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"Hey," Meilin called. "Why are you sitting here by yourself?"
"No reason." Raising an eyebrow, Ningshun just had to ask, "Are you that hungry?"
As she settled beside him, she turned to her left and grabbed one of the carton buckets.
Waiting for a reply that did not come, he added, "Never min—"
"Here!" She caught him off guard, placing the fries on his lap with a wide smile.
Lowering his gaze to the bucket, his eyes widened. "For me?"
"Of course, silly," she quipped.
"I said I'm not hungry."
"I... well, I just thought you'd like some anyway."
Ningshun's brows lifted, his stoic expression faltering as his mouth parted, as if he had something to say but held back. "Thanks, Meilin." He curled his lips.
Just as he parted his lips to continue speaking, his phone rang.
He closed his eyes, releasing a heavy sigh as a crease formed between his brows. "One sec," he breathed.
She nodded, her smile small and hesitant. "Sure."
She pierced the wooden fork into the fries. As she took a bite through the crispy surface, the warm, fluffy interior released a pleasant flavor in her mouth.
He pulled out his phone, a name glaring on the screen. 'Again with this,' he thought, tapping the green button.
"Where are you? I expected you to be here by now."
Listening in, her heart raced like a caged bird breaking free as she uncovered the truth he had kept to himself. 'He had somewhere else to be, yet he chose to be here... with me?' A sly fox's grin teased at the edges of her lips as the pieces fell into place.
Ningshun caught Meilin's smug look, the cocky tilt of her head. 'She's catching on, huh?' He clicked his tongue, turning away.
"You good-for-nothing!" With a growl, the call ended with a sharp click.
He stared at the blank screen and pocketed his phone, his gaze darkening like a clouded sky. "I didn't tell you because it didn't matter."
Her gaze softened, her smile gentle. "It matters to me, Ningshun..."
He stiffened.
"You know, whoever he was, I don't buy into his opinion."
His head jerked to the side, eyes widened. "What?"
She shifted closer, her voice dipping into a softer, more personal tone. "If you were good-for-nothing, there wouldn't be millions of people admiring you."
He stilled, confronted like ice clashing with fire as her words hit like an unexpected truth. He did not flinch, but his gaze held hers a beat longer, torn between acknowledgment and deflection.
"Hey, are you two coming or what?" Hooman shouted from a distance.
"Oh, right! We should go." Meilin beamed from ear to ear, like a sunburst.
"Go on; I'll join you in a few minutes."
"Okay!" With a final, dazzling smile that shimmered like a shooting star, she stood up, leaving his mouth agape in a spellbound hush.
Ningshun blinked, his hands resting on the smooth surface of the fountain as he released a sigh. But his faint laughter stopped her from moving forward.
She turned her head, gazing at his smile. Finally, a smile.
"You really thought of everything, didn't you?" He gestured toward the bucket of fries on his lap and chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. She had truly gone out of her way.
She shrugged, waving off his comment with a sheepish grin.
"No, that would be me." Hooman appeared, grinning and suppressing a chuckle as he revealed a large paper cup with a lid, placing it beside Ningshun. "You two thirsty?"
"Wh-What..." Meilin stammered, warmth rushing to her cheeks.
Ningshun grabbed the oversized cup and blinked—not at its size, but at the two straws through the lid. "Really, Hooman?"
Hooman opened his mouth to reply but stopped himself as Kaili and Yuming entered the scene, holding the same cup with two straws in it.
Meilin's jaw dropped. Her best friend, who had known Kaili for less than a day, was already sharing a cup with him. "What... did I miss?"
Eyes wide and unmoving, Ningshun, who held a single fry, let it slip from his fingers. "Beats me..."
Glancing at the 'assumingly new' couple's dynamic—Yuming laughing at Kaili's jokes before they both took a sip from the same cup—Meilin turned her gaze to Hooman, who wore a mischievous smirk. She recalled how he had cornered her and Ningshun with this ridiculous joke, shoving the couple cup into their hands.
Ningshun side-eyed Meilin, catching her glance at him before she looked away. He cleared his throat. "You can have this. It's fine." With that, he placed the cup in her hands, stood up, and left, still holding his fries.
"Hey! How am I supposed to..." She sighed.
As Ningshun strolled further away, it felt like he took a piece of her with him, though Meilin could not say what it was—perhaps a fragment of the memories they shared. Each of his steps deepened the mark left by the absence of the smile he once gave her so freely; now, it felt like just wishful thinking.
