"You know what time of the year it is!"

Riley said happily as they gathered at the back of the coffee shop. They were waiting for their boss to come so they could start their meeting. "Then, we this must be what the meeting is all about, right, Xiu?" Xiao Hou said as he looked at Xiu. Xiu just smiled and nodded his head. "We need this before the hell week that is finals. And since it's just the end of the midterms, this is the perfect opportunity." Xiu explained. 

Pets and Sam gave each other a confused look. "What's going to happen?" Pets asked Xiu. "Well, every semester, we go on a team building. We do this, not only to bond, but to relax as well." Xiu explained. Pets just nodded her head. 

A few moments later, Jenni joined them. "Everyone's excited for the announcement?" she asked. Riley gave his boss a dreamy look. "I am, boss!" he said. Jenni let out a wide smile. "For this time's team building, we're going on a weekend vacation!" Jennie announced. Everyone cheered happily at that announcement. 

"Which place are we going, boss?" Marcus asked. "Well, there's a cute little resort down south called Sea Stars." Jenni said. Sam looked up at their boss upon hearing that. He knows that place. It was the resort that Xue Fu is currently managing. He fell silent upon realizing that. 

"So, we'll be going there this weekend, all right?" Jenni said. "I can't wait! I need this vacation." Ian said. "Me too!" Xiao Hou said. "Can I be roommates with boss?" Riley asked. With that, Xiu hit his head. "Don't be a ert, Riley." he said. 

Pets noticed Sam became silent. "Are you all right?" she asked him. Sam let out a faint smile. "I am. Don't worry about me." he said. He sighed, and looked away from him. He is thinking, what are the chances he'll bump into his ex-fiancee in this trip?

--

Wayne, Aaron and Ben met up at the school to have their lunch together. "Hey, do you think Grace wants to join us for lunch?" Aaron asked. Wayne shook his head. "Negative. She said she have to meet up with her classmates for a group project." Wayne said. Aaron let out a sigh, and Wayne noticed the sad look on his face. 

"Awww... Ya Lun misses Xiao Xing!" Ben . "It's not that... it's just that I'm used to always used to having lunch with her." Aaron explained. Ben and Wayne gave each other a meaningful look and a playful smile. "Ah, Wayne... do you want to go to the Foreign Studies building to see if Grace can join us for lunch?" Ben asked. Wayne smiled at him. "Can we? I also want to be sure that Grace is fine." he said. 

A vein appeared on his forehead. "You two..." he hissed at them. Wayne and Ben couldn't help but laugh at his annoyed reaction. "Eh, isn't that Grace?" Wayne said pointing at the building they are near. Aaron looked at where he is pointing, and saw Grace with her classmates. "Let's ask Grace if she wants to join for lunch!" the three of them said together. Wayne and Ben knew that's exactly what Aaron said so they mimicked him. Aaron could only glare at the two while they laugh. 

The three went to follow Grace. "Grace!" the three of them called. Again, Aaron glared at them. They called her again, but Grace didn't look at them. This time, the three ran after her. "Grace..." Aaron called again. When he caught up to her, he held her hand. 

Grace stopped and looked at him. "Oh, you're here..." she said as she let out a nervous laugh. "We've been calling your name a few times. Didn't you hear us?" Aaron asked her. Grace let out another nervous laugh. She heard him, all right. It's just that since that night they kissed, she decided to stay away from him for a while. 

"You did? Oh, I didn't hear." she said. Aaron wrinkled his brow as he looked at her. "Xiao Xing... Aaron here wants to ask if you want to have lunch with us." Wayne said. Ben nodded his head. "I can't. Sorry guys. I'm having lunch with my classmates today." she said. "Oh..." Aaron said sadly. Then, they heard Grace's classmate call her. "I have to go. I'll see you around, all right? Bye!" Grace said before rushing to be with her classmates. 

"Grace sure is weird lately. She didn't walk with us to school, and now she's not having lunch with us." Wayne said. "Aaron, did you do anything that upset her?" Ben asked Aaron. Aaron just let out a sigh. "I don't know..." Aaron said. "Is she avoiding you?" Wayne asked. Aaron's eyes widened upon hearing that. "No way! She can't be avoiding me. What would I have done for her to avoid me?" he asked the two. Wayne and Ben just shrugged their shoulders. 

