59 "You're So Mean."

Zoe sat in front of her mirror, looking at her lips. She raised her fingers to it with a smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes. 

She closed her eyes, and a blush stole across her cheeks as she relived the moment. 

She couldn't get over the fact that she had received her first kiss today, even though it had been by mistake. Zhang Wei had given her her very first kiss.

And that meant he was always going to be special to her even though he was just her friend, okay, maybe not her friend, even though he was just Zane's friend, that didn't change the fact. 

Did it count that it had been just brushing of lips? Of course, it didn't. She wondered how he had felt or what he must have thought about the kiss. Was it possibly his first kiss too? Was he thinking about her just like she was thinking about him? Nah, he is a guy, and guys don't really take such things seriously. Or did they? 

She raised her head when Ann pushed open the door and stepped into the room. "Why are you smiling to yourself?" Ann asked with a curious smile. 

Zoe blushed and bit her finger shyly as she contemplated whether or not to tell her. Definitely not! That wasn't something one was supposed to share with her older sister. 

"I was just thinking of a scene from a movie. How was work today?" Zoe asked, jumping on the bed to join Ann. 

"Really? What movie would make you blush that way?" Ann asked, turning to look at Zoe. 

"You wouldn't know even if I told you. You rarely watch movies," Zoe said, rolling her eyes. 

"How are your dance lessons going?" Ann asked Zoe. 

"Beautifully as usual," Zoe said with a happy smile. 

"That's good. So I was thinking... I want you to work part-time at the office," Ann said, making Zoe frown. 

"Come on, sis, don't tell me you're changing your mind already. You know.."

"You have to. What do you think is going to happen if mom starts asking the other staff about you, and they tell her you don't work at the company?" Ann cut in, making Zoe bite her lips thoughtfully. Zoe had to admit she was right. 

"That is the sacrifice you will have to pay for doing what you love. You can't have it all. Life is a balanced cycle of give and take," Ann said and paused to wonder what that even meant.

She was certain she had just said rubbish but decided to go ahead with it when she saw that Zoe was listening to her like she had made sense. 

"You will have to give back something, too, since you're doing what you love. So I've decided we will get you an office space where you will be working. Even if it means you reporting to the office every morning before going to the dance academy and reporting back there in the evening before coming home," Ann told her with a serious expression on her face. 

"You mean I don't have to work there, right? I will just report at the office in the morning and evening?" Zoe asked with a hopeful smile, but her face fell when she saw the look on Ann's face. 

"What will you be teaching the staff if you do something like that? Of course, you're going to be working. I said you're working part-time at the company, not showing up part-time," Ann reminded her. 

"But there won't be enough time to do everything," Zoe complained. 

"Then just quit dancing and resume work immediately," Ann suggested with a smile. 

"I'll do it. I'll work part-time. There is more than enough time," Zoe said quickly, making Ann giggle. 

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Ann asked, making Zoe scoff. 

"You're so mean!" Zoe muttered.

"It's all for you, good Zee. I'm doing the best I can to make everyone happy," Ann said with a small smile. 

"I know. Thank you," Zoe said with, returning her smile. 

"Alright, I'll be leaving you to whatever it was that you were thinking before I came in," Ann said, standing up. 

"How is Ann?" Zoe asked curiously. 

"She is okay. She just reconnected with her maternal family, so she will be traveling over there to pay them a visit," Ann said as she walked towards the door. 

"Oh! That's good, then. And I saw the news about CEO Wang Tae-joon's doppelganger. Have you seen him yet?" Zoe asked curiously. 

"Brad? Yes. He is Ann's cousin," Ann told her, making Zoe's eyes widen in surprise. 

"You don't mean it! Is it possible that they are all related? Does that mean Ann will become like our in-law?" Zoe asked, making Ann giggle. 

"Stop thinking too far ahead. You should rest your head. You're going to be having a very busy next week," Ann reminded her before leaving the room. 

Zoe was momentarily distracted by the thought of everything she had just discussed with her sister, so she was surprised to see her phone's screen light on. She checked it to see a missed call from Zhang Wei. 

She hadn't realized that her phone had been on silent. She smiled when a text came in from Zhang Wei. 'I guess you must have gone to bed. I just thought of you and wanted to know how you are doing. Goodnight, friend!'

Zoe smiled as she read the text. So he had been thinking about her too... She just had to wonder exactly what he had been thinking about. Was it the kiss?

'I'm still up. I was talking with my elder sister. Night' She texted back and giggled when he called back almost immediately. 

"Hey!" She greeted him awkwardly as she tucked her hair behind her ear as though he could see her. 

Zhang Wei cleared his throat when he realized he actually didn't have anything to say. "Would you love to go see a movie production scene with me sometime in the week?" Zhang Wei asked impulsively when he remembered he was supposed to check on the movie production team of the company.

"Yes... No. I'm not sure I can do that," Zoe corrected when she remembered what Ann had just said. She wasn't sure she had that luxury of time anymore. Was that why he called? He easily could have asked her tomorrow, couldn't he? Zoe wondered. 

"Oh! The offer is still open. Let me know if you change your mind. We are still on tomorrow, right? 10 AM?" Zhang Wei asked expectantly. 

"Sure. 10 AM," Zoe said with a smile as her heartbeat quickened at the thought of seeing him the next day. 

"Okay then, goodnight," Zhang Wei said awkwardly and quickly ended the call. He couldn't seem to wait for tomorrow. 

What was suddenly wrong with him? Why was he behaving that way over a guy? He wasn't gay in any way, or was he? Was he being this way simply because they had brushed lips mistakenly?

ʼMaybe he wasn't feeling too well, yes! He had to be sick to be feeling this way over a guy he had just met. He needed to go for a check-up soon,' Zhang Wei told himself. 

Zoe quickly took out her phone to look for interesting date topics of discussion that she could teach Zhang Wei. She couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.