Special Someones

Chapter 9 False leads

Saturday, Feb 2

Xue Ge joined Matthias and his mum for a nice breakfast of nasi lemak. The dining table was unusually large considering it was normally just Matt and Puan Afeen in the house; it even had a dining turntable in the middle with an ornate vase full of flowers.

"You're pretty quiet this morning, Matt," Puan Afeen said.

"i'm always quiet," Matthias said.

"I suspect you overdid it yesterday. You should try to pace yourself better. Now you're out of social juice. You should make an effort to talk to Xue Ge or he'll feel awkward."

Xue Ge smiled at Matt, giving him time to think of something to say.

"Xue Ge. i'd like to ask you something."

Xue Ge nodded. "Can. Ask lar."

"why do you want to date Jennifer."

Puan Afeen and Xue Ge choked on their nasi lemak.

"Matt, I'm not sure if that's an appropriate question to ask," Puan Afeen said.

"why not. he asked me to help him date her. i think it's perfectly natural for me to ask him why he wants to."

I think the point is that you shouldn't be asking in front of your mum, Xue Ge moaned to himself. "Matt, I don't know say what."

"i kind of predicted that response," Matt said, then to his mum, "mum can you help explain dating then."

"Again? We've been through this before," Puan Afeen replied.

"in the current context that explanation doesn't make sense. we're far too young to get married. so the courtship process seems pointless at this juncture."

Xue Ge noted, Again with that logic that defies common sense. "Want know her more mah. No because want marry."

"why don't you just call it something else like have a meal. the term dating is also used for courtship."

"Well, not all dating is for the purpose of courtship. Some start early to get a feel for dating. There's value in meeting different people before commiting to one. So that later one doesn't have... regrets," Puan Afeen explained.

Xue Ge felt a little uncomfortable when she put it that way.

"practice in order to better inform a future choice. to find the right lifelong match. like doves or lovebirds," Matt said.

"Yes, you could say that," Puan Afeen said, "That's an adorable comparison, Matt."

"so is going out for a meal together considered dating or not."

"Intent matters, Matt. Sometime you're just enjoying someone's company. But when it's for the purpose of dating, you're trying to find out if someone is the right fit as a partner. Or present your own good points," Puan Afeen tried to explain.

"like how male birds of paradise will dance around potential mates."

Something about that comparison made Xue Ge feel a little uncomfortable, but he couldn't quite place it yet.

While looking at Xue Ge, Matt asked his mother, "so if a guy decides to show off his best dance moves to someone that means he's trying to tell the other person that he wants to mate."

Xue Ge's eyes went wide in horror. "No, wrong! Don't think wrong things!"

"i'm not the one giving out so many mixed signals," Matt said.

What mixed signals are you talking about? Xue Ge wanted to kick Matt under the table.

Puan Afeen 'ah'-ed in understanding. "That guy"--peered at Xue Ge--"could just be showing off. Didn't Xue Ge say he wanted to date Jennifer?"