"Stop laughing!! You guys are the worst!"
Didi grumbled. His lips was still painful after two days.

"I'm sorry! It's just too funny!" Kang said his eyes were full of tears and he was brushing them away.

Xi Ze was rolling on the floor holding his stomach.  "This is epic! Serves you right Didi! Hahaha I cannot!"

Kuan closed his mouth and tried to stop laughing but his eyes were full of tears "I have seen it in drama but I didn't know it can happen real life too!"

"Makes me think that Coach Shen can really fight off anything in the world," Kang said, still laughing. They were meeting in Xi Ze's apartment  for a drink. Didi showed up in his mask, to their curiosity. There was nothing he could hide from his buddies.

"I admire her now...for her biting skills! Hahahahaha!" Xi Ze added.

Poor Didi was red in his face and ears. He regretted showing up tonight. Right now, he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

"You guys have no compassion at all." He sulked, covering his face with the pillow.

"Okay, guys let's stop laughing."

"Or we can continue later."

Again, they burst out. Didi sighed.

Finally, Kuan said something profound. "Didi, everything happens for a reason."

Didi looked at Kuan in surprise. "She said the same thing! What the fa? All this mumbo jumbo "everything happens for a reason." What reason? Ouch!" He accidentally licked his wound.

Kuan smiled. "You will know soon enough."

"Kuan, you sound spooky. I'm frustrated she didn't remember anything about our kiss!" complained Didi.

"Not even the bite?"

Didi shook his head.

"This woman is dense."

"Too much workouts are killing her brain cells."

"Why do you want her to remember kissing you? Is it important to you?" Xi Ze asked suddenly.

"I.....I just thought....."he trailed off. He could not explain why himself.

"Do you like her, Didi?"

Didi was taken aback by that question. "I don't know. It was a spur of a moment thing. Now, I feel stupid."

"Didi, we cannot help you. You need to be certain of how you feel about her." Xi Ze pointed out

"I think.....I care about her." He said quietly.

"I just hope you are not having a rebound. Making her a replacement for your ex." Kuan said.

"How can that be possible?!" Didi exclaimed.

"Totally possible. You can mistaken physical attraction for feelings." Xi Ze continued after Kuan, who nodded.

"My advice Didi, if you don't have feelings for her, don't make her think otherwise. Especially Shen Yue with what she had been through in the past." Kuan said.

"My advice is, better not to get into any relationships at all. We are still young to be tied down," said Kang.

"You just have not met the right one, Kang!" Kuan warned him.

Xi Ze put his arm around Didi, "My advice to you is don't follow any of our advices!" The others looked at him questioningly.

"Because we are not you." Xi Ze smiled. Did sighed. "I think I should focus on the  contest first. Everything else can wait."

"Make sure don't kiss her again. Swollen lips don't look good on stage!" Kang teased. They laughed, even Didi joined in. "For what is worth, I don't mind calling Yue, sister-in-law." Xi Ze winked, making Didi's ears red again.

________________________

When Didi arrived for his training, he was surprised to see Wang Yi Bo with Mike. Yue was nowhere to be seen. "Hey Didi! We are training with Yi Bo today. Have you guys met? If not, please introduce yourselves." They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Up close, Yi Bo was even more good-looking.

Mike put them on a circuit training, working on total body focusing more on their chest and shoulders. By the time it ended, Didi almost felt sorry. He was surprised that he enjoyed the session. Yi Bo was actually pretty fit.

"I used to be a jujitsu instructor," he told Didi as they were resting and drinking water. "Oh!l? Just like Yue and Mike," said Didi. I better brush up mine, he thought. He had been to some sessions with her but was not that serious about it. Yi Bo smiled. "Mike used to be my senior instructor. And yes, I have met Yue when he was training her. But it was a long time ago." He continued, "What made you want to join the model contest? I'm joining for fun."

Didi smiled. "I have a contract to sign and the contest helps me to get back to my old self."

"Hmm...Yue mentioned a little about you." Yi Bo said.  Didi cocked his ears. He wondered what she said to him. Then, Yi Bo leaned close to him, "Didi buddy, do you know if Yue is going out with anyone? Or Mike? I heard them calling each other 'baby'."

Didi shrugged. "I do not know much about Yue's personal life." Liar, he thought. "Do you like Yue?"
Yi Bo smiled shyly. "She appears to me a very approachable person. Someone, I can be friends with easily."

Had Yue changed?, Didi thought. She was so cold with him in the beginning. He cracked his knuckles and the sound 'pak pak pak' was so loud that it startled Yi Bo. "Oh, sorry it's just my habit." Then he bit his nail. "Just ask her or Mike." He took another sip of water and excused himself. "It was good working out with you, Yi Bo. See you around," he said trying to sound as sincere as possible. Another suitor, and the line seemed to be getting longer.

________________

"Wang He Di! Are you listening to me?" Yue shouted.

They were alone in Mike's studio tonight as the boys were away for a competition. Mike had gladly loaned her the space. Yue thought it would be good to do something different. Didi seemed eager to learn but he seemed very distracted.

"Yes I am!" Didi responded.

Yue beckoned him close with her finger. "If you put that stance up, I will topple you down in no time. I thought we had covered the foundation well enough."

"Sorry coach, I will do better. Can we try again?"

She smiled. "All right." She grabbed his arms and they faced each other.
Suddenly, Didi released from her grip and smiled. "Let's play a game."

"What kind?"

"Remember we wanted to do the mind-reading test a while back? I just wonder if u can read my mind during jujitsu."

She laughed. "What kind of idea is that?" I have never tried it when I'm working out or doing something."

"Are you scared? That it doesn't work?" He challenged her. She put her hands on her hips. "Bring it on."

"Ok, you need to shout out what is in my mind, okay?"

