My Boyfriend is the Heartthrob, and I’m Just a Passerby.

The scorching breath mixed together.

Ye Jishu felt his face being cupped, and the next moment, a searing kiss fell from above.

Like raindrops frequently drenching his body.

They continuously landed on his nose, eyes, and cheeks, as well as lightly touching his lips without any trace of desire.

“I like you.”

“My——”

Words of love repeated beside his ears.

Those eyes, always dark and unfathomable.

But at this moment, they shone even brighter than the lights in the night sky above.

【Yan Mei, I’m really happy.】

Ye Jishu was a little dazed.

Because of this, even though it tickled, he didn’t move away.

It wasn’t clear how much time had passed before Yan Mei finally released his hands from Ye Jishu’s cheeks.

The two of them stood still.

They quietly watched the messy weeds being blown by the night wind.

“But, I want to visit Jishu’s school.”

The words were abrupt.

Ye Jishu turned to look at him.

“Because there’s something you said that I’ve been concerned about.”

He was still looking at the same spot, not at Ye Jishu, the corners of his lips curved into a faint smile, yet his gaze had unknowingly turned cold.

“In order to erase that possibility, I want to go see that place.”

【Erase.】

That word was too harsh.

It was as if something filthy and unworthy had appeared before Yan Mei’s eyes, and he would mercilessly crush it.

The thought sent chills down Ye Jishu’s spine.

In the darkness, he couldn’t make out Yan Mei’s expression.

But—

Was there something wrong with what he had mentioned earlier?

Ye Jishu hadn’t noticed anything strange.

But since Yan Mei said so, then—

Ye Jishu replied, “Okay.”

There was no reason to refuse.

If he wanted to see, then let him.

…

Late at night, even the iron bars outside the school fence reflected a silver glow under the moonlight.

Next to the school entrance was the security booth.

Since it was the holidays, not even the lights were on.

In this remote town, security guards were only present during school hours as a formality.

At other times, no one patrolled the school grounds, so it was quite easy for outsiders to enter.

There were no surveillance cameras either.

Without any unnecessary movements, Ye Jishu pulled open the fence, and the two of them walked inside.

“The classroom is on the fourth floor,” Ye Jishu said.

He didn’t know what exactly Yan Mei wanted to see, so he just said that.

Sensing his open and unguarded attitude, Yan Mei’s previously cold and chilling expression softened slightly.

He once again looked like the dazzling and irresistible figure he was at school.

Ye Jishu subtly exhaled in relief.

Even though he didn’t understand Yan Mei’s shifting moods, as long as he wasn’t angry, it was fine.

Unlike universities with multiple campuses,

this place was merely a few standing buildings.

The only large area was the open space in front of the main building, which served as the playground.

A concrete platform stood in the center, where leaders gave speeches during flag-raising ceremonies.

The ground was partially asphalt, with faded red tracks bleeding over at the edges, where weeds had begun to grow.

The two of them stepped into the school building under the night sky.

The walls here had already peeled, revealing the mottled gray beneath the white paint.

The corners were damp, covered in moss—scenes all too familiar.

No lights were on.

The moonlight seeping through the windows made the floor appear wet.

“Where do you usually stay when you want to avoid people?”

“The stairwell.”

“Is it over there?”

Yan Mei turned his head toward the darker end of the corridor.

That side was noticeably more disorganized.

If students frequently passed through, it wouldn’t look like that.

It seemed like a good place to avoid others.

Without waiting for Ye Jishu’s answer, Yan Mei smiled.

“Can you wait for me there, Jishu?”

“I’ll come find you in a bit… You can play a game in the meantime. Your phone’s out of battery, right? Take mine.”

At this point, a normal person would ask what he planned to do alone.

But Yan Mei knew—

Ye Jishu wasn’t particularly curious about things.

As long as someone told him to do something, he would.

Sometimes this made Yan Mei angry, but at other times, it was convenient.

As expected, just as he predicted—

Ye Jishu merely glanced at him, took the phone, and said, “Okay,” before heading toward the stairwell without hesitation.

Yan Mei remained where he was, quietly waiting.

Waiting for his figure to disappear into the darkness.

Waiting until the sound of footsteps faded down the hall.

Only then did he move his fingers at his side.

[Finally, time to handle things myself.]

He hadn’t lied.

There was indeed something about Jishu’s words that bothered him.

[Jishu often avoids people and goes up the mountain.]

[But who spread that information?]

Yan Mei had no particular feelings toward the Control Bureau.

Just like how no one pays attention when passing by a busy trail of ants.

