Xiao Yu looked at his watch impatiently before the worker at the bagel store returned his gift card. An Qi will be there today, he smiled when his thoughts trailed off to Zhong Ji Yi Ban. "Thank you," he said quickly, taking the two bagels that he had just bought and rushed out of the shop.

"Aren't you a bit too eager about going to school today?" Ya Se asked yawning as he waited in his car for Xiao Yu. "Please, it's a Monday! Xiao Yu, who's bothered to wake up early and buy bagels with you?"
Xiao Yu smiled and opened the car door and entered. After what had happened to his tent, Xiao Yu could not go back to live with his aunt so had stayed with Ya Se over the weekend.

As Xiao Yu fastened his seat belt, Ya Se began to turn the wheel. He looked at his brother for a second before turning his attention back to the road, "It's because of Huang An Qi, right?"
Xiao Yu remained silent. Ya Se scoffed, "Heh, I knew it." he paused, "So is the bagel for her too?"
Xiao Yu shook his head and looked out of the window, "It's for no one," he muttered. He didn't know why he still couldn't tell anyone that the extra bagel was for Yu Yan. Maybe it was because he didn't want his brothers to for crushing on her; he didn't want them to misunderstand so thought it would be better to keep it from them. This secret wouldn't hurt anyone anyway.

When Ya Se and Xiao Yu arrived at school, Ya Se parked the car. As they got out, they saw Da Dong walking with An Qi. Yu Yan coming from the opposite direction dragged her feet and yawned. She could feel the three friends incoming but also could hear the footsteps and voice of a girl with them.

"Narcissist!" Da Dong called, as he jogged over to them.
"Ya Se, Xiao Yu, long time no see," An Qi smiled warmly at them and Xiao Yu felt his heart skip a beat.
"An Qi, hello." Xiao Yu managed to say without smiling too giddily, "How have you been?" he asked.
"Very well," she nodded sweetly, "And you? Is everything okay in Zhong Ji Yi Ban? It feels like I haven't seen you all in such a long time."
"It's nice to see you again," Ya Se added politely.

As the four of them walked towards the school gates, An Qi noticed the stripy paper bag that Xiao Yu was clutching. "Xiao Yu, what's in your hand?" she asked him.
"Uh... sweet bagels," he replied, looking down at the bag.
"Sweet bagels? Are they nice?" An Qi replied, tilting her head to look at him.
Da Dong swung an arm around Xiao Yu, "They must be if Xiao Yu buys them every morning," he beamed.
"Oh really?” she said, "Do you mind if I have a try?"

Xiao Yu paused before his eyes fell upon Yu Yan who was approaching from the opposite direction.

"Hey, Jiang Yu Yan," Ya Se called to her, "Come meet Huang An Qi!"
Yu Yan faced them, "I don't care who she is."
An Qi's face fell but then she quickly painted on a smile and looked at Da Dong and Xiao Yu.

"Xiao Yu, don't you have two? Why not give one to An Qi since she just got here?" Da Dong suggested.
Xiao Yu hesitated as his eyes flittered from Yu Yan to An Qi, he looked at the bagels that were meant for himself and Yu Yan. Yu Yan stopped at the gates and looked over at the four of them, she didn't know why but she wanted to listen.

Ya Se smiled at An Qi reassuringly, before swinging an arm around Xiao Yu's shoulders and leaning into his ear, "Didn't you say that extra bagel was for no one? Why are you hesitating so much? It makes you look bad!" he whispered before retracting and chuckling awkwardly at An Qi who nervously smiled.

Even though Ya Se was whispering, Yu Yan could hear everything. No matter how quietly anyone spoke, Jiang Yu Yan had the best hearing around not even an ant's whisper could escape her incredibly wide hearing range. She knew that Xiao Yu had bought her that extra bagel and as a result was stuck.

"Xiao Yu, do you mind if I have one?" An Qi asked him, smiling again at him.
"Of course he doesn't!" Da Dong laughed before shooting daggers at KO4, "He has an unlimited supply of them, so of course giving you one wouldn't be a problem! Right bro?" he slapped Xiao Yu's arm playfully but to Xiao Yu, he received a different message. 'Hurry up and give it to her!' were the words Da Dong had in his eyes.

That bagel is rightfully mine! Yu Yan thought as she leaned against the wall, It's not yours to take! Yu Yan had her senses locked on An Qi, feeling and listening to her every word and movement. She stood there, almost glaring at the four friends, tight-lipped.

"Uh..." Xiao Yu stuttered before reluctantly giving the paper bag to An Qi. He placed a small smile on his face, "Of course I don't," he then looked over at Yu Yan, with a mild expression, Jiang Yu Yan, I'm sorry.

As though she could hear his thoughts, Yu Yan kissed her teeth with a sardonic smile before pushing herself off the wall and walking in through the gates. For some reason, she felt annoyed that Xiao Yu had given away her bagel. It was wrong for her to feel this way because she always rejected them and she knew this. But she had grown used to him giving her a bagel every day and somehow, in some way, she looked forward to it. But today, she wouldn't get her bagel. And she was annoyed that it was given to this An Qi that Xiao Yu liked so much. It's just a stupid bagel, why get so worked up over it? she told herself, Yeah, it's nothing.
 

