Pas de Deux

o2

⊱ ✿ ⊰

Pronunciation guide!

Wang Chengrui  - Wang Chung-ray
Madame Huang - Madame Hwahng
Qin Mofei - Cheen Mwo-fay

୨ ♡ ୧

"You did what?!" Lihua shrieked at her that night when her friends had cornered her to ask her where she had been all evening. 

Yuxing had just finished recounting what had happened a few hours ago and it seemed she did not approve of her water-dumping escapades.

"I dumped water all over his bag," she repeated, hoping Lihua would calm down. They were starting to get stares. 

"Yuxing, what if he tells a teacher? Your scholarship could be affected— plus, that's rude!" Lihua continued on with her tangent, and Yuxing looked around at the other four of their friends for help. Eventually, they stepped in.

"Alright, alright, calm down Hua," Minsheng says, patting Lihua's back. Sometimes it really seemed like those two were a married couple and the rest of the group were their delinquent children. Although Yuxing had never done anything to deserve being on the receiving end of their wrath before now.

"Yeah, this guy was plenty rude to Xiao-yu, too. He said all those mean things about her!" offered Huiying, sounding more upset than Yuxing did. As the group continued complaining, one of them sat slightly to the side, silently staring at the floor and not offering any commentary before Yuxing noticed. 

"Han-ge? Are you alright?" she asked, directing her attention to Zihan who was sulking gloomily by himself.

"Yeah, you've been silent this whole time," Qingling agreed.

Zihan finally looks up, gaze scanning over his friends before landing on Yuxing.

"Are you absolutely sure you didn't recognise this guy?" he finally prods.

Yuxing only sighs, "For the last time, I've never seen him before today."

"Not a single time in the months you've spent here?" he challenges. 

"Look, even if she did, almost every guy at this school fits the 'tall, pale, and dark-haired,' description Xiao-yu gave us, so don't go around picking fights with anyone," Mingsheng cuts in, no longer soothing Lihua. 

"That's right. Besides, it's really okay," Yuxing reassures him. He only scoffs, muttering under his breath something unintelligible. Soon after, everyone returns to their respective dorms for the night, with Lihua insisting they all get a good night's sleep. Yuxing sends Zihan one last look before she darts down the hall and into her room.

What a tiring day, she thinks to herself. 

୨ ♡ ୧

The following day passes the same as it had every day for the past several months. The usual routine of attending classes and inevitably having to lend Zihan her notes during mathematics before she heads off for dance class. Early that morning, she had gone to the school's stores to pick out a new pair of pointe shoes, and she was excited to break them in. She could use the stress relief.

Qingling walked her to her classroom this time, sneaking a peak at the other advanced students not-so-discreetly. 

"Yuxing, make sure to get a good look at your classmates today, okay?" she said, holding onto her arm right before she went in. Yuxing took a step back to examine Qinglings face.