(French and English)
Shadows, laughter's, footsteps, voices, and chaotic presence of Seven Friends scatter upon the ancient rooftop of Palais Garnier, their favourite hide out. A place they all run to when things get rough, a place they find comfort and a place where their friendship all started. Seating on a piece of blanket, staring into the beautiful and meaningful sunset, bottles of champagnes and snacks, place in the middle of the blanket, seven friends were all silence but loud at the same time.
"I'll miss this," Tong Yao hugs her legs close to her chest, resting her chin on top of her knees and holding her glass of champagne. Lu Yue seating beside her, looking at his childhood rival with a roll of eyes before taking off his blazer and placing it on top of her shoulder.
Her friends look at her all with mix and different expressions. Trey and Jin Yang rolls their eyes so back that Tong Yao believes they finally saw their empty skulls. Mattheo chuckles and Theodore shakes his head. Whilst the father of the group only smiles and nod.
"You sound like you're leaving us," Lu Yue speaks, leaning backwards and having his palms resting on the ground, "Like literally leaving us,"
Tong Yao chuckles and look at her friends, "I cannot dare do such thing," she spoke before looking back at the sky with a smile, "I just miss him," she whispers against the wind. She feels the stares, the concern stares of her friends, but she ignores them...smiling she turns to her friend, "Do you think he'll ever wake up from coma?"
Theodore and Pierre instantly nod their head.
"Of course, he will," Theodore smiles, "He's a fighter,"
Tong Yao nods in agreement and smiles even larger when her friends smile and nod as well. They all miss him, his presence, his laughter, his jokes, his voice...everything. They miss everything about their eighth friends. The eighth friend that brings joy when things and days are dull, the eighth friend who's who personality is the sun. It feels so wrong to hang out in a place with so many memories of him but not with him. It feels so wrong to laugh and joke in such place...a place they use to laugh and joke with him.
Everything about the rooftop feels so right but so wrong at the same time.
Trey suddenly jumps up from seating and claps his hand together, getting the attention of his friend.
"You really cannot live without any attention, can you?" Mattheo jokes as Trey throws a small pillow at him, "Careful, we don't want to hit any pedestrian down there,"
Rolling his eyes Trey smiles again, before speaking, "Anyway, enough with sadness, I'm sure he will not like this if we're sad," he cheers the depressing atmosphere around them away, "Let's play UNO and whoever losses have to scream something embarrassing, scream so loud every Parisians can here you,"
Jin Yang stand up beside Trey and nods her head, "I like that idea," she smirks, "a perfect punishment," she laughs before turning around and lifting one of the stones and grabbing a treasure box, "We'll only play three rounds and then then just hangout," she reminds, knowing how noisy they'll get if they continue to play during the night.
Everyone else stands up and move closer to each other before seating back down into a smaller circle. Jin Yang place the chest in the middle and opens it, everyone smiles at the treasure inside, pictures, polaroids, markers, cards, card games, books, cameras, board games...so much treasure that hold a very significant and treasurable memories.
Grabbing the old and tatty UNO cards, Jin Yang closes the box and Trey sets it aside. Mixing the card around before passing them to each person, ending with seven cards.
"Who goes first?" Tong Yao questions.
"Youngest goes first," Pierre smiles.
"We'll go from youngest to the oldest," Theodore states, "We have to make sure you don't win," he smirks, and Tong Yao rolls her eyes before placing a card down, nudging Lu Yue to go next.
∼✧∽
They've played three round of UNO, Tong Yao winning in every round. Theodore, Pierre, and Trey have been the three people that lost and have yelled the most embarrassing and loudest monologue they can ever think of. Trey's one being the least embarrassing, yelling that he hopes 'Amora' shouldn't have retired at all.
Music plays loudly from such small speaker, each of the seven people's shadows connects into a huge one as they seat next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, swaying side to side with the music. They all stare at the sky, some of them smiling, some staring blankly as though they were deep into their imagination and some humming with the song.
