“It would be very logical for you to know the perfect meaning of Teour, considering your parents were both Teours." She smiled, "Perfect examples of Teours in fact.”

Even blinked, “Really? They were?”

“Yes, can’t you believe it?”

Even shrugged, “Well, I get it that my mom was in Teour, but my fa-foster father?” She shook her head, “I don’t think so.”

“Why?”

“Cause he wasn’t such a….You know what? Let’s forget it. So, what House am I in?”

Even hoped that Ice Lady would dismiss the discussion about her estranged foster-father, and luckily, she did.

“Well…” Ice Lady slightly bent her body, opening a drawer connected to her desk. For a moment there, Even was tempted to look over it, but she decided against it.

Her enthusiasm was cut short, as Barbie placed 4 small diamonds on her table. The farthest to the left was the color of sun set red mixed with brown, earthy tone. Even somehow felt herself burning just by looking at it.

Next to it placed a bright yellow, trapezium shaped diamond. When look from another angle, it turns white. Though containing its bright and soft colors, Even felt that herself was torn with emotions.

It was as if she was separating from herself. Her curious side was standing alone, her sarcastic side too. And so did her anger, happiness, sadness and others, they were all…Standing alone, they did not want to get mix with each other.

Which scared the heck out of Even.

Even unconsciously curved a small smile upon her face. She was glad that she saw the color purple on the third diamond. It reminded her of a conflict when she was small.

Back when she was small, she used to love the color red and blue. She, being Even Wu Ying Jie that she is, ached her brain when deciding which of the two colors was her most favorite. Though her foster-father said that it was okay, and, in fact, normal to have two favorite colours.

She had been in the conflict ever since, until one day……

Even followed her parents out for a shopping trip. Though the trip was frankly, boring, Even stayed silent and not whine even for a second as her father held her and her mother did the shopping.

As a reward, her father let her picked out any toy she wanted. After eliminating Barbie dolls and a musical bunny from her most-wanted-toys list, she ended up standing in front of a rack full of big and fluffy teddy bears, looking completely sad.

Her then not so estrange foster-father crouched down to her level, meeting small Even in the eyes, “Ying Jie? What’s wrong baby?”

Even looked at her father sadly, she pointed to a red and pink teddy bear. “You want that want?” Her father asked.

Even then pointed to a baby blue teddy bear beside it, making her father sighed heavily, “Ying Jie, Mama and I have told you countless times, it is okay to have two favorite colours.”

“But…But…” Three-year-old Ying Jie stammered, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Her father smiled lightly as he gently wiped the tears off his daughter’s face. He secretly admitted that the saying ‘Little girls has their father wrapped up around their tiny fingers’ is completely true.

The little girl shut her eyes tightly, avoiding her father’s touch. She lightly pushed away her father’s hand from her eyes, replacing it with her own.

Through her little fingers, she can see a shadow appeared before her, “A little help?” Her father asked the mysterious figure.

Little Even could see her father standing as the figure replaced him. The figure-her mother, gently removed her daughter’s hands from her face. She little Even’s face lightly, and said, “Torned again? My dear?”

Even nodded.

“Well, what about we forget the teddy bears and choose something else?” She asked.

The little girl shook her head furiously, pointing at the two bears while stomping her foot, hard.

“Ying Jie, behave.” Her father warned.

The lady waved to her husband, “Shh, it’s okay Wu Zun.”

The woman in her twenties opened her hand bag and took out a shining object. Even could see a silver chain attached to its own end, in the middle hung a shining, heart-shaped locket.

She put it on her palm and showed it to her daughter, “Tell me Ying Jie, what colour is this locket?”

“Locket?” The little girl pointed to it, “This love shape?”

Wu Zun knelt down again, “Yes, the love shape, but we do not call it a love shape, we call it a heart shape.” He said.

“Or locket?” Little Even asked, curiosity filled her faint coloured eyes.

“Yes.” Her parents answered simutanously. “What is it’s colour?” The older lady asked again.

The young raven-haired remained silent again. She thought through and hard about the colour of the locket.Her eyes were closed, trying to pour an image of the locket more in her head. (even though it was right in front of her) It was dark, but not so dark. Come to think of it, it could be distinguish as a fair colour.

