That Promise

Part 1

"If you're 30 and still single, I'll date you then".

"No, if you are still single at 30, I'll date you!"

Mu Qing woke up with the slow, soft chiming of the alarm on his phone and, still in a dazed state, reached out his hand to turn it off. He got up, brushing his hair off his face. What happened, he always wakes up before the alarm! And that dream -

He quickly went to wash his face and brush his teeth, put some loose trousers and tied his hair up, going to the lounge of his stylish and minimalist flat to do his daily yoga routine. He used an app, but only for prompting: he's been a hardcore yoga practitioner for a while now, as anyone could see it by his lean, muscled body.

He couldn't think of anything worse than starting the day in a gym, with loud thump music and chatty, sweaty people all around, stinking, or wearing cheap deodorant. That would also count as stinking, he thought with an unconscious eye roll.

Even with the app, he was having problems focusing that morning, thinking of that dream.

It was Feng Xin and him, both drunk, back at their high school graduation party.

He hadn't been friends with Feng Xin, far from it: they were kind of rivals since middle school, then all the way throughout high school. The year he got first place in his class, Feng Xin would get second, only for the following year Feng Xin being first and Mu Qing second, and so on.

Somehow, they hang out together, thanks to Xie Lian, a common friend, but their personalities were vastly different: Mu Qing was cold and aloof, liked to be left alone in quiet places, while Feng Xin was warm, popular, always surrounded by other kids. They argued about anything and everything, and never saw eye to eye.

Looking back, Mu Qing had to admit they had a strange relationship, one that lasted many years.

That promise he dreamed about was of course pure sarcasm from both of them, as if saying: high school is over, we don't have to see each other ever again. It was a joke, not even that funny really, and he never thought of it again. So why did he dream of it -

Mu Qing finished yoga and went for a shower, then did his usual skin care routine: cleansing and exfoliating his face, then toning and moisturising. All those premium products were paying off: his skin looked flawless, practically glowing.

He suddenly realised, "That's right! My 30th is coming up and I've been quite busy - "

It's a well-known fact that when you're too tired you sleep soundly and have strange dreams, and Mu Qing hasn't stopped these past weeks, seeing to all the minimal details of his birthday party.

He put on some grey trousers and a greyish blue merino wool jumper, it was getting chilly - he wouldn't leave the office nor have any meetings that day, but he still looked beyond stylish - and went to that open plan kitchen to make himself some detoxing white tea in a glass teapot.

He'd met Feng Xin here and there throughout these past years, he thought while slowly sipping on is tea - they worked in the same industry after all - and followed Feng Xin's Instagram, not sure why.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer", he muttered to himself with a cold smile.

Mu Qing reached out for his phone, and, scrolling on his list of contacts, found Feng Xin, and forwarded to him the invitation for his birthday party. If he thought I'd be sad and lonely on my 30th, he's in for a nasty surprise, he thought, combing his hair back with his fingers.

He then got up and put his blazer on, and, slipping his phone into its breast pocket, smiled smugly.

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