'Thud'

Xiao Yun closes her locker and took her bag. Suddenly she felt her nose itches and blow her nose with a tissue, ' Is someone talking about me...?'.

Xue Xiu Yong lean his back on the door accompanied by Nie An who stands next to the door. Like fire and water, the two keep on fighting with each other.

" Xiao Yun! You're done? " Xiu Yong call her name loudly as he sees her getting closer to the door. Nie An quickly pushes Xiu Yonh's back that hinders her view, loudly she waves at her, " Xiao Yun! Xiao Yun! Let's go! "

Xiu Yong frown for a while, " Hey little mice, who told you that she'll be going home with you? Today, I and Xiao Yun will go out together with only two of u- "

" Aiya! Who told you that? " Xiao Yun intrudes his sentence, her palm hides her mouth as she whispers next to him.

" You didn't say that I can't bring someone, right? " Her blunt smirk and her face look as if ' I didn't break my promise' written all over her face. His eyes blankly gaze at her in surprise that he couldn't process the words for a while.

They walk a bit further until they realized that he was still standing like a statue. Nie An lift her eyebrow, " Hey? Young master? What happened, are you coming with us? ".

Back from his daze, Xiu Yong follows them quickly, " Yes, yes, I'm coming! "

That noon, at a small authentic cafe, three people sat together in awkward silence. Across to Nie An, Xiu Yong slurps his vanilla latte next to Zhi Ling Ling.

' How...did it comes to this? ' Xiu Yong rest his head on his arm, gazing at the three of them from the corner. Right after they came out of the school, a familiar figure stood, waiting for them to come out at the gate.

Her tall figure immediately noticed by Xiao Yun who came running to her, " Zhi Ling Ling! Let's go! "

Xiu Yong frown continues to worsen, " Hey...I'm fine with the mice...But do you need to bring one more? "

Xiao Yun acts as if she didn't understand what he meant, with a faint smirk she answers, " What's the difference with one more? Anyway, I still have business with her...So this is convenient! "

He lifts his eyebrow and finally gives in to her bluntness, " Yes... yes, what's wrong with one more..." he faintly smile and sighs.

Xiu Yong knew that Zhi Ling Ling is a very quiet and reserved person, in fact, this is the first time he ever see her talking to someone. Whatever she's trying to say, it must need a lot of courage for her to become the first person to start a conversation.

According to some gossips that he heard from some of his 'friends' This girl is very introverted and always speaks in a very low voice like a frighten kitten.

" Classmate Xiao Yun...I...I" Zhi Ling Ling's voice brought Xiu Yong back from his reverie.

Xiao Yun who just came back after taking her drink took a seat next to Nie An, " Call me Xiao Yun, calling me 'classmate' make us sound like a stranger, here" as she gave Zhi Ling Ling a drink.

" T-Thank you. " After taking a few sips, the clench on top of her knees tighten.

" I'm sorry for shocking you this afternoon, I'm Zhi Ling Ling. " Her voice was very soft that Nie An couldn't help but bring forward her head to the table.

" Ah- That? It's fine, but your eyes are still red, take care of it it's a pity of your eye become swollen..." Xiao Yun hesitate for a moment in silence, " ...Why did you cry? Did I... do something to you? "

Zhi Ling Ling shook her head fiercely, denying Xiao Yun words " No, no no!! I...I'm actually... I wanted to say sorry and thank you."

Xiu Yong tilts his head and interrupts Xiao Yun who was about to speak " Thank...? Thanking her for what? Didn't she had a fig-" suddenly his feet felt pain that he bend down in pain.

He glares at Nie An for stepping his feet, " ...You! "

A bit overwhelmed by their fight, Zhi Ling Ling answers, " Actually I... My parents had been planning for our engagement since we were a baby. Ah! No...No, no, my parents never forced me or anything like that, but..." She waves her hand before she lets them down in a low spirit.

Xiao Yun notices her sadness and asks, " But...? "

" As you see...I'm a bit introverted and...I... I don't want to let my parents down by disagreeing with the engagement. But... Kou Xin Lin...He...He is a bit..." Her expression darkens when she mentions his name. " This worry me a lot, and then... That gossip happen"

' Gossip, huh, you mean Mei Xing's stupid plan' Xiao Yun snickers in her heart.

" I knew that Xin Lin is always like that and I can't possibly blame someone since he is always the first one to make a move on someone... And that happened, thankfully, because of this my parents finally understand Kou Xin Lin's real personality...Thank you very much for standing up at that time and... I'm very sorry that I can't help you... is your hand alright? "

She looked down at Xiao Yun's hand sadly. Thinking that the wound on Xiao Yun's hand was her fault, her eyes reddened again.

Looking at her reddened eyes, they became flustered. Xiu Yong and Nie An took the next table's tissue, afraid of making her cry again; Xiao Yun takes her palm and calms her down.

" Don't cry! I'm fine, this is only a small injury anyway. But..." Xiao Yun looks away for a moment.

" But? " Zhi Ling Ling asks, waiting patiently for Xiao Yun to continue.

" But! Trying to avoid everything by blaming yourself for being 'introverted' and 'unable to express yourself' You do know that you're only making excuse for yourself, right?"

Zhi Ling Ling's expression darkens at the word ' making excuse', like a deep stab through her heart.

What Xiao Yun said truly felt like a dagger digging deeply to her heart, a "truth" that she always deliberately avoid. She knew that she always made excuses for herself and blame it all as a flaw in her personality. Looking away from the truth and thought that it couldn't be helped anymore.

She had become a coward, afraid of being hurt by someone and also afraid of hurting someone else. Looking at her expression, Xiao Yun could see her past self overlapped with her. The coward past of her that she hates to the core, but at the same time, she couldn't help but sympathize with her.

" Mn..." She answers between her sobbing.

Xiao Yun continues, " Good, Zhi Ling Ling, you shouldn't do that anymore; Making excuses only to make yourself feel better is nothing to be proud of. Being a coward is fine, but you should always express yourself. You can't keep on being a coward...And, one thing you should always remember! -If you can't express yourself, then how can someone understand you?-"

In the last sentence, her tone sounded as if she was warning herself, there was a slight sadness in her eyes as she speaks, " If you can't do this...Then you will hurt not only yourself...But also someone you love- "

Xiu Yong, Nie An, and Zhi Ling Ling could see how wholehearted she looks as she warns Zhi Ling Ling, it was as if she was talking for someone important, or perhaps, herself...

She realizes how gloomy she sounded and brightens herself with a smile, " Do you understand? "

Zhi Ling Ling starts to sniff, tears rolling off her eyes, " Yes..." and she nods.