Picture Us | Zhuo Zhi

twenty-eight

t w o  s c e n e s

As the group of spying people disperse, Nam walks away with Zhuo.

"In all honesty... I put Xia up to accompanying Ying today," Nam admits.

"Oh?"

"Yea... I guess... I really must be a romantic."

She doesn't know, Zhuo thinks, that these actions just make me love her more. He pauses in his own thoughts. Love? I guess I do love her, he decides as he smiles down at Nam.

"So," he says, "it seems your father isn't against dating."

"I- I guess," Nam says blushing. Why does he have to talk about this?! Nam internally freaks out. She's brought out of her inner panic by Zhuo chuckling.

"Come on," he says, " I'll walk you home."

"Okay," she replies.

Zhuo heavily sighs before he suddenly says, "Come on out, Jiale."

"Huh?" Nam questions.

But then Jiale appears from behind a tree in front of the two.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure our little Nam isn't... doing anything that would stray her from her studies," Jiale explains.

"I- I'm an excellent student!" Nam indignantly says, fully aware of the horrible reputation her own twin has as a student.

"Oh! Then, am I interrupting?" Jiale asks, making suggestive eyebrows at the two.

Zhuo chuckles at his friend's antics as Nam splutters. How is he not affected by this? she wonders.

"Leave it be," Zhuo tells Jiale.

"Fine. But I'm tagging along," he responds.

Nam can't be sure, but she thinks she hears Zhuo groan just slightly out of frustration at that.

-

"Where've you been?" Xiangqian asks as Nam steps through the front gate to the house, arriving home much later than himself or Xia.

"Oh, um... Do you remember... Zhuo Zhi?" Nam hesitantly responds.

"You were with a boy?! It's too young for you! You may be a better student than Xia, but-"

"But nothing... All he did was, um... walk me home," Nam says.

"I see," he responds before disappearing inside the house.

Nam just stands in the house dumbfounded.

-

It's seven days before the Municipal Qualifying, and Nam floats between the courts at practice. She stops at first to capture a few shots of Qiao Chen and Xinglong, before arriving at the court where Zhuo and Baiyang are playing. She works her camera as she sees Zhuo counteract the Sankeball with his Swallows Return. They're all in good condition, she happily thinks.

At another court, Nam sees Xia talk to Yan, while Jiale runs around imitating other people's moves. She laughs to herself from behind her camera at his antics before moving on to the court where all the rookies are practicing.

Siyang and Dayong are also observing the rookies train, but because they seem to be in a deep conversation, she goes back to wandering around the courts where the main players practice.

-

It's during break time in the school day, and Nam sits at her desk, fiddling with her camera while her twin is sleeping at his desk.

"Siyang," Nam says upon seeing the captain come into the first-year classroom.

"Lu Nam," he acknowledges.

""Sorry, um... Xia is usually like this," she says, gesturing to her twin's sleeping form.

"It's fine. Can I wake him?"

"Mhm."

"Lu Xia," Siyang says, waking him up.

"What's up?"

"I'll wait for you at the indoor court at 3:00 pm, three days from now." With that, Siyang leaves.

From wherever she went, Ying comes back to the class. All three laugh as Xia's super happy to play against the captain.

"But Xia," Nam asks, "why would Siyang ask for a private game?"

"I don't know," he answers.

"It's bound to be a good match," Ying thoughtfully says.

A/N- idk what the title is tbh