Ah Si squirmed uncomfortably as Meizuo and Xi Men stared at him intently. Today was the day. His long anticipated showdown with Shancai and The Annoyance. He was on edge as he waited for them, no correction, for her, to arrive. He had been anxiously pacing the bridge room for almost an hour before his friends finally ambled in, ten minutes before the match was due to commence. He was jittery and nervous in a way he had never experienced before. He wasn't feeling this way because he was concerned that he would lose, in fact, he was one hundred percent certain that he would actually win with little to no effort; it was the matter of his reward that was twisting his stomach. Was it wrong to demand a date for winning a card game? Would she even agree, or would she just kick him in the face again? There were too many unknowns, too many variables, and it was for that reason that Ah Si could scarcely keep still. What would he do if she tried to hit him again? What would he do if Meizuo and Xi Men couldn't distract Qinghe as he had so carefully planned, in a clever scheme to get her alone? What would he do if she actually agreed without question?! He scrubbed his eyes in frustration, vaguely noting the amused look that passed between his friends; he supposed it was a novelty for them to see him so worked up, so gripped by uncharacteristic, unrelenting panic. Only Dong Shancai had the power to turn him into a graceless, bumbling baffoon, and judging by their expressions, they were mocking him for it.
Ah Si finally slumped down in his chair, absentmindedly fingering the pack of cards in his agitation as he tried in vain to calm and centre his mind. Five minutes and counting. Would she arrive on time, or would she deign to keep the Daoming heir waiting in a futile attempt to undermine him? Would she arrive with Qinghe or would she brave facing him alone? His mind was buzzing with possibilities, all of them involving her, his impatience growing with every agonising tick of the second clock hand. Ah Si wasn't sure if his mind was playing tricks on him, but it seemed time had slowed to a sluggish, unsteady trickle; he was certain the clock was moving slower than usual! His opponents were usually clamouring to commence the match; most of them would already have been at the door by now. In fact, he could hear the muted chatter from the crowd outside, eager in tone, and by the sounds it, vast in numbers. It seemed the entire school would be privy to Shancai's defeat and he had conflicting emotions about it; on the one hand, his pride demanded that he secured another victory, ensuring their winning streak remained firmly intact. On the other hand, he didn't want Shancai's defeat to be so publically humiliating; the last thing he needed was another wedge driven between them, he was having a hard enough time winning her over already. He wiped the sweat from his brow surreptitiously, hoping against hope that his friends didn't pick up on his nerves, but of course his hopes were unfounded; Xi Men's grin glittered dangerously as he leaned towards Ah Si, his eyes roving his face as he taunted him "you look unusual today, Ah Si. Have you done something different to your face?"
Ah Si scowled at him, his face heating unwillingly, and Xi Men guffawed disbelievingly as he took a closer look at the startled Daoming heir. "I was joking, but you really have! Are you wearing moisturiser?" He chortled, his eyes sparking with malicious delight as he inspected Ah Si's complexion. Ah Si's cheeks reddened in response, and he struggled to think of a witty comeback as Meizuo flanked his other side, invading his personal space as he deliberately took a whiff of his clothing. "He's wearing cologne too!" Meizuo crowed, his expression jubilant as he exacerbated Ah Si's torture. "You've certainly made an effort for Dong Shancai!" Xi Men teased, trying to push his buttons as Meizuo slung a casual arm around his stiff shoulders. "You never know," Meizuo mused facetiously, "it could be Qinghe who he is making all the effort for..." Ah Si bristled, angrily shrugging off his friend's heavy arm as he spat "will you two just be quiet for one fucking minute?!" His head was pounding, his stomach was twisting with nerves, and their tomfoolery certainly wasn't helping the situation. So what if he had put some extra effort into his appearance that day? He felt confident when he looked good, and as such, he had primped himself to perfection that morning, ensuring his hair was styled immaculately and his outfit was stylish; it had absolutely nothing to do with her! Okay, that second part was a lie, he admitted internally, but there wasn't a chance in hell that he would admit it out loud, certainly not to those two clowns! "Do you need a massage?" Meizuo laughed, his giggles only increasing when Ah Si launched the pack of cards directly in his face, his temper swiftly rising. Xi Men quickly scooped up the scattered cards, smirking as he declared "I know! We will read his fortune!" He adopted a faux mysterious expression, closing his eyes as he clutched the cards to his chest, rumbling solemnly "oh, Almighty God of Poker, hear our cry. Will Daoming Si be able to win the fair lady's heart when he impresses her with his bridge skills?" He paused for dramatic effect before selecting a random card; he presented it to Ah Si with a flourish, who took it in puzzlement. "Well?" Xi Men prompted, his expression eager as he awaited the verdict. Ah Si turned it to him wordlessly, smiling slightly when his friend whooped in delight, exclaiming "the Ace of Hearts! The cards have spoken! Fortune favours the bold, my friend! This is surely a good omen!" Ah Si opened his mouth to retort, but was cut short by the sudden sound of footsteps on the stairs; he instantly straightened his back, schooling his features into a carefully blank mask as his friends moved into position. All traces of humour dissipated as they readied themselves for battle. This was a dance they knew well, one they had perfected; they worked seamlessly as a team and they could not be beaten by amateurs.
