Liu's Confusion

Liu slammed the door behind her with all her strength. Her mood, as low as a sugar apple that fell and splattered on the ground.

"Can you fucking believe it, Xiao! Father is on my case again!"

Liu stared at the catatonic Xiao sitting at her room's tea table. Grabbing the teapot right in the middle, Liu put some premium tea leaves inside. Using her purple flame to warm its underside, 10 seconds is all it took to warm the water inside.

Liu needed its earthy and relaxing taste to calm her nerves after another verbal lashing from her father while in front of everyone at the gathering room.

Filling her porcelain teacup bowl, Liu's eyes drift to Xiao.

"What!? You want some too!? You're lucky I'm kind-hearted!"

Odd enough, Liu gave Xiao her own tea bowl, and even poured some for her. This may perhaps be Liu's remorse for partly being responsible for Xiao's vegetative state.

True enough, the warm tea that rolled down her tongue helped in easing Liu's anger. Albeit some it was still there. In Liu's eyes, her father was this imposing deity, the fear of talking back was akin to heaven striking her down if she dared to answer back from his berating.

One of these days, she just hoped to find the courage to leave and run away from her father. The courage to leave the life of luxury and wealth.

Sipping from her cup once more, the now relaxed Liu carefully observed Xiao, unflinching and unresponsive. For all Liu knows, Xiao might have truly turned into a doll. Was Liu going crazy for always initiating one-sided conversations?

"I've only had you for two days and yet I feel like you're the only one on my side. As long as you don't open that mouth of yours, you and I would get along just fine."

A smile spread into Liu's lips as an idea had struck her. If Xiao was now a doll, then it would be within Liu's rights to play with her, just like when she picked Xiao's sleeping wear last night.

Liu stood up and suddenly went to open her massive wardrobe cabinet.

From gaudy robes, extravagant designer cheongsams, to lavish coats. Liu's wardrobe had it all.

Taking out a black cheongsam, its slickness was complemented by the colorful dragon embroidery on it.

With the stylish dress in hand, she brandished it in front of Xiao who could do nothing but stare at empty space.

"What do you think, Xiao? It looks great, doesn't it? You should rejoice because I am kind enough to let you model it for me."

Carefully, Liu positioned Xiao on the edge of her bed. As she was trying to remove Xiao's sleeping robe from the night before, her hand began to tremble and while an unknown emotion was starting to spring inside her chest.

Faced before Xiao's smooth and pristine skin, the gentle spring that was the unknown emotion in her chest had now become a geyser. Liu gulped as the back of her fingers brushed Xiao's bare shoulder. Was she…lusting for Xiao inside of her heart?

No! Liu shaked her head as if to shake whatever impure thoughts she might have had. As a woman, Liu reasoned that she was merely admiring Xiao's skin that was too lavish for a commoner. Yeah, that was it.

It didn't take long for Liu to finish outfitting her new roommate with the designer cheongsam.

Liu stepped back a bit to admire her work.

The sleekness of the outfit contoured well with Xiao slender build, and its design was a perfect fit for Xiao's beauty.

A smile crept up on Liu's face.

Liu immediately sat Xiao in front of the mirror.

Liu puffed her cheeks as she tilted her head. "You do look good, don't you dare forget but it's only because of my dress."

Yet there was still something lacking. Since Liu was having a blast playing dress up with her new doll, why not go all the way?

From one of her drawers, Liu retrieved a bunch of cosmetics.

Starting in Xiao's eyes, Liu's brushes were meticulously at work. A few minutes later, the result was a pair of stunning red winged eyeliners that concave with the pointy tail end of Xiao's eyebrows.

Next, Liu traded her small brushes for large ones to apply the blush on for Xiao's cheek.

Two down, there was only one left, Xiao's lips.

Grabbing another smaller brush, Liu dipped its end into the red balmy paste. Like before, Liu's heart hammered inside of her chest once more, as the closeness of Xiao's lips reminded her of the kiss she just witnessed from that masked woman and her lover. But she can't focus on it now, or else her hand might slip!

Like a master painter, Liu devoted herself to her canvas, which is Xiao's lips.

And just when she finished her last stroke, the tremendous nerves of her shaking made her hand slip, forming a line just above Xiao's lips.

"Fucking damn it!"

Liu cursed, heaving a sigh before regaining her composure. It should still be good, all Liu had to do was wipe the lip balm that spilled from Xiao's cherry red lips.

Leaning Liu's right hand on Xiao's cheek, her thumb brushed above Xiao's lips, her thumb brushed past all the softness underneath.

The softness that beckoned for Liu.

Unable to contain the maelstrom of emotion inside her chest, admiration, guilt, lust, Liu kissed Xiao. Liu wanted to feel the softness of Xiao's lips with her own.

The redhead closed her eyes as she savored their union.

Moments later, the sweetness had ended and now, the bitter realization hit her. Liu abruptly stood while wide eyed and clutching her lips. (Oh, no. What have I done!? Does it mean that I am one of them!? I can't be! I am normal! I refuse to be a deviant!) Her inner thoughts were in shambles. She would not, could not accept that she just kissed another woman! What would her father think if she ever found out!? She might even be disowned!

As tears started to well in her eyes, Liu headed towards the bathroom to cry away all the fear and confusion.