As I walked towards Granny's shop, I was surprised to see Zhiyu sitting on the bench outside, licking an ice cream cone. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "Zhiyu! What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to contain my amusement. He looked up, his eyes sparkling with delight. "Just getting some ice cream," he replied, holding up his cone. "I saw your granny's shop and thought I'd try some." I raised an eyebrow. "And you just happened to run into me?" He grinned mischievously. "Guess so." Just then,
Nainai emerged from the shop, a warm smile on her face. "Mei, do you know this boy?" she asked, eyeing him curiously. I whispered to Nainai, "Nainai, this is Zhiyu. We're in the same class." Nainai's face lit up with recognition. "Ah, Zhiyu! I'm so glad you're here. I was just helping Mei with some errands." Zhiyu stood up, bowing politely. "Nice to meet you, Nainai." Nainai chuckled. "And nice to meet you too, Zhiyu! I see you're enjoying my ice cream."
He smiled, holding up his cone. "It's delicious, thank you!"
I asked Nainai, "Nainai, how did you meet Zhiyu?"
Nainai's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Oh, I was having a bit of trouble with some boxes, and Zhiyu here helped me out. I gave him some free ice cream as a thank you." I laughed. "Ah, that's so sweet of you, Nainai!" He smiled, looking pleased. "Yeah, Nainai's really kind." Nainai beamed with pride. "Well, someone has to take care of our customers!" Nainai smiled warmly at him. "You know, Zhiyu, you're welcome to stay for dinner. Why don't you go upstairs with Mei and make yourself at home?"
His eyes lit up. "Really? Thank you, Nainai!" I nodded, gesturing for him to follow me. "Come on, I'll show you my room." As we climbed the stairs, he couldn't help but stare at the posters on my wall. "Wow, you're really into science, aren't you?" I laughed. "Guilty as charged. I love learning about the stars and space." He chuckled. "I can tell. You're pretty obsessed." I playfully rolled my eyes. As we chatted, he wandered over to my bookshelf and started scanning the titles.
"Hey, what's this book?" he asked, pulling out a worn copy of "The Kid Who Came from Space" by Ross Welford.
I smiled, feeling a surge of nostalgia. "Oh, that was a gift from my dad on my 10th birthday. It's one of my favorite books." His eyes lit up. "No way! I loved that book! I must've read it five times." I laughed. "Really? What did you like about it?"
Just then, his eyes landed on my guitar, which was leaning against the wall. His face lit up, and he quickly walked over to grab it. I was surprised as he started strumming the strings with ease, his fingers moving deftly over the frets. The sound that flowed from the guitar was like a warm breeze on a summer day, gentle and soothing.
As he began to sing, his voice was like a rich, velvety darkness, pouring into the room and filling every corner. He sang with his eyes closed, his face tilted upwards, and his voice seemed to come from deep within his soul. The words of "Promise" by Jimin flowed from his lips like a river, smooth and effortless.
I watched, entranced, as his fingers danced across the strings, creating a mesmerizing pattern of sound and motion. His music was like a spell, weaving a web of enchantment around me, drawing me in with its beauty and emotion.
I joined in, harmonizing with his voice, and together, we created a beautiful sound that filled the room. When we finished, I applauded, grinning at him. "Not bad, huh?" I teased.
He chuckled, his eyes shining with pleasure. "I guess I've been practicing in secret," he said, smiling slyly.
He launched into an enthusiastic summary of the book, and I listened, delighted by his passion. Just then, Nainai called out from downstairs. "Mei, Zhiyu, dinner's ready! Come on down!"
We both headed downstairs, our stomachs growling in anticipation. Nainai had set out a delicious spread of dishes, and the aroma wafting from the table was incredible. His eyes widened as he took in the feast. "Wow, Nainai, this looks amazing!" Nainai beamed with pride. "Thank you, dear! I'm glad you're excited. Mei, why don't you show Zhiyu where to sit?"
I gestured to the table, and he took a seat beside me. Nainai handed us each a bowl of steaming hot rice, and we began to serve ourselves. As we ate, he couldn't stop raving about the food. "Nainai, this is the best dinner I've had all year! You're an amazing cook!" Nainai chuckled, pleased. "Thank you, Zhiyu! I'm glad you're enjoying it.
As he stepped out into the evening air, I followed him, feeling a sense of comfort in his presence. We walked in silence for a moment, enjoying the peacefulness of the evening. "Hey, want to walk with me to the park?" Zhiyu asked, nodding towards the nearby park. I smiled, feeling a sense of excitement. "Yeah, sure." We strolled through the park, taking in the sights and sounds of the evening. Children's laughter carried on the breeze, mingling with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.
As we sat ko on the swing, he turned to me with a curious expression. "So, Mei, what do you like to do for fun?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. I smiled, feeling a sense of enthusiasm. "I love reading!" I replied, expecting him to share a similar interest. But instead, he teased me, saying "Oh, great. You're always reading, aren't you? You're always far away in your own little world." I laughed, feeling a bit defensive, and countered with "Hey, reading is fun! But if you must know, I also like talking to Granny, or my cat Miyo... or my new friend."
His eyes lit up with interest, and he asked "New friend? Who's that?" I smiled mischievously, pointing to the abandoned building in the distance. "Oh, just someone I met at that abandoned building over there. She loves searching for aliens and exploring abandoned places. She's really cool."
Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, impressed despite himself. "Aliens? You mean like, extraterrestrial life?" he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism. I nodded defensively, feeling a sense of loyalty to my friend. "Hey, don't knock it till you try it! My friend is really passionate about it, and it's actually pretty interesting." He chuckled, teasing me once more. "Oh, I'm sure it's fascinating. But I still think reading is boring." I smiled slyly, ready with a comeback. "Well, at least I don't spend all my time playing video games like some people I know..."
I winked at him, who laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I get it! You're a bookworm, and I'm a gamer. But hey, being a gamer has its perks - I'm really good at multitasking!" I rolled my eyes, laughing. "Yeah, right! I'm sure your gaming skills will come in handy someday... like when aliens invade Earth!" He grinned, playing along. "don't knock it! I'll be the one saving humanity from alien invaders!"
We both laughed, enjoying the silly banter. As we swung on the swings.