Life went on like a quiet rhythm between Jenny and Li Wei. They were neighbors, yes—but not more than the occasional nods, faint smiles in passing, and the familiar sound of each other’s footsteps echoing through the shared stairwell.

  Jenny had returned to her groove—or rather, was trying to. After six long months, the cast was gone and the pain was manageable. She was finally cleared to resume training, and she didn't waste a single second. The announcement for the next international selection competition came in—just three months away.

  She didn’t tell her friends. Didn’t want to expin. Didn’t want pity or pressure.

  She simply began again.

  Three times a week, she'd leave before sunrise and come home te, arms sore and muscles screaming. On campus, her cssmates barely saw her anymore. In the convenience store, she worked with quiet determination. She missed two big competitions already—there was no room for regret.

  Jenny stood alone at the shooting range one night, loading her pistol under the humming fluorescent lights.

  "Back to zero," she whispered to herself, adjusting her stance.

  Three months ter.

  The familiar cng of gunfire echoed through the competition hall. Jenny stood in ne four, palms steady, breath low and sharp. On her left—Victor. On her right—Melissa.

  The weight of the moment pressed on her chest. But she stood tall. Her posture, calm. Her silence, fierce.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  She hit her marks, clean and precise, her scores consistent and strong. But when the final results were posted, Melissa had edged past her by a hair.

  Jenny pced second.

  It was a respectable comeback—but a part of her felt the sting.

  Backstage, she headed toward the locker room, towel slung over her neck, hair pulled up in a messy bun. Victor passed by, giving her a high five.

  “You were amazing,” he said. “Seriously. That comeback? Goosebumps.”

  She smiled, small and tired. “Thanks.”

  Just then, she turned a corner and froze.

  Li Wei stood by the hallway, hands in his jacket pockets, leaning casually against the wall. He must've been there for someone—maybe another athlete. But when he saw her, his eyes softened.

  "Congrats," he said, a little awkwardly. "I saw the final round. You were incredible."

  Jenny blinked, slightly stunned. “You were watching?”

  He nodded. “Didn’t know you were that Jenny.”

  Before she could reply, a familiar ugh cut through the air. A girl walked toward them—Li Wei's girlfriend.

  Jenny’s chest tightened when she recognized her.

  “Babe, let’s go,” she said, linking her arm with Li Wei’s. “Melissa’s waiting.”

  Jenny's expression didn’t change, but her mind spun. Melissa’s cousin.

  The girl gave Jenny a once-over and smiled politely—too politely. “So you’re the shooter? Small world,” she said, voice dripping with undertones Jenny had grown used to hearing.

  Jenny simply nodded. “Yeah. Small world.”

  Li Wei looked between the two of them, sensing the tension he couldn’t quite name.

  Jenny turned, her smile polite but distant. “Thanks again. For watching.”

  Then she walked past them without another word, towel still slung over her shoulder, medal in her hand, and her heart quietly steady.