"And if I topple you first, you lose and I don't have read your mind!"

"Deal! But if I win, you still have to do it."

They held onto each other's arm, their feet apart, their eyes staring. "Ready, go?" They started pulling at each other, turning around. "Wang He Di, why are you thinking about fried chicken?" She asked.

"Bingo!" They kept pulling.

"Can't you think of something else besides food? Pizza is not your meal!" saying that as she swept his left foot and he fell. She mounted on him and use a headlock, pinning him down. "You lose."

Didi quickly got up. "One more round."

Yue smiled and shook her head. "The results will still be the same."

"Not giving up," he said, grabbing her arms again. "That's my boy," she responded.

Again, they tugged and tried to knock each other's balance. "Give me something more challenging, Wang He Di." As she stared into his smiling eyes. "You want to win the model contest." He nodded and before she could make a move, he jerked her to him, swept her feet and she fell on her back with him on top now, his hands went to pin her arms over her head.

She smiled. "Bravo Didi, I didn't see that coming. By the way..." referring her arms over her head. "this is not a proper technique."

Didi was not smiling. He was looking at her intently. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "What is that supposed to be, Didi?"

"What?"

"That thought. It was a quick one but I caught it....." her eyes went to his lips for a second, in time to see him licked his lips. She bit her lip.

"Did....did you think of kissing me?" she stammered.

"Uh huh.... can I?" he whispered. When he saw her soft gaze, the same one she had when he was drying her hair, his heart quickened.

She was dumb-founded as she watched him leaned down towards her. She could hear his breath and inhale his sweat smell. Her heart palpitated thousand times that she had to hold her own breath. She closed her eyes and felt his lips on hers like a feathery kiss. The taste of his mouth was sweet.

He leaned more and pressed his lips on hers inviting her to part her lips. She tastes so good, he thought. He felt her responding back, a signal for him to continue. He deepened his kiss and tasted her mouth with his tongue. His hand went behind her nape instead as he lowered part of his body on her as he continued to kiss her tenderly, not wanting to break the magic.

Yue was intoxicated with his tongue which magically tasted every corner of her mouth. Her body felt warm and there was an ache right at her stomach. She had never felt this kind of desire before. Dejavu. This kiss....was like the night they kissed when she was drunk. She remembered it now!

She immediately pushed him to stop the kiss, and looked at him in shock. "We kissed that night! When I was drunk!"

Didi got excited. "You finally remembered!"

"If that is the case, it means I bit you!!!" She closed her mouth, her eyes widened. She pushed him away and quickly got up to her feet "Why did you kiss me, Didi?"

It was his turn to be tongue tied.
Finally, he said "Because I wanted to."

"That's it? You kiss a girl because you wanted to?" Yue was confused. She was flushed at the same time, not fully comprehending why she responded that night. 

"You wanted it too, Yue."

She stood there looking at him, alarmed. "I was drunk!"

"Then, what about today?"

"Today was......" her face was deep pink. She shifted her foot and looked around the room. "Just... just don't do it again. I need to go for a run. You...you lock up."

Didi had never seen her sprinted so fast, towards the studio door, tripping on the mat but managed to pick herself up again before closing the door.

What now? he thought. Is he being stupid to kiss her again? Wang He Di, you don't kiss the same girl and not have feelings for her, right? One thing for sure, Yue never forgets. Who knows what this wild woman would do tomorrow when she wake up to her senses?

————————-

His guess was right.

When he opened his bedroom door, Yue was standing in the living room with a stick. It looked like a broomstick or mop  without the head. And she was pointing at him. Didi laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Wang He Di, from today onwards we are going to stand 6 feet apart from each other. No kissing or touching. Understand?"

He chuckled again. "What about training time?"

"Except for training times. This applies especially when we are home alone." She said firmly, her head held high.

"Yue, you are being silly." He said and started walking towards her but she held out the stick towards his face. He stopped abruptly. "Six feet apart." She warned.
"Like the movie? That is five feet apart. The stick is five feet long."
"Whatever."
"What if I don't follow?"
"I will move out immediately."
"Damn! Why are you so tough?"
"Because you kissed me twice!"

Didi kept quiet. That was not his intention. "Okay, Yue. I just want you to know this..."

"What?"

"I didn't regret kissing you." He said gazing at her softly. Her face flushed immediately much to his delight. I love teasing her, he thought.

"You will regret it if you do it again!" she warned him, waving the stick.

"Let's see how long this will last, Coach Shen!" He said sticking his tongue out.

"As long as you don't behave yourself!" She said hitting the stick on the floor.

For the next few days, when they were him together, Yue held the stick when they ate, talked, bought groceries, watched movie or played Leagues together. "If people don't know, they would think the stick is your pet. Why don't you give it a name?" Didi teased.

"Sure. His name is 'kiss me and die'."

"How morbid!"

"Oh wait, the perfect name would be "Didi dogface"

"You adore me so much now, you are naming your pet after me?" He grinned.

"Wang He Di!!"

"Shen Yue!"

"Shut up!"

"I bet Didi doggie will run away soon."

They continued to bicker while playing Leagues. Unconsciously Yue stopped holding her stick by end of that day. It was actually exhausting for her.
😅😂😂

____________

Author's notes:

Just feeling crazy and unoriginal today....so I need to give credits to the following.

Jujitsu scene was inspired by Strong Girl Bong-soon. I love this K-drama! It is funny, and well acted by Park Bo-Young and Park Hyung Sik.

The stick was inspired by the movie "Five Feet Apart" I only watched the preview. It looked like a sad movie and I could not bring myself to watch it. The theme song "Don't Give up on Me" by Andy Grammer was good. Go listen to it!

💜💛 Hsien
27.11.2019