Had she taken his kindness for granted? Was she the reason he distanced himself? Or was it because of the phone call earlier?
Even with his back turned, she could not tear her gaze from him. She could not ignore the stab in her heart, piercing right through, making her long for the days when he met her eyes without hesitation. Now, all she could do was wait... and wait some more... for him to look at her again.
In the following minutes, all Meilin could do was observe Kaili and Yuming's sweet interactions—the smiles they exchanged, the way they gazed at each other.
Today was supposed to be fun, yet whenever Meilin heard their laughter, loneliness crept into her heart, biting into a longing ache. She was happy for them, of course, but she could not help but contemplate that it could have been her—laughing and even holding hands with someone special today.
'No! I'm not going to make that mistake,' Meilin reminded herself, recalling her oath to only like fictional men.
She turned her gaze to the quietest member of the group—and it was not Han, but Ningshun. Even from a distance, she noticed the length and fullness of his black eyelashes, accentuated by his angled eyebrows. From the side, his sharp nose had a faint, upturned tip.
'There's just no way a man as beautiful as him could be human... He must be an angel walking among us.'
She had seen the hungry looks of some girls passing by him, the looks of objectification, as if their eyes could strip him right then and there, and it made her stomach twist, as if his body was all he had to offer.
But did it bother him?
'I like bad girls,' Ningshun had said.
Recalling his words, Meilin rolled her eyes and whispered, "Never mind."
As the group meandered through the amusement park, Meilin strode alongside Yuming, joking and teasing her about her crush. Yuming could only blush. They quickened their pace, catching up to Kaili, who was joking with Hooman.
As they approached, Yuming sidled up to Kaili with a playful grin and teased, "Think you can handle the spinning teacups?"
Kaili chuckled, smiling as he glanced down at her. "Oh, I can handle it... and even more, if you know what I mean."
Hooman grinned. "If what you're saying is true, then let's go to the Underworld."
"What's the Underworld?" Meilin asked.
"It's known for being the scariest haunted mansion," Hooman replied, never taking his eyes off Kaili, whose smile faded in an instant.
"Sure! Let's go to the Underworld!" Yuming cheered.
Kaili and Meilin stared at the haunted mansion, an eerie feeling gripping their throats and leaving an emptiness in the pit of their stomachs.
"Do we have to... go there?" Meilin inquired with a faint smile, trying to hold herself together.
"Let's go!" Ningshun exclaimed, enthusiasm forming on his lips.
'NOW he's excited? Just for the chance to see UGLY creatures and be haunted by them? I never knew he had such bad taste in picking rides!' Meilin fumed. "I'm not coming. You guys go."
"Really? Then..." Yuming turned to Kaili. "Are you coming?"
Kaili pondered. 'If Meilin doesn't go, then Hooman will pair up with Han, which means Yuming will end up with... Ah, hell no!' Determined, he gazed into Yuming's eyes. "Sure, why not." Yet, in the back of his mind, vivid images of horrifying scenes began to form. His lips pressed into a thin line, a bitter taste settling in his throat.
"So, Meilin's the only one staying behind?" Han asked. "The lines are long, though. It'll take at least thirty minutes to get to the ride."
"Wait!" Yuming, glancing at her smartwatch, turned to Meilin. "Why don't you just stand in line with us? You can walk away through the backdoor once we get there."
Meilin's face tightened, forcing a crooked grin. "Is this your way of tricking me into this ride?"
Yuming's eyes widened, her brows lifting in surprise. "No way! Trust me, I wouldn't do that."
"Okay, fine! But don't even think about convincing me to join the ride."
"Just come with us," Yuming pleaded, her eyes round like a puppy's. "Please..."
"Are you scared?" Hooman teased.
Meilin crossed her arms over her chest, her hands gripping her sleeves as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her gaze darted to the haunted mansion before dropping to the ground. Her shoulders stiffened, and her brows gave the faintest tremble. "Sorry, guys," she forced nonchalance as her voice rose. "I'm not scared. I just don't think it looks fun."
"Hmph. You asked us to come to the park, and now you're backing out?" Ningshun stretched his arms. "You're afraid. Just admit it."
"Ningshun is done for," Hooman whispered to Han, who nodded in agreement. Yuming caught the comment and glanced at the rest of the team, who exchanged uneasy looks—except for Ningshun, who seemed at ease.
"Pfft," Meilin scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I've seen scarier things in the dorm gym."
