La Douleur Exquise ||Yizhan||

Chapter 3 : sometimes i feel like you have two personalities

Zhan sat on the first row , just behind the substitute and team managers. He held a bag of chips as he ate one at a time. Though he doesn't have any interest in basketball, he still got immersed in it. He watched how Yibo shined on the court. When he attacked, none could held him back. As a defender, he was also very good. His skilled movements are nothing to joke about.

Zhan finally realised that someone just called him. He looked up at the person standing before him. It was a pretty girl , clean and round face, looking somewhat cute and shy. Zhan doesn't have any idea how to deal with girls. So he easily feels awkward around them. His lips twitched to form a forced smile and said, "Classmate, do you need something?"

The girl blushed and gave him a box of chocolates, "please accept it." She even shoved it in his hands.

Zhan's refusal got stuck inside his throat. This girl looks so shy, if he says no , she'll clearly feel bad, right? Forget it, let's not embarrass her infront of this many people. He'll find some time to clarify if there is any misunderstandings. Thinking like this, Zhan said, "thank you."

The girl held her face as she ran back to her classmates. Zhan looked at the round chocolates wrapped in golden foil. They look sweet and captivating. Is it okay to eat ? Or should he not eat ?

Just then a hand covered in transparent sweat reached out swiftly took the box away. "What-"

Zhan's voice stopped , seeing who the perpetrator is. At some point Yibo had come up and sat beside him. Yibo examined the chocolate box and swiftly took out one and shoved it inside his mouth. He chewed it like he was murdering it inside his mouth, zhan didn't know if he should laugh or cry.

"Our Zhanzhan grew up , he even receives chocolates from girls. It's kind of delicious. Which girl is it ? Introduce her to me some other time."

Zhan clearly knows that Yibo doesn't like sweets. He is only speaking nonsense about being it delicious. "What's wrong with me receiving gifts? Don't you receive them everyday?"

"That's different. Whatever. " yibo looked at the chocolates and said to zhan seriously, " Don't eat too much. If mom knows she'll scold you again."

Zhan glared at Yibo, " Don't tell her!"

Yibo grinned , " what if I tell her?"

"If you tell her, I'll beat you up. But...Mom will only scold a little bit, in the end she is still on my side!"

"She has always been like this ah."

"Your break is over. Game is starting, why aren't you leaving?"

"Look at the score , if I go to play now I think the opponent will cry." Yibo pointed at the score board. Zhan's lips twitched , it's no surprise that this guy can play so well. 30 : 11.

"Go, buy me another bottle of juice. That one you brought earlier." Yibo gave zhan a light push.

Zhan, however didn't move. Instead he gripped his seat tightly as if no one can budge him, " I'm not going. I'm tired."

Yibo sighed, "How are you tired when all you did was to sit and eat while watching the game!"

"I don't care. When I said I'm tired, I meant I'm indeed tired."

"Zhanzhan, why are you so stubborn!"

"Yibo, why are you acting all bossy? If you are a man , you will get your own drinks."

Zhan argued back. He looked as yibo become irritated. Zhan felt like laughing but held back since the situation isn't suitable for laughing. He flinched when he saw yibo raising his hands. Wait , he'll not hit him for this small matter , will he ?

Yibo's hand landed straight on his head. He furiously ruffled Zhan's hair. Zhan was stunned for a minute before glaring at yibo, again , this is the second time this guy messed up his perfectly combed hair. "What are you doing !stop!"

Before Yibo could laugh out loud, an irritating voice came from behind them, " Can you two stop? Isn't it just some drinks? Here, take mine and let me enjoy the match by staying quiet."

Zhan realised just then that they were at the center of everyone's attention. He shifted uncomfortably and looked away while regaining his calmness again. Yibo tilted his head to give that good intentioned  student a stare that said, 'who wants your leftover'.

Then he pulled zhan up and headed out. He signaled his teammates that he is leaving. Just like that , they went out hand in hand. It was the last day they could spend leisurely. From tomorrow they'll have to attend classes regularly.

Well, their school is kind of different from other strictly maintained school. Almost 80 percent of the students here came from a good family and have background. Even if they don't study hard, their future had been decided since they were born. So there are not much pressure. They can go out whenever they want but the only restriction is that , they have to return before evening self study session.

Looking at the watch, Yibo found that there are more than an hour left for evening self study , so he went to the ice cream shop near the school with Zhan. He just wanted to grab him and zhan ice cream, who knew it would be so crowded ! There is a long line of people waiting. Luckily it's afternoon , otherwise they would be grilled under the sun.

Zhan still felt hot. He fanned himself with his shirt. Yibo looked at him and said jokingly, "Zhanzhan, you know what, sometimes I feel like you have two personalities."

Zhan was standing behind Yibo and behind him stood a few gossipy girls. So he didn't hear Yibo clearly, "Huh?"

Yibo shook his head with a smile. Then he pointed to the bench not far away. "Go and sit there. Looks like it'll take a while."

" this time I didn't ask you to buy it. You came by yourself."

"So am I not taking responsibility? Haha, zhanzhan , a great man must have the ability to shoulder responsibilities!"

Zhan rolled his eyes and went to the bench and sat down. He opened his bag to see if he could find something light to fan himself. He grabbed a thick book, curiously he took it out only to push it back in as quickly as possible.

On the front of the book is the picture of two boys standing back to back. A wall was separating them. One had his head look towards the other boy , while the other boy looked infront of him, as if watching something interesting. On the red cover of the book, la douleur exquise was written in golden.

He has a friend. Yes, other than Yibo, there is also someone else. It's a girl, his and Yibo's cousin. Yibo doesn't know but one day, zhan caught this cousin sister of his reading bl novels. Since then, she didn't hide anything from Zhan. She freely used him as her cursing arena, if she didn't like the character she would come to him and endlessly complain, if she happens to like the character she would praise him for seven days.

It was her that shoved this book into his bag.

Zhan looked up at the sky and sighed. He truly feels helpless.