After spending a day in frustration and anger, Ru was exhausted by the time dusk came around. Right now, she was standing before Xiao Zhi Ren's house and questioning herself, 'What the hell am I doing here?'
She knew the answer, she just didn't have the courage to accept it. After a long contemplation session outside the door, she finally lifted her hand to ring the bell. But before she could, the door opened and Xiao Zhi Ren came into view looking at her inquiringly.
"Are you done pacing around?" Ru gave him a confused look. "You have been out here for half-an-hour now."
"How do you know that?" Ru questioned without thinking.
Instead of answering her, Xiao Zhi Ren held her sleeve and as usual dragged her inside before the home-security system's monitor. Looking at that, Ru had a look of realization like she was suddenly enlightened and even dragged her words, "Ohh..." Then turning to look at his amused expression, she scratched her head sheepishly. "I was trying to remember what I came for."
"Oh, is that right?" Xiao Zhi Ren played along with her.
"Of course." Ru stood her ground.
"So, what did you come up with? I mean what brought you to my door?" He asked while he walked towards his kitchen.
"Where is our little squirrel?" Xiao Zhi Ren gave her once over before turning back to hide his smile.
"Is that what you want to ask?"
"No, that was just a general question." Ru shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
"Okay, so the general answer would be he went to movies with his friends." Xiao Zhi Ren answered rolling his sleeves and prepared to dice up the vegetables.
Nodding her head in understanding, she asked, "Why were you at the port last night?"
Xiao Zhi Ren paused in his movement before continuing to work. "I was following you." Ru widened her eyes at his straightforward answer.
"Why?" She asked cautiously.
"Because I had to ask you something important." He answered plainly.
"What did you want to ask?" Ru asked and Xiao Zhi Ren didn't answer immediately. He was wondering what to say since he had already gotten the answer to his question. Ru picked up a carrot and took a bite before asking, "Oh, wait! I suddenly remembered I promised you a meeting with Alev. I'm really forgetful these days." She facepalmed herself feeling not happy about her memory at all.
The name Alev rolled out of her tongue so naturally that it stunned Xiao Zhi Ren. Not noticing his expression at all, she continued, "Zhi, you should have reminded me. I got busy with so many things that it skipped my mind. But don't worry, I'll have him before you next week at any cost!"
Tightening his grip on the knife in his hand, he asked, "Last time, you said that Alev Knight would do anything you say." Ru hummed in response distractedly and he went on, "How close you both are exactly?"
"Closer than you can imagine," Ru said without even thinking while her mind was like, 'It's my alter ego. And if I don't know myself then who else will?'
"Does he know?" Xiao Zhi Ren suddenly questioned. "I mean about you... Your secret."
Ru thought for a second about her answer, 'No one knows my secrets better than myself. And if I know it than my other self also knows it.' Thinking this she answered, "Yeah! He knows me better than anyone. All my secrets and whatnots. Technically, you can call us two people living in one body with one heartbeat."
She meant it literally but Xiao Zhi Ren took it metaphorically. The kitchen knife in his hand dropped and fell right beside his foot. It even slit the side of his foot but Xiao Zhi Ren didn't feel the pain at all.
His mind was elsewhere.
'Am I too late? Does her heart already belong to someone else? But I can't even fight with Alev Knight! Damnit! How am I supposed to fight with my idol?' No one could understand the inner turmoil of Xiao Zhi Ren at this moment.
One thing was for sure, he was beyond hopeless now.