"If you didn't have the heart to come to visit us, just say so.. No need to put it like that." The Da Jie peeked out of the kitchen as he heard Ming Yue Guang paying by the cashier.
"It's really not like that Da Jie. I really had no time!"
"Ya lah, ya lah. Go back and study for your final exams. Don't come back if you do not graduate with good grades." The Da Jie warned. From the way she spoke, anyone could tell that she was simply joking around with the little runt. She cared for him like he was her real brother.
"I will not let your hopes down," Ming Yue Guang gave a smile to the older and younger lady before leaving the restaurant, "I'll come back and visit another day."
"Bye bye. Also, little Li Ming, do come back and visit for a less spicy meal next time." The Da Jie sent them off before winking at Ming. She could tell that the young man had suffered under the hands of the little runt.
"Thank you," Ming bowed respectfully, before heading back to the University with Yue Guang.
Standing outside the restaurant, the Da Jie had a loving smile hung on her face. "The little runt has really grown up after all these years. Right granny?"
"Yes, indeed." Granny agreed with the lady boss.
The two of them had watched Ming Yue Guang grow up. His personality hadn't really changed over the years. Rather, his size had definitely gotten bigger and now, he was almost done with his schooling. To them, it was like he was their very own children and had watched him become an adult.
On the way back to the University, the two Mings walked along the pavement side by side. They continued conversing from where they had left off when they had entered the restaurant.
"So are you going back home now? Or would you be studying in the library again?" Ming Yue Guang asked. His hands were hiding inside the pockets of his hoodie.
Ming looked up at the starry night sky, before making a decision, "I'll be pulling an all-nighter in the library today."
"Hahaha! I expected that from you. Fine, fine.."
"What are you going to do now?" Ming asked him back.
"Mmm, what do you want me to do?" Yue Guang answered with another question.
"Huh? Why would you ask me that?"
"Well, do you want me to accompany you in the library or would you want like to study alone?"
"Why are you asking me to choose though?"
"Why shouldn't I ask you to choose?"
The both of them continued to answer each other with questions. A rather cute debate over nothing. In the end, Ming Yue Guang relented and answered his question, "Fine, I will stop disturbing you for now. I will walk with you to the school gate before heading home."
"Alright," Ming laughed lightly. What an interesting fellow, he thought inwardly.
The rest of the way, the pair didn't really talk. They walked side by side, taking the cold chilly wind to the face together. There was an aura of comfort surrounding the pair. When they finally reached the gate and they had to part ways, there was a vague feeling of reluctance in the air.
"Oh right," Ming Yue Guang took out his phone, realizing that he had almost forgotten something, "Could I get your number?"
"No, you may not," Ming said jokingly, but still took the older boy's phone and entered his phone number.
"Hehe, thanks. I will bring you to eat Mala Tang again another day."
"No! Next time I will order!" Ming retorted quickly.
"Bye for now."
"Bye."
With a wave goodbye, the pair separated for the night. While walking back to the library, Ming's phone vibrated. There was a mystery caller id giving him a call. Logically, there was only one person that could be calling him at that point.
He answered, "Hello?"
"Hey Ming." Not surprising at all, the caller was Yue Guang. "I forgot something."
"What did you forget?" Ming tried to recall anything that Ming Yue Guang could've forgotten.
"I forgot to say goodnight to you, so.. Goodnight Ming!" With that, the call ended and Ming stood still in the middle of the quiet school compound.
"What a ridiculous fellow." Ming scoffed at the other Ming. In his heart, however, was a warm comforting feeling that he had not felt in a long time.
In the library, Ming started to study once again. This time, his mind took a little while longer to get back in the zone. It wasn't because of the mind-numbing and spicy dinner that resulted in him not being able to focus. Rather, the interactions with Ming Yue Guang today was one of the most fun and enjoyable time in his life. That warm and comfortable feeling lingered in his body throughout the night, keeping him all cozy in the library that had bad heating at night.
After studying till seven in the morning, only then Ming feel a ripple of exhaustion spreading across his entire body. He had finished revising the entire syllabus for this semester. There was a lot more to do, but the scholar knew his boundaries. Studying any longer would just hurt his body further.
Just then, Ming's phone buzzed and lit up. The boy picked up his phone to check his notification. Low and behold, he had received a message 30 seconds ago from his cheeky senior.
Ming Yue Guang texted, "Good morning, fellow Mingster. How was your overnight session in the library *Yawn Emoji*"
"It was fine. *Smiling Emoji* How was your sleep?" Ming smiled while replying to Yue Guang. He had not texted anyone other than his family and Sato. Ming Yue Guang was the second person outside of his family.
"Oh, it was alright. I wanted to sleep more but then I realized that you must not have eaten. So I bought breakfast for you." The next line did not come from the phone. It came from behind Ming.