d a y  e i g h t----------------------------*

Shopping District, Beijing, China 10:00AM

It had been a peaceful walk, one he could have enjoyed more if only Miala didn’t make such a loud sipping sound as she drank her mango milk shake. And each time she did, Luhan flinched in irritation.

God, why am I being punished so much? He sighed and blew on his bangs.

SLURP.

....

SLURP.

“Miala.”

“Yeah?!” The heiress perked up as her eager eyes met his. He said my name again!

“How can everything about you be so—“

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Cute? Pretty? Beautiful??” she smiled from ear to ear, like a puppy eager for the attention of her owner.

 Luhan only rolled his eyes in amusement, a smirk forming on his lips.

“Annoying. So, very annoying.” He flicked her forehead softly making her pout.

“Slurp quietly. Aren’t heiresses supposed to be lady-like?”

The latter only shrugged as she chewed on some blended ice rather crudely, “Naah, those lessons were soo boring. Candy Crush seemed so much interesting” she grinned childishly.

He side eyed her. Some people have all the luck don’t they?

 It made him remember of how much he used to hate people like her. People who bathe in money while others struggle to find a dime. People who do not value what they have, how lucky they are and how the rest of us would kill to be in such a high pedestal. 

But he didn’t hate her.

He couldn’t hate her. He realized.

 Someone who has such a naive mind as her couldn’t be hated, you know? It only makes you feel bad about yourself. He sighed.

An heiress who thoughtlessly follows a waiter around, for what? To have a good time? She could BUY a good time. Yet.

“Yet she sticks with me..” he said quietly, observing Miala who seemed to be enjoying the cheap drink he bought from the a small stand along the way. And no, she didn’t stop drinking loudly.

Miala finished her drink with a grateful smile. “Thank you for the drink!”

And how does that compare to the shoes she bought for me? It doesn’t. But she never makes him feel inadequate; never saying she’ll pay him back or refund him. How he used to hate people like those; freeloaders. People would befriend him because he was popular in the university. They don’t even know a single thing about him.

But right now it’s as if—I’m the freeloader myself?

Miala saw him glance at her a bit longer than the usual with those unreadable eyes.

I wonder what’s bothering him.

“Luhan. Luhan. Luhaaaan, watcha thinking about?” she poked his arm, cutting him off from his reverie.

“You. Well, how anyone could be so annoying actually. It’s quite interesting, isn’t it?” he smiled sarcastically at her before looking straight ahead with his usual blank face.

“Pft, meanie.”

*--------------------*

“Xiaolu!”

Luhan abruptly turned to the unmistakably familiar voice who called him that nickname; the only one who calls him that.

“Jiejie..?”

Miala turned when she saw a tall, beautiful woman approaching them in casual clothes but had an apron on with splattered paint.

“Good thing you heard me the hundredth time! It looked like you were too busy with your girlfriend” she smiled then ruffled his hair.

“She’s not my girlfriend jie, and I see you still forget to take off your apron whenever you go out. Kinda embarrassing; how’re you going to get a husband with that” he smiled back with an eyebrow raised.

“Oh don’t you worry dear, he still has trouble in finding a girl prettier than him. But you!! You are so pretty! What’s your name?” she totally ignored him.

Miala giggled when she heard Luhan grumble, “I’m Miala, Jung Miala. It’s nice to meet you!”

“Miala, huh? Well I’d like to catch up more with my favorite didi, why don’t I treat you both to lunch? Luhan has this place he likes to eat when we were young, we will meet there in an hour. I still have to return with these cans of paint to my boss. See you later!” she pinched Luhan’s cheeks before taking off.

He sighed dejectedly, he couldn’t say no to her. “Let’s get to the hotel