straightening up, her eyes filled with remorse as she sincerely said,

"I’m sorry."

"I’ve done a lot of wrong things."

"I hurt you."

"I want to apologize."

"I’m sorry."

"Please forgive me."

Her face grew hotter with every word, turning as red as a boiled lobster by the end. The onlookers’ stares felt like dull knives poking at her, making her itch to kick every single one of them away.

But for now, she could only wait, nervous and hopeful, for Tang Manman’s response.

As Gu Yue apologized, Tang Manman’s expression grew unsettled.

Her breathing quickened, her eyes reddened, her lips pressed together until they turned pale, and her body trembled slightly.

It was as if Gu Yue wasn’t apologizing but preparing to bully her again, just like before, with her little gang of troublemakers.

Tang Manman said nothing.

She turned and walked away.

Making it clear she had no intention of forgiving Gu Yue.

Left stranded in the crowd, Gu Yue was overcome with humiliation, her hands fidgeting awkwardly.

The sting of rejection after such a humble apology was bad enough, but the judgmental stares made it worse.

She wanted to act unfazed, to walk away with her usual confidence.

But she couldn’t fake it. Instead, she pushed through the crowd, shielding her eyes with her arm to avoid making tomorrow’s gossip even more humiliating.

...

Lin Yu, always the first to bolt after school, had left long before the apology happened.

But as someone connected to both girls, he didn’t need to wait until morning to hear the news.

When White Hair, his classmate, told him Tang Manman had rejected Gu Yue’s apology, Lin Yu wasn’t surprised.

That was just how things went.

You apologize, and they’re supposed to accept it?

Like your apology is some irresistible stack of cash?

Lin Yu hadn’t urged Gu Yue to apologize just to seek forgiveness.

Sure, it’d be great if Tang Manman accepted.

But the real point was about taking responsibility.

After doing something so terrible, how could she not apologize?

"Slurp—"

"Slurp—"

Finishing the last of his noodles, Lin Yu slung his bag over his shoulder and headed home.

With so much homework waiting, he needed to get it done early if he wanted any sleep tonight.

...

Before dawn, Lin Yu was jolted awake by his alarm.

Grumbling, he dragged himself through his morning routine, leaving his soul behind in the warm blankets as his body trudged downstairs toward school.

As Gu Yue had said, even if Lin Yu skipped his homework, no one would check, and he wouldn’t be punished.

But he still believed in doing it properly.

What was the point of copying? Better not do it at all!

Stepping out of the aging apartment building, Lin Yu paused in surprise at the sight of someone unexpected.

"Tang Manman?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

Lin Yu kept walking but slowed his pace, waiting for Tang Manman to catch up.