𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 ➝ Zhuo Zhi

09: Photography Project

Three weeks after the study session was exams' week. Jia Li wanted to maximize her study schedule, but Jia Le was too caught up with his trainings in tennis and she never crossed paths again with Zhuo Zhi despite him agreeing to be her study buddy. It wasn't like she cared about it, but he insisted before that he'd help her study, especially with the lessons she found so hard to learn. To free her thoughts from revolving around his whereabouts, Jia Li ignored it and drowned herself in reviewing for the past few days. She had eventually become the coffee shop's regular customer as they had been seeing her every Fridays and weekends.

Today was no different.

It was Friday, which was the last day of their exams before resuming for another set of lectures in the following weeks. Jia Li exhaled a relieved sigh, dropping her head on her arms that were propped on the desk. She had just finished her last exam for the day and was very eager to drop by the coffee shop and relax with an iced coffee drink. Unfortunately, her plans would have to wait as her phone dinged, signaling a text.

'Please proceed to the Photography Club after your last exam for your task.' - Photography Club

Begrudgingly, Jia Li wore the straps of her backpack and clutched her camera bag in front of her, trudging through the hallways crowded with students and headed upstairs where the Photography Club's room was situated with the other clubs. Ever since she and Xueer had been accepted two weeks ago, the club had been assigning them in different projects. The last event she had documented was the school's Cheerleading Team. That was supposed to be her project for the entire year, but the club decided to switch her to a different one and gave the project to another member.

Once she had entered the room, the club secretary greeted her and gave her a sheet of paper printed with a whole list of guidelines and requirements she needed to do. As she scanned over it, the club secretary spoke, "I hope you do your best in that project, Jia Li. That'll be your permanent project for the entire school year. And no one wanted to take it, so we gave it to you instead."

Albeit confused, Jia Li nodded, not wanting to utter a word before heading out of the room. Her eyes zeroed at the title, Documentation of Yu Qing's Tennis Team. She wondered why no one in the club wanted to accept this project, considering how popular tennis matches were in high school. She put the thought away for a while and slid the paper neatly inside an envelope before walking to the subway station.

Along the way, she bumped into Xueer, who was panting heavily. The auburn-haired girl's eyes widened, and she sighed, "Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Photography Club." Jia Li simply stated, not fazed by her friend's outburst, and continued walking with Xueer falling along her steps.

"Oh, you got a new task?" Xueer asked to which Jia Li only nodded. "Where are you assigned at this time?"

"The tennis team."

Xueer suddenly halted, which made Jia Li confused. She turned around to see her friend nervously chewing her lips, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Something wrong?" Jia Li queried, uneasy with Xueer's sudden behavior.

"You got assigned to the tennis team?" Xueer practically jumped onto her, clutching her shoulders vigorously and shrieking. "That's so cool! I always wanted to get assigned there!"

"But the club told me no one wanted to take the project, so they gave it to me." Jia Li became confused. Surely the club must have asked Xueer's opinion first if she wanted to be assigned to the tennis team before giving it up to Jia Li instead.

Xueer pulled herself away and shifted her gaze everywhere, "Oh, um, they...they probably forgot to ask me."

Jia Li was skeptical with Xueer's sudden change of behavior but didn't show it. Instead, she resumed walking with Xueer chatting happily beside her. She didn't listen to whatever her friend was rambling, her thoughts clouded with confusion and doubt. Jia Li wanted to ask Xueer about the reason why no one wanted to document the tennis team but finally decided to herself to ask her brother instead.

Just for precautions.

-☆-

Upon finishing dinner, both siblings were instructed to wash and dry the dishes. Jia Le was rambling throughout the entire night, sharing stories about his trainings at school whereas Jia Li was quiet, which her brother had noticed was quite odd. Once the two of them were left to clean up the table, Jia Le nudged his sister, who flinched at the sudden push.

"What's running through your head, Little sis?" He smiled whilst drying the plates.

"Just a few thoughts." She mumbled, completely bothered.

"Care to share?"

She sighed. This was one of the things she loved about her brother. Whenever something was bothering her, Jia Le always made sure he was all ears for her to rant on and vice versa.

"I got another project in the Photography Club." She started; her eyes locked on the utensils she was rinsing but her mind was elsewhere. "They told me it was going to be my permanent project that would last for the entire school year."

"But?" Jia Le was honestly happy for his sister for breaking out her shell and being able to do publicly what she loved. However, he could also sense that there was hesitance and doubt in her words.

"They told me no one wanted to take the project, so they ended up giving it to me instead."

His eyebrows furrowed, wondering how her confusion connected with it, "So, what's wrong with that?"

Sighing, she faced her brother, "My project was to document the tennis team's practices and competitions for the entire year. I know nothing's wrong with that, but I'm so confused why no one in our club wanted to accept this project when your team is literally one of the famous teams in school and among the other schools."

Jia Le visibly frowned, which made Jia Li worried that she had uttered something bad. He shrugged and began placing the utensils inside the cabinets, "Remember the times whenever I'd go home frustrated because we lost again?" She nodded. "Well, ever since the tennis team had been losing every year, students lost interest in supporting us. It was like, it was permanently etched in their heads that we'd lose again and again. That's why most schools looked down on Yu Qing now. But it's okay, we're practicing very hard now, so we'd definitely win the National Championship this year."

He cheered as if their team's loss of support wasn't affecting him. Jia Li frowned at this and decided right there that from now on, she'd always watch his games and cheer him on. She would use this project as her advantage and disguise to witness his every match.

"You know," Jia Le's voice pulled her away from her thoughts. "I could sense that you're still worrying about something else."

Pursing her lips, she crossed her eyebrows before recalling the weird incident this afternoon with Xueer. She knew that it was wrong to doubt her new friend. But Jia Li couldn't help but be skeptical, like something weird was going on behind the scenes. It was as if Xueer was hiding something from her, especially with how Jia Li saw right through her lie about how the club may have forgotten to ask for her opinion.

Agreeing with his sister, Jia Le placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Now I'm really glad that you made a friend. But I also want you to be careful. Sometimes, the people you call your friends aren't really your friends. I just don't want you to get hurt again."

Brief silence interrupted them. To ease up the sour mood, Jia Li playfully saluted at him and grinned, "Yes, brother! I'll be careful!"

He only chuckled and ruffled her hair before placing an arm around her shoulder, "That's my little sister!"