16 Planning the second step

What the?

I look around Ukiyo's hand on my pale wrist, his long fingers not so gently wrapping mine. With an upturned glance, he seemed to notice me.

"It'll be a pleasure to be your partner, Saito-kun" I said with a 'smile' on my face but my whole emotion was stirred up, something has changed.

I know that I would end up as Ukiyo's partner back then, but he didn't say anything but instead remained nonchalant about the situation. I couldn't decide, I was so shy when my classmates turned to recruit me, but I turned them down, and that's when it goes down the drain.

'Unexpectedly', the popular girl in our class came to my rescue and said some 'comforting' words to my classmates. Little did I know that those words made me cursed at, bullied and even hated.

"Well, Ying Zhen sure is popular hmm?" With her words, the girls faces turned black and glared at me with their eyes full off anger.

Fumitsu Hana, the girl that blooms like a flower, a Takane no Hana (Flower on a high), it means that she's out of reach. She is like a goddess, a beautiful flower in the midst of the wild grasses here. Black shiny hair, doe-like eyes, a body of a blooming temptress and a face that is enough to topple a country.

She is the role model for every girl in this university.

"Oh....um...thank you Hana-chan beside, I'm just too shy to talk to everyone. Surely every one saw that Saito-kun chose me because I'm a shy and quiet person. Isn't that right Saito-kun?"

Choosing to throw the hot meat on him, I gave him a very big smile that showed my teeth and with a raise of my eyebrows, I perfected the look that says 'Say yes'.

"She's not noisy, so I took her" He said with a nonchalant tone that made our classmates laugh.

"That's true! Saito-kun really hate noisy people!"

"I though it's because of something, phew! I still have some chance!"

"How could we think of something atrocious like that! Saito-kun is a cold person, inside and out! He is not interested into girls!"

Their words varied but the result was the same, looking at Hana, her face still held on a gentle smile but within her head, she must be cursing me to death. The hands of her is shaking with anger, though she manage to conceal it, but it was me, her 'best friend' or should I say her stupi and blind follower in the past, knows her temper and character.

Especially her dirty secrets.

"I'm sorry Hana-chan, I know how much you want to be Saito-kun's partner. How about this, I'll invite you and your partner with us so you can see Saito-kun!" I said gleefully while I shake into too much excitement after seeing her paling face.

"What?! Don't tell me our Goddess Hana is in-love with Saito-kun?"

"Didn't you hear, Hana-chan came here to see Saito-kun!" Another one whispered but his voice were loud enough to be heard by Hana.

"I-I think it's better not to....uh....you see I have some classes to attend. My father would really be angered if I can't attend. I hope you understand" She said in a remorseful tone that made me laugh in the back of my head.

"It's okay, I understand, hope your 'lessons' would go well" With a thorny smile, I saw her back leaving me. Seating beside Ukiyo, I look towards the front to see Mr. Wang explaining.

"Okay students, now that you have your partners, I'll tell you the mechanics. First, you should..."

"Hate her?" The voice beside me asked.

"I despise her"

Clenching my hand until it almost bleed, I turned to look at the window. The flower caught my attention, before I unknowingly say.

"A flower blooms beautifully in spring, and it winter, it would die tragically"

Those words were true, and this time, I would crush this dirty flower and smeared my own blood. I would go and do every means to eradicate her, just to protect the two people I call my friends.

"Good luck on that" He said with a slight smile on his face.

With the sun slightly made its way on his face, it created a halo I could never want to erase in my head. For a minute, all I could think of was to memorize it in my head and paint him. He turned his eyes on me while all I could do was to stare and just plainly said my thanks before I was shadowed by my pain.

Don't be greedy Zhou Ying Zhen, you still have a long way to go.