Slurp…Slurp…

“Can you please not do that? It’s irritating me.” Zhoumi scolded Henry without looking up from his notes. Henry continued to slurp his remaining ice blended drink even harder, grinning over Zhoumi’s serious profile. Zhoumi had his finals in a week’s time, and Zhoumi, being the stick in the mud he was when it involved studies, was breathing, walking and sleeping by the books.

Henry sighed randomly in the lush big room of Zhoumi’s, and stretched himself lazily, his attention long gone from his own stack of books. One can never accuse him of being an intellectual. He was glad he had his music to focus on. God bless the world of music. A place he never needed to think but just feel. Unlike a certain someone whom sat opposite him. Zhoumi was next in line in taking over his father’s business and was a final year student majoring in business management. Quite pitiful actually because in retro aspect, it was not like Zhoumi had a better choice. But he seemed to accept his fate as the heir of the family exceptionally well. Henry always wondered how could Zhoumi take it all in a stride and still be the way he is, happy and cheerfully neurotic. Now, if it was Henry, he would have walked away from it long ago. He never took pressure or demands very well to begin with. No sir, no thank you. He preferred living the life of a common man than a millionaire.

Although they were both Chinese, they lived in Korea. Zhoumi’s father was a top businessman and Henry’s father worked under him. How long has it been since they migrated here? 10 years ago? 11? Hmmm….It sure seems so long ago.

Boink! Zhoumi hit Henry’s head with a book.

“Stop day dreaming! Your finals are next month right? You barely passed your midterms Henry.” Zhoumi nagged at Henry once again, crossing his arms.

“You know, even if my mum was alive, she would have nagged me less than you. You just love to nag, and nag and nag. Tsk, and to know that all your friends think of you as the cool and stylish one, I feel sad for them.” Henry wiggled his eyebrows, making his face look silly in Zhoumi’s eyes, but probably adorable in front of a girl’s.

“As none of my friends behave like a 7 year old, I don’t find the need to nag over them.” Zhoumi narrowed his eyes to Henry as he spoke. This kid! That was exactly what he was, a kid trapped in the body of a 22 year old. He was an excellent musician but beyond that, he was hopeless. His room was in a constant state of unbearable mess and he absolutely had no head for money. His appetite was a bottomless pit that it was amazing he was skinny as he was. He easily believed whatever people said, especially when they had fake tears in them. Honestly, Zhoumi’s constant source of worry was Henry. Great, now he could feel the onset of an oncoming migraine.

“Since you are not studying and managed to ruin my focus, go and get me my coke.” Zhoumi ordered, already anticipating Henry’s argument.

“What do you take me for? I am nobody’s slave. I’m my own person. You want Coke, you go get it.”

“So that’s the way it goes. Who was the one called me in the middle of the night last week to bring food because he was hungry? Who was the one forgot to bring his assignment and I had to skip my morning class in order to bring that damned assignment for that person?”

“Ok..ok..I got it..I’ll go get the coke..May you drown from drinking it! And just so you know, I only called you because the shops were closed and I would have died of starvation and about my assignment, any human with an ounce of humanity would have helped me out.” Henry stumbled out from his chair and went out with a harassed looking face. Zhoumi smiled, satisfied riling Henry up. Really, he was too easy sometimes.

Giving up on studying, as having Henry over was enough to monopolize all his energy, Zhoumi arranged his books with pain stacking meticulousness. He heard Henry snort once he returned.

“Why bother arranging when you are going to use the books again later?” He threw the can of chilled coke towards Zhoumi, laughing hard when Zhoumi flailed like a fish to catch it.

“A neat environment plays an important role in helping the brains to absorb knowledge.” Zhoumi answered primly, hiding his embarrassment over his inability to do anything physical gracefully.

“Yeah…Yeah…Anyways, I’m feeling all cooped up. Let’s go out! And you especially need to be out! Didn’t any of those geniuses of yours say that having a rested brain helps too?” Henry tugged at Zhoumi’s hands and pulled him out from his chair.

“I am so full.” Henry sighed with contentment.

“Really? That’s a shocker.” Zhoumi eyed balefully at the wrappers of the 2 large sized burgers Henry ate. He still had his fries.

“I already told you, I have a high metabolism.” Henry forced himself to be still as Zhoumi wiped the corners of his ketchup stained mouth with tissue.

