Just a little incident | Junhao

5

Thursday evenings weren't a popular time to patronise Olive Garden, but perhaps for the same unknown reason why Junhui and his older sister had chosen to eat there, an astonishingly large number of other people had also decided breadsticks and overpriced wine was to be their meal of the night.

"Gosh," she groaned, sinking into the cushioned booth tucked away in the corner. "What does one have to do to enjoy some breadsticks and not wait 30 minutes?" Her brother laughed, flipping through the extensive menu. They browsed through the dishes for a few moments before reciting them to the smiling waiter serving them chilled water.

Shortly after the waiter had come and go with their order, Huili clapped her hands together. "So, dear brother, it seems we've been having quite the many reunions these days." He smiled, shrugging his shoulders in return.

"It depends what favour you're asking tonight. I had my reservations when you offered to treat me tonight..." He narrowed his eyes at her playfully, hinting at her hesitation to explain the motive of dinner.

Sighing, she lifted the glass to her lips. "Fine. You know the music college I'm teaching at? They're having an annual fundraising banquet in three weeks, black-tie only. I really need you to come along."

Junhui was confused. "As a plus-one?"

Huili huffed a breath of frustration. "No! I'm bringing, well... him as a plus-one." She shot her brother daggers with her eyes when she caught him wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at the particular pronoun.

"You know mum, she's bound to embarrass me so I need you there for damage control. Ferry her home when she drinks herself silly with champagne? Or when she tries to bag another rich professor?" Huili begged. The younger male scrunched his nose at the request. Since young, he'd never really been the type for formal events. Although, it couldn't hurt to sip some expensive alcohol and mingle every once in a while... With that, he nodded his head, much to his sister's delight.

Just then, his phone buzzed from a text notification. He flipped the phone around, frowning when he noticed the contact name. Huili, ever so discreet, leaned forward to peak at his phone. "Minghao? That's a new one." She commented. The tone of her voice was suggestive.

He rolled her eyes at her. "Shut up, he's just a patient." Picking up the phone, he sped through the messages.

Minghao

Hi Junhui

I'm really sorry for this but
could Lila stay with you tomorrow
evening? For 3 hours at 4pm

Her petsitter cancelled on me
last minute and I can't find a new
one on such short notice.

She can stay at the clinic and I
promise she won't disturb anyone.

Junhui read through the messages once, and then again. He stared at them. Huili watched with a bemused expression. Maybe her dear brother had found someone after all.

"A patient who has your number, and texting you on a day off? Doesn't sound like a patient if I've ever heard one." She replied, stuffing breadsticks into her mouth and purposely ignoring the dirty glare her brother gave her.

The man fired a quick responde before placing his phone back down.

Minghao

Sure it's no problem!

Actually the clinic's closed tomorrow
so here's my house address instead:

XXX

Bring her over whenever. I'll be
home the whole day.

He placed his phone face down, just in case Huili got any more ideas of snooping his messages. Spotting the curious look on his sister's face, he was saved from having to explain the Minghao situation to her by the waiter carrying plates of food over to their table. Without another word, she dug into them, fueled by an extended period of starvation. Halfway through the meal, Huili annoyingly reminded her brother that he also had to bring a plus-one to the fundraising gala, to which sparked an awkward 5 minute silence between the both of them. The silence became even more tense when she suggested Minghao.

It wasn't as if things were sour between the doctor and his patient. It was just, in Junhui's opinion, not an appropriate time. See, only a month and a half ago did the two of them meet, and although they did get to know much more about each other through the coincidental meet up in the park, such as the unexpected fact that Minghao was an interior designer, Junhui barely knew much else about the guy. Sure, they did exchange numbers and messaged on and off for a couple weeks after, but until tonight, the last proper conversation they had was about two weeks ago.

Now Junhui wasn't well-versed in the world of polite invitations, but he did know springing a plus-one request to a fundraising gala hosted by a music college with people the other had no idea about, didn't seem very polite. Yet, he couldn't shake off the feeling that it was a good idea...

He dug into his meat, a nonchalant expression plastered over his face. "Fine," he continued, "I'll ask him later. If he says no, then it's not my fault and I won't be going."

Huili smiled. There was a mischievous spark in her pupil.