*unedited*
Sun Hui felt himself stiffen even more at the statement as the words rang around the room and in his head. Has he been found out already?
Jon quickly glanced at Sun Hui, remembering that Wangzi Miren had been the guy at the club he had been with.
Sun Hui quickly slid off the ring and passed it to Jon from under the table. This granted him a surprised and shocked look from Jon at the sudden action.
I can't be found out now! It's too early! I need to keep him waiting!
"I think I would've known if we met," Sun Hui shrugged, acting nonchalant when really he was feeling anything but.
Wangzi Miren frowned, "I could've sworn we..."
Wangzi Miren's entourage were giving each other looks as their leader was talking to these low lives. He didn't look like he was going to beat anyone up, which was a first as the boss never dared to take the initiative unless he was really angry at the person. But for some reason he looked...apologetic and in sorrow? Who was this man and where was their scary, unforgiving leader?
Jon concealed the ring in his palm and threw Wangzi Miren a smile, "I can confirm. Hui Guniang never goes out. It would have been impossible to have met someone like you."
"Your eyes and hair look familiar..." Wangzi Miren trailed, sounding distant. He squinted, as if trying to find something that wasn't visible to the human eye.
His friends stiffened harshly when they heard the name. They had heard the rumors from his step-sisters in passing, and they knew he was the kind of person their leader would absolutely hate.
"Hey, Miren," one of them called. "Maybe you should stay away. Hui Guniang is the Hamiltons' brother. They say he..."
"Hui Guniang? Isn't that 'Cinderella,' a girl's name?" Wangzi Miren's lips twitched a little bit, but not completely into a smirk. He put his hands in his pocket and leaned forward, "Mine means 'Prince Charming.' Maybe it's fate?"
Lately, that's all I've been thinking for the reason of our numerous meetings, Sun Hui thought in a daze.
His friends cried in the corner. Did he not hear what they said? The Hamiltons! The wealthiest girls in the university, and probably even the prettiest! Surely hearing them complain about their brother would've irked him to no end? After all, Wangzi Miren might have been the biggest douchebag and bully, but when it came to women of interest he was a gentleman. Why did he only catch the name of the pretty boy from that?
"Fuck off, Wangzi. Can't you see we're trying to eat in peace and quiet?" Jon narrowed his eyes. Wangzi Miren whipped his head into Jon's direction, as if he had heard him but not noticed him until now.
"Who are you?" Wangzi Miren said, anger edging his tone.
"I don't think that's any of your business. But you better not be using any cheesy pick up lines on Hui Guniang just because he has a girl's name. A feminine name doesn't make him any more like the bitches you fuck. So leave him out of it, anything you used on them won't work on him," Jon said in distaste.
"You seem awfully close," he hissed.
"A friend," Sun Hui quickly said. Jealous lover meant no happy ending for Jon. "Why do you care?"
"Because..." Wangzi Miren blinked, then shook his head. "Never mind, I'm sorry for taking up your time."
And without, he left without another word. His friends gawked. He really did apologize! And politely!
"Leave," Theo, who had been quiet this entire time, gave an icy glare to the entourage who began to trudge out the door with scowls on their faces.
When they left, Jon tried to give the ring back to Hui Guniang.
"No, he could still be waiting for me when we exit. Put it in your pocket," Sun Hui said.
"And if he sees me with it?" Jon shuddered at the misunderstanding it would bring.
"He won't, and if he does, he won't believe it. You don't have the same hair and eyes as me. Plus, he already suspects me from my looks and name," Hui Guniang said. "He might just question you on who owns the ring. Which he'll most likely point back to me because of our 'closeness.' Still, I want him to think more about it rather than hand myself over on a silver plater."
"He clearly wants you," Jon said with a grimace.
"Not enough. I need him to choose me over anyone else. The only way I can do that is if he remains looking for my identity. He will be more concerned finding out who I am over accepting any girl or boy that flies his way," Sun Hui said, getting up from the table. "Let's leave now."
"You owe me for helping you out," Jon grumbled as the three left the building.
As soon as they walked out, Sun Hui was suddenly grabbed. He yelped out, gaining Jon and Theo's attention.
"Wangzi, you bastard! Let him go!" Jon yelled out.
"I just want to...ow!" Wangzi Miren groaned and let go of Sun Hui, falling to the ground. Sun Hui had stomped his foot as hard as he could on his Wangzi Miren's foot, then elbowed him in the stomach.
"He'll catch us eventually if we just run! Climb!" Sun Hui hissed, grabbing a hold of a tree and climbing it. When he reached the top, he hopped onto the next few trees until he felt satisfied he traveled far enough to a point where Wangzi Miren couldn't see him or catch him. He dropped down, followed by Theo and Jon. Together, they looked like they had been living alone in the wild all their life with the dirt and twigs stuck on their bodies.
