Our Home

“Are you not going in?” It was Jiang. I realized how close we two were in that moment. My ears turned pink. I

felt the heat rushing to my cheeks.

“Ye…Yes... I am” I stammered. I looked at him. He was stamping his feet and was hesitant to go in. Then I

remembered that he was afraid of darkness. I clasped his hand and moved forward

to our places. And he followed me obediently! Zhong got us the seats in the

corner of the second row from the last. Chen Chen sat in the third seat, I sat

in the middle and Jiang sat in the corner most one. The lecture continued for

two more hours. Chen Chen was sleeping at the end of the lecture and Jiang was

taking notes in his keypad mobile phone. What a studious person not leaving an

opportunity to learn! Everybody stood up thanking Wei Gong for his lecture.

Something unexpected happened then.

“Dear students, Dr. Lu Wei Dong

was born and brought up in Country A, but he had to move out because he was

transferred to another school in Country B. Now he has returned after twenty

years. He has decided to be your lecturer here and give you quality education.

He has shown his gratitude to his motherland. Even though he is a great

physicist and wanted by many research centers in Country B, he came back and

wanted to start up his own research laboratory. Before that, he accepted our

request to be your guest lecturer for a while in our school. Let’s applaud and

show him our appreciation.”

He’s going to be our lecturer.

For a while? I’m so done this time. I never thought of leaving this place. Chen

Chen is here and what about Jiang? Thinking of Jiang, I turned to him. He

seemed happy to see a famous personality deciding to teach us. For one moment,

I thought how happy I would be if I were the same as of these people, worrying

about what to eat for dinner, finding missing pair of socks in the early

morning, afraid to be scolded by the teacher, calling parents to complain about

the food, most importantly, falling in love with one person without any fears.

It wouldn’t be true even if I wish for it. Now I must find a way out of this.

Should I disappear for a while? I would worry Chen Chen and Jiang. Would Jiang

be worried if I really disappear one day? Thinking about him being worried for

me, my heart ached. I can’t run away from this. But I must. Millions of screens

displaying billions of thoughts in my brain flashed off as Chen Chen shook me

until I come to my senses.

“Hey, what are you losing your

attention to?”

“Huh!? Nothing. Let’s go home.”

“Okay. Jiang, you are coming with

us.””

“Home? Coming with you?”

“Yeah. I told you while we were

having lunch that I will take you both to a place today if my memory serves

well”

“I thought you were… Never mind.

Where are we going?”

“You will know when you see it.

Let’s go” I smiled a I’m – so – excited – to – show – you smile.

I pranced in the front along with

Chen Chen and Jiang followed us in the back seeing our funny faces as if we

were kindergarten kids. After a few minutes, we reached Dragon Street which is

the immediate locality next to our school.

“Dear señores, make yourselves at

home. I welcome you to my personal palace” I became jumpy suddenly and showed

them my place with excitement filled eyes. My house was the most luxurious one

in the whole Dragon Street. It was only a single bedroom flat, yet the interior

was designed carefully, and the furniture was of top quality. One big living

room occupying half of the whole area of the house was equipped with one big couch,

big enough for a person to comfortably sleep on, with the latest model smart

TV, plants near the window, a big kitchen, a medium sized dining table which is

enough for four people to eat comfortably, and Pikachu, Pikachu, and Pikachu

everywhere. I collected many Pikachu stuffed toys that I had to install

separate cupboards to keep them.

“Woah, Xiao li, I knew that you

had a place here, but I didn’t know that your place is so… so…”

“Beautiful?”

“No. Not beautiful! This is too

much”

“Why? Do you envy me?” I asked

him playfully.

“Can you not be so narcissistic?

Humph” he went to the kitchen and took two bottles of juice.

‘Little glutton! You have nothing

in your mind than food.’

“So, what do you think?” I asked

Jiang with expectant eyes.

“Um, not bad”

Not bad? What does that even

mean? What was I even expecting from him anyway? He rarely talks. I should be

happy that he at least chose to comment something.

“Can I use the restroom?”

“Yeah. Sure. It’s this way” I

pointed to my room.

“Um, is it appropriate?”

“I never had guests at home. So,

there’s only one bathroom. I will take care of it soon”

“Oh” he replied. Oh? What am I

now? Oh-zoned? I must read his mind someday. Or else, I would go mad. He strode

across the hall and went to my room while Chen Chen was still busy with his

drinks. I went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of juice. I poured it

into two glasses. Chen Chen tried to take one of the glasses from me. I stopped

his hand midway.

“Didn’t you have enough already?”

I widened my eyes.

“I will drink this up then” he

shooed me away from there. He must be thinking that I would snatch his bottle

away. I laughed at my own imagination. Then Jiang came out of my room. His lips

slightly curved up. I didn’t understand what he was smiling about.

“You do have an eye for

decoration!” his lips curved up more.

“Really? Thank you” his devilish

smile was giving me chills. I smiled my normal smile.

“Help yourself. I will take you

to another place after you relax for a bit” I gave him the juice. I took my bag

to put it inside my room.

“Chen Chen don’t just sit there

and drink. Help Jiang if he wants anything.” He gestured me OK through the

popular OK sign in emoticons. Rest assured, he’s a great host. I walked to my

room contently that I could bring my friends home for the first time. I opened

the door and entered the room only to realize that there were things thrown

carelessly everywhere. The hair drier was hung to the hanger, the quilt was

lying on the floor, clothes that I washed yesterday were still hung on the

drying stand in the balcony, books, stationery were all over the table and my

mirror still had lipstick mark I placed before going to school that day. Why

did I get myself into this today? It’s so embarrassing. He said I had an eye

for decoration. He was teasing me! I hid my face in the pillow. It’s no use to

hide now. He has already seen my room and I can’t run from him now. I put my

bag on the table and left there. Jiang was at the window admiring the plants I

potted. He looked like one of those models in ‘sun kissed’ posts in social

media.

“Ahem, shall we go?”

“Okay” they said in unison.

“Follow me then” I gave them a Oh

– I am – so – cool flash of smile and walked outside the house. I took them to

the flat opposite to mine which is a double bedroom flat.

“Right, where did you stay all

these days Jiang?”

“I just arrived yesterday. I

stayed in a hotel.”

“You probably have to check out

soon”

“Yeah. But I’m still searching

for a hostel”

“No need to search for one when

you have me” he looked at me as if I gave him the hardest sudoku puzzle to

solve.

“Don’t tell me that this is your

flat too” Chen Chen said, his voice sarcastic enough to make me mad. But I kept

my composure.

“Well, you tell me.”

“No way”

“Yes.”

“So, you are letting us stay

here?” Chen Chen was so excited.

“Yes. You will be staying here

opposite to me. The flat is furnished. You will have everything you need there.

So, Jiang, bring your luggage over from the hotel. Chen Chen, you are too. You

live far away from school. It is better for you to live here.”

“Thank you so much Xiao li” Jiang

was happy too.

“Hey blondie, since when are you

so generous?”

“Yi Zhong Chen, disappear from

here before I catch you.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t tease

you anymore. Can I move in today? It’s only 6 o’clock now. I can get my things

by 7:30 if I leave now.”

“Okay. You too Jiang. Chen Chen,

get a taxi from here and drop me and Jiang on the way.”

“Consider it done, my lady” Chen

Chen started flirting again. He flirts a lot when he’s in a good mood. We set

out and reached the hotel first, then Chen Chen went home. I wanted the time to

stop at that moment. I felt sad that I was going to leave the next day.

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