"Guys," Tong Yao starts breaking the peaceful silence, "I have a confession to make, regarding my answer earlier in the interview,"
"About whether you're going to come back as a coach?" Pierre thought out loud as Tong Yao nod her head, "Let's hear it,"
"I've been asked to professionally play e-sport and I've already accepted," she says, interlocking her fingers with Lu Yue and give him a slight comforting squeeze before looking at the boy beside him, who's expression changes into a shame, "And I'm playing in ZGDX," she gives Lu Yue a hard and long comforting squeeze, giving him a smile as the boy look down in guilt and shame about his past.
A chuckle left Theodore's mouth, "It seems you really are born to be in the spotlight," he looks over to her, "Congratulations on your new career,"
Tong Yao smiles widely and look at Theodore and smiles, "Thank you,"
"I guess, I'll have a reason to watch e-sports now," Mattheo smirks looking at Tong Yao.
"Agree," Pierre nods his head.
Jin Yang sighs and looks straight dead into Tong Yao's eyes, pouting, "E-sport has taken my friends and boyfriend away," Trey can only solemnly agree and chug his champagne.
"TO AMORA WANG!" he yells, putting his empty glass up in the air, "May she continue to perform in the stage!" the rest laughs and did the same expect for Tong Yao and Lu Yue.
Laughing at her friend, Tong Yao shakes her head before looking at the guilty boy beside her. She stares at him in silence for a moment. Giving him squeeze for comfort before resting her head on his shoulder smiling.
"You know I forgive you, right," She speaks ever so lightly, "about the incident,"
Lu Yue nods his head, but didn't say anything finding a lump in his throat, "I know," he chokes lifting his face and turning to the side, looking at the traffic with tears welling up, "But I will never forgive myself,"
Tong Yao didn't know what to say to him at all and only hug his waist with her spare arm and continue to rest her head on his shoulder, "I know Ming-ge forgive you too, he doesn't blame you,"
Lu Yue chuckles, "He and you might not blame, but the rest does, and I blame myself too," quickly wipe the tears away.
"You were young, influence by alcohol, and immature," Tong Yao hisses softly.
"Not good enough reason," Lu Yue chuckles again, remembering the incident that he buried at the back of his mind, "I could have called the cops, tell Xiao Rui, or something," He laughs at his mistakes, "But no, I didn't,"
"You were trying to protect them," Tong Yao remarks, "I would have done the same if I were you, Yue," she says truthfully, lifting her head up just in time to see Lu Yue looking at her.
She flashes him a smile and wipe the tears away from his cheeks, "They'll forgive you too, once they know the reason,"
"Which they will never know, because you and Ming-ge will never tell," Lu Yue interrupts as Tong Yao laughs and nod her head.
"Now don't be a cry baby," She pats the head of her brother. Lu Yue rolls his eyes and wipe the tears away and smiles, "But I still cannot believe you've hidden this from Cheng-ge, he won't be happy you know, once he knows the truth,"
Lu Yue nods at the reminder of his protective but cold brother, "I know, but I don't want to worry about that," he smiles, "I'm more worried that Mattheo will have you as his future sister-in-law,"
The smile on Tong Yao's lips drops, removing her hug from Lu Yue and pushes Lu Yue's face away with her spare hand. Lu Yue can only laugh, he enjoys joking about Tong Yao being his future sister-in-law, loving the reaction he gets from her and Mattheo. Although, he bullies her for her height, Lu Yue truly don't care about that matter.
∼✧∽
12:30 am
Observing from the top, Lu Yue and Mattheo put their thumbs up as the security guard locks the gate and walk to his car, happily going back home to his family or bed for a nice rest. Quickly and quietly like little silent mice's, avoiding the piercing eyes of a cat, they crowd the empty and dark corridor, using their phone flashlight to lead them into an empty dance studio.
Trey being the last one in, closes the doors and clicking on the locks before he switches the lights one, finding his friends lazily and sleepily scatter across the cold floor. Rolling his eyes, Trey takes off his blazer throwing it to the side before joining them, resting his head on Lu Yue's thighs and legs resting comfortably on Tong Yao's thighs. None of them speaks, make a sound or anything of sort...filling the air with their breathing a drop of a rice grain will echo throughout the empty Palace.
"Can someone actually explicitly explain to me why people believe aliens aren't real?" Tong Yao voices finally asking the questions that's been stuck in her mind since birth.
