Lu Han

Ping!

Lu Han’s phone chirps with a new message for him. Ianthe, reading on the bed lying down, looks up sharply as he picks up his phone beside him on his work desk.

Hey Lu Han! Karla here. Are you free Christmas Eve? My friends from school and I would like to invite you to dine lunch with us.

While reading, Ianthe had glided over on her ever so quiet feet, and was peering at the message over his shoulder. Her brows rose.

“Christmas Eve? It’s Christmas?” she asked in surprise. Ianthe knew about Christmas where humans celebrate with feasts and present exchanges, but did not seem to remember the date.

Lu Han nods. “Yes, soon. Just next Wednesday.”

“Are you going? To the date?” Ianthe enquired curiously, with an edge to her melodious voice. Lu Han didn’t understand, like how he missed the obvious hints that Karla from Starbucks and Natalia have been dropping about their affection towards him. Sometimes, he was just so slow.

Lu Han tapped his lips in consideration. He had no reason to decline; she was a friend, after all. “Yeah, I guess. Christmas is for gatherings.” He typed his reply.

Hey Karla. Sure, why not?

Karla’s reply didn’t take long.

You can bring you guy friends too, if you feel awkward. Lay is definitely welcome ;)

Haha, sure. I’ll ask him. See you Christmas Eve, then?

See you X’mas eve, Lu Han. I’ll text you the venue and time later closer to the date.

Okay.

Lu Han smacked his phone face down on his stack of reports with satisfaction, and sadly, missed Ianthe’s look of disapproval and pressed lips. She alone with the exception of the mastermind, Karla herself, knew something suspicious was on.

It was in the very sentences themselves.

~

Christmas Eve did not take long to arrive. The streets were already bustling with people shopping, the restaurants fully booked and Lu Han, finally, could take a day or two off completely. He was glad, and on his way to a particular restaurant in a mall with the Angel beside him. Ianthe strode along next to him, face a mask of nonchalance, and if one looked closely-which Lu Han did, a hint of stoniness. He said nothing about it, hoping it was just her bad mood, which he wasn’t sure what at.

“Lu Han!” A worried Karla, clothed in a fashionable-and quite revealing- short black, dress waved at him outside the restaurant, clutching her phone to her chest. Lu Han grinned back as he hugged her in welcome; like a good old friend since high school should.

“Why the face, Karla?” Lu Han teased. "It’s Christmas Eve and you look awesome, you should be happy.”

“My friends ditched me,” replied Karla, scowling. “They had plans at the last minute, and so…It’s just us-”

Karla was cut off by the glamorous appearance of Ianthe the Angel, her winter jacket off and body-hugging dress in show. Someone-a guy-dared to whistle at her as they brushed past each other on the way towards them.

“Three.” Karla finished sourly, the delight once on her face gone, replaced by a well-hidden scowl at the eye-catching woman approaching.

Lu Han winked at Ianthe. “Looking good, girl. Anyhow,” he faced Karla again, “Lay said he was busy-like always-despite the holidays and couldn’t make it. I think he’s planning to return to China for the New Year, so he’s been rushing to get things done.”

“I see. Well, it’s okay. We can just dine together, then.” Karla smiled suggestively, pointedly ignoring Ianthe. Lu Han was just going to say something to lighten the mood between them, for he guessed Karla didn’t expect the Angel to be here, but Ianthe beat him to it first.

“Hello, Karla. Thank you for inviting me along, too.” Ianthe grinned perfectly, making Lu Han’s heart skip a beat, though it wasn’t meant for him.

Karla narrowed her eyes visibly. “You’re welcome,” she snapped curtly, taking Lu Han by surprise at her vileness, and beamed sweetly at Lu Han himself again.

A 360 degrees turn, oh wow. He’d always thought she was an okay, neither sweet nor gangster-y kind of girl, one who could defend herself. Well…it seemed kind of awkward now…

“Let’s go in, then, shall we?” Ianthe suggested brightly, and if she was affected by Karla’s irritated tone, she didn’t show it. Lu Han agreed swiftly, thanking her silently for not making any hurtful comment, and let Karla lead them to the table she had booked.

All through lunch, Karla kept dropping something onto the floor, if anything. First, it was her fork, then her spoon, then her purse… And every time she bent to retrieve it, she would bent lower than necessary, showing off her cleavage, and then smile somewhat seductively at Lu Han when she surfaced at the table again. Every time, Lu Han would try to help her do it so that she wasn’t so exposed, but she would slap his hand away playfully and wink.