"Why...why did we do that?" Jon asked, panting.
"Easier to lose him," Sun Hui answered, swallowing. "Come on."
Theo pulled him to the side when he saw Hui Guniang was just far enough ahead of them. "Did you know he could climb trees?"
Jon smiled nostalgically, "Yeah...he would always climb up trees, thinking if he did he could...see Dad. Of course, that was just a child's hope. Dad was far gone, nobody knew where he was. He didn't realize that until later when he grew out of it."
"One would've thought he was some kind of native with those skills," Theo shook his head. "He's fast."
"Only when his life depends on it," Jon chuckled. "Although...this reminds me of something. Didn't you say this story was completely ruined?"
"Yes," he frowned. "It didn't end up the way it should. There was too many disturbances. Why?"
Jon smiled again, as if he knew something he didn't, "Nothing. It's just...well, you wouldn't understand because you never heard the story before."
"What story?" Theo frowned.
"It's just that...I think the story is being fixed now. After all, the Grimm Cinderella escaped by climbing up a pear tree on the second night," Jon sing-sang, skipping away as Theo was left to his thoughts.
"What does that even mean?" Theo shook his head. "Humans don't make sense sometimes."
Wangzi Miren was still on the ground when someone noticed him. Taking the chance, she strutted over, making sure her appearance was appealing enough.
"Wangzi Miren...is that you? Oh my gosh, are you okay?" the girl rushed over, touching him tenderly as she helped him up. He swatted her away though, looking left and right. When his eyes stopped on the group of trees, he looked up. No sign.
"Wangzi—"
"Can you climb trees?" he interrupted.
Thinking this was a requirement he needed to know in order to like her, the girl smiled. "Yes, of course! Ever since I was a little girl. I was always...adventurous."
"Climb them," he pointed to the trees. "Tell me if you see a boy with blonde hair and blue-gray eyes. He is Chinese, like me."
The girl froze. She only knew one boy with that description and who could climb trees at the same time. He had always climbed trees with his father when he was around.
"Sure," she forced out. Time and time again, that bastard child kept interfering and ruining her life! When she found him...oh, she would act pitiful and make sure Wangzi Miren added him to his blacklist!
But when she climbed the trees under Wangzi Miren's watchful and eager eye, she found no one. She hopped back down.
"What are you doing?" he scowled. "Go back up there—"
"There's no one there," she frowned. "They're long gone."
Damn! I can't have Wangzi Miren beat him if he's not there!
"You sure?" he frowned.
"Positive," she said. "But, I can help you feel better..."
He swatted her again when she tried to touch him, making her pout. Why isn't he paying any attention to me?
"No, I just need him," he frowned, feeling sorrow and helplessness kick in. Why couldn't he have him, damn it! Did he not want him? He was so sure it was the boy from that club...!
She saw the sadness and dullness of his eyes. She began to wonder what happened between her idol and Hui Guniang. There was no way possible he could care for him!
"But, thank you for trying to help. You are...?" he asked, trying to get her name to thank her properly.
Her hope soared. Maybe she still had a chance to prove herself to him, to be his angel! She did her best to look concerned and angelically innocent. "I'm Piper Hamilton."
Hamilton. Why did that name sound familiar to him? Had he heard that last name before? He didn't bother to care too much. He nodded, and walked away from her. If he wasn't there, then there was no more reason for him to be either.
Meanwhile, Piper felt like she needed to teach Hui Guniang another lesson. He needed to stay away and not cost her opportunity!
She, too, walked away in a huff, leaving behind the group of trees. Upon closer inspection, they were seen to be pear trees.
(Hopefully the content of this chapter made up for my long absence).
The hate I'm getting on the first arc every now and then is starting to get really annoying *sigh*. Ughhh, why do people ignore warnings? The majority of them act so surprised when they comment and some kind of accuse me of not knowing what real life is -_-. I mean if they're gonna hate, they might as well specify and tell me what I can change to make it better for my revised edition instead of just complaining (which some are actually doing, and I'm thankful).
At least I'm not weak and caving in, I'm just getting really annoyed. Anyways, ignore me. They aren't important now.
I took a long, long break because I was on a race to catch up with my homework. I ended up having a bad first day of senior year and needed a longer break as I got used to my classes and got over some things. I'll try to update as much as I can between homework and other life stuff. I'm really busy because this is my last year at home before I move out to...become a proper adult...*shudders*. Which means next year...I'll be off in a dorm somewhere, writing. Anyways, you older people understand what's going on (maybe).
~Outcast