As long as they didn’t interfere with him and Jishu, he didn’t care.

All he wanted was a world with just the two of them.

But one thing was undeniable—

Before they met, the Control Bureau had done a good job keeping Ye Jishu hidden.

He had no presence.

No one talked to him.

…

Like being trapped in a glass case, separating him from ordinary people, making them completely ignore his existence.

Just like in university.

He was the top student, had an outstanding appearance, yet no one paid attention to him.

But if that were the case—

[Then how did people start talking about Jishu?]

[About how he couldn’t hear, how he was reclusive, how he would go up the mountain alone to make wishes…]

Ordinary people shouldn’t even be aware of his existence, let alone gossip about him.

“Ah, I had wondered before—why did the research trip randomly end up at Jishu’s former home?”

Yan Mei impatiently pushed back his hair, tucking it behind his ear, his brows furrowing with hostility.

Just like before.

He had been happily living in a world with only Jishu, but then out of nowhere, a Source of Infection suddenly appeared, claiming to have “seen the records.”

Of course, it had already paid the price before it even mentioned Jishu’s existence.

It was just—

Annoying. Like watching a fly buzzing around.

So, this was a trap, wasn’t it?

But the target wasn’t Yan Mei—it was the person he would inevitably bring—

Ye Jishu.

To make him return to the place he had left by chance, and then recall the past.

And the timing was just right, catching them at a point when their relationship was unstable, seemingly after a recent argument…

Something like that, right?

…

Who gave it the audacity?

To look at Jishu with those eyes.

To watch him from the shadows.

To speculate about him.

To think that Jishu would leave him.

“Say that again.”

Yan Mei lowered the bangs he had brushed back, and then, all of a sudden, raised his hand and slammed it against the wall beside him.

A smile surfaced at the corners of his lips.

The eerie green glow of the emergency light flickered at his side, but then, as if suddenly malfunctioning, it turned red.

At the same moment—

A strange squelching sound echoed through the air.

In the pitch-black background, countless eyeballs suddenly emerged, filling the space with a chorus of chattering laughter. The originally narrow space became even more claustrophobic as more and more eyes burst through the walls, squeezing out from the gap between Yan Mei’s hand and the wall.

Thick black liquid trickled down from the point of contact, dripping onto the floor.

Yan Mei narrowed his eyes.

“Jishu and I have a great relationship,” he said, his voice calm. “And no, we absolutely weren’t fighting before. It was just a normal part of a couple’s dynamic. Obviously. Though, I don’t know if you’d understand.”

The moment his words fell, a pained groan echoed through the air.

A figure, previously hidden somewhere in the darkness, was forced to emerge from the viscous liquid.

It was a boy, dressed in a school uniform, with delicate features.

But he looked as if he had been burned—charred, scorched—his voice rasping with static as he crawled onto the ground before Yan Mei.

Or rather, “it.”

Its skin was peeling away inch by inch, black foul-smelling liquid pooling beneath it on the floor.

Utterly powerless.

No hope of survival.

…

A tremendous fear loomed over it like a shadow.

So this was… conceptual contamination?
A pressure akin to that of a god.

How… how could this be happening?

It had never even shown its face—

And it had still held onto some small hope.

If only it had been careful enough, maybe it could have avoided detection. So why—

Contrary to its frenzied terror, the culprit responsible for this horrific scene seemed utterly oblivious, still murmuring to himself.

“Jishu really likes me. While you were waiting for him to return to school, reminiscing at old places, he was up in the mountains, earnestly handing me a stone and promising me that he would always like me and stay with me…”

Forgetting the agony wracking its body, the “Source of Infection” lifted its head with all its remaining strength.

Its face was twisted in unwillingness and resentment.

“You—you’re not even sure!”

It forced the words from its throat. “If you were really so certain, you wouldn’t have sent Jishu away and come here alone to deal with me! If Jishu saw me, he would definitely—”

Its voice was abruptly cut off.

Because Yan Mei had stopped speaking.

And now, he was looking down at it, meeting its gaze.

Expressionless black eyes bore into its wretched form.

“What would he do?”

In the heavy silence, Yan Mei’s voice was soft. “Why would you think that? Is it because you used to be classmates?”

“I—”

It opened its mouth, but fear had constricted its throat, rendering it unable to make a sound.

But even as its body refused to respond, its mind unwillingly admitted the truth in Yan Mei’s words.

Yes.

He wasn’t wrong.

Its memories flickered.

—Moments of interaction with Ye Jishu.

From middle school onward, it had noticed him.

Unlike the noisy, hateful humans around them, Jishu did everything quietly, calmly.