A flashback of what Ianthe had been telling him that Karla actually had a crush on him lit before him. Oh no, really? Lu Han groaned mentally. He should not have come, should not have put that idea in her head that they might have a chance together. Too late, too late. Karla scooted her chair another inch closer, and Lu Han fidgeted, cursing inside his head. Stop, stop.

Another brush of her s against his forearm, just barely, as she stood to excuse herself to the washrooms. Lu Han shuddered, irked. Oh God, those unnerving, unnecessary touches! He didn’t like them, but was too kind for his own good to say so. A perfect gentleman who endured what he didn’t like if he had to, of course. Opposite him, Ianthe pursed her lips and held his gaze with her sapphire gemstones, before nodding to him and excusing herself, too. Lu Han watched as she left, sensing that something was going to happen. A fight, perhaps, for it was obvious Ianthe saw his discomfort. She and her super ray eyes.

 

“They’re taking so long,” Lu Han muttered, fretful, tapping the face of his watch. As if on cue, Ianthe reappeared back in by his side, walking purposefully to Karla’s seat and casually moving it further away from him. Ianthe shot him a look, which he returned with one of gratitude, and she sat back down gracefully, waiting.

“I’m sorry, it took me awhile…” Karla’s voice broke the peace between the two diners as she scrambled back into her seat, trailing off when she found its position altered with. She bit her lip forcefully at the girl in that fabulous dress. That witch…

“Welcome back.” Lu Han gave a small smile, earning a big eye-roll from Ianthe across the table. He tucked into his food quickly. A heavy atmosphere settled around them as the three ate in stormy silence for the two ladies, and one of desperation from the gentleman. It was no wonder the lunch ended quite early. But, sadly, it wasn’t the end of the suffocating trip, but the start of all tricks fueled by jealousness of someone’s…

“Miss, your bill-” The innocent waiter, who came for the bill, tripped and fell over the high heels on Karla’s outstretched foot under the table. To all, it seemed like the waiter just lost his balance, but Ianthe knew better. The cup of juice that the waiter knocked over as he fell missed Ianthe’s pure white dress by a few centimeters, thanks to her naturally quicker instinct. The drink sloshed over the table edge and wet the floor in puddles. The waiter leapt to his feet, red in the face from embarrassment.

“Miss, I-I’m so sorry! I d-didn’t mean to- Are you okay? I’m so, so sorry… Sorry…” He apologized frantically, handing the Angel paper napkins one after another as Ianthe shook her head to indicate she was fine.

Lu Han stood up the moment Ianthe leapt back, and hurried over to steady her, keeping a firm hold on her arm. Karla clenched her fist behind her back as she feigned a concerned expression for show. Her little scheme was thwarted, but it didn’t matter, she would still have chances to break them apart…

“Ianthe, are you okay?” Lu Han asked, a little surprised that he would be worrying over the Angel-an Immortal who couldn’t die, much less cry over a harmless fall-so easily. His feelings towards her had deepened to a level beyond normal friends, he knew long ago.

“Yes, are you hurt?” Karla questioned, eyes gleaming. It could not rival with the daggers in Ianthe’s line of vision towards her, however, and her demeanor faltered a little. Lu Han, from the murderous look in the mixed-blood girl’s eyes, suspected that the whole incident wasn’t exactly what it seemed like on the surface. He was mortified; he refused to believe Karla, a friend-though not that close as Lay was- he had known since high school years ago, would do these things just because she liked himself. No, she would not, right?

“By the way, Lu Han, I bought tickets to a movie for two. Would you like to go?” Karla simpered at him, hoping.

Lu Han frowned uneasily at Ianthe beside him. “What about Ianthe?”

“She,” Karla hissed, “could buy herself another ticket with us, perhaps?”

Lu Han was not letting go of Ianthe, especially when she was the only comfort in this whole, ugly ordeal the supposedly simple, fun Christmas Eve had morphed into. If the Angel wasn’t here, he would have really gone mad. He slung his arm over Ianthe’s slim, exposed shoulders casually.

“Good idea, I’ll buy it for you, darling.”

Darling! The name sent pleasant tingles down Ianthe’s back as she thanked him shyly. She knew; Lu Han finally submitted to the fact that this particular girl had a major crush on him and would do anything to join them together, and now, they were acting more intimate.

“Well, good! The movie starts at three, shall we go now?”

