The next day...
"Did you start recording?"
A faraway voice sounded in Chen Jingyun's dream.
Interrupting her frying chicken nuggets session...
"Back off, he is already waking up." the voice was getting clearer and clearer.
Fluttering her eyes open, Chen Jingyun took a few moments to adjust her sight to the light. She looked like she was in a daze yet a little bit upset for leaving her precious dream.
The first thing she saw was Li Minghao standing beside her bed looking cool and handsome. He had one hand in his pocket and the other one was holding his cellphone. One of his fingers pointed at the person beside him.
That person was Luo Shao who was slowly lowering a bucket that seemed to be filled with water and wore a sheepish smile. He was obviously up to no good.
Next to him was Su Long who grabbed his cell phone with both hands and seemed to be recording her. He wanted to look normal but the look in his eyes betrayed him. He wanted to prank her the most!
"What... are you guys doing?"
"It was Su Long's idea." Luo Shao was the first one to push his comrade to the water.
"Shut up! It was clearly your idea!" Su Long looked away in fake indignation.
In the end, Chen Jingyun looked at Li Minghao. He had to be the reliable one among these three.
"It is Luo Shao's idea, Su Long strongly encouraged it, and I'm just passing by." Li Minghao lowered his cellphone and put it in his pocket in one swift moment. He looked quite innocent, but Chen Jingyun knew better with that glint in his eyes.
"Well, back off or I will be shaving your eyebrows during your sleep." Chen Jingyun ushered them away to make space for her as she stood up from her bed.
"That's really mean!" Su Long cried and stepped further away from Chen Jingyun, covering both of his eyebrows. "Don't you know my face is too valuable to be missing an eyebrow? No girl would talk to me."
Luo Shao, on the other hand, ran away with the water bucket and said. "It is just a joke, don't take it so personal Little Yun!"
"Hehe, then don't tempt me, or my hand might just slip..." Chen Jingyun laughed like a villain and went straight to the bathroom. Su Long and Luo Shao made sure to not be on her way.
When the bathroom door was shut, Chen Jingyun did her morning routine as fast as possible. On the other side of the door, Luo Shao and Su Long were slumping on their seats.
"He's definitely a sheep in wolf's clothing." The two of them said in unison.
"Remind me to never provoke Qin Yun. So short yet so vengeful!" Luo Shao sighed and wiped an imaginary sweat off his forehead.
"I second that."
Li Minghao only chuckled at the two of them and prepared for the day.
When Chen Jingyun came out of the bathroom, the three boys looked up from whatever they were doing.
"You are so slow." Su Long complained. "Only girls take so long in the bathroom. What the h*ll were you doing?"
Chen Jingyun froze up for a second then smiled naturally. "Mourning routine. Don't you know how hard it is to have such flawless skin?"
"Isn't water and cleanser enough?" Luo Shao perked up.
"It depends on the person." Chen Jingyun shrugged and changed the subject. "Anyways, why are we up so early? Are we doing something today?"
"First, we go for breakfast, and then we are going to the basketball court." Luo Shao answered her and started to pick up his things. "Dress up for sports, we are going to sweat."
"Me?" Chen Jingyun pointed at herself in disbelief.
"Yes, you." Li Minghao also stood up and grabbed a nearby black sports bag. "It will help you grow taller." He scanned her up and down, and made a disapproving sound as if saying she was too short for a man.
"Go on without me, I'm not good at basketball, and I don't think I will be able to grow any taller." Chen Jingyun rejected them.
"Little Yun, as your brothers we have to take care of you. If not to grow taller then just get stronger. How about that?" Luo Shao smiled sincerely, he did want to help her be stronger. "Look, basketball helps you get stronger, train your reflexes and speed. It is beneficial to your-"
"Okay, I will go." Chen Jingyun finally accepted making Luo Shao stop his moment of a sports coach. She then took out the appropriate wear for the event and turned to the bathroom to change.
"What are you doing?" Su Long was the first to ask.
"To change in the bathroom, duh." She passed by him.
"We are guys, there's no problem with changing here."
But I-m a girl, so there IS a problem with changing here!
Chen Jingyun thought to herself, but she was not going to reveal that. Instead, she smirked and decided to joke with Su Long a bit.
"Well, I'm afraid you might fall in love with my abs so I think it is safer if I change in the bathroom."
And then she closed the door.
"F*ck, I'm straight!" She heard Su Long complain and the others laugh.
This time she didn't take too long. When she came out of the bathroom once again, she was dressed in slightly baggy sport shirts and knee-length sports shorts that showed off her legs. They were void of any marks or mosquito bites, it was quite beautiful. Too beautiful to be a guy's legs, but no one said a thing about it.