--

[Aaron's imagination]

Pets = Xue Hua

Aaron = Xiao Lan

Xue Hua was peacefully sleeping on the bed, when the door swung open. She opened her eyes, and saw her husband enter their bedroom. "Xiao Lan?" she called. She saw him walking in crisscross, and he bumped to a few furniture in their bedroom. She stood up, and helped him. "Are you all right? You had too many drinks again, didn't you?" Xue Hua said. "Mind your own business!" he slurred at her. Xue Hua could only sigh as she helped him. 

She laid him to their bed. "Look at you! Why do you have to drink a lot, when you know you can't handle it?" she told him. He made some garbled sounds that she can't understand. She just let out a sigh as she stood up. As she was about to walk away, Xiao Lan held her hand. Xue Hua looked back at him. "Don't leave me..." he told her. Xue Hua stared at him for a long time. "Xiao Lan..." she mumbled. She sat on the bed again. This time, Xiao Lan sat up as well. He stared at her for a long time. Then, she lifted her chin, and kissed her on the lips. 

[End of Aaron's Imagination]

Aaron stopped reading that latest chapter, and looked up on the ceiling. "Weird, why is this scene so familiar? Like it already happened to me?" he thought. "Hey Aaron!" Pets said as she jumped to sit beside him. "Hey, Pets." he said with a smile. "I have a big favor to ask to you." Pets said. Aaron gave her a curious look. "What is it?" he asked her. "Well, we have a team building this weekend. And we're going on a overnight trip at the south. Can you help take care of Xiao Xing for me?" she asked him. 

Aaron smiled, and gave her a thumbs up. "Of course, I will. You know you can count on me when it comes to Xiao Xing." Aaron assured him. Pets put her arms around him, and smiled at him. "I knew I can count on you! You know, you're the only guy I trust my sister with. So, please take care of her while I'm gone, all right?" Pets said. Aaron nodded his head as he let out a nervous laugh. He doesn't know why but he felt guilty at the word trust. "What is happening to me?" he thought. 

"Wait, does Xiao Xing already know you'll be away for the weekend?" Aaron asked him. "I'm about to tell her."

"If this is for work,then does that mean Sam will go too?

Pets nodded her head. Aaron was shocked at that. "Guard your carnal treasure, OK?!" Aaron said. Pets looked at him for a long time, then burst out laughing. "Look, he can't do anything to me. Before he makes his move, I would have most likely have killed him. And besides, I'm not his type." Pets said. Aaron let out a sigh. "Just be on guard with him around..." Aaron told her. "He's not a kissing  monster like you!"

Aaron pouted at her. "I'm only like that when I'm drunk. And I only kiss guys." he told her. "The more that it's funnier." Pets said. Aaron could only sweat drop in embarrassment. 

--

Inside the twins' room. 

"What?!"

Grace exclaimed the moment Pets told her she'll be gone for the weekend. She let out a pout as she hugged her Spongebob stuff toy. "Then, what will I do while you're gone?" she asked her elder twin sister. "I'm sorry, Xiao Xing. I really needed to attend this team building. Besides, Aaron will be here to look after you. Wayne and Ben will be here too.  If you need anything, you can tell him." Pets told her. 

Grace's face became pale upon hearing what her sister said. "A-A-Aaron?" she asked. Pets nodded her head. Grace let out a nervous laugh. "I can take care of myself, Xiao Yue jie jie!" she said in a childish voice. Pets let out a sigh. "I know that. But still, if there's something you need, and I'm not around, you have to tell Aaron, all right?" Pets told her. Grace just nodded her head. 

After Pets left their room, Grace let out a long groan. "Why did she have to leave me with that kissing monster! What if he got drunk again, and kiss me again?" she thought. She let out a long sigh. It would be harder for her to stay away from Aaron. She felt everything became awkward for her when it comes to him. 

"Ah! I know!" she suddenly thought. "I'll just stay here in my room the whole day, and not get out so I won't see Aaron! Yeah, that's it. Then, I can finish all the chapters of my web novel. And assignments too!" she said. Then, she let out a smile. "Ming Xiao Xi, you're a smart cookie!" she told herself, then she let out a laugh. 

