Skaters 101 (but without the skating)

Stars

Staring down at the poster of star constellations, Yulia breathed out a heavy sigh, massaging her temples.

A short break from studying shouldn't hurt, she thought to herself as she settled down at her desk, attempting to get comfortable on the stiff material.

As she drowsily lounged on the seat, Yulia could barely make out the bright constellations marked out on the map over the desk.

Oh, there it was. It was funny, as it wasn't even a real constellation. She liked it for one very special reason.

"I hope Boyang won't be too busy to feed his crocodiles." Boyang remarks absent-mindedly as he shuts his computer after a daily video call with his cold-blooded friends.

He leans back into the seat back of the library chair worriedly.

Yes, yes. Yulia agreed that having a video call in the library wasn't the best of ideas, especially when it was Boyang. And his crocodiles.

It was an annoyance, but it usually ended quickly, and it wasn't much of a bother.

Unfortunately, today's session had been especially long, courtesy to the constipation one of the crocodiles contracted.

They had rushed the crocodile to the vet, bringing the other one along to Boyang's insistance, so that it would not be lonely. Boyang's parents also consented to setting up the camera during the consultation with the vet, much to her astonishment. What unreasonable demands their son had. (Yulia had watched the videocall over Boyang's shoulder, it was really too entertaining to miss, you see.)

Due to all the events happening, her studies were neglected, therefore resulting in a bad mood.

Yulia mockingly mimics Boyang's strange habit of using third person and replies, "Boyang is never busy."

And at that moment, Boyang twisted around on his chair, dark eyes flashing indignantly.

"How would you know? He has the Asian Championships to prepare for!"

"You mean the Asian Drive-People-Up-The-Wall Championships? Keep doing what you're doing, and you would win a gold medal." Yulia deadpans, and slams her pen down on her book.

Much to her surprise, Boyang's corners of his mouth turned downwards as he assumed a sulky demeanor, knocking his chair to the ground as he stands up. As he strode past, Yulia heard him muttering something about how "Yuzuru always wins.", which Yulia found absurd. However annoying Yuzuru could try to be, Yulia was sure that no one could beat Boyang in driving people crazy.

His unceasing chatter of the most interesting things were poisonous to the brain, Yulia concluded with much certainty. She wondered if one day when she brought Boyang to the psychiatrist to get his brain checked, she should also take the chance to check her own. He's like a child, she deduced. A rubber ball which bounces even higher after it is squashed down. Scrap that, it couldn't even be squashed down. It was probably made of diamond, one of the hardest known elements. She had never witnessed him upset before, or experience any other negative emotion. His smug, Buddha-like smile plastered to his face at every occasion made her want to latch out.

At the back of her mind, a voice was imploring her to crush him. Emotionally.

It would be good to squash him for once. And maybe for all, she hoped. Maybe he wouldn't be half as annoying if he had been broken emotionally. Yulia made a mental note to observe him even more carefully than before, to find out his weaknesses; which buttons to press that would cause him to feel the most emotional damage.