Flower among the thorns

Lesson 23

YuXin

"How's your back? What did James say?" Kun asked as I stepped out of the infirmary. I tried to push down the thought of my back being scarred and looked at Kun with a smile, "Its okay. I just need to apply medication twice a day to help it heal faster."

"You're keeping something from me," Kun peered at me with his dark glistening eyes with a worried frown, "What is it Yuxi?"

I blinked my eyes and averted his eye contact, "Ahh.. It's nothing, let's go.. We'll be late.. " I said sheepishly, trying to change the conversation.

Kun placed his hand on my cheek tenderly, shifting my gaze to look at him, "Tell me, Yuxi."

I sighed softly, "Its just.. James said I could have scars on my back and I'm a little affected by it.. But it's okay, I will get over it.. After all, I'm a bo-" Kun pulled my head towards his chest, burying my face on his broad chest snugly before I could finish. "Silly, you can cry if you want. Why are you always trying to hide your sadness within yourself?" 

My lips quivered hearing his touching words and I could feel the wall I'm building within me slowly crumbling, showing my vulnerable side. "K-Kun.. I'm scared..." A lone tear started flowing down the side of my face as a wave of sadness sets in. 

"Don't worry.. I will take responsibility for it if there's a scar on your back," he smoothed my hair gently and consoled me with his soft voice. Take responsibility? Why does he need to take responsibility? Is it because I helped AnQi out and he felt guilty about me being hurt? I wiped away the tear and collected my emotions, taking a deep breath as I plastered on a teasing smile on my face. 

"You don't have to take any responsibility Kun, I saved AnQi on my own accord.. but if you are sorry that you can't be her knight in shining armour during that critical moment, then you can buy me a matcha cake every day for the whole month," I teased cheekily. "Let's go to the cafe, we're running late already." I turned around and walked away my face fell, a dull ache weighing on my chest at the thought of Kun sparing so much thought for AnQi. Silly girl, you are just a roommate, nothing more. 

Yibo 

"Yuxi, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be resting at the dorm," Li Nong exclaimed as he saw Yuxin stepping into the cafe alongside with Kun. I tilt my head towards Kun and he put up both his hands in a surrender sign, "Don't look at me, he's so stubborn I can't force him to stay in bed unless I tie him up." 

"Relax guys, I'm fine. I'll get change then we can have our morning briefing," YuXin replied as she walked to the toilet. Sigh, what am I supposed to do with this stubborn girl. Yuxin stepped out of the toilet in her tuxedo suit just as the girls from Sakura Academy arrived. AnQi as usual, made her way to Kun flirtatiously and pulled Kun's arm teasingly, "Kun~ you left early yesterday.. I was so scared after the angry customer tried to attack me.." I rolled my eyes at her dramatics, yet in the end YuXin was the one who got injured. 

JiaQi ignored the rest of us and walked straight to YuXin, holding YuXin's hand tenderly as she asked, "What are you doing here? You should be resting." 

"It's boring to stay in bed.. and I'm feeling better after applying the medication, don't worry," YuXin replied with a warm smile as her doe eyes curled into a crescent. "Stop smiling at me like that, you know I can't win against that." Jiaqi said as she smiled warmly at YuXin. 

I turned to look at Cheng Cheng who stood rooted on the ground unmoving since Jiaqi entered. "Hey, I thought you are trying to win her over?" I shoved him lightly. He looked at me with his mouth slightly opening, coming out of his daze, "I uh.. I'm having second thoughts after seeing how she punished the customer yesterday... " he gulped. "I want to have my father's day.." Glad he knows his limit. 

"Yuxi, you will be the cashier for today alright?" I patted her head gently as she nodded with a smile. At least she can sit down and rest when no one's asking for the bill. 

YuXin 

Sitting in front of the cashier, my eyes started roaming around restlessly to keep myself occupied. I couldn't help but notice the sheer number of girls in the cafe ogling at both Yibo Senior and Kun, their eyes lighting up whenever any of them walked past their table. They are lucky to be born handsome indeed. Meanwhile, Jiaqi jiejie also had a line of followers whose eyes remained glued on her as she served the customers, some of them almost salivated at the sight of her. Little did they know she's gonna kick their ass if they dare approach her. I started sniggering at the thought of her asking the guys to beg for forgiveness.

"Yuxi, have a drink," Li Nong handed over a glass of frothy green Matcha latte with an adorable smile, "Take it easy okay?" Seeing his cute bunny like expression, my hand automatically reached for his head as I gave him a light pat, "Thank you Nong Nong."

Kun

What's YuXin doing patting Nong Nong's head so endearingly. I felt a wave of jealousy simmering within me as I stared at their intimate interaction. How's she able to do this with him and not me. What if I'm too late and she gets taken away by other guys?

The sudden sound of a glass shattering on the floor brought me back from my daze and I saw Yibo bending down on the floor, trying to clean up the shattered glass cup.

minutes earlier

Yibo

"Yibo ~ you're so handsome in your suit. I wish you could be my personal butler everyday~" the girl customer cooed as she tugged the sleeve of my suit. I managed to muster a smile and walked off after serving the table.

"Ah Yibo, I want you to take my order too, come over here," another table called. My goodness this is my personal nightmare isn't it, being circled around by girls and having to serve them.

"Yibo, over here~" another table called and I took a deep breath as I plunged into my hell hole of service. Just when I was about to serve a glass of iced latte to the other table, a girl customer pulled my jacket causing the glass on the serving tray to topple and fall on the ground.

Just my luck, I bend down and picked up the shattered glass as the girl started apologising, "Yibo.. I'm sorry I just wanted your attention.." I turned to her with a professional smile, "Don't worry about it, I'll clean it up." I wonder how long more I'm able to keep up this facade.

Distracted by my own thoughts, I didn't notice the sharp edge of a glass piece as it sliced my palm as I picked it up. Blood started trickling down slowly and the girl shouted," Yibo, your hand is bleeding!"

YuXin ran to my side with a worried look as she took the piece of glass away from my hand. "You need to clean up your wound, come with me."

"Does it hurt?" Yuxin asked as she helped me to apply medicine on my cut. Good thing the cut wasn't deep. I shook my head as I watched her apply the antiseptic cream, blowing gently on my wound to reduce the pain.

She's a breath of fresh air compared to the girls outside, her gentle action and soft expression can't hide her feminine demeanour under her disguise. Her lips looks so kissable, I wonder how it feels like. I leaned in closer to her, my gaze remained glued to her soft pinkish lips.

"There, all done." YuXin looked up straight at me and our eyes met. Should I take this opportunity to kiss her? I leaned in forward towards her closing the gap between us as she looked at me with her eyes staring wide, unblinking. 

"Yibo, hows your-" Kun opened the door to the staff area, stopping his sentence midway and I turned to face him, seeing a dark look on his face for a brief moment before giving a warm smile to Yuxin who stood up and looked at Kun. "Ah, I'm just done with helping Yibo senior with his hand, it doesn't seem to be a serious injury," Yuxin said as she walked towards him. He placed his arms around Yuxin's neck while ruffling her head with his other hand, smiling at Yuxin, "You are injured too, don't overstretch yourself. Yibo, you can just take a break. I will just oversee things from here on." 

I gave a curt nod and the two of them left the room. Clutching my head with both my hands, I cringed my face, letting out a silent groan. Ugh Yibo, get yourself together, what were you thinking, trying to kiss a girl just like that.