Straight Is Boring

Thirteen

"Strike!" I beamed seeing my first ever strike. I look over to Qi fang who raised his drink in approval. "Thanks for teaching me mop head! Gosh, I thought I could never learn." I say sighing. "I'm just thankful you got one before our session ended." He says. Eyeing the screen to see that he won. "Don't take me bowling if the others are joining, man. Would be embarrassing." I say before taking a sip of my drink. "Don't worry. Qin Xiong's actually bad at this when we went bowling last year."

"So, where to next? It's still early." I say checking my clock. "It's a surprise."

-

"No way."

"Yes way."

"NO WAY." I started to bounce out of excitement. And immediately jumped up to hug Qi fang. After surprising me to getting us one of the best seats in the biggest b game of the season. This is a crazy first date. Mop head just laughs, hugging me back. We both let each other go. He takes my hand as he takes me down to the best seats that are closest to the players. "I love this surprise so much, but why didn't you tell me? I could've brought my players jersey so that they can sign it." I say whining. "Aww, I'm so sorry, y/n. Maybe in the next game I'll tell you." He says before giving me a gentle kiss on the forehead. I giggle at his sweet action and turned to the court.

-

"Thanks for this wonderful date mop head. Great way to spend the day after exams." I say while giving him a farewell hug. "I'm just relieved you said yes. I got a chance to impress you with not just my charm."

"y/n." Both our eyes widen as we immediately backed away from each other. "Dad. Oh, right. You've met Qi fang." I say gesturing to the man beside me.

"Right. You wouldn't mind if he joined he for dinner?"

"Oh, well he was just on his wa-"

"Actually, I'd love to have dinner with y/n's family."

-

It was awkward. Seeing my father and 2 of my brothers (excluding the middle brother.) Just glaring at this poor boy. He didn't seem bothered. Seeing how he was enjoying Zi rui, my eldest brother's cooking. "Peng Zi rui. You cooking is really great." Qi fang smiles genuinely. Only stopping his eating spree just to compliment him. "Oh, thank you." Zi rui awkwardly nods. Feeling weird now after glaring at him for an hour now. "So, Qi fang. It's true that you didn't assaulted my daughter in her first day of school, right?" My father asked. "Oh, yes. It's true sir. Our friend Sun Jing did it."

"And me and Sun Jing are friends now." I add.

"He doesn't seem that bad, I heard he's nice. And my friend says the same." Xin, the middle brother says. He seemed fine with Qi fang now after he spoke to Xuezhang and Qin Xiong about Qi fang back in the spring trip. "I don't know. I still don't like him." Wei qi, the youngest child says. "Qi fang convinced your favorite player to sign this for you." I say handing him an autographed paper. "Yeah, he's fine in my books." He says taking the paper.

-

After dinner. I walked him down to the ground floor. Qi fang had to wait in the waiting area because his driver had to do some errands, so I decided to join him.

"Your family seems to start to warm up on me." Qi fang says a little relieved. "I'm surprised meeting the family was so quick." I say. Looking at my toes due to the awkward atmosphere. "You don't have to answer, but. I saw some photo's of a lady with your dad."

"That was my mom." I say. Qi fang stays quiet, awaiting for my response. "She... She passed away after giving birth of my little brother. I was only 3..." I say. "Growing up without a mom didn't seem strange. Unless people make me feel weird about it. It's a good thing they don't. But I think... That's why I've always felt awkward with girls back at primary school. Probably since stereotypes were still strong when we were still kids." I linger my pinkie to intertwine with mop heads. "That's where middle school changed me. There were different kinds of girls. There were girls like me. Like this girl I met when she was a third year in junior high back at south high. Whom you know as hedgehog.

Remember when I told you me and her used to date?" Qi fang nods wanting me to continue. "She broke up with me 'cuz she only dated me because she was confused with her sexuality.

Wh-what if... If we started dating... And I just realized I was just confused. And what I'm feeling isn't real??" I asked. Staring at him, now facing him directly. "y/n."

I blinked. Awaiting his response.

"I'm confused too. But. I still like you. We don't have to rush into a relationship. We can just... Date. And figure things out in the end. Why do you think I never date immediately?" Qi fang wipes my teary eyes. And pecks my cheek. "Thanks again. For this date."

"Thanks. For giving us a chance." Qi fang says. Until his phone started ringing. It was his driver. We both stood up so that I can walk him to the driveway. He gave me one last kiss on the forehead before leaving.

I sigh once I got back in my room. Staring onto my hands. Remember the gentle feeling when Qi fangs hands were on mine. I smiled at the thought. Looking up at my dim ceiling.

Qi fang rest his chin on his hand. Swiping on his photos. Looking at memories he took with him, Sun Jing, Qin Xiong, and others. Until he landed on some candid photo's of y/n that y/n let him keep. He swiped onto more until he reached to recent photo's he took with y/n earlier. He smiles reminiscing to the times he spent while he was with her.