Clichè?
No.
Even though lots, I mean tons, of my friends told me, it's clichè. But for me, this is not.
My feelings are not clichè.
It's real.
Some people say that the more you hate a person, the more you tend to want to know more. What they did, who they always hang out with, hobbies, favorite foods, favorite season...
As for me, I mastered everything about him.
Yes.
Yi Chen.
What did I not know about him? Name it. His nickname? Steam Bun. His height? 179cm. Shoe size? 44 UK. Favorite color? Yellow. Favorite food? Me.
Tsk! I wish that I were that tasty for his bud! Too bad that's not the case.
I am a man that he hates the most in this world. To the guts. No joke.
My friends ask me; Minghao, he is your enemy. Since when did you catch feelings for him?
Enemy? That's all just propaganda from our family. There's no reason to hate Yi Chen, to be honest. As sweet as the pork bun in his Pa's shop, that's who he is. Fluffy, sweet, innocent, happy-go-lucky... not to mention a cutie pie.
Tell me which hearts are not melting with his smile? If there's someone in this world who claims that a smile is not contagious, a question for you.
Are you blind?
Since we were a child, I have always had my eyes on him. Watching him pedaling his bike in front of his father's shop was my hobby. When he was upset, his chubby cheek would get pink and puffy, just like the steam bun. That's why people called him Steam Bun.
He has always been interesting since he was a kid.
I want to get close to him, play with him, be his friend—at least. But, our parents... ah... that lame dispute over who got the best food offered at the shop is my biggest obstacle! We couldn't even take a glance at each other without causing drama afterward.
So, for me to get close to Yi Chen, I purposely bullied him. Love aggression; that's the term. It's not like I enjoy it actually! But, that's the only time when I could take a glimpse of his beautiful face; especially when he was upset... ah!
Once, I ended up sleepless just because my hands accidentally touched his hair. I was trying to mess around during a basketball game, so I ruffled his hair. It's soft, with a scent of strawberry mint that stuck on my hands for the whole day, as I refused to wash them.
Growing up watching him from the window of my bedroom, I soon realized something. Those interests that I had for him are more than just a curiosity. I started to dream of him living with me—chronically, I dream that Yi Chen is my other half.
Middle school was the most interesting year for me. To be Yi Chen's classmates was my ultimate dream. Sitting and breathing the same air in the same space, my feelings grow closer to him. Since we were classmates, we tend to have a lot of group activities. That's when I took my chance to tease him and to be closer to him.
Too close is too dangerous for my heart!
I laugh so hard whenever I think about those good times.
I don't know if he remembered an incident that happened to him. That incident that gradually changed the dynamic between us.
But for me, I will never forget that incident. Never.
***
High School, 5 years ago.
(As soon as I started high school, I was going through a rough phase in my life. The pressure from my parents created a rebellious attitude in me. I began hanging out with some bad kids at school and even dared to skip classes. My life felt aimless. I was too messed up to listen to others.
Yi Chen had changed too. From a sweet Steam Bun, he was turning into a cold person. I heard his parents were no different from mine, putting a lot of pressure on him. I understood what he had been through, but I couldn't do much because I had my own issues too.
Our dynamic had changed a lot. I was even more aggressive. No more childish tricks or teasing. Everything had turned so dark and grim. Yi Chen didn't even back down. He fought me almost all the time, giving me a cold shoulder, which upset me even more.
The enemy tales had become reality.)
"Minghao!"
My head turned to my friend. The ball flew like a fiery hot fishball towards me. I try to scoop it, but it rolls out of the court, shoot far enough for me to keep it on track.
I saw the orange ball hit a pair of black Converse High. I sigh as I run in a hurry in that direction.
It was Yi Chen; white milky skin, round eyes with rectangular gold-framed spectacles, red thin lips, and short black hair with a curtain bang. He lifted his head up. Eyes piercing at each other, as the boy shuts his book and gives me a sharp look.
"Yah, pass me the ball..." I nonchalantly ask for a favor. The boy takes the ball half-heartedly and throws it with full power to me.
"The fu—! Yarh, are you trying to kill me, you motherf—!" The boy ignores me, walking away as if he saw no one in front of him. That gesture made me even angrier.
"Yah! How dare you walk away just like that?! Come here, you pig!" I yell as I stop Yi Chen from leaving.
"You have your ball. What else do you want?" the boy asks.
