The quarter exam finally had been set and Fei doubled her effort to help him review on the pointers. When the quarters exams finally started, all of them are busy scanning their notes for review and would always stay silent and just study whenever they gather at the studio.
When the fateful day came, Tao was so scared to take the test. Math is scheduled as the last exam for the quarters. He finally made it through the week and was glad that some of the equations for his Math subject were similar to what they had been studying. Although he passed his paper last, he was sure he would make it at least for a C or a B-.
His friends are all waiting for him outside when he got out the room.
“The Nation’s Son finally emerged unscathed from the room!” Chen exclaimed, giving Luhan a high five.
“How was the exam?” Xiumin asked.
“It’s fine. I just hope I get past C- this time,” he sighed as his guards follow the six of them.
“How about getting some drinks?” Lay offered.
“That would be nice so we can all wind out. Exams are over anyways,” Kris agreed and led the way.
**********
The VIP room they had is filled with the muffled music playing on the dance floor and Lay, Luhan, Chen and Xiumin’s laughter. Kris is busy on his phone, texting whoever while Tao is fidgeting on his phone deciding if he should call Fei or not.
An unregistered number started to call him, startling him a bit. He picked up the call.
“Hello?” he asked.
“Panda?”
There could only be one person in the world who would call him by that name.
“Jia?”
Kris looked at him as his eyes widened.
“Yeah, how are you? You haven’t been mailing me,” she whined on the other line.
The immense feeling of longing filled him by just hearing her voice. Something painful tugged his heart as he felt the pooling tears on his eyes.
“Just a minute,” then he ended the call. He left the room and moved to get out, straight to the rooftop before he calls her.
“Wae? Where are you?” she asked after picking the call.
“I am with the boys, in the club,” he replied.
“Finished with the quarter exams already?” she asked.
“Yeah,” then there was silence.
“How are you?” her voice is almost a whisper.
“I miss you, so much,” he replied not anymore holding back the tears that flooded down his eyes.
“Yah! You are making me cry again!” she exclaimed but her voice is shaking and she sniffed as well.
They just stayed there, crying their hearts out while listening to the other’s cry over the other line.
“I miss you more, and I love you,” she after their crying moment.
“I love you too. When will you be back?” he asked.
“Sooner or later, I am not sure.”
The silence that ensued after that made him sighs in defeat. Then he heard the beep saying that she ended the call.
**********
By Monday, everyone crowded over the bulletin board to check the topnotchers on the previous quarter exams. Tao squeezed on his way to get there, thankful that most of the students don’t mind that he is the Nation’s First Son. He checked his name starting from the bottom. He went past his other friend’s name. He started to get uneasy when he can’t see his name right after fifteen. Before he was part of the top twenty, ranking either sixteen or seventeen, now he traced up wishing he could see his name. He was surprised to see his name written in big bold letters right next to the number ten. Kris and Luhan were just few steps ahead of him, seventh and fifth respectively.
