"You seem to be in a good mood to treat me ice cream today," I noted as I dipped my spoon into my hazelnut caramel ice cream.
"Yeah, I'm happy that Xiao Yu and I aren't fighting anymore. I was getting tired of him distancing from me," Zhuo Zhi said, taking a bite out of his vanilla ice cream. "Anyway, I've heard that you're going to perform for the upcoming Youth Dance Festival?"
I nodded, smiling. "I didn't know you keep up with this sort of news."
Zhuo Zhi shrugged, stirring his spoon around. "The dancers in my class kept talking about it. Even our teacher encouraged us to go support the Festival. After all, the funds are for a charitable cause."
"Are you planning to go?" I blurted out suddenly. Secretly, I wanted him to come and support our performance, but at that instance, the memory of him walking by accident into the music room flashed across my mind. Yue En, stop making things look awkward! There isn't a need to feel embarrassed in front of your friend.
Zhuo Zhi might have made his true feelings clear towards me, and I might have resolved to forget my crush on him, but there was still the painful pang in my heart whenever I thought about it. Every moment we had together, I wasn't sure if I should feel that way because I couldn't forget, or if it was perfectly normal between friends.
"I'll see," Zhuo Zhi said, a twinkle in his eye as he spoke. "Tennis is pretty time-consuming, but perhaps after our competition next week I'd be free."
"Against Xing Yao High School, right?" I asked, recalling what Qi Ying had told me a few days ago when Ai Qi and I were with the cheerleading captains to finalise a few things.
"Correct," Zhuo Zhi gave a small grin. "I only hope we will be strong enough to win."
"You know, you don't have to force yourself to come to the Festival if you're busy," I told him, letting the sweetness of my ice cream dissolve on my tongue.
Zhuo Zhi chuckled lightly. "Why would I? I'm not forcing myself to go if I want to be there to support you."
I smiled at his words, warmth trickling into my heart. "That's sweet of you," I said. "So, have you gotten your placings for the competition yet?" I asked curiously.
"Mhm. I'll be playing the second doubles with Xing Long."
"Doubles?" I raised my eyebrows, questioning. "I don't think I've ever seen you in doubles before, have I? You seem more of a solo player."
Zhuo Zhi shrugged nonchalantly. "I would prefer to play singles, but I can work with doubles if I need to. I trust Ah Yan's calculations."
"Ah Yan?"
"Yan Zhi Ming," Zhuo Zhi added.
"Oh," I nodded, understanding as I slipped another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. I noticed how Zhuo Zhi seemed distracted and tense now as we talked about the upcoming match. "Hey," I called out to grab his attention. "Are you nervous?"
He sighed, then ate a spoonful of ice cream. He took some time to swallow it before admitting, "Does it sound cowardly to say yes, a little?"
"Not at all," I smiled warmly, trying to reassure him. "It's normal to be nervous. But I'll be on the stands cheering you on, just remember."
Zhuo Zhi laughed gently, his eyes connecting with mine. It was around late afternoon when the sun would turn orange and enhance the world to become another in a different light. The light streamed through the glass windows, reflecting off Zhuo Zhi's eyes and making them come off as a light chocolate-brown colour. "I know. I'll remember that."
I took my cup of water in my hand, raising my arm just above the table in Zhuo Zhi's direction. "Senior Zhuo Zhi, all the best to you!" I grinned.
Zhuo Zhi chuckled, grasping his cup and holding it up to mine. We clinked our cups together in cheers as we both laughed. "You'd have to do your best too, Yue En."
I giggled as we both took a sip of our water. I was content that things didn't feel awkward between us anymore. At that second, I remembered a certain random fact from somewhere, and I grinned as I recalled the memory. "Senior Zhuo Zhi," I said, "Did you know that in tennis when the scores are at zero, it's called 'Love'?"
"'Love'?" Zhuo Zhi raised one eyebrow in amusement, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
"I learnt that when I was overseas," I explained, smiling. "It's just an interesting fact."
Zhuo Zhi nodded, understanding. "So tennis scores always start with 'Love'."
"I've never thought of it that way," I mused thoughtfully. "But yes, I guess so."
Zhuo Zhi grinned at this. "How interesting. The score of love. The Love Score."
♡♡♡
I gaped at Si Yang, shocked as to what he told me a few moments before. "You--you're playing again? You're going to participate in the match against Xing Yao?"
Si Yang dabbed a piece of tissue around his mouth to wipe off the soup. "Yes. The doctors have said that my arm has recovered enough."
"Are you sure, Si Yang?" I shook his shoulder gently, worried. "We don't want those surgical efforts to go down the drain if your arm isn't well!"
"It's strong enough. I'm sure," Si Yang nodded firmly. "Xing Yao is a strong school, so I have to be in a match to let Yu Qing have a chance of winning."
"Don't let this be an excuse for not taking care of your arm," I scolded, sending a piece of vegetable into my mouth and chewing on it.
"I promise you that if my arm begins to hurt during the match, I will... forfeit," Si Yang told me hesitantly, reaching his chopsticks over for a piece of chicken.
I sighed heavily. If Si Yang was willing to sacrifice a win to assure me that he was okay, then it was likely that he was healthy enough to play the match. Still, that couldn't stop me from being anxious. "You'd better."
Si Yang rolled his eyes at that, and I couldn't help but grin at his childishness. I ate another mouthful of noodles before I heard Si Yang speak again, "Also, I have planned something that I want to tell you first before I tell my teammates."
"What is it?" I asked nonchalantly, slurping on my noodles.
"You know the upcoming term break that's happening after your Youth Dance Festival?"
"Mm,"
"I'm planning another tennis camp during the break. With Yu Feng High School," Si Yang declared.
"A second time?" I questioned. I wasn't surprised or shocked at this news, nor was I curious to know what it was about. After all, Si Yang had told me about their first tennis camp with Yu Feng before, their main goal being to train against each other for the High School League. I knew that Si Yang was acquainted with the Yu Feng Tennis Team's Captain, Xu Zi Ping, so I wouldn't ask how he managed to get Yu Feng to participate in a camp with Yu Qing.
Si Yang nodded at that. "Captain Xu Zi Ping agreed because he wants to train his team for the Nationals as well."
"Sounds fun," I half-grinned. "Wish I could go, though."
Si Yang sighed, mixing his noodles around in the soup with his chopsticks. "I mean, Qi Ying came last year. So did Xu Zi Ping's sister."
"But I'm not your sister, in the tennis team's eyes," I pointed out. "And I'm not the niece of anyone's coach. There shouldn't be any reason that I'm allowed to go."
Si Yang closed his eyes for a brief second then opened them, looking forlorn. "I know. Yue En, if there was any loophole that I can find, I'd really, really want you to go."
☆☆☆
Here's a little backstory of how the title of this book came about! And yes, 'Love' is what they call the score in tennis when it is 0.
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~ Snowy ♡