𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 ➝ Zhuo Zhi

05: Zhuo Zhi

Instead of feeling dread bubbling up within her, Jia Li seemed quite surprised at herself for being comfortable with a stranger. He shifted to take a seat beside her previous spot. Jia Li remained standing behind him, unknowing what to do. The tennis guy turned his head at her, "Are you just going to stand there?"

Jia Li flinched but slowly sat back at the edge of the bridge. A comfortable distance was between them. No words were uttered as they both gazed straight ahead, losing themselves in their own thoughts. The birds' chirps and the breeze were the only sounds around them — quite peaceful in Jia Li's opinion.

"So, what are you doing out here?" The tennis guy asked, still looking straight ahead.

"Photography." She answered after a lengthy pause. Her hands slightly raised the camera dangling around her neck to support her answer. "Um, you?"

"Taking a bit of fresh air." He hummed and leaned back slightly on one hand.

Jia Li took that as an opportunity to skim him over. She noticed how part of his hair covered his side profile; eyes half-closed, the same ghost of smile glued on his lips, and an unreadable expression served as his exterior. He had broad shoulders and a height and body built for an athlete. She immediately diverted her gaze away once the side of his lips twitched upwards, alerting her that she had been caught staring at him. Heat crawled up to her cheeks as Jia Li bit her bottom lip to prevent from embarrassing herself further.

Stupid.

Much to her relief, he ignored what she did and asked her, "What year are you in?"

"Two."

He nodded at her one-word answer, "I'm in Year Three."

She tilted her head, realizing that this tennis guy was in the same year as her brother. Were they perhaps classmates?

"Senior." She mumbled to which he hummed, silently asking her to repeat what she said. "Y-You're a senior."

"I am." He chuckled. "What do you think of your first day in Yu Qing?"

"It's alright."

The two of them fell into an easy conversation though it was mostly him asking her questions and her answering in one to three words. It was surreal for Jia Li to be talking with a stranger. Never had she spent a proper conversation with someone outside her family. Though there was an old friend but let's just pretend he didn't exist anymore.

Their conversation wasn't the typical one wherein they get to know each other's backgrounds, hobbies, and favorites. It was more like an interrogation about photography. Jia Li felt like she was tutoring a student who was interested in taking photos. But she ignored the exasperation within her, grateful that he wasn't pestering her with personal questions.

Jia Li soon found herself getting comfortable with his presence, leaning herself by a wooden pole, half facing him whilst seldomly capturing photos. The buzz of her phone interrupted whatever question the tennis guy was about to ask. Her phone screen lit, signaling a text from her brother.

'Where are you? It's past 8:00 pm already.' - the golden idiot

She glanced at the time in her phone and gasped. 8:30 pm. In panic, she quickly stuffed her belongings inside the camera bag before standing up. Her companion noticed this and immediately stood up as well, confusion drawn on his face.

"What's going on?" He gently asked.

Jia Li stopped moving briefly, glancing slowly up at him. She pursed her lips and straightened the creases of her clothes. "Um, it's late and my brother's worried."

A surprised reaction replaced the confusion on his face. Slowly, the tennis guy smiled at her. "You spoke to me in a full sentence."

She blinked, "I-I did?"

"Yeah," he smiled and gestured at the way behind her. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"No, thank you." Jia Li declined, knowing fully well how her brother would go berserk once he found out she was with a boy — a complete stranger to be precise.

He nodded and tucked his hands inside the pockets of his uniform, "Well then, I'll see you when I'll see you."

Jia Li smiled and started walking away. But before she could go further, she turned back only to see him still standing in the same position, looking at her as if he were making sure she had gone safely. He raised his brows as she approached him.

"Um, what's your name?" Jia Li shyly asked, casting her eyes downwards. She had been too comfortable with his presence that she almost forgot to ask for his name again.

"Zhuo Zhi." The tennis guy chuckled, amused at how shy she was right now.

Blushing, she glanced up at him, the silver moon shining between them. "Um, thanks. Bye, Senior."

"Good night, Jia Li." Zhou Zhi smiled.

Then after a short wave, Jia Li walked away, following the trail of the fairy lights until she reached the end of the bridge. She chuckled at herself upon realizing that she finally had a name to call him instead of tennis guy.

"Zhuo Zhi."

Why does his name sound familiar?

Her thoughts ran back to a memory where Da Yong and Jia Le were discussing about their team. It was then Jia Li remembered hearing his name from Da Yong. Was he perhaps a part of the tennis team as well?

Jia Li started connecting the dots. Zhuo Zhi had mentioned in their first meeting about a practice. And then he's a Year Two like Jiale. Was he the same Zhuo Zhi of the tennis team?

Lost in her thoughts, Jia Li hadn't realized she was already inside the house. The grandfather clock hanged on the wall displayed 9:03 pm. It was dark, and Jia Li silently groaned at how late it was already. She started tiptoeing towards the stairs until the lights flickered on revealing Jia Le, who stood by the bottom of the stairs with his arms crossed.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Kill me, now.