Theodore looks up, stretching his neck slightly to look at his crush with a small frown, "You think aliens are real?" the moment he said that everyone in the room seat up and look at him as though he has offended their pets.
"You think aliens are fictional?" Mattheo looks at his own blood brother with disgust, moving himself away from Theodore and inching closer to Tong Yao, clinging into her arm as though Theodore were some random predators.
Rolling his eyes at his little brother, Theodore seats up and faces his friends, "I'm just saying, why believe in something that exist when we've never even seen one in real life," he says logically but only roll his eyes at the faces he receives from his friends.
"Well, say thank you to NASA Hunters," Lu Yue says with disgust written all over his face.
"NASA Hunters?" Pierre frowns, looking at the three youngest who nods their heads in sync, "What is NASA Hunters?"
"Astronauts that kill aliens, or rather, hunt aliens," Tong Yao says in a serious tone, looking straight into Pierre's eyes, "That is why we've never meet one in real life," Mattheo and Lu Yue only nod their head with Tong Yao's explanation whilst the rest of the team only look at the three musketeers with worry.
Shaking his head, Theodore goes back to laying down on the flooring, "Whatever, I still think aliens don't exist,"
"You are one crazy man," Trey throws him disgust expression, "aliens are real, it's just hard to show evidence because NASA keeps hiding them from the media,"
Rolling his eyes at Trey's statement, Theodore picks his phone out of his pocket and start scrolling through Instagram. Sometimes, Theodore questions his friendships with his friend, question every single day why they were friends and how they did even become friends...however he never gets an answer to his questions. With everything, the little nonsense they ask, the non-logical statements they give...Theodore wonders how all of them attends and graduate from prestigious schoolings. But nonetheless, he loves them.
Staying in silence, laying in silence with nothing but a soft music playing from the speaker, the seven friends somehow huddle up together, some laying their head on someone's thighs or tummy, nonetheless they look like a bunch of dead bodies thrown on top of each other.
Soon, the two Westwood brothers bid their farewell, saying something about Mattheo having to start an assessment that's due in 2 days. Pierre soon follows them, saying his goodnights, well mornight, giving the two girls a brotherly and fatherly hug before going back to his house where he will be meet with a loving fiancé that the world has yet to know.
Trey, Jin Yang, Lu Yue, and Tong Yao stay behind in the studio, seating shoulder to shoulder, leaning against a wall and staring at their own reflection, all thinking about something but nothing at the same time. A memory that grips his heart till its dry, Lu Yue's mind cannot stop but continue to reply the guilting memory. Jin Yang and Trey kooks over each other's phone, gossiping about everything and everyone they know. From the clothes they were and to possible scandals that surrounds the people. Lastly, Tong Yao seats in compete silence, drumming her fingers on her thighs as she thinks of multiple scenarios in her head.
"What are you thinking 'bout?" Trey breaks the silence, his loud but soft voice hovering the music. From the mirror in front of them, he stares at the two youngest, arching an eyebrow.
"Nothing," Lu Yue answers with a yawn, "I just want to sleep," he gives a lopsided grin.
However, the youngest pouts her lips, "I'm thinking about all the scenario of what would and could happen," she looks at them, "I'd have to tell Xiao Rui and Cheng-ge about me, Amora Wang, and Smiling being one person,"
Lu Yue frowns and snaps his head towards his best friend, "Wouldn't ge already know?"
"No, they only know my ID name, Smiling," Tong Yao shakes her head and Lu Yue nods again.
Jin Yang leans over and look at her friends, "What scenarios have you thought of?"
"First, Xiao Rui-ge will freak out and scream, second, Cheng-ge will use this to black mail," she pouts knowing that the second one isn't a dreaming scenario, "Third, it all goes well, they accept and agree to help me burry this in pit and we talk nothing of it,"
Lu Yue and Trey frowns again, "Why would you want to bury it?" the two ask at the same time.
