Just a little incident | Junhao

7

Black-tie only was a familiar phrase, considering Junhui spent his entire life cozied up in champagne dinners and the distinct scent of Chanel No.5 wafting through curled hairdos. Yet, naturally, he was just as frustrated when his elder sister dragged him out from the comfort of pizza and television to an extravagant tailor in search for the 'perfect' dress.

Obviously, it was never in a woman's nature to refute the opportunity of new clothing. The university's banquet hall called for the most prestigious of heels, maybe a little extra effort on the lipstick, and definitely a spritz of something stronger than Chanel. The exact reason of which his sister recited time and again, perhaps to excuse why there was a need to purchase another gown despite her collection of recital dresses.

If he was being quite honest, Junhui wouldn't call himself an expert on fanciful attire. Such events were definitely not his expertise, and neither was dealing with nearly everyone's constant bragging. In fact, for the longest time he'd been so over the situation, he had secretly made a list of ways to escape certain taboo topics of conversation. For definitive reasons, he thought he had long since retired the need for attending any of these other occasions, yet still, he found himselfyawning in the cushioned white seats of the store, a never ending stream of dresses lying beside him.

"Does this look better than the dark blue?" Huili pulled open the maroon red curtains of the dressing room, allowing the lights to catch her dress at different angles. The long fabric just barely touching the floor lifted gracefully with every twist and turn of her body. Looking up, even Junhui had to admit it was captivating, especially the bodice of the gown draping off her shoulder and continuing all the way down the length of her legs.

It certainly looked spectacular, very eye-catching. Much like him, when he unwillingly arrives without a plus-one. He could just hear the rest of the ancient professors probably attending the gala. No girlfriend? Not married? Shame. Yes, shame indeed that he was foreseeing this. His fingers were hovering over the screen of a particular contact, but how awkward would it be? Springing a gala invitation on an unassuming person was quite the news to take in. Besides, it was set to be held in a week, which is clearly not enough time. There, that settles it. Even fate had decided it wasn't his fault he can't go

"Wen Junhui are you listening?" His sister repeated. Junhui shrugged tiredly.

"Looks like the previous one you tried but in a different shade of blue?" He offered.

The response earned him nothing more than an eye roll. "But does it match the purse?" She held up the Dior clutch she had planned to bring. He eyed his sister's bag suspiciously.

"Now when did you get that?"

She heaved a big sigh and turned around to draw the curtains back. Useless, she muttered under her breath. A small lopsided smile formed on the male's face.

"You know, you could just ask your designer boy..." Huili called from behind the curtains.

Junhui, in the midst of scrolling through his phone, paused. His eyebrows creased a little. "Minghao?"

"Yes, him." Now, she was an idiot if she thought Junhui hadn't already considered it. He was a worthy candidate, the most likely one at that, the older didn't have the balls to admit.

"I take your silence as you'll text him?" Huili said, walking out from the fitting room with a dress sling across her arm. Junhui stared at the choice that emerged victorious. It was the very first one she'd tried on an hour ago. Talk about indecisive...

Walking past her brother, Huili could no longer stand his hesitation. She discreetly passed him by, and quickly snatched his phone up. Junhui shot up instantly. He was lunging for his phone, all while his sister expertly dodged all his attempts at catching her arm.