Jia Wei came back with their drinks and hummed when the three said their thanks. "Your food will be out soon."
Soon enough, their food did come.
Jia Wei came back with a tray of food, balanced in one hand with ease. Woah, he's so cool when he's working…so ho- Quit it, Ah Chong! Ah Chong was mentally slapping himself for such thoughts.
Setting the plates down one by one with a thunk, each of the boys getting their respective orders placed in front of them.
The boys murmured their thanks again. Jia Wei simply hummed in acknowledgment.
Shen Yun clasped his hands like a monk greeting salvation, "Finally! Oh, lunch…you are the highlight of my academic career." He sighs, dreamily.
He Fei snorted, "You say that like school is a prison sentence."
"It is a prison sentence," Shen Yun said, picking up his utensils and pointing a fork towards He Fei, "Lunch is visiting hours." He declared and started scooping some curry onto his rice.
Ah Chong really tried—he really tried to focus on his food. But every few seconds his gaze betrayed him and drifted back towards the counter, where Jia Wei was back at his seat, resuming his mobile game and drinking from his own cup of thai milk tea—with pearls.
The way his eyelashes fluttered as his eyes darted around the phone screen made Ah Chong swoon even harder.
This view was almost like cinema to him.
Ah Chong violently stabbed a basil leaf. STOP LOOKING AT HIM, CREEP. EAT PORK.
"Ah he's staring again…" He Fei observed—amusement in his voice.
Shen Yun looked up mid-chew. "Staring at who at what now?"
"My food." Ah Chong cuts in sharply.
"Hmm okay." He Fei decides to let it go.
Shen Yun raises his eyebrows, "Bro, your food isn't that interesting." He points out, shoving another mouthful of rice in his mouth.
"It is to me." Ah Chong shot back, stabbing a piece of chili murderously. "It has depths and layers. Complexity."
"Ish bashil ahn pohk" Shen Yun says with a mouth still full of food.
"You wouldn't get it."
He Fei snorted into his drink. "Right. Deep emotional pork."
"Respect the pork," Ah Chong said gravely.
Meanwhile—totally unprompted—his eyes betrayed him again and shifted right back. Jia Wei was tapping his screen, thumb moving with lazy precision, posture loose, one leg slightly stretched out. Occasionally, he lifted his cup without looking at it and drank like the straw simply knew where his mouth was.
When Ah Chong realised his gaze was trailing to the older boy's lips, he quickly caught himself, slamming both hands onto his cheeks. GET IT TOGETHER MAN!
The two other boys flinched. "Bro, what's wrong with you!" Shen Yun sputtered, almost choking on his food.
"Discipline," Ah Chong croaked, "self-control training."
"For what???"
"Shut up and eat."
Shen Yun was about to argue, but He Fei casually held up a hand. "Let the man train," he said wisely, nodding like a monk witnessing a spiritual ritual. "He is fighting demons we cannot see."
Ah Chong sighs and the three of them continue eating.
-
When the three of them finished their meals, Shen Yun let out a satisfied sigh. "Man, that was good."
He Fei stood up, "It's on me guys." He says in a suave way, giving a wink.
"Wow… trying to woo our Shen Yun. You're so cool. I should call you Fei-ge," Ah Chong exclaimed in fake adoration, pressing a hand to his chest like a swooning maiden.
He Fei flicked an imaginary strand of hair off his forehead. "Finally, the respect I deserve."
"I'll pass," Shen Yun muttered immediately.
"How can I ever impress you," He Fei slumped dramatically, letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"Anyways," He Fei straightened, brushing off his theatrics. He turned toward the counter with confident strides, hand half-raised like he was about to wave to paparazzi that didn't exist. "Stay seated. I'll handle the bill."
"Okay, Fei-ge!" Ah Chong called after him, practically bouncing in his chair.
"Stop enabling him!" Shen Yun muttered, giving Ah Chong's shoulder a light shove, which only made Ah Chong snicker.
As He Fei approached the counter, Jia Wei looked up from his phone, noticing him out of the corner of his eye. He started to rise, as if to move to the register—but before he could, the owner intervened.
"You boys done?" she asked, beaming.
"Yes, Auntie. It was delicious," He Fei said smoothly, sliding his wallet from his pocket.
The owner turned to Jia Wei, her tone gentle but insistent. "Xiao Wei, isn't it time to head back to school? Why don't you go with them? Auntie can manage here." She patted his back lightly.
Jia Wei hesitated for a fraction of a second, as if weighing options, before a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.
He Fei noticed immediately and leaned casually against the counter. "Sure. We don't mind," he said, turning to Jia Wei with a grin that suggested he knew exactly how much control he had over the situation. "Come with us."
After paying, He Fei sauntered back to the table. "He's walking back with us," he announced, pointing at Jia Wei like it was the most natural thing in the world. The two seated boys blinked, processing the information.
"Oh? Yeah, sure," Shen Yun said casually, shrugging.
Jia Wei gave a small nod, "Sorry to intrude."
"Oh no, it's cool." Shen Yun assures, getting up from his seat.
Meanwhile—Ah Chong was still trying to process, his mouth slightly agape. His heart was hammering like a drumline, every beat echoing in his ears. The simple act of Jia Wei moving toward them felt like a seismic shift in the universe.
