The next day, Ya Nuo showed up to class looking more attractive than usual. Girls swarmed around her like bees to flowers asking where she went for the past days. After hearing that she was sick, they offered to buy her lunch, medicine, and other things that would make her feel better.
Like always, Ya Nuo fixed her hair slightly and gave a warming smile, "Thank you for your care, but I'm already recovered so I don't need any of the things you all offered. Here, I brought a bag of candy. You girls like sweets right? Take some."
After the group of girls left, Ya Nuo's eyes locked in on Hen Qing because ever since she entered the room, she knew she was being glared at. After they made eye contact, Hen Qing turned her head around and took out her notebook for class. Huan Hei smiled when he saw Ya Nuo in class and took the seat next to her.
Huan Hei: "Nuo! You're finally back!"
Ya Nuo: "mm.."
Before lunch was gymnastics class and for each class session, two girls and two guys are chosen to clean up the gym before leaving. Today, it was Ya Nuo, Huan Hei, Hen Qing, and another girl's job to clean up.
Ya Nuo acted like her normal self, finished her tasks, and offered to help the other girl with her remaining work. The basket of volleyballs needs to be moved to a different storage room so Hen Qing suggested Ya Nuo and the other girl to do it while she and Huan Hei collects the other equipment.
Ya Nuo and that girl left as planned and Hen Qing took this opportunity to get close to Huan Hei. She knew that the equipment needed to be put back to a specific equipment room so she asked him for help in moving the last few tools to the room. Huan Hei wanted to finish the job early so he could eat, and that was the only reason why he decided to help. Plus, he would have a guilty conscience for not helping a girl who is struggling in front of him.
In the middle of class, Hen Qing hid the already prepared bottle of water in the equipment room when nobody was looking. So all there is to do now is to trap the two of them in there and when he gets thirsty, he will drink the water that she prepared.
'Everything is going as planned…. Now… let me just lock the door from outside and close the door from behind…'
Click
Huan Hei: "What's that sound?"
Hen Qing: "Huh? You probably heard wrong."
She followed him into the equipment room and let the door slam shut.
After they finished putting the tools in its original location, they turned around to leave. Huan Hei's face froze when he couldn't open the door. He continuously shook the door knob and banged on the door calling for help, but nobody came.
"We're trapped in here" He calmly said as he looked for tools that could break the knob from the inside. Unfortunately, none of the equipments were useful in breaking locks so they could only sit and wait for somebody to open the door.
Huan Hei took a seat at one of the corners and told Hen Qing to sit anywhere, but near him. Hen Qing pouted and fake tears streamed down her face, "I..I'm s.scared..and you're so mean to me...what did I do wrong? Did you think I would purposely lock us both in here? I hate small spaces...and it's so dark in here" she crouched onto the floor and wanted to huddle closer to Huan Hei.
He found her crying voice extremely vexatious, "Would you stop crying? I didn't even say anything yet and you're making it sound as if I'm accusing you. It's really annoying." He moved further away every time she tried to get closer.
Hen Qing hiccuped and wiped her tears after noticing his displeased expression, "But.. but I'm just scared. I'm afraid of the dark! Do you not believe me?" she slipped her hand to the corner where she hid the bottle of water and put it in her pocket.
Huan Hei didn't bother responding to her so he closed his eyes and hoped that somebody will come for them soon. All he wanted was to get out of the room, so he could see Ya Nuo and eat with her like before.
Minutes passed by extremely slowly for the two of them. The smell of sweat and musty equipment filled their nostrils, and it was getting unbearable. Hen Qing wasn't actually afraid of the dark, but she used it as an excuse to huddle a little closer to him. For a long moment, neither one spoke.
Hen Qing wasn't used to the silence between them, '....I must have you drink this water! Others might discover that we are gone soon and come look for us! Even though it's lunch now, teachers will come and check if everything's been put away.'
"Huan Hei, are you thirsty? You must be after doing all that work right?"
His stomach growled, "I'm not thirsty." He rejected decisively with no gaps of hesitance.
"Who knows how long we'll be trapped here. I have a bottle of water. You can drink it if you are thirsty."
"No, I'm okay. Why don't you drink it? You lost more water from crying so much earlier."
"It's okay since women are made of water. You did most of the lifting work so you should have it. Or is it… you think I did something to it or that I touched it so now you think it's dirty? If you don't drink this, then I'll tell everyone that Ya Nuo is a girl and you two are dating each other!" tears filled her eyes again.
In addition to the fitness exams that he performed during class, he didn't sleep well lately because of his fight with Ya Nuo, so he was mentally and physically drained. Once he heard her threat, he surrendered to her request.
"Ugh!! Roll it over. I'll drink it. Stop your threats" he opened the water and drank a few sips of it. He was thirsty after all.
'Yes... you took the bait.'