Dance

Two weeks before the graduation ball, members of the school dance troupe taught the seniors the choreography for the first dance as part of the program.

After this first dance, the music will be random and anyone can dance anything.

During rehearsals, even though they were relatively close, Chen Kaori and He Zifeng never had the chance to pair up.

Chen Kaori was obviously disappointed, but kept her hopes that He Zifeng will ask her to the ball. She thought, 'We will end up dancing together anyway.'

It was before the whole asking-He-Zifeng-to-the-ball fiasco.

As she stood with Su Lianghao at the ball, she regrets it a bit that she did not insist on pairing up with He Zifeng during rehearsals.

Su Lianghao noticed her pursed lips. "Uh...are you alright? Would you like some drinks?" He followed her gaze and it was on the punch bowl.

Chen Kaori finally looked towards him with a gentle smile. Then she nodded her head.

Su Lianghao gave her a bright smile. "I'll get it for you." Then he brisk-walked to the other side of the hall.

Wang Zihan had a sly smile as she saw Su Lianghao coming towards their area. She whispered triggering words towards He Zifeng. When she got his attention, she chuckled. She removed her arm which was wrapped around his, then whispered, "I let you go now...but, what are you gonna do?"

He Zifeng noticed, with his filtered gaze, that Chen Kaori was standing alone.

"What are you waiting for? It's now or never!" With that, Wang Zihan gave him a subtle push from the back, which started his steps to the other side of the hall.

Chen Kaori tried to roam her gaze around the hall. She did not have any friends, just acquaintances, because almost all of the girls in her batch liked He Zifeng. She had always been around him, so they never liked her. She was too naive to mind because what was important to her was getting his attention.

She had a sad smile as she scolds herself. If she kept her distance from him, she might have had a friend or two. Her eyes dimmed as she gazed down to the pointed tips of her bloody red criss-cross strapped dancing shoes.

Suddenly, a pair of dark brown Oxfords came within her view.

Chen Kaori lifted her gaze with a smile, expecting that Su Lianghao was back with drinks.

Her forced smile cracked and her face turned gloomy as she saw He Zifeng before her.

He Zifeng's brows furrowed as he saw the shift in her emotions. 'Is she really that mad at me?' he thought.

"Chen..." he tried to call out to her, but stopped.

Chen Kaori stepped sideways to avoid him and to look for her date, as if she did not know the person standing before her.

"Chen Kaori..." he stepped to block her view. "...hear me out!"

She stopped moving to look at him sternly. "He Zifeng, I don't even have friends right now...because I kept being near you. I learned my lesson, so please...just stay away from me. I have a date. You don't need to look after me." Her voice was almost pleading at the end of the sentence.

She started her steps to walk away, but her arm was tugged by his hand.

"Chen Kaori...I...you...I can...I will look after you as I please. Why do you care so much about what people think?" He Zifeng wanted to bite his tongue. He should be asking himself that.

Chen Kaori struggled to free her arm, then she took a deep breath, "He Zifeng, you don't like me at all. I know that. I know that you only tolerate me for your parents. I really understand it now. I was just too slow to get it...I should've known better earlier. Now I don't even have anyone...because you are not even my friend!"

He Zifeng felt as if he was drenched in ice-cold water. "Who told you that?!"

His grip on her arm tightened.

Before Chen Kaori could answer back, the background music faded and a teacher's voice came from the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your partner and find a spot on the dance floor as we will start the program with the first dance in two minutes."

Chen Kaori had wide eyes. She moved her head to look for Su Lianghao again.

She spotted him running with a girl in a blue gown.

"Your date seemed to have sneaked out with mine." He Zifeng summarized what was happening to her.

Then he let go of her arm and held out his palm in a slight bow. "Well then, can I have this dance?"