3

Second day of school

​Just like the first day of school, Yang Qiu woke up to the sound of his alarm and went through his morning routine diligently. 

However, while he was walking out the door, his attitude was completely different. 

Excited to meet Chen Xia, Yang Qiu's steps quick and almost rushed, as if he were propelled forward by some powerful force. 

​Meanwhile in Chen Xia's house a miracle happened. 

When Mrs. Chen came to knock on her son's door, she was extremely shocked to find that Chen Xia had already washed up and was trying to put his uniform on. 

​"Xiaxia! You're already awake?" Mrs. Chen was bewildered. Hearing his mom's voice, Chen Xia turned and grinned at her.

​"I just wanted to wake up early and go play with Yang Qiu! And uh… mom, can you help me with my uniform?" He scratched his head, still grinning at Mrs. Chen.

​"Well, I mean of course…!" Mrs. Chen was still unable to comprehend the fact that her son, whom she had to forcefully wake each morning, actually woke up himself that morning. 

​After Chen Xia finished his breakfast, he ran to get his bag and then sped out the door. 

​"Bye mom! Bye dad!" Chen Xia yelled as he ran into the street. 

But because he wasn't looking ahead, Chen Xia suddenly ran into someone.

​"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and- OH! Gege! Good morning!"

​"Are you okay?" Yang Qiu was caught off guard.

​"I should be asking you that! Are you okay, Gege? I kinda rammed into you… sorry about that haha," Chen Xia was a bit embarrassed.

​"I'm fine, just remember to watch where you're going next time." Yang Qiu held back a giggle. He's so clumsy… haha.

​"Yeah… Oh right! Do you pass by here on your way to school?" 

​"Mhm."

​"Really? Then we should go to school together every day!" Chen Xia was ecstatic just thinking about being able to walk to school with a friend every day.

​"Sure! That sounds like a plan!" Yang Qiu also liked that idea. 

In the classroom

​"Good morning students! How are you all today?" The teacher greeted the class cheerfully.

​"Good!" the class responded in unison.

​"I'm glad! I'm also very happy to have you all back. Today we will do some drawing activities. At the end of class everyone will share their pictures, that way we can continue to get to know each other better. How does that sound?"

"Ooo, I love drawing!" Chen Xia turned to Yang Qiu. "Mom bought me lots of colored pencils recently. Look! Which one is your favorite color Gege?" Chen Xia showedoff his various colored pencils.

"Hmm… I don't really have a favorite color… they're all nice." Yang Qiu was quite indecisive.

"That's true… but I like pink the most." Chen Xia happily held up the pink colored pencil to show to Yang Qiu. 

Hearing their conversation, the boy sitting in front of Chen Xia and Yang Qiu turned around with a frown on his face. 

"How can your favorite color be pink? Only girls like pink!"

"Says who? My mom said that pink is a good color to like. So many nice things are pink, like strawberry milk, pretty flowers, baby worms… and so much more!" Chen Xia was extremely displeased with the boy's opinion.

"Pink is a great color, Chen Xia." Yang Qiu tried to soothe the worked-up Chen Xia. "I don't see why you can't like it. It's just a color anyway, no different from any other color."

"That's right! I can like pink all I want!" Chen Xia stuckhis tongue out at the boy.

"Hmph. Suit yourself, I personally don't want to act all girly." The boy turned around arrogantly. 

"Just ignore him, Chen Xia." Yang Qiu was worried that Chen Xia would get upset. 

"I know, but he's just so unreasonable!" Chen Xia was indeed still worked up over the boy's response.

​But before Chen Xia could vent his anger further, the teacher came by to pass out paper and coloring materials to their section of the classroom. 

​"All right boys, you can draw anything you want, as long as it represents you in some way! I can't wait to see your pictures at the end of class!" 

Remembering the task at hand, Chen Xia immediately forgot about his injustice. He picked up his colored pencils excitedly.

"I'm going to draw me and mommy and daddy, and also you, Gege!" Chen Xia began the task immediately.

Hearing this, Yang Qiu blushed a little. Am I really as important to him as his parents?

Before Yang Qiu could speculate further, Chen Xia spoke again.

"What are you going to draw, Gege?"

"Um... I don't know yet."

"That's okay! I'm sure you'll figure something out. I can't wait to see it!" Chen Xia then turned his attention back to his drawing.

Yang Qiu watched him draw for a few seconds, then turned to look out the window. What should I draw… After looking at the view for a few minutes, he began to draw as well.

As the class was nearing its end, the teacher began to speak. 

"Alright class, it is time to share your drawings! Would anyone like to go first?" 

"Me!" Chen Xia shot his hand up into the air.

"Okay, come on up here Chen Xia!" Chen Xia walked up to the front of the classroom, excitedly holding his drawing. 