Though not bright, neon colours, if that even mattered.

The lady in her twenties resisted a laugh upon seeing her daughter’s face; it was damn cute if anyone asked her. But apparently, no one (cough*her husband*cough) did.

It was a fact, not a question waiting for an answer.

Wu Zun shook her head upon looking at his wife, how could the woman be so immature?

“Ying Jie? Are you okay, baby?” He asked.

Little Even shot open her eyes, narrowing her eyes at the locket, hard. Armed with a look that could kill, she pointed her short and fair index finger to the locket, “It’s not black, I know that.”

Her mother resisted the urge to laugh (again), “Yes…It’s not, Ying Jie.”

“It’s not white either.”

Both parents nodded.

“It’s a mix of both black and white. What colour is it, Mama.”

The lady beamed, “This locket,” She looked at the mentioned item, “is gray in colour. Gray, as you already know, is the mix of black and white. Gray is neither both of those colours, but it is made by the mix of the two.”

Wu Zun continued, “So, if black mixed with white makes gray…Then what about red and blue?”

Ying Jie’s eyes widen for yet another question asked by her oh-so-smart parents, seriously? Give her a break, she was 3! A three-year-old. Three-year-olds were supposed to play with Barbie Dolls and Teddy Bears, not get pop quiz from their parents every time they have a conflict.

Oh, she is so not eating the onion rings tonight.

Her mother smiled slyly and looked at her husband, “I suppose, if Ying Jie still can’t choose her teddy bear, we can just go to The Li’s for those tasty onion rings, don’t you think so?” She winked at him.

Oh, what a cunning young mother you are, Mama.

I know I’m your daughter, but you can’t possibly read my mind, can you?

Her mother giggled at her.

You can?

The man cleared his throat, “Ying Jie? The teddy bear? Do you want the red one or the blue one?”

Little Even remained silent for awhile, then, she spoke up, “Neither.” She decided.

Wu Zun felt confused, “Why?”

“Well…” She started, “Black and white makes gray, even though they are complete opposite from each other. So, if they can make peace, why can’t red and blue?”

Her mother smiled as her daughter continued, “Daddy?” She looked into her father’s eyes.

“Yes, Ying Jie?”

But she wasn’t a purple freak.

In the shining light, the third diamond radiates within the colour itself. Even could see a colour slightly brighter than the colour of her locket.

Purple and silver.

Interesting.

The last diamond was the smallest in shape, though the colour of it certainly made Even felt at home. Looking at it, Even could feel both the warmness of her mother’s hug as well as the coldness of her father’s attitude.

The attitude used to be warm, though it all changed on one fateful night.

“Icy blue, beautiful, isn’t it?” The headmistress asked.

Sorrowfulness filled Even’s eyes, she answered the older lady with a sad smile, “Yes. It was Mama’s favorite colour, in fact.”

Barbie smiled weakly, “You missed her.”

“I do.”

The lady leaned forward towards her new student, holding her hands with hers. Even looked down at her hand as she felt them freezing in coldness. She glanced up to her headmistress, and in silent, icy blue encouragement eyes met with sad ones, “I will do everything in my power to make you feel home, Even. Don’t you worry.”

Even nodded absentmindedly, knowing that nothing in the headmisstress' power could cure her sadness.

Moments passed before the headmistress spoke up again, “So, Even. You probably realized that these diamonds not only are different in colour, but also in their natural aura.”

Even nodded.

“They give different feelings to different students, and in the end, the aura that made the student comfortable the most, shall have its students.”

“You mean…” The younger lady trailed off.

“You are correct. These diamonds represent the houses in this academy. Now, I will not tell you with diamond belong to which hose, as I fear there will be signs of biased in your decision, though I’m quite sure you already knew which goes to which.”

“I…I don’t…What if I picked wrong?”

The headmistress looked into the poor girl’s face, “Even, trust your judgment. Either you go with your head, or go with your heart; the chosen house will still welcome you.”

The girl started chewing her lip, “But…I still……”

“Remember Even, there is always a reason behind every thing. Come my dear, choose.”

Even breathed slowly, pursing her lips tight, her right hand travelled to the diamonds. She picked up one of them and shut her eyes in fear.