"I said..."

"Hua Shu has already slept with me!"

"You two..."

"Oh? Really? I was glued to Hua Shu all last night~"

"Will you two stop arguing? It's nothing to brag about. Look how weird everyone's staring at us!"

Their conversation was veering into weirder territory. I cut them off quickly—otherwise, things would get worse. It was already after class. Classmates nearby stood frozen, utterly bewildered by our talk.

"It's all your fault!" x2

Great. They stopped fighting and both glared at me.

"Look, I'm stuck with Xier for special reasons, and yeah, I like her a lot. But we're just close friends, not lovers. Got it, Miko? Now go back to class!"

"You're wearing her clothes and grabbing her butt, and you call that 'just friends'?" Miko sneered.

"I told you—it's unavoidable! If you still think that, fine. What'll make you believe me?"

"From now on, I pick all your clothes. And you claim you swapped souls with her? I don't buy it. Swap with me too when we get home!"

"Clothes? Whatever, I don't care—we wear uniforms anyway. But soul-swapping? I truly can't do that!"

At my words, Miko's mood shifted instantly. She still looked doubtful, but burst out laughing at "I truly can't do that!" She shoved a card into my hand.

"Oh, that's how it is! Hua Shu, you should've said earlier. I actually came to give you this bus card. We had an extra at home, so I thought of you. Off to class now~ Oh, and you look really pretty in this outfit!" Miko gave me a meaningful glance before leaving.

...

After Miko left, I sighed in relief. Finally cleared up. But Xier was still here. She'd been staring at me weirdly without a word since earlier. This silent Xier was scary...

"Hua Shu, is she really your girlfriend?" Xier suddenly asked.

"Well... she declared it herself, and I don't mind."

"So you really like girls?"

"Of course! How could I like boys?"

Ridiculous. Gay stuff? No thanks...

"Awooo!"

"Hey! Why are you biting me again? Xier, stop! Don't bite my chest—people are watching!"

"Oh, sorry. Got too excited. Dunno why, but you seemed so... tasty."

I twitched my lips at her words. "Tasty"? Am I the Tang Monk or something? And why bite my chest when excited? What kind of setting is this! Staring at the three tooth marks on my chest, I wondered: Am I really that tasty?

*Lick lick~*

No flavor at all... seriously.

"What about music class next?" I asked Xier nervously. We couldn't just show a movie again!

"Just teach normally—piano lessons!"

"But how can we play like this?"

"Forgot that secret? I can do four-hand duets. I didn't graduate by slacking off. I'll play one-handed to match your rhythm."

"Huh? We can do that?"

I fetched Xier's lesson plan from the office. We waited until fewer people were around, then slowly walked out of the teaching building toward the arts building. I thought it'd be empty—but a student waited at the entrance.

"Teacher Hua Shuuu~"

"Huh? Miss Gualie? What's up?"

Gualie called out sweetly, then hesitated seeing Xier and me holding each other. She answered anyway:

"Are you free this weekend? I'd like to invite you to the movies. Will you go with me?"

Huh? I got asked out? But such a cute young miss... I had nothing Saturday anyway. Watching a movie with Gualie sounded nice.

"Mm, sure. But Gualie, why not ask a boy to go with you?"

"Huh? Two students alone? Unsafe! I'm coming too!"

"Boys? I like you, Hua Shu!" Gualie blurted, then turned to me, flustered.

"Xier, you're coming too? Fine, more people means more fun."

"Huh? Teacher, you must have plans this weekend! Right? Definitely busy!"

Whoa! Gualie's face suddenly turned dark... Why must Xier be busy?

"Oh! Right, what a shame... Hua Shu, I do have plans this weekend. Heh heh..." Xier seemed scared of Gualie. Weird.

"Then it's settled!" Gualie's gloom vanished. She beamed cutely again. I prefer this Gualie.

...

*Ding-ding-ding~*

"Class is over, everyone! Go home for lunch~!"

"Ooh~ Bye, Hua Shu-sensei!"

And so, Xier and I held hands through piano class. I grabbed my sister's outstretched hand, and we walked out of school.

"Bro! Walking home today? So tired~"

"Mm, let's take the bus."

Truthfully, I was more exhausted—mentally drained...

Perfect timing. Miko gave me this bus card. Tsk, I usually pay cash. Today, I could finally swipe.

At the bus stop, I spotted that strange guy from this morning's classroom door. He seemed to have waited there all along.

"Hi, I'm Wu Jing, Xiao Shan's friend. I wanted to meet Hua Shu this morning, but you were busy. Didn't want to interrupt."

"Oh, Xiao Shan's friend? What do you need?"

"Xiao Shan keeps praising how beautiful and kind you are. I got curious. Wanted to be friends."

Huh? Am I really that great? Hehe, kinda embarrassed.

"Mm, Xiao Shan exaggerates. You're Wu Jing, right? I have a good friend with the same surname."

As we chatted, the bus arrived. We smiled, stopped talking, and queued to board.

*Beep~~ Student card.*

Huh. Xiao Ling has a bus card too? I paid her fare yesterday with coins. Really lost out this time...

*Beep~~ Senior card.*

The newly met, kinda-handsome Wu Jing walked to a seat, utterly embarrassed. So awkward. Why did he use a senior card?

*Beep~~ Child card.*

...Miko! I hate you!