"Xu-jie made it?"

"Yeah. Or at the very least, one of her store's talented workers."

"It's her business, remember? I had it made."

"You like it?"

They arrived at the university dormitory. Butler Lee parallel-parked along the sidewalk. They weren't in a hurry to send the girl off. Butler Lee kept his silence.

Kang Sola turned her body towards Xue Guangxi.

"Why?"

"It's just a welcome gift and a token of our friends.h.i.+p. It's a friends.h.i.+p thing."

"I hope you like it."

"Please keep it. It won't mean anything if you prefer it not to mean anything."

"There's a small hole at the edge. You can attach a string to it – make it a keychain or a bag or mobile phone accessory, though it might be a bit heavy for that. Or you can leave it as is – keep it in your room or something."

"Whatever."

Xue Guangxi was blabbering non-stop. He tore his gaze away and looked far far away into s.p.a.ce beyond Kang Sola, out of the window. He was scratching his nose, bowing her head – simply fidgety.

He was agitated, and almost peed his pants. Almost.

While he was blabbering, Kang Sola, on the other hand, was speechless. 'It was too special not to accept. After all, it came from Xu-jie's shop.'

'He really made an effort this time.'

"You can think of it as a peace offering, even. All in one. Just… Just…" Xue Guangxi trailed off nervously. His voice cracked. He appeared cool but his voice betrayed him. He forced himself to lock his gaze with the girl beside him. "Just don't throw it away, please."

Kang Sola's mouth gaped. She had not seen Xue Guangxi beg like this, not after he knelt before her. But even then, there was still a tinge of arrogance in his tone. He was the prince, after all. But, at that particular moment, it was all pure humility. He was imploring with his eyes. She could certainly feel his sincerity this time.

"O-Of course not. I'll keep it."

"I appreciate it. It's… It's… over-the-top. You certainly know how to be climactic." Her lips curved upward, and her eyes arched in glee.

"Thanks."

"I'll get off now. We're here."

She smiled again for the last time before pus.h.i.+ng the pa.s.senger door open. "See you at school."

"See you. Welcome back, Sola."

Xue Guangxi stared at her in a stupor. He caught her smile, the way her hair with purple highlights swayed in the wind, as was her skirt when she disembarked from the car. He recorded in his memory how she bid farewell that time. She waved her hand before pus.h.i.+ng the car door close and proceeded towards the compartment.

"d.a.m.n, heart. Calm down. You're just a friend, anyway. Just a friend."

He clutched his throbbing heart, bowed his head and blinked several times. He was. .h.i.t with cupid's arrow – d.a.m.n luck.

Then, he found himself elated. "She accepted my gift." He grinned inside the pa.s.senger seat of his car and closed his eyes, oblivious of the activity of Kang Sola and Butler Lee who were busy retrieving the girl's bags from the car's rear compartment.