It was a whole two hours of torture, sitting through the romantic movie right next to Karla. Ianteh sat behind them, silent, motionless as Karla, which was growing more annoying by the second, sniffed and broke into tears again when the guy kissed the girl goodbye so that he could work. For God’s sake. Crying was okay, some people tend to be more emotional, but thing was, Karla kept lying her head on his shoulder, like as if they were already a sweet couple who came for the movies. It took half of Ianthe’s popcorn to break her apart. For that one moment, before she was leaning, so slowly, towards him, lips pursed, eyes closed, Lu Han nearly puked. What, was she demanding he kissed her then? What made this woman think he even liked her? Gosh! Suddenly, he felt that he would rather kiss Lay then lock lips with this…this…woman.

Karla, obviously, noticed none of his disgust, for her heavily eye shadowed lids were shut, waiting to feel the electrifying touch of her more-than-six-years-old crush on this awesome, clever, and hot guy. Her friends would stare at her with envy! Woman around will! Then-

“Argh!” A high-pitched screech brought the rest of the viewers’ baffled and agitated glares directed at the soaked girl in black, luckily, camouflaged against the dark surroundings so that she was saved from utter humiliation…For just a short period of time before the movie ended and she had to show herself out of the cinema. Lu Han masked his laugh behind a cough, which turned violent as Karla, hair dripping with soda-smelling Coke, and had to wipe tears away from his eyes in part pain, part laughter.

“K-Karla! Are you…okay?” Lu Han asked kindly, noting Ianthe’s smug smirk of satisfaction directly behind them. He knew the mischievous Angel pulled the stunt to save him.

“Karla! Karla! I’m so sorry! The movie you chose made me sob so much that my hand shook and the drink spilled! And the seat you so kindly chose for me was directly above you! Are you okay? Do you need me to accompany you home to change?” Ianthe gripped the edge of the cushion seat tight and The message was clear: Go. Freaking. Home. And leave Lu Han alone for the rest of your life.

“No, thank you! I’ll take my leave,” Karla hissed through gritted teeth, fuming, and left in a hurry out of the stadium mid-movie. Lu Han and Ianthe shared a triumph look as Ianthe hopped lightly over the seat and into the empty one beside him; the one Karla had not sat on.

“Psst, lend me you phone.” Ianthe nudged him in the ribs demandingly. Lu Han turned his head sideways to look at her upon a frown, but obliged. Her fingers flew across the screen with elegant speed and shut it off when she stopped. Lu Han received the phone curiously.

“What did you do?”

Ianthe winked mysteriously, with a hint of playfulness and victory. “I think you’ll know sooner or later.” She put a slim index finger to her lips and grinned.

~

Lu Han rushed across the room in a frenzy, searching. Where was the damn letter in the envelope he needed to copy it into the computer and email it to his boss by Christmas Day, which was only an hour or so away? He searched high and low around the house, and came up with nothing. He was frantic now. It was an important piece or report he’d written long ago when Ianthe first dropped down to Earth! His boss would be demanding it to rest in his mailbox.

Finally, he took ahold of the metal handles of his desk drawers and heaved it open. It was heavy with scattered items here and there. He rummaged through the mess.

“Two!” He stared at the two similar envelopes in his hands, dumbfounded. One had a neat handwriting which obviously wasn’t his and definitely a lady’s on the cover. Was it another one of his confession letters by the love-struck girls at school? He ripped it open, in case it was his document, after all.

Deer, I’ll be honest, and say I’ve been crushing you for a while. You don’t have to reciprocate the feelings, but at least, hear this out. … Love, Ianthe, also the Angel you’re living with :)

Ianthe… Ianthe the Angel?!

“What. Is. This?” Lu Han muttered, awestruck. Was this really, truly, a love letter declaring her feelings for him, Lu Han, written by the Angel he had an impossible liking to since he met her, nearly dead? His heart swelled with immense joy.

The bathroom door clicked open softly, and Ianthe stepped out, drying her hair with one of his towels. Lu Han’s eyes flew to her, sparkling with affection.

“Ianthe.”

The Angel stopped in her tracks to look at him questioningly, noticing the happy glow around her dear housemate.

“Yeah…?”

Lu Han held the written letter up. It was on plain white paper, unlike the fancy pink and colorful ones he’d been sent earlier from girls at school, but the one pithy note in his hand then was his pass to happiness, and maybe, hopefully, happily ever afters. He was robbed of speech, or rather, the ability to think through his words, and sprouted whatever that came to his mind first.

“I understand that you have issues with me, or my attitude, perhaps, through this letter here. Would you like to talk it through with the person of subject so that he can reply to it?”