“Boo!”

Ke Xin jumped, dropping the spray bottle and the paper towel she had in her hands. She spun around, ready to give whoever it was a whole lecture about manners. But she sighed with a smile after she was met with Lu Han’s goofy face. Lu Han bent down to pick up her fallen cleaning materials and finished the inside of the desk she was previously cleaning.

“You didn’t have to scare me like that.” Ke Xin lightly chided him in a joking manner. She really didn’t mind his playfulness. He was quite fun to be around, refreshing and different. Lu Han laughed as he wiped the inside corners. Ke Xin couldn’t help but notice that his eyes twinkled so brightly when he laughed.

 “Oh, so the fearless Ke Xin is frightened with a tiny ‘boo’ and she isn’t afraid of big bad rich boys?” Lu Han teased as Ke Xin picked out another spray and ripped a towel sheet from the roll sitting on the ground.

Chuckling, she rolled her eyes. “He wasn’t that scary, okay? I could have taken him on myself.” Ke Xin declared, moving onto a bigger desk that had all sorts of graffiti drawn on it. Seeing that she’ll probably need a lot of help to remove all the marks, Lu Han came over and started to scrub vigorously at a large, bubbled name.

“Sure, sure,” Lu Han continued to playfully taunt her, “Bubble tea is my victory, not yours.”

Ke Xin warningly pointed her spray bottle’s nozzle at him, her flustered smile telling him to shut up or else. Lu Han put his hands up in surrender, laughing at her cute, defiant act. As she came closer with the spray, Lu Han carefully backed up. He made one last mocking comment and ran away just as she spray at the spot where he had just been.

“Come back here!” Ke Xin yelled as she chased him around the nearly emptied storage room. She mostly sprayed at the air because Lu Han was too fast for her. But she wasn’t exactly trying to caught him either.

“Bleh!” He stuck his tongue out at her, pressing the thumbs of his opened hands to his cheeks. She laughed as he almost got caught in her shower of deadly anti-bacteria spray because he had actually stopped to make a face at her.

Lu Han and Ke Xin’s fun didn’t last that long though, as someone cleared their throat in an irritated way.

“Ahem.”

The two abruptly stopped what they were doing, seeing that they were no longer alone. Standing at the door of the storage room was the Wang Twins, hiding smug smiles behind their hands — and a not so happy looking MiMi. Ke Xin made a mental note to kill the twins later while they just gave her innocent we-didn’t-know-we-were-interfering looks. But their little knowing smiles showed that they knew exact what they were doing.

MiMi was obviously not a happy camper. She gripped the straps of her tote bag so hard that her knuckles were turning white, her other hand was closed in a tight fist. Ke Xin wouldn’t have been surprised if MiMi was ready to shove that fist at her face. Ke Xin knew MiMi was ready to throw another one of her famous tantrums, but MiMi tightly smile with hate beaming out of her eyes. “Oh, we’re sorry. I hope we’re not interrupting a special moment between you two.”

MiMi made it clear that she was directing the ‘apology’ to Lu Han so Ke Xin kept shut while everyone, including her, waited for Lu Han’s response. It seemed like MiMi was expecting him to deny that they were having a ‘moment’ or that her and the twins weren’t interrupting. 

“We forgive you for interrupting.” Lu Han shrugged with a carefree, oblivious smile. He wasn’t denying anything. Ke Xin’s mouth fell open a little in amusement while the twins looked at each other, trying to conceal their laughter. MiMi was fuming. Ke Xin felt like laughing at her wannabe’s expression too but reminded herself to stay ladylike.

“Oh yeah, Ke Xin,” Jia Li piped up, suddenly remembering something, “There’s some rumor going around that you got a boyfriend? What’s that all about?”

Ke Xin closed her eyes in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that stuff like this could spread around like wildfire. She tossed a playful look-what-at-what-you-did glare at Lu Han. He winked back at her while innocently whistling as he cleaned the very last piece of furniture. Ke Xin did a cross between a laugh and huff as she shook her head.

The twins and MiMi had witnessed the exchange, their facial expression made it obvious that they were dying for some sort of answer.

“It’s just a rumor.” Ke Xin shook her head again, her ponytail lightly smacking her shoulder. She choose to leave it at that and picked up her silver blue Adidas gym and piano books, ready to head out to piano lessons.

She didn’t know why but today she was feeling ier than usual. Maybe it was because MiMi indirectly tried to declare Lu Han as hers, but Ke Xin didn’t even know why that had to do anything with her. She just knew that she didn’t like it. So as she brushed past MiMi on her way out, she called back behind her shoulder to Lu Han, “Wait for me out in front okay?” 

