Chapter 5 Chap 5: Dream Of Love

The Next Noon

The summer heat was sweltering, sunlight glaring down, and cicadas buzzing relentlessly in the trees.

Inside a bubble tea shop near the school, the wall-mounted air conditioner was humming nonstop, blowing cool air into every corner of the store.

Four tall male students were seated at the innermost table.

Jason took a strong sipsweet, icy liquid slid down his throat, chilling him to the bone. "Ah, I'm alive again."

Kevin glanced at him. "You don't have to exaggerate like that."

"Why not? Five minutes of walking outside and I was drenched in sweat."

Sweat was dripping from Jason, and even after wiping with both hands, he still felt sticky. He pouted and walked over to a nearby table with a bright grin. "Hey there, beautiful, mind giving me a tissue?"

The girls hesitated slightly before handing him a pack.

"Thanks."

Jason returned to his seat, muttering, "It's so inconvenient without girls around. You guys are so rough you don't even carry tissues."

"That's just you being dramatic," Kevin said, nodding toward Ethan. "Look at him. Not even a bead of sweat on his face."

Ethan was still wearing his black baseball cap, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he leaned back lazily in the chair, legs crossed with ease.

A second later, he tossed his PSP to Eric, who had been watching him.

"Holy crap, I couldn't get past that level no matter what. How did you clear it so fast?" Eric stared at the PSP in disbelief.

Kevin mocked, "Have you ever beaten Ethan at any game?"

Eric snapped, "Not yet, but I'm not giving up. Let's play Dota. One-on-one. You up for it?"

Jason looked shocked. "Whoa, bro, you're serious this time? Bringing out your specialty?"

Eric had been playing Dota since elementary school-if not a thousand games by now, then at least hundreds.

Ethan took a drag from his cigarette, calmly stubbed it out, then looked up at him with a challenge in his eyes. "Let's do it."

Kevin whistled. "Now this'll be fun to watch."

Then he added, "What's the wager? Gotta make it interesting."

Jason glanced at the table, grinning slyly. "How about a month's worth of bubble tea?"

"Deal," Eric nodded.

The group chatted for a while longer.

Suddenly Kevin asked, "Hey, Kamikaze Squad why'd you drag a bunch of girls to lunch with us yesterday? Don't you know how A-Thuat feels about that?"

Something clicked in his mind, and he narrowed his eyes at Jason suspiciously. "Wait... you've got your eye on someone, don't you?"

Jason frowned. "Damn it, how many times have I told you not to call me that? We're not even friends if you keep it up."

"Hahahahaha! Okay, okay," Kevin doubled over in laughter and made a gesture of surrender.

Ethan cracked a smile too.

Jason = "Kamikaze Squad" he absolutely hated that nickname, finding it super unlucky.

Jason slurped his bubble tea, chewing on pearls as he mumbled, "I wasn't doing it for myself I was helping Ethan."

Ethan frowned. "What's it got to do with me?"

"How not? Let me ask you guys who's prettier, Angela or Lily?"

Kevin: "Lily."

Eric: "Lily."

Kevin thought for a moment. "Angela always feels a bit too princessy, dainty and delicate-not as straightforward as Lily."

Jason waved his hand. "Then that settles it. Ethan doesn't like Angela, so he has to like Lily, right?"

"Listen to this I ran into Eric Tuong from class 10A7 this morning. He said Lily used to be chased by tons of guys, but she rejected all of them and even made it clear she doesn't like guys who do poorly in school."

Ha! That one line had countless boys studying day and night.

Jason rambled on, clicking his tongue. "Tsk tsk, didn't expect her standards to be that high."

Eric rubbed his chin. "Well then, doesn't Ethan meet those standards?"

Jason nodded. "Exactly. You think I've been working this hard for nothing?"

Kevin grinned wickedly. "Then doesn't that mean the class nerd has a shot too?"

Ethan stretched lazily, completely uninterested in the topic.

"Boring. I'm out."

"Sir, here's your bubble tea," the staff handed Jason his takeaway.

"What, taking it back to class?" Kevin asked.

"What's it to you? I'll drink it when I want."

"You're getting mouthier by the day, punk."

"Hey hey, something's happening!" Eric nudged them, gesturing toward Ethan.

The girl Jason borrowed tissues from had just blocked Ethan's path and was saying something with a blush.

