Training Mr Right

Chapter 9: Always Be Prepared

"Dinner time!" Wu Yi announced.

They took their seats and as usual, Cheng Xiao wanted to sit next to Didi. He was beginning to feel a little suffocated with her following him like a puppy. He looked around the room. "Where is Yue?" He asked. Jia Qi smiled. "She went out for run." Didi's brows furrowed. "It is quite dark in Arxan. Kido, are the streets lighted?" Kido nodded. "Don't worry, it's quite safe."

Didi sat down and Cheng Xiao started piling food on his plate till he had to stopped her. "Didi, you should eat more! You need to gain weight." He looked at her with horror. "Are you kidding? I need to lose another 2kgs according to the plan Yue gave me." Cheng Xiao giggled. "Do you always follow what she says?" The F3 boys said simultaneously "YES!" Everyone laughed and Didi's face reddened. "She's my coach, right?"

Once dinner was over, Zi Wei suggested karaoke, which they were all excited about except for Didi. He was getting worried about Yue. She still had not returned from her run.

They were choosing the songs to sing when suddenly the whole place went pitch black. The girls screamed. "Whoa! It's just a blackout." Xi Ze said. "I can't see anything" Jia Qi whined, her hands were moving around. "Take out your phone light." someone suggested. Kido calmed everyone. "I will get candles. Please do not move." A few minutes later, he and the boys lighted candles all around the main house. "Apparently this whole area has power failure" Kido explained, after he made a phone call. Didi froze. "What about the streets?" He shook his head. "All dark. They are fixing the problem now." He noticed Didi's worried look. "Yue is afraid of dark." Didi said. "And she is not back yet. She might be lost." Zi Wei cocked her head "How come I didn't know of her phobia?"

"I must find her," Didi said, getting his jacket. "Let me come with you." Xi Ze and Kido offered. Wu Yi stood up. "I will come too." Didi nodded. "Okay, we need to spread out the search. Kido, can you take the car with Wu Yi? Xi Ze and I will search on foot with our lights." Then, he turned to Kuan and Kang, "You stay with the girls. I will message you if there is anything." They nodded.

That night was not that chilly but Didi was not concerned about the weather at all. He feared the worst that she might faint and hit her head or even roll into the lake. "Xi Ze, I will search the lake area, you go the other way. We meet back here in 30 minutes, regardless." Kido and Wu Yi had left in their car. Didi's mind was working like a clockwork, memorizing the road they took this morning. I'm coming, Yue. Give me some clues please.

"Yue!! Where are you?" He shouted. The whole place was in darkness. The street lights were not working. He half-ran and walked, each step he took, his heart was beating fast. "Yue!!" He called. The lake. They had stopped there this morning and she said she felt peaceful just looking at it and wished that she would wake up to this view every morning.

Suddenly, he stopped. He thought he saw a silhouette near the bank. "Yue, is that you?" He said shining the torch at that direction.

She was cuddling like a ball, her knees near her body, rocking back and forth. Her body seemed to be shivering. "Yue! We were looking for you. Are you okay?" He asked as he kneeled down next to her. Her face looked pale. "Come here," he said and pulled her close to him. Her breathing was heavy. He hugged her close and waited. Finally, she whispered "Didi, you found me. Thank you." He rubbed her cold hands against his warm. "Who else but me?" She chuckled softly. "You are still shaking, Yue. Just hold on to me. I will bring you back to the house in a while."

They sat there in silence when she finally pulled herself away to look at him. "I'm much better now." She smiled. "My legs gave in first. I tried to fight mentally but my body was weak. I had to stop. At least there's some reflection on the lake from the moon tonight. Was there a blackout?" He caressed her hair. "Yes, the whole area is affected. The next time you want to run, please let me come with you. Or this is part of your "Do it Afraid" training?"