“Will do.” Lu Han waved back with a smile. MiMi seethed. Jia Li and Jia Yi continued to laugh. And all Ke Xin tried to do was keep herself from skipping to piano lessons.

***

Later, as they were warming up, Ke Xin looked up as she saw an identical pair of slippers to hers. MiMi stood with her arms crossed, an unreadable face stared back at her. While Ke Xin let go of the foot that she was pulling back, the twins scrunched their nose up at MiMi.

“I didn’t know you were so interested in Lu Han da ge.”  MiMi tilted in head in a pompous way, her lips set in a tight frown.

“I would say the same to you.” Ke Xin answered back in the same cold tone, giving MiMi her famous insincere smile. “I must say you looked oh-so desperate for his attention a few weeks ago.”

Ouch. The twins widened their eyes at Ke Xin. No matter how annoying MiMi got, Ke Xin didn’t ever throw her faults out there. Even MiMi’s jaw went slack at Ke Xin’s unusual behavior. Ke Xin was surprised at herself too. She hadn’t meant for the words to come out, they just slipped out of . MiMi looked hurt, and Ke Xin was beginning to feel a bit guilty.

“Look, —” Ke Xin started off, trying to apologize.

“No! You look!” MiMi shouted so loudly that the other ballerinas turned to look at them. “You think you’re so good because you bear the Cai name, don’t you? Is that why he isn’t worth your attention?!”

Oh. No. She. Didn’t. Out of all thing she could do, she dare excuse Ke Xin of looking down on someone of lower wealth status? Ke Xin was starting to heat up too but she reminded herself to stay calm and passive. MiMi was lucky Ke Xin had endless patience.

“Don’t make assumptions about my personality.” Ke Xin’s jaw tightened, the tension growing as her voice became deferential. "It really isn't your business who I associate myself with. But I can assure you that Lu Han and I are getting along just finely."

MiMi didn't say anything, obviously losing this fight. Ke Xin really didn't have the time to waste on petty little arguments. Madame Lu Hee was going to be here soon, and she still needed to warm up. This year's ballet recital's lead was still to be decided. And Ke Xin wanted that position. Badly.

"Now, if you'll excuse, I think I have some warming up to do."

***

"Are you sure you still want bubble tea instead of hot cocoa? It's pretty cold out." Lu Han asked one last time before he went over the counter to order their drinks. Ke Xin just nodded, more caught up with the little cafe's beauty.

It was an Internet cafe, completed with bean bag chairs and couches as well. Bright lights lined the borders of the high windows, illuminating the artsy nature setting painted on the windows. The scent of coffee hung in the air with a whiff of toffee and the mildew smell of old books. It was just perfect.

Her twin bodyguards were reluctant at first about letting her go to get bubble tea with Lu Han but she was just as firm about her position as they were. And as always she won when they agreed to follow close behind but try not to bring too much attention to themselves. They sat by the small rectangular table in the back, sipping coffee, trying to look like a couple of nonchalant guys who were just passing the time.

Lu Han was back sooner than she had expected or maybe it was that her daydreaming might have shortened time. He smiled as he noticed she was still glancing around and inhaling deeply.

"Nice place, right? It's really peaceful here." He slid Ke Xin's original milk bubble tea over to her and set his usual mocha with extra sugar before him.

Ke Xin nodded, "How did you find out about this place?"

"Part time job." He blurted out. When Ke Xin looked at him in surprise, he slightly blushed and scratched the nape of his neck.

"Kinda embarrassing, huh?"

"Not at all. I wish I could work part time somewhere." Ke Xin frowned to herself, sighing. She took the first sip from her untouched drink. As expected she paused, nodding with approval and continued on sipping. "This is really good."

"Glad you like it, but wouldn't a hot drink have been more appropriate?" Lu Han laughed as he sipped his mocha, a tingly, warm rush spreading through his mouth.

"Well," Now it was Ke Xin's turn to look embarrassed, "It's the first time in six months I had something sugary so . . ."

"Oh gosh, really? Then I better go get some pastries."

"Stop it, I'm going to gain ten pounds because of you!"

"Why the fuss?" Lu Han asked but he already knew why.

"My ballet teacher has a keen eye when anyone gains weigh. You don't know how scary she is!"

"Oh," Lu Han laughed, "I really do know."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing."

And so it went on like that. She and Lu Han continued to learn more about each other through little snippets of things they discussed at the cafe. He was a conserved guy, totally down to earth. Her suspicions about him having relations to anyone at the Yuans' party quickly fading.

"Ugh." Lu Han grunted as he looked up from his cell phone. "My shift starts soon, I'm going to get ready."