"Because," Jin Yang speaks for Tong Yao, "The mess it will create, will be too big to clean up,"
Tong Yao only nods and continues, "Plus, I don't want them to say, I only got the position because of my background,"
"Why'd they think that?" Trey frowns, "You obviously got in because of your skills, your own cousin didn't even know you were Smiling,"
"Because they're toxic," Lu Yue yawns, "Fans of E-sport Industry are fucking toxic, they run their mouths before knowing anything and the truth,"
Trey shivers at the statement, "Just like in this industry," he rolls his eyes.
"To be fair," Jin Yang yawns as well, wiping the tears off her eyes before finishing her sentence, "Every Industry is toxic,"
Tong Yao laughs at her friends, "We need to go now," she too yawn, "We're yawning non-stop,"
Laughing the four of them stands up, Lu Yue and Trey put their blazers on as the girls put their warm coats on as well. Walking out of the room, turning off the music, Tong Yao was once again the last person one, looking at the dance studio...her dance studio she smiles and switches the lights off before closing the door.
Turning her heels she jogs after her friends, hooking her arm with Lu Yue as they noisily walk down the empty corridor and to the back exist. Laughing loudly, talking loudly, not caring about the echoing in the place.
Closing the door of the back exist, the four were meet with two cars, one for Lu Yue, Jin Yang, and Tong Yao and the last car for Trey. Going to his car, Trey's bodyguard opens the door for him, however before he steps inside, he looks back and speaks.
"I'll quickly collect Biscuit and drop her off," he says.
"You can do it tomorrow," Tong Yao says looking at the time on her phone, "It's late,"
But Trey shakes his head, "I'm sure you miss her so much after four months of being away from her," he laughs, "Plus it'll be quick,"
In defeat Tong Yao nods her head, "Alright,"
Trey bid his goodbye again before going inside the car, his bodyguard closing it before jogging to the passenger side. The three friends continue to wave and yell their goodbye, watching until the car disappear from their sight before going inside their own car. Lu Yue, being a gentleman opens the backseat door and places his hand on the edge of the top of the car, making sure the girls won't bump their head. Closing the door, he jogs to the passenger seat.
∼✧∽
Lu Yue drops dead on the couch, shoes messily taken off and place at the shoe rack. Jin Yang ignores him, kicking by the ankle and ruffling his hair before going to her bathroom, removing her make up and taking a long warm and relaxing bath. Tong Yao rolls her eyes at him, going to the kitchen and grabbing a cold juice she brought from a Filipino shop. Joining Lu Yue on the coach, she opens the TV and goes to Netflix, putting on a show she's been obsessed with.
Moments later, her doors slam open and Trey walks in, taking his shoes off and putting on a house slipper. He drops the duffle by the kitchen counter and joining Tong Yao on the couch, dropping her cat on her lap as he steals the drink from her hand and gulp it in half.
"Go get your own," Tong Yao sulks before going back to peppering her cat with kisses.
Trey rolls his eyes finishing the drink before going to the kitchen, grabbing the same drink and few snacks before giving it to Tong Yao, ruffling sleeping Lu Yue's hair in the process before he plops himself back beside Tong Yao, watching the Netflix show with her, the snacks in the middle of them.
Watching the last episode, Jin Yang comes out of the bathroom in her robes, and wet hair dripping, she greets Trey by ruffling his hair, stealing few bites of the snacks before going to her room to change into a sleep wear.
"You probably should tell Yue, to go to his room," Jin Yang announces her presence dress in a comfortable clothing, seating on the other side of Tong Yao, next to a sleeping Lu Yue. Reaching over the she grabs a snack and open it, focus on the drama before glancing at the boy next to her.
"Lu Yue," Jin Yang nudges the boy earning a sleeping hum as an answer, "Take a shower and go to bed already," Groggily Lu Yue seats up, rub his eyes, ruffle his hair and wabble to the bathroom, clicking it lock.
∼✧∽
The moment the last episode finishes, Trey left saying something about having a family brunch he needs to attend at 10:30. Jin Yang also goes back to her room, whilst Tong Yao stays in the living room, scrolling through her social media before deciding to go back to her room.
Walking pass Lu Yue's bathroom as she switches the lights off, she knocks softly, "Ah-Yue, I'm going to leave the lights here open okay, just switch them off after you finish showering," receiving an answer, Tong Yao leaves the lights open in the corridor before entering her room with sleeping Da Bing in her arms.