Picture Us | Zhuo Zhi

six

z h u o  z h i

As the pair walks, Zhuo gets to know more about Nam. "Where'd you live when you were abroad?" he asks.

"The states... for ten years," she answers. "Do I get to ask a question now?" Her only response is a soft chuckle. "Have you lived here your whole life?" she says, while internally scolding herself for asking such a lame questions.

"Yes." He gestures towards Nam's camera bag. "Do you do that professionally?"

"Ah, no, it's just a hobby," she quietly laughs. "It's more like following my brother around to his matches and being his paparazzi is my job."

"What does he play?"

"Tennis."

"I do too."

"Zhuo Zhi!" Nam suddenly shouts.

"Yes?" he chuckles.

"No... I mean... you are Zhuo Zhi, but I meant... are you the same tennis prodigy Zhuo Zhi?" she excitedly asks.

"The one and only," he smirks.

"That's so cool!" Nam's eyes sparkle. "Can I take your picture?"

"Alright, but you'll owe me a favor."

"Deal." Nam snaps the photo, and it's a cute picture of Zhuo Zhi with a silly grin holding peace signs. She shows him the photo with a smile of her own on her face.

"Not bad, Nam."

"Thanks, Zhuo."

-

"Well, this is my house," Nam says, as she gestures towards a large, stone-like staircase that leads up to a luxurious, open-air, Chinese-styled home.

"The tennis park is just up ahead that way. I guess this is where our path stray," Zhuo says.

"We go to the same school, maybe... we'll see each other again?"

"Maybe. Bye, Lu Nam."

"Goodbye, Zhuo."

Zhuo Zhi can't help but softly chuckle to himself as he watches the first-year girl he met journey up the stairs.

-

As Nam enters the gate, she's stopped by her father in the huge garden. "Hey dad," she greets.

"Daughter! You're Back! Lu Xia already arrived. Where'd you go?" he asks.

"To Wong's," she answers. Nam walks to the kitchen to dispose of the tea she had finished on the walk home, and heads to Xia's room where she knows she'll find him and their cat.

Nam swiftly enters the room, not bothering to knock, throwing one of the curry buns towards him because he was too engrossed in reading a book on tennis.

"Where were you?" he asks.

"I went to Wong's"

"You still took a long time."

"Be thankful, I brought you a curry bun... Also, I met someone, and we were talking for a bit," she confesses.

"Who?"

"Do you know Yu Qing's tennis prodigy?"

"Zhuo Zhi?"

"Mhm."

"Huh."

"What, Xia?"

"Nothing. I just don't know why you started a conversation with a stranger."

"I don't really know why myself," Nam responds. "Look, I took a picture of him."

"I don't need to see it."

"Whaa- but he's so cute in this!" Nam flushes as she realizes the words that came out of her mouth.

"Do you... like him?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Well, we're leaving." With that, Nam picks up the cat and leaves her twin's room.