it was always you | zhengkun [ON HOLD]

eight | obvious

CAI XUKUN

"That's not how you do it, you fool." Xiao Gui told Bu fan who was struggling with the moves. Today was another dance practice with the whole class since there's only three weeks til the competition. 

"I'm older than you!" Bu fan loudly said, sipping from his water bottle.

Some were currently resting while others are still being taught by Zhengting and I. What I like about him is he never gives up on people. We were teaching our classmates for almost four hours now and he still hasn't stopped. 

I adjusted my cap and sighed. "Hey, you should take a rest." I told him gently.

He smiled at me and shook his head. "You should too."

I clapped my hands loudly and called out, "Guys, let's all rest for a while."

"Here," Zhengting gave me a playful nudge, handing me his bottle. "I noticed you didn't bring yours, so..."

I grinned at him, sitting on the wooden floor. "Didn't know you were observing me."

"Shut it, I just noticed." He laughed and then went to his friends, the Yuehua Boys, as they call themselves.

Lin Yanjun walked over to me, his eyebrow raised. "So, what are you guys?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Go back to your boyfriend."

"Zhangjing's not in this class." He shook his head. "That's not the point, are you guys flirting with each other?"

"No." 

"Oh, really? then what was that?"

"It's nothing."

He stared at me for a moment and then laughed out loud. "God, you're such a liar, Cai Xukun."

Shit, maybe, I am.

"What are you guys doing?" Mr. Zhang suddenly entered the practice room and we all stood up, giving him a bow.

"Sir, we're just resting." I murmured, my head down.

"Oh," He said. "Can I see your progress?"

I gulped, my eyes widened. "Formation, guys."

We hesitantly went to our positions. "Ah, ah. Wait, who's your center?"

I raised my hand.

"Really?" He then nodded. "Alright, start the music."

We danced until the chorus, just like what we practiced. I watched Mr. Zhang's expression as we danced and he didn't look happy. He had this stern face and it made me nervous.

"Didn't you practice last week?" He asked Zhengting who had a nervous look on his face as well.

"Yes, sir. Xukun and I also choreographed." He answered truthfully.

"From what I saw earlier, I think you all need to have balance while dancing. The dance  somehow looked sloppy from here. Xukun, show me the chorus again."

Mr. Zhang is a really great teacher and mentor. He may be strict and all, but every criticism he gives, makes us work harder even more. 

-

"Where are you guys going?" Yanjun asked as we were walking towards the school lobby. I looked at outside and noticed the the sky. The sky was mostly cloud, deep steel blue-greys that mirror the hues of the highway. Everything was a muted shade, like a matt photograph in a dimly lit room, everything except the tail lights that flow into the heart of the city. They shined like the first berries on winter holly: unabashedly brilliant, scarlet, hypnotic.

"We're just gonna chill at Ziyi's. Wanna come with us?" I offered.

He shrugged. "I'm okay. I still have some errands to run."

"Oh, that's okay." I looked for Ziyi and sighed. "Maybe you should chill with us next time."

"Um, no thanks. We wouldn't wanna be cockblockers." Bufan snickered and I rolled my eyes. 

"We're not even -" I was supposed to say but stopped when someone tugged on my backpack. I turned around to see Zhengting. "Oh, hey."

"Hey, um, you left your towel." He handed me my baby pink  towel. My face was flustered as I took it. Why did I even have to bring the pink one?

"Don't worry, it's cute. Bye, Xukun." He said and then left with his friends.

My face was probably red as a tomato right now. 

"Yo, come on bro." Ziyi told me with a smirk and I followed him to his car. "Xukun, bro, you like him don't you?"

"Who?" I asked, getting inside. 

"Don't play with me, you know who."

"Shut it. Don't tell anyone." I said, gazing straight ahead, only half-aware of a world outside the claustrophobic comfort of the car, of Ziyi's hands stroking the wheel, the almost soundless changing of the gears, the pattern of traffic lights. 

"Okay, the hell, chill. I was just asking, besides, you're too obvious." He laughed.

"Bitch, i'm not."

"Yes, you are, dumbass."

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm literally lowkey."

"Lowkey, my ass." He argued.

"Whatever, I'm not obvious." I said, staring at the window.

"Ask Yanjun, hell, maybe Mr. Zhang noticed. You're always staring at him all the time with that fond expression of yours." He said, running his hands through his hair.

"Well, it's because we're partners, bro. Who should I stare at then, hmm? You?" I retorted, a grin on my face.

He looked at me while the traffic light was red, and smirked. "Maybe. Maybe I want you to stare at me, who knows?"

-

sorry for the late update!! also sorry this is lame :(( i'll update tomorrow or later again!!

xoxo