“I swear that you are such a kid, Henry.”  It was such a normal routine between the both of them that neither found it uncomfortable or any different. Just then they heard a girl laughing. At them. Her boyfriend was trying to pull her away but she ran to them.

“You guys make such a cute couple! So cute!” She laughed a bit more, clapping her hands together before joining her poor boyfriend.

They both stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.

“Did she…did she think of us as gays?” Henry voiced out first, his face pale.

“I..I think she did..” Zhoumi answered after a moment. They both had goose bumps all over.

“I’ll have you know I’m straight.” Henry said with a slightly raised voice. He had no idea why did his cheeks feel warm all over.

“Me too, puhleasssse. And even if I was a gay, I wouldn’t date a child like you. Just so we are clear.”

“Don’t keep calling me a child! It’s you that behaves like an old man!” Henry retaliated, unreasonably pissed.

“There you are, once again fighting.” They heard their friend Sungmin’s voice. Ryeowook was following him closely behind. They filled in the remaining two empty seats.

“She thought you were gays? That’s funny!” Sungmin couldn’t hold back his laughter. These two guys never failed to cheer up the group. Zhoumi, being all elegant and sassy, while Henry was laid back and clueless.

“To think about it, you guys do look cute as a couple. I say the girl was right dead on the mark.” Ryeowook added his bit of opinion.

“Not you too, Wookie! Who would want to date a guy like him? He is a shopaholic, the ultimate nagger, and, he keeps calling me a kid!” Henry finished with his face all flushed red.

“See, he is a kid.” Zhoumi said it as if it explained it all.

“Then how is it that none of you have dated a girl for so long now?” Sungmin asked, curious. For all their constant bickering, Zhoumi and Henry were inseparable. One wonders what will happen to them with a presence of a girlfriend later.

“I am too broke to date.” Henry answered simply. “He is not though.” He added, pointing at Zhoumi as an after thought. All three pairs of eyes turned to Zhoumi, waiting for his answer.

“I haven’t found the right one yet.” Zhoumi shrugged out an answer. Yes, why didn’t he date?  How is it that it never crossed his mind before? It does seem strange.

“How do you expect to fight the right one if you don’t even bother to look?” Ryeowook snickered. 

“Maybe I will. After exams, that is. You know anybody interesting?” Henry definitely did not expect to hear that from Zhoumi. He just stared at Zhoumi as if he has grown another head.

“What? It is about time right?” Zhoumi finished his remaining drink. Dating, hmmm…it would surely not be that bad?

“What is your type of girl? I may have friends who fit your type.” Sungmin volunteered.

Type?

“Someone who is smart and confident, knows how to laugh and dress well.”  That was Zhoumi’s basic criteria’s anyways.

“Not the cutie pie type?” Sungmin took in Zhoumi’s requirement seriously.

“Not really..”

This was probably the first time Henry actually heard Zhoumi’s taste in girls. They never bothered to discuss anything related to girls, at least not on a personal level. They gossiped like everybody did but never took a particular interest in any girl. Henry felt deeply disturbed for some reason. Was it because he somehow felt he was going to be abandoned by his best friend Zhoumi? He suddenly didn’t feel as good as he felt earlier. He pushed his tray away, with his fries untouched.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”  Zhoumi was surprised. Henry never pushed his food away before.

“I am not hungry anymore.” Henry couldn’t hide his dissatisfaction. Where did his good mood go?

“You, not hungry? That’s something new.” The three of them laughed.

“You know what, I am going back first. I forgot I still had my assignment to finish.” Henry mumbled, standing up. He couldn’t understand himself well. Why in the world was he feeling so depressed anyways? Guys dated right? Zhoumi would have dated someone eventually. True, but he didn’t think it would have been so soon. Things change when people are in love.  How much will their friendship change?

“I’ll send you back home then.” Zhoumi too stood up.

“No, I want to take the bus. I’ll call you later.” Without saying more, Henry stepped out of the shop.

“Did we say something to offend him?” Sungmin wondered.

Zhoumi kept looking at Henry’s back as his figure got lost in the crowd outside, confused with Henry’s sudden retreat.

Ryeowook looked with a certain knowledge dawning in his eyes.

As usual, feedbacks are really loved and appreciated! It will help me on my next chapter!