He sighed. It was already Friday and Xiao Yu hadn't seen Yu Yan ever since she had helped him leave prison. He exhaled as he stuffed the paper bag, with a cream cheese bagel inside, into his bag before hooking his bag to the side of his desk. It didn't look like she would come in today either. Xiao Yu was eager to see her and thank her but with every day she did not come to school, he felt more and more disappointed.

He didn't blame her or suspect her of having been involved with the incident with his blazer and the assault of Su Jia Li, maybe she had just misplaced it when it was in her possession or maybe she had dumped it somewhere on the streets and it was found by the culprit. He didn't suspect her at all. All he wanted to do was just see her and finally give her the bagel that had been sitting in his bag all week. Every morning he would buy a new bagel to give to her as the one bought on the previous day would have gotten spoiled and now his bag contained more bagels than his books or school supplies.

It had only been a few days since he had last seen her but he became worried about her and wanted to see her as soon as possible to know that she was safe and nothing had happened. Maybe she had sustained an injury from her last fight or had gotten in trouble for helping him out of prison? He didn't know but all he did know was that he was growing impatient.

"You'll see her soon," Ya Se spoke that day when he saw his friend fumble with the bagel paper bag at Duan Chang Ren's stall.
"I'm worried," he muttered, honestly as he stared at the stripy bag.
"Why would you be worried for Jiang Yu Yan? She can protect herself so I'm sure she's fine." Ya Se continued as he drank his bubble tea.

Xiao Yu sighed, "I know... it's just..." he put the paper bag back into his school bag, "She was the one who freed me from prison and now I'm worried if she got into trouble or something."
Da Dong swung his arm around his shoulder, "Aiyo, Xiao Yu! You know Yu Yan is smart and strong, she wouldn't allow herself to get into trouble so easily!"
"And if she has the capability to have you released, I'm sure she can get out of any trouble she gets into." Ya Se added.
Xiao Yu sighed once more.

~*~*~

Monday came and Yu Yan strolled into Zhong Ji Yi Ban. Her face was cold and emotionless; after resting at home for the past couple of days, her mission had been hammered into her once more after its screw had come loose. Now she was back to her usual self with only one focus. She pushed away Xiao Yu and any new emotions she had felt in the past weeks, hardening the wall around her heart. She couldn't allow herself to be distracted like she had been before.

She threw her bag down onto her desk and dropped down into her seat. Liang Zhi and Xia Ba, who had returned to Zhong Ji Yi Ban permanently, shivered as she walked past but remained silent. Sha Jie however, sneered as she turned around to watch her, "Oh look who's back - the unwanted freak of Zhong Ji Yi Ban!"

"Stop," Xiao Yu instantly spoke as he entered the classroom, "You shouldn't try and create tension within the class."
"Sorry Mr Quiet," Sha Jie replied sarcastically, "I didn't know you had a voice Almighty KO4!"
"Yeah, who do you think you are? Talking to our Sha Jie like that!" Linda exclaimed.
"Just because your friends with Da Dong Ge you think you can order us around?!" Tao Zi snapped.
"If you're friends with her then you're another enemy of Zhong Ji Yi Ban!" Sha Jie added, angrily. "No one likes her and she needs to be taught a lesson!"

Xiao Yu looked at the three friends and glared his famous cold and terrifying stare which shut them up. Yu Yan smirked, laughing before resting her head on the table and falling asleep. Xiao Yu inwardly groaned, he had just missed his chance to talk to her and give her the fresh bagel he had bought on the way to school.

~*~*~
 

At lunch time, Xiao Yu went outside looking for Yu Yan. He found her sitting at bench looking up at the sky. "So you're here?" he spoke, putting down his lunch box on the table.
Yu Yan kissed her teeth and faced him, "What do you want? Do you always feel the need to follow me? Are you a lost sheep?" she snapped, "Can't you ever leave me alone?"
Taken back by her sudden outburst at him, Xiao Yu quietly sat down, "I just wanted to thank you."
Yu Yan scrunched up her face, "If you're grateful then show it by leaving me alone! I don't like you and we're not friends so don't act like we are. Don't think we are just because I helped you. You have a mouth so use it the next time someone questions you! Don't leave it to me to fix your problems again!"

Xiao Yu felt something tug at his heart faintly from her words, and didn't know what to say. He looked at her face and then noticed fading bruises and small cuts. His lips parted and he wondered how he didn't notice them before. "Are you okay?" he blurted out, "You have injuries on your face, did something happen after you helped me?"

Yu Yan quickly turned around and tried to adjust her bangs to hide them, "I fell down the stairs," she lied, "And it's none of your business."
"Oh," Xiao Yu then picked up his bag and brought out the fresh strawberry and cream bagel he had bought that morning before placing it in front of her. "This is for you," he said blankly before picking up his lunch box and leaving her alone. As he walked away, a part of him was sad that she had pushed him away but that was to be expected - he knew it wasn't going to be easy to befriend her.

As he walked back to the classroom to find Da Dong and Ya Se, he stopped to throw away the older bagels that had been living in his bag for the past week. He sighed, deflated.

Jiang Yu Yan knew what the item was without having to ask or feel it. For some reason, bagels were the only things exchanged between the two. She would have eaten it if she was the person from the previous week but now she didn't want to stray from her path because of any new emotions. She picked it up, debating whether she should eat it or not. In the end she decided to throw it away, she wasn't allowed to eat anything other than what her father provided for her anyway. And eating it would mean that she accepted Xiao Yu's thanks and it would make him want to be friends with her and she didn't want that. She didn't like anyone and didn't want anyone to like her. But as she threw away the bagel, a part of her was sad and wanted to eat it but she pushed those feelings out of her heart. Thinking about such small things wouldn't do her any good.