Guardian: Returns

11

It was another Friday afternoon. The constant buzz of excited students leaving school premises filled the air. The cold autumn breeze forced everyone to hastily do up their coats and jackets and rush to their homes without lingering around.

"Hey guys," Luo Fei ran after the twins, grinning. "Wanna hang out?"

"Where is your scarf?" Jiang Feng asked, his hands automatically reaching to zip up Luo's jacket.

"I never wear one," the kid shrugged. Feng took off his own scarf and carefully wrapped it around Fei's neck.

"Wear this, then. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"What about you?" Luo moved his head and shoulders, enjoying the warm sensation on his neck.

"I never get sick anyway." Feng turned to his brother and smiled. "Didi, what happened? Did you forget how to tie your own scarf?" He was slightly surprised to see his brother in a mess as he could have sworn that the scarf wasn't that rumpled before.

Xin Bai pouted. "Can you fix it for me, gege?"

"Of course, my little brother," Feng's attention focused solely on him, gently tucking the scarf under the coat. "There, all fixed. The wind is quite strong today. Why don't you wear your hat, huh? Let me get it for you." Feng opened his brother's backpack, pulled out a beanie and carefully put it on Xin Bai's head. Smiling, he finally looked at Luo. "What do you have in mind by hanging out?"

"I don't know. We could just go to my place and... well... Hang out." Luo spread his arms wide. Both brothers were staring at him, waiting for him to continue his explanation. "You have no idea what hanging out means, do you?" He retrieved a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. "All right, let me tell you then." Luo took out one cigarette and put it in his mouth. "It means spending time together, having fun. Just like we did before. Whether it's playing, talking or eating together. That's hanging out."

"Like reading books?" Jiang Feng smiled, his eyes widening with joy.

"Um," Luo frowned. "Yeah, sure. As long as we do it together..."

"Didi," Feng took his brother by the hand. "Let's go to the library together."

"Ok," Xin Bai responded immediately, smiling back.

"Wh... What?" Luo blinked several times, patting his pockets in search of the lighter. A pale hand reached out to him, pulling the unlit cigarette from his lips.

"We haven't signed up yet. Will you help us?" Feng's doe eyes were drilling holes in Luo Fei's soul. He cleared his throat and looked away.

"Yeah, sure. Come on," the boy turned around and started walking briskly. His heart threatened to jump out of his chest as he rushed down the hill. "What the hell was that?" the teenager thought, panicking. He heard the twins following him and breathed deeply to calm down.  

They were nearing the library building when a high pitched female voice called his name.

"Lui Fei?" A tall girl wearing a puffy jacket and a much too short skirt ran towards him. Luo swore and took an involuntary step backwards, bumping into Xin Bai. The kid frowned, helping him catch balance.

"Who is she?" The silver-haired boy asked in a hushed voice.

"Ugh, she had a crush on me a couple of years ago. It was weird. We were still in primary school then." Luo put his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "What do you want, Yi Zhen?" he asked.

"Is that the way to treat your girlfriend?" she asked, smiling happily. She was chewing gum, each time opening her mouth widely as if she wanted to impress them with the interior.