"Apologize. You almost killed me!"
"Did you die?" the boy asked. He tilted his head, as he looked at me in annoyance.
"No! But–"
I failed to finish my words when the boy tapped my shoulder and walked away from me.
"That motherf—! Just you wait!" I slam my palm on the ball. Looking at the boy who casually walked away, my heart boiled like a fiery mala soup.
***
"Are you sure about this?" I ask the senior. He just patted my shoulder and snickered.
"We just gave him a warning, that's all. Don't worry! No one is dead today!"
I look at him with full confidence. It's just a soft warning, nothing more.
"Well... Well... Well... Look who we have here..."
Yi Chen took off his red earphones whilst his sight caught on us gathering at the bus stop not too far from the high school. He shot a glare at me, a familiar face who had an ugly encounter with him this morning.
"I heard somebody forgot his place? Should we teach him some lessons?" A tall, dark skin boy with a pair of slanted eyes is towering his height over Yi Chen. The boy was a bit slimmer and shorter, but his gaze was harsher and sharper than a knife.
"Stop acting like a fool. You know this is not a good place to fight," said Yi Chen. His voice remained calm, as he glared at me. I silently sat on the bench, watching those seniors bullying him with my heartless face.
"No one dares to stop us anyway, kiddo! We rule the school; inside and out anyway..." the senior stammered Yi Chen.
"I'm not talking to you, senior..."
His face went red. Yi Chen seemed to have no interest in him at all, nor did his threat work on him. Those seniors start creating a ruckus, teasing their leader for being a fool in front of a junior just like that.
"You son of a–"
A fist landed on Yi Chen's face even before the word finished. Yi Chen stumbled on the ground, wincing in pain as his cheek immediately turned red. I spring up from my seat, brows stitched together. My heart beats fast while looking at Yi Chen who stood up slowly, fighting the pain by himself.
The senior threw another blow, this time, it was stamped directly on his abdomen. Yi Chen stubbornly received the blow, almost stumbled again, but he managed to hold himself from falling. Sensing the danger was coming, he fought back with his sharp kick, right onto the senior's shin.
"Hey, stop!" I suddenly yelped from my spot. My mind didn't agree with the violence that happened in front of me.
"Butt off, Sichuan Boy!" One of the seniors warned him. I lost my words as I could only look at four seniors who gang up against Yi Chen.
He was alone. And injured, too!
Yi Chen wiped away the stain of blood from the corner of his lips. He fought with his might, trying to dodge the attack so it will minimize the injury. He probably didn't want to have a lengthy explanation to his mother about it. It would be a disaster if his family found out.
"Stop!" I run down to the fighting spot and try to break down the crowd.
"Fuck off, Minghao! You're the one who whines about him being rude to you!" the senior tossed me away, as he asked his friends to hold Yi Chen so he won't fight that much.
This is too much!
Unknowingly, I jump right in front of Yi Chen, trying to save the boy. But Yi Chen was aware of it as he turned his body, shielding me from the kick, causing a foot to land onto his right hand.
I swear, I heard a crackling sound coming from Yi Chen, along with a loud grunt as the boy suppressed the pain in silence.
"Yi Chen!" I grabbed his body so he wouldn't stumble onto the road. Looking at crying Yi Chen, the crowd panicked. They immediately grabbed their bags and fled, leaving only the two of us on the spot.
***
The hospital was not busy like usual. The air seemed calm, although the tension could be felt around me. I sat in anxiety, waiting outside the emergency room with mixed feelings.
My mind wandered, thinking about what I should tell Yi Chen's mother about this matter. The guilt already seeped into my bones, as I knew this was all my fault. Although I was just talking rubbish about Yi Chen's attitude towards me to my seniors, I didn't expect them to take it seriously
How I wished I had just kept that to myself!
The emergency door slowly opened from the inside. A nurse came out with Yi Chen, sitting in dull in a wheelchair. His eyes shot a glare at me as soon as they landed on his panicked face.
"Your friend is fine. But, he cracked his wrist. Don't forget the next check-up in three weeks. And, no labor work, for at least a month."
I looked at Yi Chen. His face went dull and sour. His eyes glare sharply at me. Obviously mad at me, because once the nurse left, he brushed me off and walked away from there.
"Yi Chen—" I tried to stop him, but it seemed fruitless when the boy walked away as if I were a speck of dirt in the air.
That's when I knew, I've fucked off.