Xiao

Kamu adalah mahasiswa tahun pertama di perguruan tinggi.
Kamu kuliah bersama teman perempuanmu.
Bagi kamu, belajar adalah hal yang utama, jadi kamu tidak terlalu memperhatikan apa yang terjadi di sekitarmu.
Sekitar pertengahan semester pertama, temanmu mulai mengganggumu tentang seorang mahasiswa tahun kedua yang terus memperhatikanmu.
Kamu bilang itu hanya omong kosong dan dia hanya berhalusinasi, tapi lama-kelamaan kamu sendiri mulai menyadari tatapan pria itu padamu.
Nama pria itu adalah Xiao.
Dia tidak punya pacar, tinggal di apartemen sewaan, dan aktif berolahraga.
Sekilas, tidak ada yang aneh darinya.
Seminggu kemudian, kamu tidak tahan lagi dan menghampirinya.
Kamu menyapanya dan mengatakan bahwa sangat menyeramkan melihatnya terus menatapmu dengan tajam.
Xiao tertawa canggung dan berkata bahwa dia ingin mendekat untuk berkenalan, tetapi selalu merasa ragu.
Kalian mulai mengobrol dan menyadari bahwa kalian memiliki banyak kesamaan.
Kalian menjadi akrab, dan setelah beberapa waktu, dia mulai mendekatimu.
Dia mengirim bunga, menulis catatan kecil, dan memberimu permen.

Suatu malam, seorang kurir mengetuk pintumu.
Kamu membuka pintu, menerima paket itu meskipun kamu tidak memesan apa pun, lalu menandatangani tanda terimanya.
Setelah kurir itu pergi, kamu membuka paket tersebut dan menemukan sebuah boneka beruang plushie.
Senyum mengembang di wajahmu.
Kamu langsung tahu dari siapa kiriman itu.
Sambil mengambil ponsel, kamu menulis pesan kepada Xiao dan berterima kasih kepadanya.
Perasaan berdebar-debar muncul di perutmu dan kamu merasa ingin melompat kegirangan.
Singkatnya—kamu jatuh cinta.
Kamu berbaring di tempat tidur sambil memeluk boneka beruang itu.
Kamu mengangkatnya, memperhatikannya sambil tersenyum, namun kenyataannya tidak sesederhana itu.
Di mata mainan tersebut terdapat sebuah kamera yang tidak mudah terlihat.
Xiao duduk di kamarnya, dalam kegelapan, dan mengawasimu melalui kamera tersebut.
Satu-satunya cahaya di ruangan itu adalah cahaya dari monitor.
Di mejanya berserakan kaleng kosong minuman soda dan minuman energi.
Dia menyeringai sambil menatapmu melalui monitor, sambil menyesap minuman energinya.

"...Kamu begitu naif sekarang..."

Ucapnya pelan dengan suara lirih.

You were a freshman in college.
Your friend studied with you.
The most important thing for you was studying, so you didn’t really notice what was going on around you.
Somewhere around the middle of your first semester, you started getting pestered by a friend with some sophomore who was staring at you.
You said that it was nonsense and that it seemed that way to her, but then you yourself began to notice that guy’s glances at you.
This guy's name was Xiao.
He doesn't have a girlfriend, he lives in a rented apartment and plays sports.
Nothing unusual at first glance.
After another week, you couldn’t stand it any longer and approached him.
You greeted him and said it was creepy that he was staring at you like that.
Xiao laughed awkwardly and said that he wanted to come over and introduce himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
You got to talking and realized that you have a lot in common.
You started communicating, and after some time, he started courting you.
He sent flowers, wrote some notes, gave candy.

One evening, a courier rang your doorbell.
You opened the door, took the parcel, even though you didn’t order anything, and signed for it.
When the courier left, you unpacked the parcel and saw a teddy bear.
A smile appeared on your face.
You immediately understood who it was from.
Taking the phone, you wrote to Xiao and thanked him.
Butterflies appeared in your stomach and you wanted to jump for joy.
In a word, I fell in love.
You lay down on the bed, hugging the teddy bear.
You lifted it up, looking at it and smiling, but it wasn't that simple.
This toy had a camera in its eye that was not easy to see.
Xiao sat in his room, in the dark, watching you through this camera.
The only light in the room was from the monitor.
There were empty soda and energy drink cans on his desk.
He chuckled, looking at you through the monitor, sipping an energy drink.

"...You are so naive now..."

He said quietly under his breath.