Chapter 145 - 'YAN YAN'
LUO YAN and Luo Jin logged into the game after eating lunch. Luo Yan told his tutors yesterday that they didn't have to come today. After all, the exam was tomorrow. He was never a fan of cramming before the day of the exam. So whenever there was one, he would be ready a week before. For him, that's definitely better than ramming everything in one's brain for a day.
They appeared at Black Lake. Luo Yan used a teleportation scroll to teleport the both of them to their team's headquarters. They walked to the palace's main hall and saw Shen Ji Yun already sitting at the long table.
"Brother Ji Yun!" he called and happily sat down beside him. "How come you're here early?"
[Because you said you're going to log in after lunch.] That was the rabbit's answer when he asked him about it last night before both of them logged out. But of course, Shen Ji Yun couldn't say that. Even he knew his action was weird. "I have nothing else to do. Did you sleep well?"
"I always sleep well. You see, Brother Ji Yun, I have this huge stuff bear that Ah Jin gave me. It's really comfortable sleeping while hugging it," Luo Yan answered. "I'll send a picture to Brother Ji Yun."
Luo Jin stared at the interaction of the two. The way his brother just automatically sat down beside their emotionless captain, the way the guy gave his brother his full attention, the way their conversation proceeded – it was so natural. As if they'd been friends for years. When did these two become so close?
A vein on Luo Jin's forehead seemed to pop just thinking about it. He was about to interfere with the two when Su Yuqi entered the main hall. He suddenly remembered that he hadn't asked Su Yuqi to keep the thing about him having to cross-dress a secret. Knowing this girl, she'd definitely wouldn't hesitate to tell Luo Yan about it if his brother just asked. She probably wouldn't even think that it would embarrass him in the least.
So he temporarily ignored the warm atmosphere between his brother and Shen Ji Yun and just rushed towards Su Yuqi.
"I have a favor to ask you," he said.
Su Yuqi didn't look surprise because of his sudden approached. Her eyes widened only a tiny bit. The only sign telling that he didn't expect him to come near her. Luo Jin found that a bit cute. He shook his head. No, what was he thinking at this time?
"What is it?" Su Yuqi asked.
"Can you not tell anyone about me wearing a dress when we're inside that red door," Luo Jin said, lowering his voice.
Su Yuqi stared at Luo Jin. Because their avatars' height was about the same, she could perfectly see his little face full of anxiousness. For the first time, she suddenly had an urge to tease someone. "What's in it for me?"
"You're asking something in return?" Luo Jin said unbelieving. Because Su Yuqi didn't seem like someone who would do that. She always looked so indifferent, as if he didn't care about anything.
Looking at Luo Jin's expression – his already big eyes wide as saucers and his mouth in shaped of an 'o'– Su Yuqi couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm kidding. Don't worry, I won't tell others how pretty you were."
Luo Jin's whole face immediately turned red. "W-who's pretty? You're the one who's pretty! Your whole family is pretty!"
Su Yuqi smiled. "Thank you."
Luo Jin's face became even redder. He's not even sure if it was because of his stupid response or because of the smile Su Yuqi suddenly gave him.
Luo Yan sitting on the long table happened to see this scene. He didn't hear what they were talking about because their voices were all hush-hush. But seeing a shota and a loli huddling together as if they were in on a secret, he couldn't help but want to take a picture of this scene. And so he did, taking a screenshot of the two.
"Does Yan Yan like stuff animals?"
Shen Ji Yun's sudden question interrupted Luo Yan. But he couldn't care about that because he was more startled by the name he called him.
Shen Ji Yun noticed the rabbit's sudden change in expression. He then just realized what he called him. He had been wanting to call the rabbit that way ever since he got his WeChat ID. He couldn't believe he just blurted that out. How embarrassing. He felt his face slowly heating up.
"I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to call you that," he immediately apologized.
Luo Yan stared at Shen Ji Yun's slightly flushed face. Despite the lack of expression on his face, he could see how embarrassed he was. He was about to say something when Bai Ze suddenly walked in the main hall.
"Oh, the whole team is here," Bai Ze said walking straight to the long table and sitting on one of the free seats. "How did it go with you guys last night?"
"Brother Ji Yun and I were together in the blue door and we perfectly cleared it," Luo Yan said, boasting a bit.
"No way, you ended up in the same door?" Bai Ze said unbelievingly.
"Not only us. Ah Jin and Sister Yuqi also ended up in the same door," Luo Yan added.
"Seriously?" Bai Ze turned to Luo Jin and Su Yuqi who were still standing together.
"It's true," Luo Jin said.
"How come I'm the only one left out?" Bai Ze said with a bit of grievance.
"Did Brother Ze clear his task perfectly as well?" Luo Yan asked instead.
"Of course I did," Bai Ze answered proudly. "Even without the help of anyone, I still did magnificently."
"Wow. Brother Ze is great!" Luo Yan said, generously complimenting him just in case he would act grievously again.
Su Yuqi snorted. Which got Bai Ze's attention. "Su Yuqi, you just think of something bad about me, didn't you?"
"How did you know? It seems like you're really great," she said, her voice full of sarcasm.
Bai Ze stood up and went to bicker with Su Yuqi. Luo Jin stood between the two.
Luo Yan looked at them amusedly. Then he remembered what he was about to tell Shen Ji Yun before Bai Ze appeared. He turned at the young man sitting beside him. "Brother Ji Yun," he called.
Shen Ji Yun immediately turned to him. "Yes?"
"You can call me Yan Yan," he said and smiled.
Seeing the rabbit's smile, Shen Ji Yun felt like his heart just stammered. Then it beat uncontrollably. He quickly looked away before he lost control and gave in to his urge to pinch the rabbit's soft cheek. But he still couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his lips.
[I can now call him Yan Yan!]