A few days later on a Wednesday, Gray had tied up loose ends and had left with Sato to Country J for their much anticipated holiday. Back at Country Z, Ming was back at school doing revision in the University Library. Wearing a black hoodie and jogger pants, the second-year student looked ready to camp in school to study. This time's examination was not particularly good for Ming. He had just gone through a tough period of realization and with no time to study in between, he was unable to perform to his likeness.
The young man who had worn on his glasses to study looked like a calm prince that had a weak immune system. The boniness of his body, coupled with his snow-white skin, made this scene come to fruition. His plan for today was to fully familiarise himself with his previous units. He did not want to fall behind in class.
As Ming, or what his teachers call him, Li Ming started studying, he soon entered a trance-like state where all surrounding movements or noises are canceled out. It was a skill that Sato had too that was able to block out any noise around him. One hour, two hours, three hours. It was soon the afternoon and now, Ming had taken out his lunchbox. In the University library, students were allowed to consume cold dry food and covered drinks. This allowed students to bring in meals so as to facilitate their studying. On the weekend, Ming had chopped up fresh vegetables to make himself salad for the week. It was economically cheap for the scholar that did not want to rely on his family's low income.
While he ate his meal, Li Ming was still reading through some of the correct workings from practice questions that he had gotten wrong before. Not once, did the boy ever put down his study notes. He was fully dedicated to boosting up his GPA in the next semester. While the young man was focusing on his studies and gnawing on chopped lettuce, another university student had sat down in the seat directly across Ming.
The student was also dressed in similar attire as the second-year student. He wore a red university hoodie and jogger pants. His hair was short but neat. When the student sat down and looked up to see who was in front of him, his mouth opened wide in surprise. Immediately, the student reached over his hand and waved across Ming's notes.
"Hey hey. It's you isn't it?" The student whispered loudly. It wasn't even the whispering that Ming's attention. Rather, it was the hand movement that broke his concentration.
"Huh? aghh.." Ming looked up and as he was about to speak, the lettuce got stuck in his throat, causing the boy to choke on his food.
The student quickly stood up and ran behind Ming. With a swift movement, the student wrapped his arm around Ming's stomach. A quick thrust to the abdomen had allowed for the lettuce to be dispelled from the throat.
"Ah.. Thank you for saving me for the second time," Ming thanked the person who had used the Heimlich maneuver, "Yue Guang correct?"
"You're most welcome Ming. I am glad you have not forgotten my name." Ming Yue Guang was the University student that had saved Ming the other night on the bridge. He continued, "You seem to be looking much better now eh?"
"Hahaha, yes thanks to you, I am trying to get back on schedule again. Ah.. What brings you here?"
"What do you mean by what brings me here?" Yue Guang chuckled lightly, "Did you really not notice me taking the seat in front of you? You aren't even listening to music."
"No, not really. I tend to focus on my thoughts deeply and I wouldn't notice my surroundings."
"That's incredible."
"It isn't really that incredible."
"No, it really is incredible Ming," Yue Guang shook his head, disagreeing with what the second-year student had said. "I am diagnosed with ADHD and I have a hard time paying attention to things. If I had your skill, my life in university would be very much easier."
"Wow, I didn't know that. My apologies."
"Haha, there is no need to apologize for that." Yue Guang went back to his seat. "It is the reason why I come to the library these days. Outside my house has ongoing construction and it made it very difficult to study at home."
"Say, would you like to have dinner with me after we study for a bit? My treat." Ming Yue Guang invited.
"I should be the one asking you instead. I have not paid back you for stopping me from jumping. Let me pay today's dinner." Ming retorted.
"That is not reasonable. I was the one who invited first so I should get to treat you. From your statement, I am inferring a yes right? Good good. Let us carry on with our studies."
Before Ming was able to retort again, Yue Guang had already put on his headphones and opened up his laptop. Ming could only breathe out a breath of air before going back to studying. What an interesting fellow, Ming thought inwardly.
Being a scholar student in one of the top universities in the world, Ming was by no means an average student. Admittedly, Ming wasn't at the level of Sato. Yet, he could comfortably hold his front when it came to understanding the content in his course. Ming would occasionally spin his pen in his hand out of habit. Ming Yue Guang looked up when taking a break. He smiled at Ming's quirky habit. The student that was younger than him also had the habit of pulling his sideburn and frowning when he was unable to solve a question. When Ming is unable to solve it after approaching it from a different standpoint, he would subconsciously bite his nail. In Yue Guang's eyes, his junior looked very innocent and cute.