Ask

Unlike other weekends, He Zifeng did not work overtime. He stayed in his bachelor pad drinking his morning coffee. It has been weeks since he learnt that Chen Kaori resigned. He has not seen her for almost two months.

He tried to get off work early everyday these days to go and park his car meters from the gate of her place to wait for her to come home from work, but he never caught a glimpse of her.

He placed his mug on the coaster and opened a secured folder in his computer.

He clicked to enlarge a photo, then he had a bitter smile.

It was a stolen shot of the brief chance of him after dancing with her at their graduation ball.

His recollection of what happened were still vivid.

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The school was hosting a graduation ball for the seniors . Everyone was worked up thinking how to ask someone to be their date.

A month before the set date, he saw Chen Kaori being asked by multiple guys, but she turned every one of them down.

He Zifeng knew she was waiting for him to ask her out, but his stubborn self wanted to do it the day before the ball. He did not want her to get all worked up and plan matching outfits and what not. He also believed she would ask him herself when she could not take the anticipation anymore. If she does not, he would ask her anyway.

Two days before the ball, Chen Kaori was stealing glances at him more than usual. He knew she will ask him to go to the ball with her that day. To give her a chance to do it privately, he went to the vending machine he frequents during break before the last class period.

He felt that she was trailing him and secretly smiled. He looked back towards her direction as he put money into the vending machine. He smiled even wider as the ribbon and the end of her braided hair revealed where she was hiding.

He wondered how many drinks he had to buy before she come to him.

As he was pressing to select his drink, he was startled as a female uniform suddenly appeared near him. He frowned as it was not Chen Kaori.

"He Zifeng! I reserved myself as your date for the ball. You don't have anyone yet, right?" Wang Zihan boldly declared to him.

"So?" He Zifeng had an icy look.

"I'm the best option for a date. Who else can you get who is better than me? You're not waiting for someone, are you?" Wang Zihan had a teasing smirk as she inched closer to his face.

"Is a date necessary?" he said.

Suddenly, Wang Zihan pulled onto his necktie and moved her face towards his. "If you don't go with me, I will tell the whole school that Chen Kaori is your girlfriend!" she whispered with a cunning smile.

He Zifeng's frown worsened. "You..."

"Are you going with me or not?!" Wang Zihan's voice sounded irritated the next moment. She said it almost shouting, as if she knew someone was listening in on them.

"Fine." He Zifeng answered with a gloomy face. He glanced at the end of the braided hair. It looked like the person behind the pillar was shaking. He sighed, then opened the bottle of juice he just bought and started walking while drinking.

"See ya at the ball!" Wang Zihan shouted at his retreating back.

He walked past the pillar pretending he did not know she was hiding there.

He frowned as he thought of who could take Chen Kaori to the ball.

Chen Kaori did not attend the last class that day.