Tides of the Hidden garden

The soft rustle of papers and the gentle whisper of the wind filled the quiet study room. Zian sat by the window, focused on the text in front of him, though his thoughts occasionally wandered. The cool breeze that slipped through the slightly open window played with his hair, making the strands dance lightly around his face.

Outside, the cheerful laughter of children echoed as they played in the courtyard. Among them, Jian Yu stood at the center, his energy unmatched. "Let's play hide and seek!" he announced, his voice loud and filled with excitement. "Whoever finds me will get sweets!"

A mischievous grin spread across Yu's face as he added, "But let's see if any of you can even find me. I doubt it!"

One of the younger boys crossed his arms and said, "Alright, deal. If we find you, you owe us sweets. If not, we'll admit you're the best!"

Yu's grin widened. "Fair enough, but I promise you, none of you stand a chance. Try your best!"

The children laughed, accepting his challenge, but as they were about to start, Yu's gaze wandered upward, catching sight of the study room's window.

There, framed by the golden light of the setting sun, sat Zian. The soft glow highlighted his delicate features, and the breeze continued to toy with his hair, making it shimmer in the light. To Yu, Zian looked almost otherworldly, like a character from a storybook.

For a moment, Yu froze, his usual playful expression replaced by one of awe. He stared at Zian, mesmerized, unable to look away.

"Yu? Hey, where'd you go?" one of the boys called, snapping him out of his trance.

"Huh?" Yu blinked, shaking his head.

"You coming, or are you giving up already?" the boy teased.

Yu quickly recovered, his usual cheerful grin returning. "No way I'm giving up! But… hey, do any of you know who that beauty by the window is?" He pointed up toward the study room.

The boys followed his gaze but shrugged. "No idea. Why don't you tell us?"

Yu smirked. "Never mind. Let's get back to the game! You all go count to ten by the tree, and then come find me. Deal?"

"Deal!" the boys shouted, running off to start counting.

But as Yu turned to hide, he stole one last glance at the window. Zian was still there, completely unaware of the attention he'd drawn. Yu chuckled to himself, thinking, *"Who is he? I'll find out soon enough."*

As the children's voices faded into the distance, Zian remained lost in his studies, unaware of the curious gaze that had lingered on him. The breeze carried the faint sounds of laughter and footsteps, but his mind was elsewhere, focused on the journey that lay ahead.

Yet, outside, a new thought had taken root in Jian Yu's mind—a curiosity that would soon lead to a fateful meeting.