"Oi." Shen Yun's voice jolted him, accompanied by a light kick to his leg. Ah Chong snapped out of it, jerking upright and shooting up from his seat.
"Y-Yeah! Right! I'm coming!" he stammered, fumbling with his chair and nearly tripping over the chair leg.
He Fei, leaning casually against the counter, didn't say a word. His sharp eyes followed Ah Chong's every move, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. Interesting… this is going to be fun, he thought silently.
"Auntie, we are leaving now." Jia Wei calls out.
"Alright, walk safe!" the owner replied cheerfully, waving them off.
_______________________
The walk back was treacherous for Ah Chong. Every step felt like wading through molasses, his senses betraying him at every corner. Jia Wei walked beside them with a calm, effortless stride, hands tucked into his pockets, completely unbothered by the world around him. Meanwhile, Ah Chong's mind was a storm of fluttering thoughts and racing heartbeats.
"So, you're from Class 2-3 right?" He Fei asks, turning to Jia Wei. The boy gives a light nod, "Yeah. Sorry for not introducing myself, I'm Jia Wei. Auntie calls me Xiao Wei."
Hearing Jia Wei speak his own name sounded like honey.
"I'm He Fei," the boy continued, flashing a mischievous grin. "This is Shen Yun and Ah Chong. You've probably heard of him." He gestured toward Ah Chong with a wink.
Jia Wei hummed in acknowledgement, his gaze drifting to Ah Chong for a brief moment. "The teachers speak highly of you," he said quietly, almost matter-of-factly, yet there was something about the way he looked at him that made Ah Chong feel like he was the only person in the world.
Ah Chong blinked, caught completely off guard, and almost tripped over air. "Uh… th-thank you," he stammered, voice barely above a whisper.
Shen Yun, leaned forward with a grin. "Yeah, all the teachers seem to love him. The Genius Boy of 2-2."
"Ugh…shut up." Ah Chong grumbles, shoving Shen Yun slightly.
He Fei snorted quietly behind them, noting the faint flush creeping up Ah Chong's neck. This is going to be fun, he thought, his eyes glinting with amusement as he watched his friend silently melt under Jia Wei's casual compliment.
_______________________
Ah Chong was in his bedroom, sitting at his desk, staring at the empty spot on the wall recalling today's events. Especially the walk with Jia Wei.
The rest of the walk passed in a curious mix of casual chatter and subtle observation. He Fei and Shen Yun peppered Jia Wei with questions—about his favorite subjects, hobbies, even what he liked to do on weekends. Jia Wei responded earnestly, his voice calm and measured, never rushed, each answer precise but carrying a quiet weight that seemed to draw Ah Chong's attention like gravity.
During the whole conversation, Ah Chong was taking mental notes of Jia Wei's responses like these were key notes to be taken down for an exam.
Things he noted were:
Jia Wei likes Thai milk tea.
He likes rice dishes.
His best subject is literature.
He helps out the store during his lunch breaks and weekends.
Shen Yun, oblivious to Ah Chong's internal chaos the whole time, bouncing from topic to topic. "So… wait, you actually help out at the restaurant a lot? Even during school days?"
Jia Wei nodded slightly. "Sometimes. It depends on my schedule."
He Fei and Shen Yun hum in acknowledgement.
By the time they reached campus and the second-year floor, He Fei called out, "Don't be a stranger, okay!" as Jia Wei was about to enter the 2-3 classroom.
Jia Wei gave them a small wave and a polite smile. "Sure. See you." And then he stepped into his classroom, leaving Ah Chong standing frozen, feeling like the world had shifted slightly off its axis.
"Arghhh!!!" Ah Chong screams, Jia Wei's smiling face playing on loop in his head.
And then—
A loud bang on his door, "Gege! Shut up!" A girl's sharp voice emitted from his door. It was his younger sister, three years his junior—Ah Min.
"…Sorry," he croaked, slumping in his chair as he heard his sister angrily shuffling away. Sighing, he glances at the camera on his table. Picking it up,
Click. The screen turned on.
He presses the playback button and Jia Wei's face appears on the screen.
His bored face, with the sunshine catching on his honey like skin. Ah Chong felt like he was melting.
Before he knew it, his fingers were already moving on autopilot—pulling the SD card out of the camera, slotting it into his computer, booting up his editing program like a man possessed.
A little brightness tweak.
Lower the contrast.
Warm the tones just a bit more.
Oh, the shadows are too harsh—soften them.
Wait, the highlights too—bring them down.
His cursor hovered over Print for a dramatic second.
Click.
The printer next to his desk growled awake and began whirring. Ah Chong watched it with unblinking intensity. The way the paper was sliding out felt like an eternity but finally—there he was.
Ah Chong gently plucked the photo off the tray, holding it delicately between both hands. Carefully, he flipped the photo and tore out some tape to paste it on the back. He then flips the photo back and pastes it at the empty spot on the wall he was previously staring at.
Pulling back, he takes a moment to look at the newly pasted photo. He felt his heart somersaulted, crashed, burned and then rearranged itself in a completely new order.
"Fuck…"