Ke Xin hadn't realized two hours pass. One moment she was talking to Lu Han, it was still light out, next it was pitch black. Ke Xin really hated that fly liked to be a cheetah when she was having fun and then be a turtle when she hated something.

They said their goodbyes and their wishes of each other arriving home soundly. Lu Han waved goodbye from the café door, watching Ke Xin make her way to the Range Rover down the street. Ke Xin really wanted to stay and see him in his work uniform but she also had something important to do. Christmas was right around the corner and she hadn’t even started present shopping yet. Hm, she thought. Maybe she should get Lu Han a little gift as well. That wouldn’t hurt.

***

From a glance, Ke Xin, without a doubt, looked fragile and delicate. She did have a lot of features of a porcelain doll, the slim arms and legs, dainty fingers, and small frame. But looks could be deceiving. She looked smug at the amazed glances she was receiving as she lugged ten shopping bags filled with presents, five on each arm. No, she hardly ever lifted weights but she did have to practice balance for ballet. Balance practice included trying to stay put while having items place on you, all on one toe.   

“We get it, Ke Xin. You’re Superwoman; now just give Justin the bags to put in the trunk.” Austin rolled his eyes. Still, he was enjoying the same amusement that Ke Xin was getting from all the passersby’ stares.

“I’m not done yet, I still have to get some toys for the older maids’ children.” Ke Xin told him as she loaded the bags into Justin’s arms.

“I hope your dad doesn’t get upset that you’re putting this all on the credit cards.” Justin said sarcastically. Austin and Ke Xin laughed. This was another inside joke between them.

Ke Xin hardly ever used the cards. Ever. Most times, they took up space in her wallet.

“Oh please, he’ll weep for joy knowing that I didn’t leave the credit cards there to rot.”

***

Ke Xin sighed with content knowing that she had gotten all of her Christmas shopping done in one trip. She headed straight for the escalators from the lowest floor of the mall so she could finally go home. But something caught her attention making her stop entirely in her tracks.

There was a small shop that looked like it sold knick knags, little toys, and all sorts of odd things. It looked a little run down but something just striked her about it so without thinking twice she curiously peering inside. Then slowly stepped inside.

Oddly shaped wind chimes hung from the ceilings. Some creepy looking plushies of jacks and dolls stared at her with their button eyes, all sitting along shelves along with weird items. Several gingerbread villages said here and there, and for someone reason the gingerbread villager seemed to stare angrily at her. There were some many smaller, weirder things that gave Ke Xin an eerie feel but she also felt like this place just seemed magical.      

“Can I help you?”

Ke Xin jumped and spun around and even grew even more surprise when she came face to face with a child. A little girl in fact, with dolly black Shirley Temple curls, in a Goth Lolita dress. Ke Xin couldn’t put her finger on it but the child didn’t look exactly dangerous, but she didn’t look . . . normal either. Maybe it was the child’s eyes that looked like they were wiser beyond their years, maybe it was the way she looked like she was expecting Ke Xin?

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just looking around.” Ke Xin apologized even though she didn’t know why she should be. For some reason, she was getting a vibe that she was trespassing.

“Are you just going to leave then?” The little girl’s eyes growing steely. “Does my — I mean, my parents’ shop give you discomfort because of the unusual collection of things here?”

“At first it did.” Ke Xin shrugged and admitted honestly, “But somehow I’m starting to like this magical feel.”

“Y-you do?” She asked in wonder.

Ke Xin nodded, smiling. And then suddenly, like someone pulled a plug, all the tension that was building disappeared, going down the drain. The jacks and dolls seemed to look at her with a kind glint in their plastic button eyes and the gingerbread people didn’t look like they were frowning anymore. Ke Xin was definitely going crazy but she didn’t care. At least the bad aura was gone.

“In that case,” the child’s face brightened, all forms of animosity leaving with the tension, “I want you to have this.”

The little girl beckoned Ke Xin over to the counter where a beat up register sat along with a mess of pens and papers. She took a key that she was wearing around her neck and unlocked a red box and took out two small things. She then held them out to Ke Xin, a huge smile on her little face.

“Rubik’s Cubes?”

“They’re not just any Rubik’s Cubes.” the little girl huffed, looking slightly offended that Ke Xin dared say their names without awe. “They’re very lucky things, you know.”

Ke Xin was about to asked the girl if Rubik’s Cubes were actually lucky, but then she realized that she must have been talking about these ones. She examined the cubes noting that the paint on the squares were smooth and somehow they felt heavier than average Rubik’s Cubes. Suddenly, she stopped turning them in her hands when she saw a golden rose marking on the center square of the red sides.

