20. Ramen

"What do you think you're doing Haji." Lhou asked seriously while using the mic causing them to grab the attention of students and faculty.

"What do you think?" Haji emotionless respond to his brother.

"Don't make a scene here." Lhou replied.

"Don't be like that, Lhou. They might think you are kind." Haji laughed in response but his worthless emotions were still there. Lia just bent over while listening to the conversation between Haji and Lhou. Even if she wanted to end that conversation, she could not because she was afraid.

"Let go of Lia. Many student and even faculty member as well as our family are here and watching your nonsense doing. Aren't you ashamed?" Lhou said angrily causing everyone in the hall to murmur.

"Stop it! Both of you! Aren't You ashamed ?!" the chairmans' shout. All the students there were silent because of that shout.

"Haji." the girl said again to Haji so he moved his head to see her face.

The young man quickly stood up while holding Lia's hand out of the hall. All the students were staring at them.

"Lia!" Xing shouted at her friend but at the speed of Haji's walk, Lia was unable to look back at her friend. Bulk and Xing looked at each other and sighed.

"What's wrong with your friend?!" Xing asked annoyed to Bulk.

"What do I know? I don't know either!" Bulk whispered to the girl and looked at the stage again. Even if she wants to follow her friend, she can do nothing but stay rather than look rude to others.

The rumor remained inside the hall. Others seem confused by what happened. The family of the Zhu seem to be angry with Haji's attitude especially his father. Lhou is trembling with his anger because of what Haji did but remained facing the students.

"Uhm. Sorry about that. Let's continue the orientation. I will pick another female student as an example." Lhou forced a smile and continue what his doing.

___________________________

"Come on Haji, ... wait." Lia gasped in response. "Where will we go??" she asked but Haji continued to pull her until they reached a bench under a tree on the side of the quadrangle. When they got there they immediately stopped. Haji sat down on the bench and looked away.

"What are we doing here?" Lia asked as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"What do you think?"

"It's your trouble! You brought me here and then you just pissing me off? What's wrong with you Haji?"

"Can you just sit down? You talk to much." Haji's annoyed response to the girl so the girl raised an eyebrow and faced him.

"You still have the right to be angry?! While you dragged me up here after you made an embarrassing scene inside the hall. Your annoying!"

"Embarrassing? You know you should be thankful that I did that to you. Do you know, every woman's dream to be with me ??"

"Ha! Then do that on them! Why me ??" the girl annoyingly replied.

"Because you're the one I want!" The young man's shout caused the girl to stop. She does not want to think of something or what it means but that is what enters her mind. Her heartbeat quickened for an unknown reason. She looked at the young man who was looking at the other side.

"You are the only one I can use to get my revenge on Lhou. No one else." the young man added, causing the girl to blink. She refreshed what the young man had said. The unknown feeling she feel suddenly changed.

"What did you say?" Lia response to the young man unbelievably.

"I'm leaving. I'll leave you here. We don't have a session tonight." said the young man and walked away from him. .

She followed the young man's gaze until it disappeared from her sight. She looked at the emptiness and rested deeply. She felt herself and she knew in herself she was sad.

Since she had nowhere to go, she also spent several hours on the bench and meditated. Even though he knew the orientation was not over, she did not go back there because she was shy so she immediately got up and went out the big gate. Because the guard knew her, she was immediately released and did not ask any more questions.

She walked until she reached their apartment. It was only 10 in the morning and she thought of going to sleep.

"Oh? You're awake!" Xing said as she came out of the room. She saw her friend watching Netflix while eating ice cream.

"Did you eat?" she replied as she headed to the kitchen to drink some water.

"Yes. You? I want to wake you up but you are in deep sleep. I also want to talked to you in case you. Are you okay?" Xing asked the friend worriedly.

"Of course. Why not?" Lia replied with a forced smile.

"You look so sad.." her friend replied.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired." Lia replied and patted her friend on the arm. "Don't worry."

"Are you sure? But, why did he do that? Is he had brain damage?" Xing asked.

"He said, he did that because he wanted to annoy Lhou." she replied while looking at what they were watching.

"Really? Why do you seem disappointed?

"Of course not. Why would I?" she replied and fake her laughed because what her friend was says is true. However, she didn't want to take it seriously.

"But, why you ?? Also, it looks like Lhou is really affected! I really think that he likes you!?" Xing asked her friend in shock but Lia just shook her head.

"That's vague. He just doesn't want to be embarrassed in front of the students. You know there are a lot of people there and their families are still there. He doesn't want the orientation to be messy especially now that his Grandfather has just arrived." she explained.

"Well, you have a point." Xing replied and eat her ice cream. Lia eat an ice cream too and watched the Netflix for a while.

After that, Lia immediately got up from their seat and went to her room to take a bath. After taking a bath, she immediately put on her pants and white plain t-shirt and white sneakers before leaving. She also combed her hair and perfumed it.

"Where are you going?" the friend asked as she watched her fixing herself. "Did you eat your dinner?"

"In work." she said."Nah. I'm gonna eat on convince store."

"Huh? I thought you didn't work for now? Didn't you have a session with Haji?"

"Nothing. So I'll go to the convenience store, so I can have an extra job. Don't wait for me, will you? Bye." she replied before leaving the apartment.

___________________

"$10 dollars ma'am." Lia said as she wrapped the old woman's purchases in the plastic bag with smile on her face.

"Here. Thank you." the old woman replied and gave the cash she handed over.

The old woman was about to leave but she still had a change because she paid $20 dollars. So Lia immediately went out of the counter and chased the old woman.

"Just a moment, ma'am!" she shouted and ran to catch up with the old woman.

"Ma'am. This is your change. Thank you." she said and bowed in front of the old woman.

"Thank you." The old man replied with a sweet smile.

She immediately went back inside the store and took ramen to eat while there were no customers. She also took out the fee and placed it on the counter. That's okay with them because there is a cctv watching them to make sure they are not stealing there.

She sat at the long table near her counter where you can see the outside because their store is made up of transparent glass. She opened it was equipped with hot water to soften.

After a while she opened it again and ate because she was really hungry. She get her bottled water and drink it. She saw someone who just entered the convinience store and went straight to the noodles section. She looked at it but she didn't see much of his face because he turned his back. She sipped ramen again while looking at the customer. The man turned around and go to the beverages section. She turned around and covered the food for a moment before standing up to go to the front of the counter.

"Good evening, sir." she said while fixing herself because she might have dirt on her face.

"Here." said the customer and put down the purchase. She punched the product before putting it in the plastic bag.

"$54 dollars, sir." she said and looked at the customer but her eyes widened when she saw Haji in front of her.

"Haji." she said while not believing looking at the young man. It did not speak but looked at her and brought his face closer to her, so she avoided but the young man touched her face and removed something on it.

"You only eat ramen?"