~*~*~
 

Yu Yan groaned and hit her head against her desk as she listened to everyone fuss about An Qi's return. Whether it was a happy reaction from Jin Bao San or an annoyed and jealous reaction from Sha Jie, the main focus was on An Qi, An Qi and An Qi nonetheless.

"Hi everyone, long time no see!" she smiled genuinely at everyone, "I haven't been gone for that long and there are already so many new faces," she continued, referring to the Cai sisters, Liang Zhi and Xia Ba and Yu Yan. "Nice to meet you all, I'm Huang An Qi, I'm an ex student of Zhong Ji Yi Ban."

"You're not an ex student if your back now are you?" Yu Yan felt the words naturally come out in her usual bored tone.
Sha Jie smirked in agreement as she did not like An Qi, "For once I agree with you Ugly Jiang."
"Speak for yourself Class Weed," Yu Yan replied before closing her eyes to sleep.

An Qi laughed out of awkwardness, feeling out of place, "You must be Jiang Yu Yan, right?"
Yu Yan lifted an eyebrow, "So? What's it to you?" she snapped. Yu Yan felt as though she could practically hear her innocent smile and it annoyed her.
"Da Dong talked about you in his letter," she answered, "Can we be friends?" she extended her hand out to her.

"Egomaniac, you actually managed to write a letter?" Ya Se snickered.
"Just barely," Da Dong replied, sheepishly, “I had my mum write it.”

Xiao Yu looked at Yu Yan and An Qi who were now both in front of him.

Yu Yan scowled and slapped her hand away, "You must be kidding me. Who wants to be friends with you?" she exclaimed, feeling an unknown anger creep up on her. An Qi flinched as she rubbed her sore hand. "If that stupid monkey told you about me then you should know that I don't make friends with anyone." Yu Yan snarled before slumping over her desk to sleep.

"Yu Yan, she was just trying to be nice." Xiao Yu spoke up as he looked at An Qi's hurt face, "She's not familiar with you, you didn't have to hurt her." he spoke gently to her knowing that telling her off would aggravate her.
Yu Yan sat up and turned around with a blackened face, "You of all people should know my character. I don't make friends. Now stop bothering me," she spat at him simply.

An Qi, being a sensitive girl, blinked back a few tears and smiled once more as she went over to sit next to Da Dong's hammock.

Sha Jie and her friends laughed at An Qi, "That's what you get for acting so prestige."

Yu Yan pressed her lips into a tight line as she stayed silent for the rest of the day. She felt a sense of regret in her heart for lashing out at Xiao Yu for no reason. But for some reason, An Qi annoyed her. The boys especially Jin Bao San, were all over her and she didn't understand why. Was she really that great? She must be if Little Fish and even Wang Da Dong fell in love with her... Wait, what am I thinking? Why do I care? Why am I annoyed over some stupid girl? Yu Yan then burst out laughing during a quiet lesson and then everyone looked at her as though she was crazy. That girl's none of my business I can't believe I got annoyed over her! She continued laughing to herself and blew raspberries at her classmates who shot her odd looks. I don't know what weird ghost took over me this morning but Jiang Yu Yan is back! she smirked, feeling better.

Xiao Yu stared at Yu Yan from behind, feeling something weird within him. He could hear her words from that morning fresh in his mind and although her words were something she said to him every day, he felt as though today they were different. She seemed mad at him from her demeanour. Did the secret that I thought wouldn't hurt anyone... hurt her? he asked himself.

As soon as the bell signalling lunch time went, Xiao Yu got up and placed his bagel in front of her. As Da Dong engaged in a conversation with An Qi, Ya Se looked over at Yu Yan and Xiao Yu. "Here," Xiao Yu said softly, "Sorry about this morning."
Yu Yan looked up at him and scoffed with a laugh, "Did you really think I cared?"
"You seemed mad earlier," Xiao Yu replied slowly.
Yu Yan pushed the bagel back to him, "I don't want it. Take it back."
"Take it; I'm giving it to you." Xiao Yu replied.
"Do you not have ears?" she hissed back at him, "I said I don't want your crap!"
"Are you still mad at me?" Xiao Yu asked.
Yu Yan kissed her teeth, "Did I say I was mad? I'm like this every single day!"

"Hey Xiao Yu, if you're not busy, could you play me some songs on the piano?" An Qi asked as she walked over to them.
"....oh... okay, sure." Xiao Yu smiled at her before turning back to Yu Yan.
Little Fish plays piano for her too? she asked herself calmly, before feeling a spark of irritation. She shot up from her seat and grabbed her bag. Before she left, she picked up the bagel and crushed it in her hand before sprinkling its remnants onto the floor. She then exited the room, triumphantly.

Ya Se smirked; I understand now, he thought before following her out.