If anything, Luo Shao and Su Long wanted to avoid her vicious tongue.
She took up a bag and filled it with her cellphone, identification cards, extra clothing, and water.
"Let's go."
-
It was a complete fail.
"I never thought there would be someone who was so bad at basketball." Luo Shao plopped on the ground. "Even Li Minghao and Su Long can't even carry you to a win, that's how bad you are!"
Basketball was a popular sport among men, so it was normal for a school to have at least five courts of them for all students to play. So when they got there they were able to play immediately. To ensure a balanced game they put Chen Jingyun to team with them. One inexperienced player with four good players in one team. It should have been a fair match.
But every time Chen Jingyun got the ball she dribbled the ball too high and too slow, making it easy to steal it from her. In time, her opponent decided to go easy on her, but it was a doomed game. She didn't make good passes nor scored any ball. She also got tired easily running. Basketball was such a taxing sport on her.
"I told you I wasn't good at it." Chen Jingyun pouted and turned away from Luo Shao. "I won't play anymore."
"Then stay here and watch how I play. Maybe watching outside of the game can give you an idea of the sport. Let's go." Luo Shao tapped on Su Long and Li Minghao as he stood up and yelled. "We're playing!"
A few heads turned and asked him. "What about the shorty?"
"He's not playing." Su Long heated Luo Shao to it and dragged him to the center of the court where people started to fire up as a match without her would be a serious match.
"Don't watch just watch Luo Shao, take a look at the whole team." Li Minghao also stood up. "Or you can just watch me, some call me King of the Court." Li Minghao smiled arrogantly which surprised Chen Jingyun.
Yesterday, when she first met them, she thought out of the three of them, he would be the one most difficult to befriend. But now...
Based on her understanding of him, he was a suave guy. He didn't take himself too seriously nor let others take advantage of him. He wasn't a joker, but he liked to tease from time to time. He wasn't very expressive, but he did small gestures that showed his emotions.
It was interesting to see because he was the kind of guy that seemed out of reach but he was getting more and more approachable. It was a nice progression.
"Alright." Chen Jingyun smiled back.
Then, she watched him walk away to the center of the court where everyone was lining up to chose their teams. He was chosen as one of the captains.
On the court, the teams were already chosen and the captains stood in the center with a referee in between. Li Minghao and his opponent weren't looking at each other but at the ball. The game hasn't even started but the tension was high. It seemed like it was going to be a good game to watch.
And with a whistle, the ball was thrown up and the game started. The two captains jumped high to get the first play. This time, Li Minghao got the ball to his side and Luo Shao swiftly caught it and started to dribble while the rest of the court adjusted their position according to the situation.
Unlike when Chen Jingyun played with them, this game was much more fast-paced than before.
Luo Shao got closer to the opponent's side of the court and managed to dodge the players on his way. Then he met another defense that didn't allow him to pass, so he gave the ball to another teammate who passed deliberately shoot it to the ring. But he didn't score!
Li Minghao's team lost the initiative to the opponent so they all ran back to defend and steal. The opponent made a long pass and got a teammate to dribble to the ring, but he met Li Minghao who was blocking the path. If went left, Li Minghao was there, if he went right, he was also there. Left without no choice the opponent decided to pass it to another teammate but Li Minghao stole it.
Faster than Chen Jingyun could understand, Li Minghao already bypassed his opponents and shoot for the ring.
Three-point score!
Li Minghao jogged back to his side and high five his teammates.
Chen Jingyun cheered loudly. She also admitted to herself, that Li Mingha's arrogant title was fit to be his.
In this match, Li Minghao's team won domineeringly with ten more points.
Chen Jingyun thought they would keep playing, but they did not. After shaking hands and whatnot, the three of them turned back to her and plopped down to rest and finished whatever they had left of their water bottle.
"So, did I look cool, Qin Yun?" Luo Shao, as always was the first to talk.
"Very cool." Chen Jingyun nodded and as she saw Luo Shao basking in the glory of her affirmation she then added with a grin. "But Minghao was cooler."That made Luo Shao dropped his smile a huff.
Li Minghao, on the other hand, smiled. "Thank you." He also nodded approvingly. He was encouraging her to bully Luo Shao.
"Whatever, I was going to be nice and teach you, but not anymore." Luo Shao turned away indignantly, but then he faced them once again with his hand on his stomach. "What are we going to eat for lunch? I'm hungry."
"Canteen?" I suggest, but Su Long shakes his head.
"Let go out to eat, we might meet a few girls from the sister boarding school." Su Long said and picked up his things. "You guys coming or not?"