Most importantly—

He had no wishes, yet he always got what he wanted.

In Shenchuan County, in this desolate, tedious town, everyone was trapped here, yet still deluded themselves into believing in a stone that could “grant all wishes.”

From birth, it had carried the burden of its family’s hopes for an outstanding university student.

Like two sparrows desperately hoping to give birth to a phoenix.

It worked itself to the bone, yet always came in second place.

Because the top spot was held by someone who had no desire for it.

[Why?]

[I want to be like that, too.]

That resentment—it was what made it a “Source of Infection.”

At first, when it realized it had become something so unique, it had been thrilled.

It could distort reality itself. Winning competitions, achieving top grades—effort was no longer necessary.

But soon, it realized something horrifying.

Ye Jishu was completely unaffected.

And worse still, in Ye Jishu’s presence, its abilities didn’t work at all.

In other words, despite being an “Source of Infection,” it was utterly powerless against him!

And Ye Jishu still had that indifferent expression…

From that moment on, overwhelming hatred consumed it.

In the end, it decided to befriend Ye Jishu.

If they were friends, it could learn his weaknesses. It could finally crack that emotionless facade.

Walking home from school, one in front, one behind.

Spreading rumors about his disability, then stepping in to “defend” him.

Getting into fights in front of him with those who talked badly about him.

…

These were just small details.

It had never acted too overtly—

It didn’t want to attract the Bureau’s attention.

It had realized Ye Jishu was a butterfly trapped behind glass.

And its existence—Was, without a doubt, salvation for someone like him.

“So,” it asked, “in all the stories he’s told you, has he ever mentioned me?”

“If he knows about the ‘Source of Infection,’ if he understands the truth of this world—

Then he’ll remember. 

Six years.

For six years, I was the one who stayed by his side.

I was the only one who could truly see him.

I was the first person to notice him.”

Otherwise, in this remote county, how could a top student with no guardian possibly survive?

[Even if I was jealous of him…]

[I still protected him.]

If Jishu wasn’t an idiot, he would realize that.

No matter how indifferent someone was, they wouldn’t remain unmoved by years of companionship.

“So, you can’t kill me. You can’t even touch me.”

Its voice brimmed with smug satisfaction.

And as it spoke, a wave of vengeful pleasure surged through it.

Even the pain seemed to fade.

Because it had sensed—

The person who should be here.

“Jishu,” it called out. “I was right, wasn’t I?”

Because once, It had been his deskmate for six years.

What could be a closer bond than that?

Even the most indifferent person wouldn’t forget someone who had left such a lasting mark.

At the far end of the hallway—

Not far from them, a figure stood quietly.

Yan Mei stilled, slowly turning his gaze.

As the figure stepped forward, his face emerged from the darkness.

—Ye Jishu.

He was holding the phone that Yan Mei had handed him earlier.

The screen was still vibrating, indicating an incoming call.

Clearly, he had come looking for Yan Mei because of it.

And now, who knew how much of this scene he had already witnessed?

Jishu handed the phone over.

Then, his gaze fell on the figure groveling on the ground.

Before he could speak, Yan Mei immediately said, “This is a ‘Source of Infection.’ Not human. I’ve been very good.”

And then, he fell silent.

For some reason, he didn’t know if he should explain further.

Normally, he would have done so immediately.

But.

The words from earlier still echoed in his mind.

Yan Mei’s fingers clenched at his sides.

He wasn’t oblivious to the way his emotions often spiraled out of control.

Whenever something involved Jishu, his usual composure would slip away.

Unstable.

Possessive. Unlike his past self.

Yan Mei knew—

His cold, indifferent self had always been more appealing.

But…

Only this human standing before him—

Could unearth his most flawed, vulnerable side.

Unaware of Yan Mei’s complicated emotions at this moment, Ye Jishu was still processing the terrifying scene he had once again witnessed before him.

Yan Mei was not human.

[No matter how many times I see it, it still feels… so strange.]

But at least, he wasn’t as fearful as before.

Under Yan Mei’s unwavering gaze, his eyes finally, with difficulty, shifted away from the wall full of staring eyeballs and landed on the bloodied, crawling figure on the ground—it was clearly still waiting for his response.

So was Yan Mei.

[Oh, right.]

[It was speaking to me just now.]

Ye Jishu lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Then, under everyone’s gaze—

He lifted his head, confusion slowly surfacing in his eyes, and said:

“…Huh? Deskmate?”

The air instantly froze.

Because of his expression.

It wasn’t fake—

To him, even after six years—

[There was absolutely no memory of it at all.]