𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 ➝ Zhuo Zhi

04: Dramatic Partners

"First day, Little sis!" Jia Le ruffled her hair as he entered the living room. Jia Li rolled her eyes and attempted to push him away. "How was it? Did you make friends? Did someone bully you?"

"Ew, get off me! You stink!" Jia Li grunted, her nose scrunching up in disgust at her brother's sweaty clothes sticking to her skin. "And really? Do I look like someone who'd easily make friends?"

"I'm just glad you're attending Yu Qing. Now I could easily keep an eye on those boys who'd try to flirt with you!" The eldest ignored her comments and continued messing her hair.

Giving up from pushing him away, Jia Li leaned back onto the couch with her arms folded, "As if someone would dare flirt with me. I couldn't even get a friend how much more a boyfriend."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my naive little sister." Jia Le raised a finger at her, squinting his eyes. "With your Tang looks, who could ever resist you who's good-looking as me!" He proclaimed, dramatically spreading his arms with a dreamy look plastered on his face.

Snorting at his antics, she kicked him off lightly from her, causing him to fall off from the couch. "I pity whoever thinks you're good-looking. They're probably blind."

An offended frown washed over Jia Le's proud smile as he glared at her accusingly. But before he could retort, a visitor entered the room. He was clad in a light blue and white jersey uniform, similar to Jia Le's. But unlike her brother, who was covered in sweat, he was presentable. His eyes held amusement upon seeing the two siblings' positions.

"Chi Da Yong!"

Chuckling at her excitement, Da Yong walked over to them and ruffled her hair as well before settling himself on one of the available seats. "Hello, Jia Li. How have you been?"

"I've been alright until this idiot came home." Jia Le huffed as she stuck out a tongue at him, fixing her thin bangs.

Chi Da Yong — the other player of Yu Qing's Golden Partners — was a close family friend of the Tangs. Ever since he and Jia Le became partners for their team's tennis doubles, he had been visiting them occasionally after trainings wherein he happened to meet Jia Li in one. Other than him, no one else in the team knew about her. But Da Yong was trusted enough by the siblings that he wouldn't share her existence to the others. He was like her second older brother, willingly looking after her whenever Jia Le's unavailable — overprotective as well.

Besides these two, Jia Li wasn't familiar with their teammates, except for their names as she constantly heard them from Da Yong and Jia Le whenever they hang out at home.

"Are you guys going to practice here or play games?" Jia Li asked the two best friends, eyeing their tennis bags.

Da Yong shook his head, "We're just gonna hang out here. We're too tired to practice more."

"I could make some snacks." Jia Li suggested, standing up from the couch.

Jia Le perked at this after sitting opposite of Da Yong on the rug, their phones already propped on the coffee table. "Oh, make it double, Little sis! I'm too hungry."

"Who said I'd make you snacks?"

Offended by that, a gasp escaped from his lips, "But I'm your favorite brother!"

Rolling her eyes at his lame defense, Jia Li deadpanned. "You're my only brother, idiot."

"Exactly."

-☆-

Halfway through watching a show, Jia Li got bored and decided to take a stroll outside. Truth be told, she didn't get bored watching. Jia Li got annoyed because she couldn't understand a single word from what she was watching due to the startling yells that the best friends were shrieking.

"Chi Da Yong, we're separating from now on!"

"You're leaving me?"

"You're letting us lose the game!"

It was like listening to a dramatic scene wherein the lead characters were breaking up. Except in this part, it was only because Da Yong was poor at games.

Golden Partners who? More like Dramatic Partners.

Jia Li couldn't bear hearing more of their whines, so she shut off the television and went upstairs to get her cameras, phone, and wallet, stuffing them inside the camera bag before changing her slippers into shoes.

"Hey, where are you going?" Jia Le yelled upon noticing her heading outside.

"Out." She simply stated without bothering to look back at the two. "I'll be back before 8:00 pm."

Once she had finally stepped outside, Jia Li grinned in relief, feeling the soft breeze tickling her skin. She immediately went straight to the bridge — the place she had selfishly claimed the week before. Her exposed legs were once again, dangling by the edge; her elbows resting on the rails as her hands gripped her camera, trying to capture perfect shots of her surroundings.

It was a perfect alone time. But that moment soon disappeared when she heard footsteps coming from her left. The wind suddenly blew her hair to the side when she turned. Thankfully, it was secured in a ponytail, leaving only her bangs and wisps of her brown hair to slap her face. She closed her eyes, tucking the strands behind her ears.

"You know, I'm starting to agree with the thought that you really are a stalker."

A familiar voice pushed her eyes to swiftly open. Her gaze fell on the person towering above her a few feet away. His parted hair was slightly flying, the same ghost of smile painted on his lips. He was arrayed in Yu Qing's uniform, one strap of his backpack slung over his shoulder.

For a while, Jia Li remained shocked until she remembered what he said. Immediately, she stood up and shook her head, stuttering. "Um, I...I-I'm not a stalker."

He let out a short chuckle, "I know, I'm just messing with you."

Not knowing what to reply, Jia Li awkwardly shifted on her feet. Her lips pursed as she avoided looking at him, letting the wind's whispers interrupt the silence.

"Jia Li, right?"

She glanced up at him when he broke the silence. Nodding shyly in confirmation, her hands gripped the strap of her camera bag. She suddenly had the urge to ask for his name but was chickening out.

"Is this your favorite spot?" He gestured around at the bridge to which she nodded again. "It's my favorite spot, too."

Surprised that another person could appreciate the simplicity of this place, Jia Li gave him a small smile, hands lessening the grip around her bag.

"You don't speak much do you?" The tennis guy pointed out, noticing how reserved she was. Jia Li just diverted her gaze downwards, keeping the small smile on her face. "But I think you need to get used to me already."

Muddled at his suggestion, she frowned, trying to understand it. He softly chuckled at her confused expression which made her look at him.

"Because I believe we'd be running into each other a lot more often now."