Picture Us | Zhuo Zhi

fourteen

l e a r n i n g  d o u b l e s

Qiao Chen walks into the first year classroom with a scoff. It's empty except for Lu Xia and Lu Nam. He sees Xia sleeping, and Nam working on school notes.

"Hi Qiao Chen," Nam greets.

"Hey Lu Nam. Can I wake up your brother?"

"Okay."

"Grab your camera for this."

Nam does so with a slight hesitation, but she eventually giggles as she captures the moment her twin's eyes open in annoyance because Qiao Chen decided to stick his finger up Xia's nose as a wake-up call.

"No wonder you've been staying here. You're reading this," Qiao says, gesturing to the book on Xia's desk. "That is a good thing."

"I can't give up," Xia responds.

"Of course, you can't give up, but you look so sleepy. Can you still compete?" he asks.

"I already finished reading it," Xia says, handing the book over to Qiao Chen.

"Is it useful to you?" he asks, while flipping through it.

"A little bit," Xia answers. "What about you?"

"I am okay," Qiao responds. "Can you lend me the book?"

"Yes, you can have it." Qiao Chen snickers at his answer and leaves the twins alone.

"Xia?" Nam asks.

"Hm?"

"Are you really going to play doubles with Qiao Chen?"

"Yes... Let's head to practice now."

"Okay, just wait for me to pack up first."

-

Nam watches Jiale pester her twin, and decides to follow them to the indoor court to see how the Golden Partners will train Yu Qing's new doubles duo.

She takes her camera out, and sees her brother and Qiao Chen tied together with a rope. Nam observes as the two fail time and time again to coordinate with each other.

"Man, how long have you played doubles together?" Qiao asks.

The Golden Partners answer in sync. "Two years."

"Why do you play doubles?" Qiao wonders. This causes Chi Dayong to go into an origin story of the pair from when they were in their first year. He says that they both originally played singles, but Jiale said he would play doubles with him until he found out all of Dachi's weaknesses so he could beat him.

Nam sighs as their motivational story doesn't sway her twin's favot for doubles. When Xia asks if Dayong had ever switched partners, both Lu twins learned of Yu Qing's defeat by the hand of Xing Yao, where the Golden Partners were forcibly separated. She smiles as she can clearly see the bond between Jiale and Dachi, capturing a semi-intimate moment between the two.

Nam's amazed as the Golden Partners excelled at the drill that Xia and Qiao had failed at.

"So cool!" she gushes.

"Thanks Nam!" Jiale says.

"Lu Nam, leave with us," Dachi instructs.

"Uh... What... what about them?" she asks, pointing to the pair still tangled together with the rope from their failed exercise.

"Don't worry," Jiale says as they start walking out.

"Hello? Hello? Haven't you forgotten something?" Qiao Chen asks.

"Set us free before you leave," Lu Xia says.

"This is your first step to developing your coordination," Dayong tells them.

"Try to help each other stand up," Jiale instructs. Nam giggles as she walks out with the Golden Partners, leaving her twin alone with Qiao Chen.

-

Nam laughs to herself as she sees Xia and Qiao walk to the front of their house. "Hi Qiao Chen... It took you guys a while," Nam teases. Xia only responds with an annoyed stare. "Sorry, sorry," Nam apologizes.

"It's fine, Lu Nam. I'll be here until Lu Xia and I find a way to play doubles together," Qiao Chen says.

"Okay, um... I'll... I'll go and, um... make some food... so you can, uh... recover from whatever dad cooks." With that, Nam leaves hoping the boys will find a way to coordinate before they face Yu Hang in the municipal tournament, which is Yu Qing's first step towards a national championship.