Pandora's Heart | d.cx ✓

CHAPTER 17

The participants had finally made it home after a game full of adrenaline. The competitive Haoxiang's team won even after Chengxin was evicted by his own teammate, and they had received a small price from Bliss TV.

At the moment, the two bands were having supper excitedly. Pandora seemed to have opened up that day, she seemed extremely happy in contrast to the earlier hours of the day. Chengxin somehow felt proud of that, he knew he had a hand in it, but he just didn't know how he had done it. Well, perhaps making her laugh unintentionally was the best thing he could have done all that time. Since she found it funny, he started to feel less awkward about it.

But what people noticed was that there was some tension between Haoxiang and Chengxin. Whenever Haoxiang spoke, Chengxin would look in his plate immediately, not comment and somehow visibly frown. Haoxiang similarly didn't comment whenever Chengxin spoke.

'Did anything happen between you guys?' Junlin whispered to Haoxiang whom he was sitting next to.

Haoxiang shook his head. 'Nah, he's just too sensitive.'

It seemed Haoxiang didn't feel like explaining anything, so Junlin nodded and leaned away from him then continued eating. However, as the conversations on the table increased and Chengxin was still acting the same, Haoxiang decided it was enough.

'Chengxin, can we talk?' he interrupted the conversation. Everyone looked at the two of them.

Chengxin didn't want to talk to Haoxiang, but he didn't want to seem dramatic. So instead he nodded.

The two of them left the busy table and walked into the kitchen. Haoxiang shut the door between the kitchen and the dining room so that nobody heard their conversation. Once he had done it, he walked over to Chengxin and stood opposite to him.

'You're really mad about what happened today at the arena?' Haoxiang finally asked, he was the first to speak.

'Isn't it obvious?' Chengxin shrugged his shoulders.

'Don't make it a big deal, it's just a game. And it ended hours ago.'

'It is just a game but how you acted isn't just a game. That was so insensitive and just seemed malicious. You literally said that we're going to first get rid of people we hold a grudge against and you first got rid of Pandora then got rid of me.' Chengxin explained. 'Or are you holding a grudge against me? Which I don't know about?'

Haoxiang laughed. 'Why would I hold a grudge against you? I told you that I shot you because you were going to make us lose.'

'Even so, I don't think you'd go that far. Normally you wouldn't. What's really going on? You are holding a grudge against me aren't you?' Chengxin moved closer to Haoxiang.

'I'm not. If you don't believe me, I'm not gonna stand here and convince you.'

Even with what had happened, Haoxiang was still being rude and uncooperative to Chengxin. He had had enough of him. He gave him a look before he started heading back to the door they had entered through.

'Wait,' Haoxiang put his hand on Chengxin's shoulder. 'I'm sorry that I made it seem that way. My intention wasn't to make it seem that way. I'm really sorry.'

Chengxin softened up a bit and turned back to him. 'I don't want us to have tension too. We're bandmates so we really shouldn't be acting like this. It's okay.'

'Thanks.'

Chengxin gave him a small smile before leaving. Once Chengxin had disappeared, Haoxiang gave him a glare.

...

'Goodnight everyone,' Jiaqi announced and everyone responded, now retreating back into their rooms for the night.

Pandora went up the stairs and got into her room, then jumped on her bed. She just needed to snuggle her warm blanket and maybe be able to have some sleep. At first she didn't realize why she felt quite better, but then remembered that she somehow owed it to Chengxin who was able to make her lighten up a bit that day. Besides, she had to be more positive. Chengxin was right that her attitude is what always caused trouble, so it was best for her to try to control it.

As she started to drift off to sleep, she heard a knock on her door. She knew it had to be Rio, so she grudgingly got out of the bed and walked towards the door. She was ready to give Rio a piece of her mind since she knew that whatever Rio wanted to talk about was probably stupid.

'What!?' she asked in a grouchy tone once she had opened the door. But the face she was met with on the other side was not Rio. Instead, it was Chengxin.

He flinched at her tone. 'Am I disturbing you?'

'Obviously. I was falling asleep.' Pandora rubbed her forehead then reprimanded herself for her tone. Don't cause trouble again Pandora, she thought to herself. 'Never mind, what is it though? You're not even supposed to be here.'

'Well I wanted to give you a special goodnight from me specifically.' he announced with a smile.

'Okay. I've received it. Good night.' Pandora pushed the door to close it, but she had a feeling Chengxin wouldn't let her. Just as she predicted, he held the door before it could close.

'Is that it? I came all the way from my room to say this to you!'

Pandora opened the door again. 'Well what else do you want to happen?'

'A kiss.'

'No Chengxin.' Pandora rolled her eyes jokingly. 'Go kiss Rio if you're that desperate for a kiss.'

Chengxin laughed, then leaned in quickly and gave Pandora a kiss on her cheek. 'Goodnight!' he quickly said and started to run off.

'Chengxin!' Pandora screamed. 'I swear I'm gonna kill you!' She quickly took off her slipper and threw it at Chengxin, but she missed badly. He quickly made his way down the stairs away from the second floor.

Pandora couldn't pretend she didn't like the kiss though. She put a hand on her cheek and smiled, then went over to pick her slipper from the corridor.

Once she turned around, she noticed Rio standing in her own room's doorway. She was watching Pandora with folded arms.

'Are you guys in love or something?' she asked with a frown.

'No, why?' Pandora quickly replied.

'You're acting like it. Well I hope you're not, because if you are, that will just be betraying Nikita. Like really bad.'

'Of course.' She answered then walked into her room quickly. Yep, someone had to remind her that she couldn't be this close to Chengxin, or give him the notion that she was falling for him. She had to stop, they couldn't be together.