"Does your hand hurt?" Aiyan asked. They were currently cruising through Bellrose, the small town they call home.
"Not too much," Yingfei assured her. She moved her wrist around just to make sure. "I don't think it'll affect me."
"Phew.. That's good. Tommy! The usual!" Aiyan called out to the driver.
Tommy peaked at the two girls through the rearview mirror. In this technological modern world, race wasn't as much of an issue as it used to be. Barriers were broken and most people just lived in harmony. "As long as you don't get me fired, sure thing." He proceeded to turn left to detour from the predetermined route.
"Thank you as always, Tommy," Yingfei smiled politely to him.
"Yeah! Thanks a bunch!" Aiyan hollered.
10 minutes later, they arrived at a small park.
They both looked around before getting out of the car. After signalling Tommy that it was okay to go, they left for the inside of the park. School had just ended so the park was filled with small children scurrying around the place. They walked around 10 minutes before reaching a small ice cream stall parked under a tree beside the park's small pond.
"Uncle Pan!" Aiyan waved. Both she and Yingfei skipped over.
"Nice to see you, Uncle Pan," Yingfei gave him a bright smile. They hurriedly stood before the small stall.
"There you are little ladies," a grey haired middle aged man smiled gently at them. He was wearing a normal white t-shirt and pants, with a bright yellow apron with an ice cream logo on top; the only thing indicating his occupation. He immediately took out cones and started filling them with ice cream. "You both are getting more beautiful each day."
"Hohoho. Thank you, Uncle!" Aiyan beamed. What woman didn't like to be praised. "I feel like my hair is getting too long but now that you've said that, maybe I'll keep it." She combed her auburn waist length hair with her fingers.
Yingfei shyly looked down at her feet from the compliment. She understood enough that the current her was anything but beautiful. "Thank you," she managed to say.
"Hey, chin up, Yingfei. You should be more confident. You ladies are beautiful in and out just the way you are. Here, got you your favorites," he assured her then handed both of them some ice cream. "Mint chocolate for the lil' flower and strawberry for the lil diva."
"Yey! You the best, Uncle Pan!" Aiyan exclaimed before grabbing her strawberry ice cream.
Yingfei giggled at Aiyan's antics as she took her chocolate mint ice cream. "Minty fresh," she gave Uncle Pan a grin.
"Haha, your tastes never change. So you guys have another meeting today ey?" he asked them.
Aiyan nodded her head. "Yes cause today's-"
"Today's another special day for our lil' Feifei!" a man's voice boomed from behind them. They looked back to see four other youths arrive.
"You guys are here!" Yingfei's eyes shone as she saw the incoming people, her shyness disappearing completely. There were three girls and one guy. The three girls immediately ran up to Yingfei and Aiyan and gave them a big hug. The one guy lagged a bit behind before also joining in on the hug from the outside.
"Has Aiyan been taking care of you well?" the well-built guy named Rouhe, pushed through and rubbed Yingfei's head. She beamed at him.
"She-"
"Of course I have!" Aiyan exclaimed. "Haven't I, Feifei!"
"Heheh. She has definitely," Yingfei giggled and went to hug her loud friend's arm.
"You see! You guys have nothing to worry about," Aiyan said triumphantly. She put her arm around Yingfei's shoulder, nearly dropping her ice cream in the process. They grinned at each other sillily.
The other girls just laughed at the two's shenanigans.
"That's assuring. We can't help but worry," said Noah, a brunette boy-cut haired tomboyish girl with glasses on.
"Yeah. We're graduating this time too. You both still have another year in you," mulled Rika, the girl with blonde shoulder length hair.
"Nah, they're fine, aren't they!" Rouhe laughed and turned over to the ice cream stall. "Uncle Pan! The usual please!"
"Rouhe! You move on too fast!" the final girl with black short pigtails, Meimei elbowed his back. "We were having a moment here!"
"OOF! Meimeeeeeeeeeiiii," Rouhe fell over.
"Hahahahaha," everyone laughed.
"I missed you guys so much," Yingfei sniffed. "Not being able to see each other even though we're so close is sad."
"Aawe.. It'll be over soon, Feifei," Meimei assured her.
"Yeah! Besides, with the tour starting tonight, we'll get to spend more time together. We get to be ourselves together again!" Aiyan chirped happily.
"Yeah!" everyone chimed in.
"Heheh," Yingfei giggled happily. "Thanks guys. Now let's eat some ice cream!" She pumped her arm in the air, accidentally flinging the ice cream in the cone in her hand.
"ACK!" Rouhe exclaimed, melted ice cream dripping on the side of his face. He looked at everyone pitifully. "Why.."
"Pft.. HAHAHAHAHA."
.....
"Really Feifei.. I can't wait for you to get out of school and out of these clothes," Meimei complained. "I would have broken that bastard, Shen's bones the moment he pushed you down."
Rouhe pretended to shudder. "Don't scare me like that, Meimei. I promise I'll be good."
Everyone laughed at him successfully lightening the mood.
"Hahahaha! Don't worry hun," she poked at him. "As long as I don't catch you cheating on me with some other woman."
"So you have to catch me first.."
"Excuse me?" Meimei glared at him threateningly.
"Nothing! Nothing!" he put his hands up in defense. "It was a joke!"
"Hahaha. Really, Rouhe," Noah chuckled. "Someday you're going to actually get your bones broken by Meimei if you keep joking like that."
He grinned sheepishly in return. "I know she loves me."
"Hey!" Meimei blushed at the side.
Seeing everyone laugh at the embarrassed girl, Rika eventually decided to help her out by changing back the topic. She turned to the center girl. "Meimei's the only one that knows martial arts amongst all of us. Maybe you yourself should take up some, Feifei."
"But then she would get all brawny!" Aiyan whined. "She won't fit in my clothes anymore."
"Just enough to take care of herself, Aiyan," Noah grinned. "Even if she does get brawny, it might become the new fad."
"Hahahaha! I'd like to see that become a thing!" Rouhe guffawed, earning another elbow strike from Meimei. "OOF!"
Yingfei giggled at the them. "You know what, maybe I will. I'll try and ask. If I get the okay, I'll find some time after practice."
"Yeah.. I don't think you'll have any problems with getting the okay," Rouhe claimed candidly.
"Definitely," Rika chimed.
"ππ¦'ππ definitely allow it. In fact, the moment you mention it, it'll probably be immediately put forward and made more muscle inducing," Meimei joked.
"But but!" Aiyan despaired at the thought.
"If you're so against it then πΊπ°πΆ take her place and be the brawns beside her," Noah teased the despondent girl.
Aiyan immediately shut up. The rest had thought she was averse to letting her girly self be muscular and had given up on it when suddenly..
"For Feifei, I'd do it."
.....