--

Wayne let out a sigh as he looked at the computer screen. "Then, what do you plan to do?" he asked. On his screen, he could see Wes in a confused state. "I don't know..." Wes told him. Wayne furrowed his brows. "You don't know?"

"What should I do?"

"You should stay away from Tia, that's what you should do!"

"But she's always following me."

"Then, try to stay away, all right?"

Wes let out a sigh. "I don't know anymore... " he said as buried his face on his hand. "Hey, tell me the truth... what do you feel about her?" Wayne asked him. Wes just sigh. "I think... I think I still like her?" Wes said. Wayne gave him a serious look. "You know, I think the reason why there is confusion in your heart is because there was no proper closure between the two of you." Wayne told him. 

Wes fell silent at what he said. "Maybe you should get that proper closure from her, and then stay away from her. Think of Fei Fei. You love her, right? Remember how broken she was when she saw Sam kissing another girl? Think of that moment. It will be a hundred times more painful to her if she finds out about you and Tia, because she's isn't just going to be hurt by her boyfriend. She's being betrayed by her best friend." Wayne said. 

Wes just let out a sigh as he looked at the screen. 

--

Friday afternoon. 

Pets got out of her room with her bag in tow. Grace soon followed her. "Xiao Yue..." Grace called her sister in a low voice. Pets looked back at her, and saw her pouting. "Do you really have to go? Please don't leave me..." Grace pleaded. Pets smiled at her, and ruffled her sister. "I'll be back before you know it." she told him. Grace could only pout at her elder twin. 

Just then, Aaron and Ben came out of their rooms. "Ready to go?" Ben asked Pets. Pets nodded her head. "Don't worry, I'll take care of Grace while you're away." Aaron told her. "I trust you on that, bro." Pets said. 

Grace could only sigh at them. "I won't let Aaron get near me..." she thought. "Where's Sam?" Pets asked. The two boys shrugged their shoulders. "Sam?" Pets called. There was no response from Sam. "Sam Lin!" she called again. Still, there was no response. "Sammy!" she called again. 

An angry tick appeared on her forehead. "Stupid idiot ert, they will leave without us if you don't come out now!" Pets shouted at him. In an instant, Sam came out of his room. "Patience, creature. I'm just making sure I had everything I need." he told him. Pets smirked at him. "You're as slow as a girl, you know that?" she told him. 

Sam looked at her, and acted girly by tucking his hair behind his ear. "Am I  a pretty girl?" he asked. All of them sweat dropped at him. "You look ugly for a girl." Pets told him. He let out a pout. "Fine. As long as I'm more handsome than you." Sam said. "Who says you're more handsome than me?" Pets said. 

Before the two could start arguing who is more handsome, Grace stepped in between them. "Before you two argue again, you two are handsome, OK?" she said. Sam gave Pets a smug look, while she rolled her eyes at him. "You two should leave or they will go without you." Aaron reminded them. Pets nodded her head. "All right, Sammy. Let's go." she said. The two of them headed to the door after they said goodbye to their roommates. The three watched as they leave. 

"Are you going to be all right, Xiao Xing?" Aaron asked Grace. Grace looked at him, but she froze when he walked towards her. "I'm all right. Don't worry about me." Grace told him. Aaron gave her a confused look. "Then, tell me what you want for dinner and I'll cook it for you." he said. "No need! I bought my own dinner. I'll eat inside the room." Grace said. 

Before Aaron could speak another word, Grace ran back inside the room. "Grace sure is acting weird lately..." Ben told Aaron. Aaron just shrugged his shoulders. 

--

Wes looked at his watch. He is waiting for Tia to arrive, as they agreed to meet up at the park that afternoon. "Wes!" he heard someone call him. He looked back, and saw Tia walking towards him. He let out a smile the moment she stood in front of him. 

"Sorry to make you wait. My photoshoot ended late." she told him. "It's all right. Are you ready to go?" Wes asked. Tia smiled, and nodded her head. She linked her arms around his, and they went on their way.