Zhong Ji Yi Ban were eating at a cafe on the ground floor of the hospital and the class were just as lively as ever. Tian Xin had asked for permission for the whole class to take the day off to see their hospitalised classmates. She thought it was best to give them some freedom as building up any anger and resentment towards the attacker in class during lessons was quite dangerous. So here they were, eating sweetened food at a cafe together - it was her treat as she wanted to lift everyone's mood.

Wang Da Dong, Wang Ya Se and the Cai sisters were seated together at a table, digging into their food. "This isn't a healthy lunch," Yun Han muttered, "Mei, I've prepared a healthy lunch box, you should eat it rather than this sugary stuff."
She handed her sister a bento box with a range of small healthy dishes.
Wu Xiong shook her head and she stuffed with a forkful of chocolate and ice cream covered waffle. "I want to eat what Ya Se eats," she smiled as she continued to eat.
Yun Han sighed with annoyance, "Ya Se Wang, you're being a bad influence on my sister. All she eats these days are sweets and desserts!"
"Hey, King Kong Jie Jie, what's a few sweets every once in a while?" Da Dong spoke, "Life's too short to be missing out on food like this!" he exclaimed as took another mouthful of his bubble waffle.
"Wang Da Dong, you just eat too much." Yun Han snorted as she ate from her own lunch box.
"I agree," Ya Se grinned, "Egomaniac, you've eaten Xiao Yu's crepes and you still have room for a bubble waffle?"
"You both eat unhealthily; I hope you won't pass your bad habits onto my sister." Yun Han commented, "I can only trust Ding Xiao Yu to not negatively influence my sister. He's much more sensible than the two of you."
"Eh? Speaking of Xiao Yu, where is he?" Ya Se asked.
"Oh yeah, he's missing out on this great bubble waffle." Da Dong added, "He didn't even touch his crepes."
"I saw him going to the roof." Wu Xiong spoke up.
"The roof? Why would he go there?" Ya Se asked.

"I saw Jiang Yu Yan go up there earlier!" Jin Bao San popped up out of nowhere, "Maybe he's going there to confess his love - oh, how romantic~!" he babbled, overreacting as usual.
"Jin Bao San, when will you say something useful for once?" Ya Se questioned, annoyed, "Leave us alone."
"The normally quiet Ding Xiao Yu, Yaoming de Xiao Yu, King of Endurance is going to confess his love to the mysterious new transfer student, Jiang Yu Yan, Zhong Ji Yi Ban's new enemy?! How daring, how romantic, how-" Jin Bao San's waffling was put to an end when the four friends seated at the table yelled "Jin Bao San!" and simultaneously hit him.

"Jin Bao San, no one wants to hear your nonsense so shut up and leave us alone!" Da Dong barked.
"Yes Dong Ge.." Jin Bao San then trudged off towards his table of followers.
"Gosh, he is so irritating sometimes!" Yun Han stated.
"You mean, all the time." Ya Se corrected.
"Right." Yun Han nodded in agreement.
 

*~*~*

Xiao Yu opened the door to the roof of the hospital, holding onto a stripy blue and white paper bag. He saw Yu Yan leaning against the wall and looking up at the sky and he approached her.

"The whole class is being treated, how come you're all the way up here?" he asked, looking down at the city below.
"Why does it concern you?" Yu Yan asked.
"It doesn't," he replied before handing her the paper bag, "I've got you a sweet bagel."
"I never asked for anything from you." Yu Yan replied, not once turning her head to face him.
"You're right, you didn't. But I thought you might be hungry." Xiao Yu answered.
"I don't need your useless acts of kindness, you should mind your own business." she informed him, "Leave me alone."
"You know..." Xiao Yu began slowly, "I'll give you some advice."
"Oh?" Yu Yan snorted, amused, "What advice can a little fish like you give to me?"

Xiao Yu ignored the little fish comment, "You should change your attitude towards the students in Zhong Ji Yi Ban or you'll become an enemy." Xiao Yu explained, "They already don't like you because the way you speak is-”
"Who do you think you are?" Yu Yan cut in, annoyed, "If they don't like me, is that supposed to bother me? Am I supposed to care whether I become your enemy?"
"Da Dong wants the atmosphere in Zhong Ji Yi Ban to be easy with no tension because we're not in any position to deal with any outside problems. Internal conflicts will make things worse than it already is." Xiao Yu explained, "I don't mean to bother you or anything but-"

He was interrupted again when Yu Yan snatched the paper bag from him. "What's a bagel?" she asked, changing the subject, "You've been talking way too much for my liking and on top of that your words are annoying. You might as well tell me something useful."
Xiao Yu was caught by surprise, "Oh... you don't know what a bagel is?"
"I've been blind for the past 15 years, how am I supposed to know?" she asked as if it was the most apparent thing in the world.
"It's a bread roll in the shape of a ring," he answered.
"So it's just bread? Why does it have its own name then when it's a boring food?" she asked, "What makes it so special when it's just plain bread?"
"You should try it and see for yourself-" he paused in slight panic, "Uh... I mean taste-feel-smell for yourself??" he began to stutter, wondering if he had offended her.
Yu Yan exhaled, "You don't have to panic, I know it's an expression. Plus, you can't offend me with such a small thing like that."
"Oh." Xiao Yu nodded simply, "Okay."
"Now hand me that bagel, I want to see what all the fuss is about." she demanded, putting her hand out towards him.

He did what he was told. Xiao Yu took the cream covered bagel that was topped with strawberries out of the paper bag and placed it in her hand, "Be careful, it can get a bit messy with all the cream and strawberries," he informed her.

He watched her take small bites as she fixed her gaze on the view from the roof that she wished she could see. He found himself staring at her face again, this time it was blank and held no expression. It was as though she had pulled down the bubble of hostility around her and although she spoke insolently, he felt like she was more willing to converse with others when in this mood - not that she wanted to though. Her aura wasn't exactly friendly, but she felt more approachable. Maybe if he took the time to get to know her, she wouldn't be their enemy anymore - some people just took time to break out of their shell and maybe this was the case with Jiang Yu Yan.

"Do you like it?" he asked, breaking the almost peaceful silence between them.
She faced him, "It's not bad." Xiao Yu saw the birth of a small smile on her face but then it immediately disappeared and Yu Yan's face returned to being emotionless.
"I'm not used to eating such foods," she added after a while, "...Thanks," she mumbled, trailing off.

Xiao Yu couldn't help but smile; this was the first time she had been nice, maybe she wasn't as bad she appeared to be. "You're welcome-" he was cut off by Yu Yan's sudden outburst.
"But that doesn't mean were on good terms or anything, you're still an annoying fish," she exclaimed, "...but not as annoying as your classmates," she finished quietly.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Xiao Yu replied.
Screwing up her face into a scowl, Yu Yan turned to leave, "Take it how you want. But I'm not trying to make friends with you," she spat.

With that, he watched her leave the roof. Deep inside the depth of his heart, something ignited within Ding Xiao Yu, something warm that marked the beginning of something new. It was the start of unforgettable memories that would bring joy and pain, laughter and tears - a roller coaster of emotions that would shape his future.

The corners of his lips curled upwards and he followed her out.