Crackhead dorm antics
Xiaotang's POV
After a day's work of dancing and studio recording, I was ready to relax, take a nice shower, and-
"WOOOoOoW!" I heard a voice say from inside the dorm room and I internally sighed. There was only one person on this entire show who said that constantly.
Before I had even approached the door, it swung open rapidly, revealing Esther in all her glory standing there wearing a mismatch of random pajamas, a neck pillow around her neck and her face covered by a face mask.
"Zhao XiaOooOooTaAaaAAAang," she said in a singsong voice, pulling me into the dorm despite my protest. How in the world was she this happy all the time?
The rest of our dorm mates hadn't returned yet, and I don't know where Snow Kong was.
Esther waved her arms in the air excitedly, while jumping around. I marveled at how she still had lots of energy. "Have you eaten?"
I nodded, thankful for her concern. Even though Esther was very crazy sometimes, she was also very caring and that's why I was glad that we had become friends.
Esther grabbed my hand, shaking it excitedly. "I thought, since the rest of the girls aren't here yet, we could have a girls' night!" She exclaimed.
A girls' night? I suppose I didn't know how that could be bad. But I guess with Esther you never know what she'll think up. "Sure."
Esther rummaged through her drawers, biting her lip like how she did when she got frustrated or impatient. Finally, she brought out a hair brush and various colours of nail polish.
"So," she began, "nail polish first or braids first?"
Just the word "braids" reminded me of the trauma of the Non Daily Revelry stage and the braids I had to get for that. "Nail polish first," I said quickly.
Esther started to paint my nails a nice blue shade and I admired how precise she was. Whenever I painted my nails I always got it everywhere. "Tell me more about you," she said, humming to herself as she applied the nail polish.
I laughed. "We've known each other for weeks now. Surely you know everything about me."
Esther shook her head. "No, I meant, something you've never told me or anyone else before."
I had to think about it. Surely I couldn't tell her any overly embarrassing stories, or I'd never hear the end of it.
"Okay, I've got one," I said confidently. "When I was younger, I actually wanted to become a singer, not an idol. Just a singer."
Esther lifted an eyebrow. "Go on." She finished the nail polish on one hand and moved onto the other.
"And so," I continued. "I started singing in my room to practice. One day after singing in my room, I had heading to the kitchen to grab a snack. Lo and behold, when I got to the kitchen, I saw both my parents covering their ears with pained looks on their faces."
Esther burst out laughing that bubbly laugh of hers, the one that we all found so infectious.
"Is my voice really that bad?" I asked, feigning anger.
Esther shook her hand, but the tears coming out of her eyes proved otherwise. "O-okay stay still," she said with nail polish brush in one hand, still laughing to herself quietly.
"Hmph," I said.
When she finished painting my nails, Esther sat back and admired her handiwork. "I'm not going to do acting anymore or be an idol, I should just be a professional nail artist," she said with that air of confidence I knew super well. "Turn around, I'm going to braid your hair."
"Okay, but just don't-
"I know, I know. Don't braid it into tiny pigtails like the Non Daily Revelry stage. Got it," Esther said. I don't know how to describe it, but the feeling of someone else braiding your hair is strangely comfortable. I got a waft of Esther's strong perfume. Why did this girl have to put on so much?
There was a knock on the dorm room and I called out for them to come in.
"HIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiIiIi Kong Xueer!" Esther yelled excitedly, getting up immediately to hug Snow Kong. I really wish she could lend me some of her energy.
Snow Kong was startled, stuck in Esther's embrace. "Zhao. Xiaotang. Help. Me," she mouthed. I shook my head, grinning evilly. If I had to get the clingy Esther treatment, so did she.
When Snow Kong finally freed herself from Esther, she headed over to her table where she began to reapply some makeup. "Why are you putting on makeup this late in the night?" Esther asked, hand on her chin and arm around Snow Kong's shoulder.
"Going to visit Kiki," Snow Kong answered. "She's bored because all the the other 7Senses girls are outside taking a walk so she's alone in her dorm."
"OoooooOooH," Esther said, wiggling her eyebrows. I facepalmed. I didn't know this girl.
To my surprise, Snow Kong blushed. "It's nothing, just going to talk that's all." Wait a minute, did that mean there was something going on?
"OkAaaaAAAAaaaAAAAAy," Esther exclaimed, pushing her out the door. "Go have fun on your date with Kiki!"
Snow Kong frowned. "It's not a da-
Esther finally got Snow Kong out the door, closing and locking it.
"YU SHUXIN LET ME IN RIGHT NOW!!!" Snow Kong yelled.
"Nooooooope. Have fun with Kiki!" Esther yelled back with just as much fervour.
She skipped over to her bunk, plopping down with a THUNK. "Let's gossip," she said excitedly, patting the space next to her.
I sat down cautiously, already having an indication of where this was going.
"Soooooo do you think Kiki and Snow like each other?" She asked me. Her leg was jostling up and down, which I knew she only did when she was really excited about something.
I shrugged. I mean, as far as I knew they were just friends. "I don't think so..."
"Oh please," Esther scoffed. "Have you seen the way they look like each other? Heart. Eyes. Snow Kong gets really shy when Kiki is around."
I was a little surprised at how observant Esther was. I had never really taken note of Snow Kong's behaviour, much less how she acted around others. Despite Esther being funny and crackheaded, she seriously took it to heart to know other people well.
"I'm tired," Esther exclaimed, flopping her arms to the side so I almost got hit in the face.
She wrapped her arms around me, snuggling into my side like how she did often. At first, I had been annoyed with it but I realised that trying to escape was futile. And I suppose it wasn't too unpleasant.
I patted her head. "Go to sleep then." I couldn't help but smile looking at her sleepy face.
"In a bit," she said. "Xiaotang, can you promise me something?"
I chuckled. "As long as it's not unreasonable, sure."
"Can you promise me that we'll still be friends after this show, no matter what happens at debut?"
"That, I can promise for sure," I said, and I had truly never been so sincere.
