Not Sure, Not Me

2

"I didn't know that you stayed opposite me." Xueer remarked as she stopped in front of her dorm room.

Jiaqi curiously looked at Xueer and before she could stop herself, she rambled, "I knew that we share the same route back to the dorm buildings but it is really a surprise to find out that we actually stay in rooms, opposite each other. Did you move in recently? It used to be empty."

Sweetly, Xueer smiled.

"I just moved in last week from another building due to administrative matters. I guess this makes us neighbours, Jiaqi."

There she goes again with 'Jiaqi'.

Jiaqi really is unable to fathom how her name can sound so light and gentle. In China, there are many people with many names. In one of China's top universities, which they are currently enrolled in now, there are probably even more Jiaqis than what Xu Jiaqi can count on her fingers.

Does Xueer call the other Jiaqis the same way? With the same familiarity of a long lost friend?

"Yes. Neighbours." Jiaqi agreed with a nod of her head.

Jiaqi gave Xueer a taut smile before she turned around to unlock her dorm room's door with her room card.

"Wait."

Jiaqi paused as she looked over her shoulder at Xueer.

"We don't have to be just neighbours, Jiaqi. We can be-"

Jiaqi did not hear the rest of Xueer's sentence as she quickly entered her room and slammed the door on Xueer, leaving Xueer bewildered in the corridor.

With her back against the door, the blush that Jiaqi was trying to hold back since the dance practice room spread from the base of her neck to her face.

What was that?

Both of them shared the same thought.

...

The next day arrived and both Jiaqi and Xueer found themselves crossing paths in the school's crowded library.

"Hi Jiaqi." Xueer said as she stood in front of the table that Jiaqi was occupying.

A palpable tension could be observed from Jiaqi as her entire being tensed and her face froze.

Jiaqi slowly looked up from her papers, meeting eyes with Xueer.

"May I sit here?" Xueer asked.

"Uhm...Sure. I was just about to leave." Jiaqi replied as she frantically got her papers together.

The slight trembling of Jiaqi's hands did not go unnoticed by Xueer.

"By any chance, have you found your project mate yet?"

"...Project mate?" Stopping her actions, Jiaqi questioned.

"Project mate... for coding." Xueer smiled as she took the seat beside Jiaqi.

"Coding...? No. Coding... Oh. Oh my god. I completely forgot about that!" Jiaqi gasped as her eyes widened.

Watching Jiaqi being animated, Xueer's eyes turned into crescents as she smiled. "Wait. What do you major in again? I take Business."

"I take English." Jiaqi replied.

"Oh! Then, do you happen to know Yu Yan? She takes Business English. Haha, the three of us, Business, English and Business English!" Xueer clapped her hands enthusiastically at the realisation.

"Yuyan? No." Jiaqi shook her head, "But wow. What a coincidence... Haha!"

Not able to hold herself back, Xueer bursted into laughter at Jiaqi's expense.

"Are you always this adorable, Jiaqi?"

A-adorable?

"No. Goodbye." Jiaqi tried retreating once again.

And, once again, Xueer stopped her.

"By the way, the deadline for the pairing up of project mates for coding is tomorrow and everyone has paired up already. Shall we be project mates, Jiaqi? It would be a good opportunity for us dancers to get to know each other better. Besides, we are neighbours, we could pull all nighters together if the need arises."

Hearing Xueer's convincing explanation, Jiaqi realised that it did not matter if she said yes or no. Either way, they were going to be project mates.

"Okay. Let's work together on coding. However, I would prefer to keep our interaction to a minimum. Don't talk to me unless it's necessary." Jiaqi acquiesced.

"And.. why is that, Jiaqi?" Puzzled, Xueer questioned.

...

Jiaqi's eyes hardened as she remained tight-lipped.

...

"Alright then. Let's introduce ourselves properly." Xueer stretched her hand towards Jiaqi.

"I am Kong Xueer. Year 2 Business."

Hesitating, Jiaqi looked at Xueer's hand and her own hand. Timidly, Jiaqi slowly reached out her right hand. Grasping Jiaqi's hand firmly, Xueer shook it.

"Xu Jiaqi. Year 3 English."

Just then, the light hit Jiaqi's hand at an angle, making the iridescent butterfly hairband on Jiaqi's wrist sparkle. It was a simple black band with a small iridescent butterfly in the middle.

Before Xueer realised what she was doing, she was reaching to touch it with her free hand that was not holding onto Jiaqi's hand.

However, Jiaqi was faster and she pulled her hand away from Xueer, got onto her feet and left with her papers. Not before she shot a heated glare at Xueer and announced,

"I will be leaving now."