Flower among the thorns

Lesson 5

Kun

I was passing by the dorm to the basketball court when I saw Yibo placing his arms around Yuxi shoulder, stomping into the dorm with an angry scowl on his face. Yuxi on the other hand, had a face of uneasiness as though he had something to say. What's going on between the both of them?

"Yuxi, from now on, you should call me or someone else when you want to leave the campus. It's not safe for you to walk back alone, you almost got attacked by the girls," Yibo uttered in a serious tone. Yuxi looked at him with a questioning frown and started to giggle out loud.

"Hahaha Senior, you've got it wrong. They are my friends..I wasn't attacked by them.." Yuxi explained. Yibo stood there in shock and his face immediately cringed in embarrassment, "Oh no, then I'm the rude one here. I've got to apologise to them properly."

"Senior, don't condemn all the girls just because of a few bad experience with them," I chipped in as I walked towards them. Yibo and YuXi turned to face me and I continued, "There may be good girls out there too."

"How can you remain so positive when you're always being pestered by them? Unless you've got a girlfriend like Yanjun or Zhen Ting then they would at least distance themselves away from you a little.." Yibo sighed.

"Then you should get a girlfriend. That would solve all your problems," I suggested with a smile, knowing what he'd reply. "I don't bother about girls and whatnot until I've found the one I truly love." As expected from him. "Why don't you get a girlfriend instead?" He retorted, shoving me teasingly and I shook my head, "Nah, too much of a bother.. Yuxi, how's it like having a girlfriend?" I tilted my head towards Yuxi's direction. 

"Girlfriend? Why are you asking me?" he looked at me with a face of disbelief. "Isn't the girl who hugged you just now your girlfriend?" Yibo asked. "Ahhh, of course not she's my best friend, we even share the same cl-" he stopped midway and fumbled with the waistband of his pants. "I mean we even share the same collection of music." He smiled awkwardly. His phone started ringing and frowned upon seeing his screen. "I got to run, see you guys in a bit." 

"Don't you think he's being a little secretive?" I asked Yibo as I stared at Yuxi who ran off into the dorm building. "Maybe he just needs time to accustom himself to the new environment." He shot me a furtive look, "Why are you so concern about him? I've never seen you pay so much attention to anyone before." 

"Aren't you talking about yourself? Since when do you rescue someone who's been "kidnapped" by other girls? Even when Nong Nong was in trouble I barely see you move a finger." I questioned back, looking back at him with a shifty stare. "Ahh.. That's because..." Yibo scratched his nape and looked away, "he looked so naive and innocent.. Plus he's so petite unlike Li Nong... Anyway aren't you late for your basketball practice?" He changed the topic and I smiled "Yeah yeah, I'm going off now."  

YuXin

"Liu YuXin, you better explain who's that guy who just pulled you away," YuYan cold piercing tone made me wince and I tried to placate her. "It's my senior in school, he just thought some girls had pulled me elsewhere to 'attack' me so he tried to rescue me. I've already explained it to him and he was very apologetic about it."

"Well he better be after pushing me away," Xue Er sulked. "Girls, don't be angry. He's just looking out for me. Apparently he's been through a bit with other aggressive girls," I defended Yibo. "Yeah well, his looks would have definitely attract a lot of diehard fans. Just be careful and make sure you don't blow your cover mei mei," Shaking warned.

"I won't, don't worry. I've been living together with my brother since birth, I know how to act like a man," I said confidently. Bro talk is easy game for me.

Shaking

"I'm still not convince that she's going to be fine in there. That's like sending the lamb to the slaughter house," YuYan voiced out her concern.

"What do you think we can do? Dressed up as boys and enter? All we can do is pray that she remains dense about her surrounding while we try to reach the real Yuxi... Do you think his cousin would know his whereabouts? After all, she is popular with all the connections" I looked at the two of them eyes wide with anticipation.

"Uh.. I won't be the one contacting," Xue Er raised her hand surrendering while retreating to a corner. YuYan started staring at the ground as though she's inspecting something. "Girls.. Are you going to ask me to work on this suicidal mission alone?" I asked out loud.

"Yes," Xue Er nodded firmly. "I've witnessed enough of her German suplex and roundhouse kick to know that telling her YuXin being in an all boys school could possibly get me killed in the process." Xue Er shivered at the scary thought.

"YuYan~" I whined trying to get her to be on my side, "As much as I'm worried for YuXin, I wouldn't look for her cousin until I'm sure YuXin is in grave danger. There's no point putting me in grave danger first." She said as a matter of factly.

"Ahh alright alright, we'll just keep this from her first. Let's just hope she won't find out about it on her own." I uttered in defeat.

The weekend

YuXin

Phew, I sigh in relief as I lie on my bed, congratulating myself for surviving the first week of school. My dark eyes circles is officially turning me into a panda from the rigorous academic workload causing me to burn several midnight oil just to complete it. On the other hand, Cai Xukun has been sleeping promptly at 11 every night, completing his work in mere minutes. I wonder if he's actually half bionic with such packed schedule every day.

"Yuxi, I'm heading out with Ziyi and Xiao Gui to the movies, do you want to come along?" Cai Xukun asked as he came out of the toilet half naked with just a towel wrapped around his torso, a sight that I've slowly gotten used to without blushing hard.

Sitting up on my bed, I shook my head. "Thank you for asking Cai Xukun, but I think I'll give it a pass."

"You know, it won't kill to just call me Kun like the rest, you're still as polite as ever," he replied.

"Yeah. Okay, kun.. Have a good time out with the rest," I replied with a sincere smile and he stared at me for a short while, his eyes focusing on me before waving his hands and left the room. I touched my face with my hands to examine it, was there something on my face?

Kun

Something is definitely off about Yuxi but I can't seemed to pinpoint what it is. Every night he'd study till the wee hours of the morning and he struggles to listen in class.. Perhaps he really put in tremendous effort for the entrance exam to achieve that perfect score.. But his mannerism is kind of feminine at times. The way he smile looks so much like a girl that I couldn't help but stare at him sometimes.

Ugh, I must be overthinking. There's no way he could be a girl. After all, why would a girl choose to enter this school.