"This is me, this is my mom, my dad, and Yang Qiu. These are my favorite people!" He pointed to each person on the page as he stated their identity. 

"Also, I'm wearing pink because that's my favorite color." Chen Xia looked pointedly at the boy who had contradicted him earlier.

"Very nice, Chen Xia!" The teacher was pleased with Chen Xia's confidence and ability to speak in front of the class. "Yang Qiu, since Chen Xia mentioned you, would you like to go next?"

"Okay…" Yang Qiu was nervous. When he passed byChen Xia who was walking back to his seat, he saw him winking. He blushed and completed the walk to the front of the classroom.

"H-hi... I drew a bird." Yang Qiu held the paper in front of him with trembling hands.

"Can you tell us a little more?" The teacher tried to help out a little. 

"Um... I-I think birds are cool... and it would be really nice to be able to fly like birds can," Yang Qiu was very nervous and was unable to look anyone in the eye.

"Wow that's very interesting! Thank you, Yang Qiu! Who wants to go next?" The teacher smiled at Yang Qiu. 

Yang Qiu let out a breath as he walked back to his seat. As he sat down, he saw Chen Xia looking at him.

"Good job!" Chen Xia whispered supportively.

"Thanks." Yang Qiu blushed, still feeling shaky from standing at the front of the classroom.

The rest of the students presented their drawings, but the two boys found it all extremely boring. While the class dragged on, Yang Qiu resorted back to staring out the window, and Chen Xia continued adding to his drawing.

Lunch time came around again, and the two boys got their trays and headed over to the eating area. 

Seeing an empty table in the far corner of the lunchroom, Chen Xia began walking towards it, with Yang Qiu following him in tow. 

As they were walking, they approached a table full of loud and chattering kids. 

Yang Qiu immediately spotted the face of the boy who had argued with Chen Xia earlier, and looking down, he saw that the boy had stuck out his foot. 

Is he trying to trip Chen Xia? Were his comments earlier not enough? Yang Qiu panicked a little, and so when he tried to get Chen Xia's attention, he yelled a bit too loud.

"CHEN XIA!"

"Huh?" Chen Xia stopped immediately and turned around, concerned at hearing Yang Qiu's harsh tone. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah…" Yang Qiu was flustered as he had shouted much louder than he had meant to.

"I just forgot to grab some napkins…" Yang Qiu's face grew redder as he made up an excuse to lead Chen Xia away from the noisy table and the troublesome classmate. 

"Well, let's go back and get some then!" Chen Xia began walking back towards Yang Qiu. Yang Qiu let Chen Xia lead the way, and after Chen Xia got ahead of him, Yang Qiu turned around and glared at the boy. 

They got the napkins and then Yang Qiu led Chen Xia to the empty table on a different route, pretending it was just an unconscious decision. After sitting down, the boys beganto eat.

"Chen Xia, do you want my mushrooms again?"

"Sure! Do you want anything from my plate too?"

"No, that's okay. I'm just glad these mushrooms aren't going to waste." 

"You sure?"

"Mhm."

"Thanks then!" 

They finished eating lunch happily.

Back in the classroom the teacher began teaching the first lesson in mathematics.

As the teacher explained the basic rules of addition and subtraction, the two boys in the back of the classroom wandered in and out of the realm of paying attention. 

I can't wait for school to be over… I want to play with Chen Xia and his toys! Yang Qiu thought to himself as he stared out the window.

​Chen Xia was drawing again. 

He put his arm on the side of the paper in a secretive manner so that nobody but himself could see what he was drawing. 

Yang Qiu looked over a few times, curious as to what Chen Xia was drawing, but did not ask him as he did not want to disturb the lesson. 

After class was dismissed, the two of them walked out of the school together.

Once they were outside, Chen Xia skipped in front of Yang Qiu and stopped to face him.

Yang Qiu almost ran into him but stopped just in time. 

"Woah, everything okay?" Yang Qiu was bit shocked.

Chen Xia grinned and stuck out the paper he was drawing on in class. 

"This is for you!"

"Huh?" Yang Qiu looked closer at the drawing to see what Chen Xia had really created. 

On the paper were drawings of what Yang Qiu assumed to be Mr. and Mrs. Chen, Chen Xia, himself, and the Chen family's restaurant.

"But… this is your family."

"Well yes… but they're also my favorite people, remember from yesterday? That's why you're in it. Just take it as a thank you for sharing your ice cream and mushrooms and for playing with me yesterday!"

"Oh wow, thank you," Yang Qiu blushed and felt very moved. 

He took the paper and looked at the colorful drawings. He then put it into his bag carefully. This is the first gift I have received from a friend…  

After, the two boys walked and chatted cheerfully as they headed home.