Turns out, she was asking for his phone number.

Ethan pulled his cap down low, hands in pockets, lips tightening into a thin line. Then he slowly recited a phone number.

What?! This was really happening? The three friends stared in disbelief.

Noon Break in the Classroom

The ceiling fan buzzed overhead.

A few students were slouched over their desks napping, or rushing to finish morning homework.

Emma turned and leaned in toward Lily, chin in hand, asking her sister to help with a math problem she hadn't understood earlier. She did some calculations on paper.

"Okay, and then what?"

No response.

"Lily?" Emma looked up.

"Oh," Lily, distracted, mumbled the next step.

But then she suddenly paused, tilting her head as if listening carefully.

Emma noticed too. She glanced toward the back row.

Jason whispered, "Ethan, did you really give her your number?"

"Seriously, what do you even like about her? Her figure? Face? I don't see what's special."

Kevin cut in, "Ethan's not that shallow."

"Oh, come on. You're the one who said you like pretty girls," Jason pressed on. "Don't tell me you gave her your number just 'cause she gave me tissues."

At that moment, Ethan was in Eric's seat, doing homework lazily. Occasionally he frowned at tough questions, spinning his pen with his slender, pale fingers.

He ignored Jason.

Jason took a deep breath. "Be honest. Do you like that girl?"

Ethan finished a question, then looked up slowly. "What do you think?"

Ethan was sitting opposite Emma, with one empty seat between them.

When he looked up, his gaze met hers-clear, bright eyes full of innocence, like a still lake that touched the soul.

He froze.

The frail girl at the desk in front had a pale face and stunning eyes that seemed to glow.

For a moment, everything fell silent.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting dappled light across the room. The scent of gardenias filled the air.

Emma lowered her head, expressionless, and quietly returned to her seat.

Ethan kept watching her slim figure, seemingly lost in thought.

Suddenly

"Holy crap, Ethan, you're evil!" Jason leapt from his chair, phone in one hand, pushing Ethan's shoulder with the other. "You gave her my number?! Shameless!"

Kevin leaned in to see Jason's phone and read aloud: "'Can I buy you bubble tea after class on Friday? Haha.'"

Eric slammed the table laughing.

Ethan, pulled from his thoughts, smirked teasingly. "What? Not happy?"

"Happy, my ass." Jason slumped into his chair, mumbling, "I'm not into immature little girls."

Lily tapped Emma's shoulder. "Don't turn around yet-I haven't finished explaining."

Emma looked at her relaxed sister and chuckled. "I got it now."

The bell rang.

"Back to class! Ethan, Eric, return to your seats!" their teacher clapped her hands.

Kevin shouted, "Isn't this a self-study period, Miss?"

Ms. Li replied, "We're using part of it to elect class officers."

She handed out blank sheets.

"Simon Shen, you'll tally the votes."

Half a Period Later

Lily was elected class president. Simon Shen became academic vice president. Ken Ji was chosen as class secretary, and Max Xia was selected as PE vice president.

Ms. Li glanced at the list and read aloud: "Next, two students will compete for arts vice president."

Vivian Shen and Nina Long went up to perform.

Eric: "Who should we pick?"

Jason: "Whoever's prettier."

"Are we being shallow?"

"Shallow, my ass. Arts VP always goes to the prettiest girl. Remember Angela from class 10A1?"

"Then pick Nina Long. She's a bit tan but has a nice figure very... romantically appealing."

Ethan was playing his PSP. His fingers paused briefly.

Simon walked around with the ballot box. As he was about to skip Ethan, Ethan stopped him, folded his ballot, and casually tossed it in. Simon paused for a moment, then moved on.

Ethan went back to playing like no one was there.

Jason leaned over. "Ethan, who did you vote for? You weren't even planning to vote earlier."

As Ethan cleared the level, he replied slowly, "Guess."

"Come on, not again. I've had enough of that line today."

Ms. Li frowned. "Jason, why are you shouting?"

Simon read the votes aloud.

Ms. Li wrote names on the board. About halfway through, it was neck and neck. Simon picked up one more ballot. After a pause, he read: "Emma."

The whole class gasped.

Emma looked utterly confused. She hadn't even run for the position. Why would someone vote for her? Was this a joke?

In the end, Nina Long was elected arts vice president.