“Ah, so you’ve finally noticed.” The girl smiled with pride. “Red is the color of luck and protection. A rose symbolizes beauty, passion, and love. I’m sure you weren’t going to forget a gift for someone.”

That moment she remembered she was planning to get Lu Han something as well. She sighed with relief, happy that she found a gift for him and that she didn’t forget. But she only needed one cube seeing that she got everyone else’s gifts. But as she tried to hand one of the Rubik’s Cubes back to the little girl, she pushed Ke Xin’s hands away.

“No, you’re going to need them both.” Her eyes looked like they knew something she didn’t so Ke Xin didn’t question what she told her. Ke Xin nodded, and just as she was able to take out her wallet to pay for the cubes, the girl shook her head again.

“You’ve paid with your kind words. I don’t need money.”

As Ke Xin was about to protest, the little girl put up her hand, signaling that it was pointless for her argue.

“Thank you again.” Ke Xin smiled and waved as she was leaving the shop.

“Choose wisely who you give those Rubik’s Cubes to.” The girl called from behind. “Preferably the boys born in April and show interest in performing.”

Oh my God. Ke Xin stopped and quickly spun around. Her dad’s card reading . . . how did she . . .?

She didn’t say anything. She just winked, a bit of glittery dust flittering around the girl’s eyes. Yeah, some pixie dust, whatever.

***

“What took you so long talking to the old lady in the store?” Justin asked from the front seat of the Range Rover. 

But Ke Xin didn’t hear him. She was lost in thought over the stranger encounter. Even the angry raindrops pelting the car didn’t seem to do startle her out of her deep thought.

“Ke Xin!” Justin yelled.

Ke Xin jolted, suddenly remembering where she was. She seemed clueless when Justin and Austin, was looking from the mirror on top of the car, looked at her expectantly. Justin sighed then repeated his question. Ke Xin seemed bewildered when he claimed it was an old lady she was speaking to but realized that she was already half crazy and she was tired so she just made up some excuse that she was discussing some toy history with her. The two joked about her smarty pants ways while she managed to fake a weak smile despise her exhaustion.

She was just falling asleep despite the noisy raindrops. She was half asleep and her eyelids were also half-closed, still staring out the window. As they were going over a bridge, she saw a figure standing on the edge of the bridge. Her vision wasn’t clear as sleepiness was starting to overcome her and the raindrops weren’t making the car window any clearer either. She suddenly woke with a jerk and horror when she realized that the figure was trying to hose themselves off the bridge.

“Stop! Stop the car!” She cried frantically.

“We can’t —”

“Pull over by that person! Hurry!”

And Austin did, the twins alarmed by her hysterical urge.

Once the car was no longer in motion, she threw the door open, running towards the figure even though she was in slippers and the ground was wet. The heavy rain was already soaking her hair and her clothes but she really didn’t care. Right now, her safety wasn’t what she was concerned about.

Just as the person was about to jump, Ke Xin tore the figure away, roughly throwing them onto the ground. It was a boy. His dark hair and clothes were matted to him from the rain and he was shivering uncontrollably. He looked absolutely terrified, his eyes wide with fear. He didn’t look much younger than her. Maybe younger by three or two years.

“What were you thinking?!” She held the boy’s face in her hands. He didn’t flinch at her touch and when she did make contact with him, she felt him shaking like a leaf.

This wasn’t really the time to be scolding him, she thought to herself. She had to get him warmed up. God knows how long he’s been out in the rain.

“What’s your name?”

He looked confused and just shook his head. He didn’t understand her. He didn’t understand Mandarin. Ke Xin sighed with relief and thanks for her father’s insist that she learned all three major East Asian languages along with English.    

She tried again in English and Japanese but he continue to shake his head. Korean’s the charm.

“What’s your name?” She asked once more, slowly in Korean.

“Se Hun. Oh Se Hun.” 

Surprise? 

Like I said, I ate my words. Little Se Hunnie made an appearance! But it'll be important for later, trust me, you'll see. 

It's nice to know that my Valentine's Day wasn't the only one spent forever alone. Lol. 

Oh, and guys? Don't be harsh on my ex, lol. He's not an . far from it actually. He's one of the nicest guys I know, but boys will be boys. They're absolutely oblivious. I think I was on my PMS that day too, so yeah. 

If you've noticed, I always update on the weekend (mostly Saturdays). I notice how sluggish this story's moving along and so I'm planning to try to make Wednesdays update days too. But knowing myself well enough, I probably won't stick to it. So please, nag me. Leave me a comment or a wall post, something. And don't worry about "bothering" me because when I say I have no time, I'm usually just procrastinating. Just send me on a guilt trip and you'll your updates faster. Haha.