NEFARIOUS ○ ZHONG CHENLE

○ 44

"It's said that ghosts roam around at this hour. Aren't you scared?" ten asks as he takes a hearty slurp of the ramen. Promptly rolling her eyes. Deiji's gaze, laden with judgement, meets his.. "We aren't kids, you know. And stop eating so much, there isn't any left anymore"

"It's ok, I'm making another," Kun interjects, gesturing towards the simmering saucepan that sat on the stove. Making way to the table, he sat beside Sungchan who was diligently gulfing down the remains in his bowl. "Hey, uncle Kun" Deiji called out.

In shock of what she called him, he sent a perplexed look to her in disbelief when Ten burst out laughing. "Uncle Kun" he teased, eliciting an unamused expression from the Chinese boy. "Yes, Deiji, what is it?"

"Have you met my aunt ever again?" taken aback by the unexpected question, his body unconsciously leaned back as his lips parted, at a loss for words. Mouth gaping he shut it momentarily before opening it again.

After a moment of stunned silence, he manages to close his mouth, only to reopen it. "No," he eventually replies. "Why do you ask?"

Kun shrugs nonchalantly and emits a thoughtful hum. "She said she never wanted to meet me again" but for some reason, Deiji felt like he wasn't telling the whole truth. "You're lying" she asserts, raising a skeptical brow.

"Quite observant you are huh?" he laughed. "Well, I technically wasn't lying. I saw her at your parents wedding but she never saw me because I left before we bumped into each other. She wished to not meet me again so I respected that"

Jaw dropping, Deiji leaned closer. "You haven't met her since" he nodded slowly. "Don't think she ever wants to -"

"I think that's a lie," Deiji interrupted. "Sorry but I just had to say that. I can't imagine my aunt to be like that. When I first read it in the diary I couldn't believe it because she is literally flowers and sunshine and the most forgiving person I ever met. So yes perhaps she said that back then but I don't think she really meant it"

"Really?" he questioned cautiously.

"Yeah and when she was talking about this place she didn't seem upset about it. She was smiling enthusiastically and was the reason I am even here. If she hated this place so much, why would she send me to come here?" falling into thought, Kun tilted his head to the side.

"Look, all I am saying is that, people change and my aunt definitely doesn't hate you" Deiji concludes firmly.

Looking back at Deiji, Kun meets her gaze with a small smile and begins to ponder if he should meet her. But that thought disappeared when Deiji confronted him. "You liked her didn't you?"

"What?" he stammers, caught off guard by the sudden turn in the conversation.

Smirking mischievously, she cocked her eyebrows. "You liked her but you said nothing because she was engaged to my uncle and you knew it wouldn't work out and-"

"Okay that's enough" Kun intervened, sending her a glare to which Deiji couldn't help but find hilarious. "Don't worry it's our little secret" she assured but Kun did not believe a word she said. Beside them, Ten and Sungchan exchange a glance, silently acknowledging the awkwardness of the situation before sighing in resignation.

Not wanting anything bad to happen, Ten pulled the younger girl back into her seat from leaning over the table and tried to divert the conversation. "Hey, Deiji, what's your Chinese name?" he randomly asked.

At that exact moment, a loud gasp let Sungchan. "Wait, how did we not realise? Deiji you are half korean and half chinese" he pointed a finger at her. Mouth gaping, Deiji placed her hand over in astonishment. With everything that was going on, she didn't realise. "Wow" she clicked her tongue.

"So you don't have a chinese name?" Ten inquires. Looking over to him she shook her head. "Do you want one?" he offered. Instantly, Deiji's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. "Yes please" she responds eagerly.

From that second onwards, all she heard was random names thrown at her from all directions.

"Lili," Kun suggests. But Ten scrunches up his features in distaste. "Too sweet. Doesn't suit her."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" Deiji lashed out in disapproval. "Seriously? You look far from a lili. You look so fierce and strong. A cute name doesn't suit you and as we are on the topic let me just say." ten carried on. "I don't know why Chenle gave you the name Deiji. Like seriously. Look at her" he gawked at the girl. Kun did the same and nodded. "Yeah I see what you mean"

Groaning, Deiji ignored them. "Hey I think she's sweet like a daisy. It suits her" Sungchan snapped at the two old men who glanced at each other with a smirk. "You know what. I rather not have a Chinese name that also is a flower" she honestly said. "And from what I am guessing lili must translate to a lily"

Spotting the nods they sent her she shook her head. "Yeah something else please"

"I'll be real," Kun leaned closer to her. "When I first saw you, I got this vibe from you and I think it's perfect" excited to hear him out, Deiji gestured to the man to carry on.

"What about xiǎoèmó?"

Out of the blue, a thundering laughter rang around the room. Ten slapped the table unable to control himself whilst Sungchan slapped his forehead after realising what the name signifies.

"What? What is it?" Deiji looked at each of them in curiosity to just find them all giggling. Finally catching his breath, he wiped the tear off his face. "That sounds perfect"

"What does it mean!" she screamed out.

Rolling his eyes, Sungchan answered seeing that the other two did not. "It means little demon"

"Oh hell yeah!" Deiji cheered out liking it. Darting his sight to her wide grin, Sungchan tutted his head. "No way! Come up with something else!"

I know I haven't been posting as regularly like I used to with my old books but I've been really busy with uni and exams. I will try to post more often now that the book is coming to an end soon 

Hope you guys are enjoying the book so far! 

Let me know how you guys are finding it? 

And whose your fav couple? 

- Deiji & Sungchan

- Joo ri & Chenle

- Eun tak & Kun? 

technically they aren't a couple but the book mentions their relationship more than Euntak and Joochan's. Nonetheless, Eun tak is a loyal girlie so joochan is her one and only