This is part 2 of Chapter 5.
I merge the parts into a single chapter once they reach about 3.000 words.
Previously, in Part 5.1: "Hey, Meilin," his voice smooth as he entered the kitchen. Startled by his sudden appearance, she lifted her head from the sink, her eyes widening in surprise. "Mind if I lend a hand?" His eyes locked onto hers, daring her to look away, his determination clear in his gaze.
"I... uh," speechless, Meilin handed him the rubber gloves she held.
Caught off guard by her gesture, his jaw dropped. "What the—"
"Sure! Perfect timing! I just heard Hooman calling for help, so I'll go help him now. Thank you so much!" With that, she bolted out of the kitchen, leaving him to wash the dishes alone.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Alone by the sink, Ningshun scoffed and shook his head. "She's driving me nuts!"
Despite his frustration, his eyes kept drifting towards the kitchen door, half-expecting Meilin to walk back in and join him. But she did not. Instead, her laughter floated in from the living room, grating on his nerves.
Meilin sat in the living room, her eyes glued to her phone, tracking the progress of her online order and anticipating the arrival of her package in the morning.
Kaili spotted her on the couch and approached with a smile, casually leaning against it. "Waiting for something exciting?"
She lifted her gaze, surprised by his early arrival. "Oh, just waiting for a delivery."
Ningshun slipped into the living room with his head held high, sitting in the spot farthest from Meilin. He did not even spare her a single glance, as if her presence—or lack thereof—meant little to him. 'Whatever. It's her loss.'
Kaili, in the middle of telling a story, drew peals of laughter from the group, his gestures animated. Seated next to him, she flicked her eyes briefly toward Ningshun but swiftly averted her gaze.
Ningshun caught her fleeting look with a hint of irritation but masked it with a nonchalant expression. 'If she wants to ignore me, fine. Two can play that game... Besides, I've got more important things to focus on.' He casually leaned back and perused the livestreams of their competitors on his tablet. Yet, every time she laughed or spoke, his attention sharpened, experiencing the sting of her avoidance. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, just Kaili being Kaili," Han replied. "You know how he is."
Ningshun gave a chuckle, forcing a smile. "Yeah, classic Kaili."
Han raised an eyebrow at Ningshun's aloofness. "You seem quiet tonight. Is something on your mind?"
"Nah, just thinking about the next playoff," Ningshun replied, his tone light but his gaze distant. "Got to stay focused, you know?"
Han nodded, but Meilin's eyes darted to Ningshun, curiosity sparking within them before she swiftly averted her gaze again.
Ningshun caught the brief look and snickered. 'She noticed.'
Kaili's phone vibrated, and he lightly frowned at the screen. "Looks like I need to head out to the storage room for a bit," he announced, rising to his feet. "Hooman needs my help."
"Alright, catch you later!" Han called out, waving.
"See you, man," Ningshun nodded.
With Kaili gone, the atmosphere in the room shifted, leaving only Han, Meilin, and Ningshun in the living room.
Sighing, he scolded himself, 'Don't look at her, Ningshun. What are you going to do? Make her run away from you again? Haven't you had enough?'
She stood up. "Oh, I forgot to prepare!" she exclaimed, exiting the living room and heading towards the kitchen.
'Never mind,' Ningshun scoffed, his lips tightly sealed, eyebrows twitching with frustration.
In the kitchen, she wrestled with a jar of pickles on the counter. Struggling to open the lid, her brow furrowed as she applied more and more pressure. Her fingers turned white, but the jar would not budge.
Ningshun, still lounging on the couch, caught her efforts from the corner of his eye. He gave a deep sigh, his eyes softening as he witnessed her struggle. His first instinct was to help, but he hesitated, her earlier avoidance echoing in his mind. 'Why should I bother if she's just going to ignore me?' But catching her look of determination and frustration, he could not resist. 'I'm going to regret this,' he thought with a resigned sigh as he stood up. However, she had already returned to the living room, holding the jar. 'She wants me to open it here?'
Meilin's gaze landed on the team's Top Laner. "Han, can you give me a hand? It's stuck."
'Han? Seriously? I'm standing right here, and she... WAIT! Why should I care?' Ningshun scoffed.
Han hesitated. As the skinniest team member, the last thing he expected was for a girl to come to him for this. Unsure of his abilities, he stepped forward. "Uh, sure, I'll give it a try."
Meanwhile, Ningshun lounged back on the couch, chuckling with amusement. 'That tiny jar? I can open it with one hand tied behind my back.'
Han took the jar from her, gripping it with a firm hold. He strained, his face turning red as he twisted with all his might.
"Need a hand, Han?" Ningshun grinned.
"No, I'm... fine," Han muttered with determination, his breath growing heavier. After a few more seconds of struggle, he finally managed to pop the lid open.
Ningshun blinked. "Seriously? She asked him?" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head and trying to brush off the irritation creeping over him. 'Why does it even matter?'
Meilin's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, you're so strong! Thanks, Han! You're a lifesaver."
Meanwhile, Kaili and Hooman strolled in, taking in the unfolding scene. Han's ability to open a pickle jar had already surprised them, but they never imagined he would receive a compliment from a girl, especially with Ningshun in the room.
Han blushed, flustered by her praise. "Y-you're welcome."
Kaili and Hooman exchanged smirks. The time had come to address the obvious: a girl had blatantly overlooked Ningshun in favor of Han, the smallest and quietest guy on the team.
Hooman nudged Kaili with a grin. "Did you see that? Han, the pickle hero!"
"Pickleman!" Kaili laughed, then walked over to Han. Leaning in, he whispered, "Who needs muscles to score babes when you've got technique, right?"
Han's face turned even redder as Ningshun sat there in bewilderment, his forced smile failing to hide his confusion.
Hooman jumped in, relishing the moment. "But why Han? Honestly, who do you think is the strongest guy here, Meilin?"
Kaili, noting Ningshun's reaction, decided to stir the pot with a playful grin. "Yeah. Who would you call to open a jar if Han wasn't around?"
Caught off guard, her eyes darted around the room. "Uh, well..."
Ningshun leaned back with a relaxed expression, raising an eyebrow. "Don't worry, Meilin. We won't take it personally," his voice filled with sarcasm.
Kaili and Hooman chuckled, drawn into their banter.
She squirmed in discomfort, cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red as her eyes flicked briefly to Ningshun before swiftly turning away. "I, uh... I mean, you all seem pretty strong."
Kaili leaned forward, eager to keep the fun going. "Alright, let's make it more interesting. Meilin, who do you think has the best body here?"
She blinked in surprise. "What?"
Hooman laughed. "Come on, Meilin! You're telling me you've never noticed? We've got some pretty impressive physiques on this team."
Ningshun's smirk deepened as he crossed his arms over his chest, relishing her squirming under his gaze. "Yeah, Meilin. Spill it. Who's got the best body?" He found far too much pleasure in this moment. The sight of her, cornered into answering this question after dodging him for so long, provided a petty yet satisfying victory.
Her gaze swept across the room, aware of everyone's eyes on her. Taking a deep breath, she sought an escape from the uncomfortable moment. "Uh, I mean, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? You're all in great shape," she let out a nervous laugh. 'I want to punch something.'
Kaili did not intend to let her off the hook so soon. "Nice try, but that's not an answer. We want a name."
Her cheeks flushed even deeper. "Okay, fine!"
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