A Real Pain In The Neck

Caught (Almost)

Note: 'Mei mei' is 'little sister' in Mandarin. 'Didi' is 'little brother'. 'Gege' is older brother, and 'Jie jie' is 'older sister'.}

- - - - - 

It was a rather cold Tuesday afternoon. You always hated Tuesdays. More than Mondays. Because with a Tuesday, you've already been in school for a day, so you're still kind of tired when you get up. Plus you still have three more days left in the school week, including this day.

To make things worse, it was raining and you had soccer practice later. And playing soccer in the mud wasn't as fun as you'd think. Sure you get messy, but it's hard to run and you hated getting dirty.

One of your classes had gotten canceled since the professor had been in a car wreck due to the slippery, wet roads. So instead you were in the library, reading a book you had borrowed from someone. And that someone was Lay. In fact, Lay was sitting beside you, quietly reading the sequel to the book in your hands.

Being with Lay was nice. Tao was right about the two of you getting along. The both of you were the type that always got caught up in a book. Lay and you were both usually spacey, but a book was the one thing you could concentrate on. Well, that and drawing. Lay kept sitting next to you in your art class. You found he was very good at painting especially. That made you a bit jealous--as good as you could draw, you had trouble with paint because you had trouble with colors.

You gasped as one of the characters in the book died. "No," you muttered, biting your lip. "You can't die!"

Lay looked up at you and chuckled. "Got to that part already?"

You nodded, sniffling. You pulled the book down so only your eyes peeked out. "Why didn't you tell me he dies?!" you demanded.

Lay smiled. *She's so cute.* He shrugged. "Would you still have read it if I did tell you?"

"...maybe."

"That's what I thought."

Suddenly, a voice broke your conversation. "Well lookie who we have here." Chen pulled out a chair and sat down in between you and Lay with an amused smile. "The two lovebirds."

"Yah!" said Lay. You just pulled the book back up, blushing.

"Relax," Chen said. "I'm not going to tell on you to Duizhang or anything. I'm not that mean. Just don't let him see."

"Where is he anyway?" asked Lay.

Chen shrugged. "I think Tao saw you in here with her and dragged him away or something." He glanced at you and smiled. "Hello, Haerin." He did a little flirty wave, causing Lay to glare at him.

"H-hi," you mumbled.

"Leave her alone," said Lay through his teeth.

"Geesh, it's not like I'm going to hurt her or something, alright? Just trying to make new friends." Chen winked at you. "What's your major, Haerin?"

"F-forensics."

"Ah. Do you have a minor?"

"Art."

"Ah. Just like Lay then. No wonder you two hit it off. You have something in common." Chen chuckled, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "Haerin, would you like to eat lunch with me today?"

Lay tensed up, sensing the double meaning in Chen's words. *Oh no. Please say no, Haerin. Pretty please?*

"I--I can't," you said.

He frowned, leaning forward again and uncrossing his arms, his brow furrowed. "And why not?"

"B-because I'm having lunch with someone else..." you admitted in a quiet voice. Lay looked at you in both surprise and disappointment. He was going to ask you to eat lunch with him.