Wizard of Oz || Zuo Hang✓

Six

Zuo was walking through the school halls that morning, but he almost stopped in his tracks when he saw Yanni and Zhixin in the hallway. Zhixin had his hand on the locker which Yanni was standing against, and he they were opposite each other. Zuo could see how Yanni giggled as they talked about whatever they were talking about. Zuo could tell she was completely into him, and it somehow made him angry.

Zuo started to wonder whether he had feelings for Yanni or not. Of course she was pretty, but all this time he's never really asked himself if he could have ever had romantic feelings for her.

His eyes met with Yanni's, but she immediately diverted them. She didn't care much about his presence, she didn't know that they had just had an emotional conversation. That was how it was and how it would always be.

He turned his face forward and continued to walk down the halls to his classroom.

'Zuo,' Vicky said behind him.

He stopped in his tracks and waited for her to catch up to him. She looked at him carefully before speaking. 'You know, I feel like something else is keeping you busy. What's going on with you?'

'Oh you know, my parents again.' Zuo lied. In actual sense, he was probably a bit busier because he had to pay some extra attention to Yanni whenever she needed it. He hadn't been communicating with her that much though, so he didn't know what was indeed keeping him busy. Or maybe it was just his focus that shifted.

'Yeah I know.' Vicky laughed.

'Come on lovebirds, it's almost time for class! Maybe you should flirt later!' Xinhao interjected as he hit the couple with a rolled up notebook.

For the first time, Zuo felt thankful to Xinhao. He wanted the couple to break it up as well, and he sighed in relief once they had.

'I'm sorry that you're single,' Zhixin jokingly said to his friend while Yanni chuckled.

__________________________________________________________

Zuo sat in front of his computer that evening. He was expecting Yanni to send a message any time soon, but he wasn't feeling very excited to talk to her that day. The scene of her with Zhixin kept replaying in his mind.

He didn't exactly understand why he was feeling that way. Zhixin was her actual boyfriend, Zuo had no right to be angry. Was he crushing on a girl with a boyfriend? The thought of it made him feel a bit guilty.

Just as he expected, a message soon came from Yanni. He wondered if she had anything to ask or she just started to enjoy talking to him, he was hoping it was the latter.

Yanni: hey Prince Charming!

Zuo didn't feel like answering her, still feeling offended. But he had to suck it up and behave like a chatbot. The chatbot did not see her with Zhixin, so the chatbot would not be angry. He had to type like he normally did.

Prince Charming: hi, how was your day?

Yanni: I guess it was okay. How about yours?

Prince Charming: it was fine. Do you have a boyfriend?

Zuo mentally face palmed for writing something like that. This was definitely an inquisitive chatbot. A chatbot probably wouldn't ask that. He wished he could delete the message, but that would make it even worse.

Yanni: yes, why? Oh, you're wondering why I never complained about my boyfriend right?

Prince Charming: yes.

Yanni: well, there's not much for me to say. He can be pretty annoying most times too though. He doesn't really care about much so it sucks when I want to tell him something personal...oh, we never really talk about anything personal.

Prince Charming: how did you start dating?

Zuo was actually curious to know. When Yanni and Zhixin had started dating, Zuo wasn't in school. He had already moved at that point, then returned to find a popular Yanni dating the boy who used to bully her.

Yanni: I don't know. I guess cause he was popular and I was too it just started naturally? I haven't always been popular though, and before that he was quite mean to me.

Prince Charming: so why would you date a boy who was mean to you?

Yanni: because...he stopped being mean to me.

Prince Charming: so he just asked you out and you accepted it?

Yanni: no. Well when I became a bit prettier and more popular, he started to notice me. And he's Zhixin, everyone likes him. So obviously I did too, then one day he asked me out and how could I say no?

Prince Charming: and he's no longer a bully?

Yanni: well...he doesn't bully me at least.

Prince Charming: what do you like most about him?

Yanni: well...he's really cute.

Prince Charming: let me rephrase that...what do you like about him that's not superficial?

Yanni: uh well...he makes my heart flutter. Every time I'm around him, I feel like it's the first time.

Like this other time, we were at the bleachers sitting next to each other and watching a school game.

Prince Charming: okay.

Yanni: So I just noticed him staring at me with those beautiful eyes. I really felt my heart racing and I couldn't meet eyes with him. Then he just turned my face towards him with his fingers on my chin. He's so cool!

Prince Charming: okay.

Zuo was honestly feeling angrier by the minute, and he didn't have the strength to pretend to be interested in what she was saying at this point. He blamed himself for starting this conversation.

Yanni: another time, I was feeling really cold while we were sitting in the school yard. And he didn't take off his jacket and gave it to me like most boys do, instead he held me. It was so sweet.

Prince Charming: okay.

Yanni: And I think it's hot when he gets jealous. He easily gets jealous when he sees me with another guy except Xinhao, so he just grabs me and takes me away from him.

Prince Charming: okay.

Yanni: I have more scenarios I can tell you. Let me try to remember.

Prince Charming: no!

Yanni: (●__●) are you jealous!?

Zuo immediately regretted what he had just sent. It was too humanly, and he typed it in the heat of the moment. He must have been too emotional today, he was making too many mistakes.

Prince Charming: your relationship seems a bit superficial. Well, if you noticed, everything you talked about just seems like a little girl infatuated by a teenage romance. What has he ever done for you that shows that he really loves you aside from typical romantic stuff?

Yanni: what else must he do?

Prince Charming: you know...talk to you when you're sad, just sit down and listen to your thoughts.

Yanni: well, I guess he doesn't really do that.

Prince Charming: well, romance and looks can easily fade. Your couple can only last if you have an actual emotional connection. 'Cause trust me, there will always be a better looking guy or a better looking girl.

But I don't want to misjudge him, maybe he does love you.

Yanni: well you already made me feel think otherwise. Whatever.

Zuo slightly smiled to himself. It wasn't as if he said anything he didn't mean though. Even though he was quite jealous, he had only spoken the truth to her. From his point of view, their relationship was trivial and not built on anything rather than their similar ranks in the high school.