Ningshun's eyebrows shot up at the sudden attack. He crossed his arms with a dominant stance, smirking as if completely satisfied with himself. "But you still came in... and enjoyed it." His deep tone was smooth like silk, daring her.
Heat rushed to Meilin's cheeks, spreading to the tips of her ears. She averted her gaze, focusing on anything but him—the ground, her shoes, the distant rides. Yet, his words pressed down on her as she struggled to steady the sudden pounding of her heart. It took everything in her not to glance back at him, to pretend his words had not shaken her more than they should have.
Tilting his head, Ningshun let his gaze linger on Meilin's face, his eyes narrowing. He leaned in just close enough that only she could hear, his breath like fiery velvet against her ear, murmuring, "You spying on me that day was scarier than any of the monsters in the haunted house." Straightening, he stretched, closing his eyes as if he were above it all.
As Meilin regained her composure, she studied Ningshun's nonchalance and took a deliberate step closer, her shoes tapping against the pavement to startle him—but he did not flinch. "Come again?"
When Ningshun opened his eyes, he saw her finger hovering near his throat like an imaginary knife as she lifted herself to his level, scowling at him as their eyes met. Everything else blurred from view. His brows pulled together in a faint frown as his gaze moved from her burning eyes to her mischievous grin, then back to her intense stare. His jaw tightened, and he blinked as the rest of the team began to snicker. "You!" he snapped.
Meilin leaned closer to his neck and whispered, "When I get you, you'll be screaming for help because of me, not the monsters."
Ningshun scoffed. "Maybe you should join the monsters then."
"Wow, aren't you feisty today?"
"Whatever," Ningshun muttered, scowling. "Let's just go."
Before Meilin could give him a piece of her mind, Yuming tapped her shoulder and whispered, "What happened between you two?"
"This friend of yours was sneaking around and spying on me," Ningshun accused.
"Spy?" Meilin snorted and placed her hands on her hips. "I went there to bring you your underwear!" Her volume was louder than intended, capturing the attention not only of the rest of the group but also of a large crowd standing in line.
Ningshun slapped his forehead, exhaling sharply. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if it could shield him from the heat rising in his face, and muttered under his breath, "Great, now the whole world knows."
Ningshun might have laughed it off if they had been alone. But now, tension coiled in the pit of his stomach like a serpent, tightening its grip. The idea of others catching wind of every private interaction he had with Meilin made his blood boil—and she was anything but discreet about it.
Ningshun's breath quickened, and a scowl formed on his face. 'Can't believe she actually said that here in front of everyone!'
Yuming blinked, then burst into giggles. "Wait, what!?" She held a hand to her chest, her eyes wide. "Really? That's what you decided to bring him that time?"
Kaili eyed Meilin, chuckling. "So, what else have you two been doing there?"
"NOTHING!" Ningshun and Meilin shouted in unison.
"Okay, okay! Sorry I asked," Kaili muttered, bringing his hand behind his head, backing off but grinning like he had a VIP seat in a theater.
Yuming faced Kaili. With a grin, she whispered, "She's definitely hiding something."
"I..." Han stuttered, his gaze jumping between Ningshun and Meilin, at a loss for words. "Forget it."
Hooman cast Ningshun a knowing look, his smirk widening even further as if he had figured out the whole situation, before shifting his gaze to Meilin. "Hey, you never brought us our underwear!"
Han and Kaili gave Hooman a weirded-out look, their eyes narrowing in unison as if silently begging him to shut up before things got worse.
Ningshun cleared his throat and shooed Hooman with a wave, then glared at Meilin. 'That fool always causes me trouble with her mouth!'
Hooman turned his gaze toward the duo ahead, noting the awkward glances they gave the team before stepping into the ride. They had no doubt overheard them. He blinked as the saying 'time passes by slowly' sank in. "Hey, Han! It's our turn!"
There they were, standing at the end of the line.
Yuming glanced around, as if the tension fed off her. Pulling Kaili by the arm, her voice bright and eager, she cheered, "Let's go!"
"Yeah... sure," Kaili mumbled, his face turning pale as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.
Ningshun, his jaw clenched and scowling, stood with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed, still seething from Meilin's careless reveal of something so private in front of the team. Her words replayed in his mind, fueling the fire in his glare.
Meilin kept her eyes on the ride ahead—her lips pressing into a thin line as dread settled in her stomach.
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Demon King's Love - Copyright © 2023 by Aurora Luxi. All Rights Reserved.
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