-Unknown.

Ying Sheng brows furrowed together as she stared at her phone. It has been a few days since she has heard from Liam. Every morning he would call or send a message asking how she was, but the messages has stopped coming. Her calls weren’t going through and he hasn’t called her too. Ying Sheng couldn’t help but worry. Ying Sheng dialed his number, but it went straight to voice mail.

”Hey, this is Liam. Leave a message.”

Ying Sheng cleared her throat, “Hey Liam, it’s me…I- I hope you’re good. Just call me, or I would spank you when I see you!”

Ying Sheng bellowed then hung up. She threw her phone on the bed and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. She doesn’t know why but she was feeling restless from not hearing from him.

”When did he become so important to her that I’m restless from not hearing him?” Ying Sheng mumbled as she bit her lips. She paced back and forth before deciding to pay him a visit. After all they are friends. It’s normal to check on each other. With such a thought. Ying Sheng decided to pay him visit.

Twenty minutes later, Ying Sheng pulled into the driveway of Liam’s apartment. She sighed in relief when she saw his car was parked.

”He wouldn’t be expecting me.” Ying Sheng said to herself as she smiled thinking about his reaction when he sees her.

Ying Sheng got down from her car and made her way over to the door. She rang the doorbell. She tapped her feet impatiently as she waited. She rang the doorbell for a while before the door was pulled open.

Ying Sheng narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized Liam in front of her. He looked awful. Ying Sheng never thought she would see Liam in such a disheveled state. His usual gelled hair was tousled into a mess. His skin was pale and pallid.

They were black circles under his eyes which shows the rough night he had last night. To make matters worse, he reeked of alcohol.

Ying Sheng wrinkled her nose. Liam blinked and stretched his hands to touch Ying Sheng’s cheeks as he studied her trying to believe she was real and not a fragment of his illusion from the hangover he was having.

Lucas his brother had taken him to club last night to help him get over Ying Sheng he had said. Liam had lost count of alcohol he had consumed last night. All he remembered was the burning taste of the alcohol in his throat as he drowned himself in the liquor.

Ever since he saw Ying Sheng in Han Xi’s arms, he had totally lost it. Liam has no idea how he was able to drive from that place. Since then he has become an empty shell. Liam has no idea about what he was doing most of the time. He would go to work sit in a daze thinking about Ying Sheng and come back home.

He had even ignored incoming calls for the past few weeks. Liam had woken up to the sound of the door bell ringing. He was expecting it to be his brother but instead it was the person he wanted to see at the same time didn’t want to see. Liam had no idea when he had fallen this deep for a woman destined not to be his.

”Liam? Are you okay? Why are you looking like someone who just survived an apocalypse?” Ying Sheng asked squinting her eyes.

Ying Sheng’s voice snapped him from whatever trance he was in. With the speed of lightning, he removed his hands from her cheeks as if he has been burnt. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and cleared his throat, looking faintly embarrassed.

Ying Sheng narrowed her eyes but said nothing.

”Y_Ying Sheng. What-are you doing here?” Liam inquired as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He really didn’t want her to see him looking like this. The hangover was finally getting to him as he felt the beginning of headache creeping along the base of his neck.

”I wasn’t hearing from you so I came to check up on you.” Ying Sheng explained, shrugging her shoulders.

”But it seems you’re alive and even having fun!” Ying Sheng said sarcastically.

Liam averted his gaze and kept quiet. A weird silence fell between them.

”I can’t believe I was worried for nothing.” Ying Sheng said under her breath.

Liam widened his eyes when he heard her.

”You-you were worried about me?” He queried as he looked up at her. He felt his heart fluttered when he heard her. It seems she cares about him. That’s good, right?

Ying Sheng rolled her eyes, “I’m going, seeing that you’re still alive. Also, go take a shower, you stink.” Ying Sheng said and started walking towards her car.

Liam flushed and quickly grabbed her hands. Ying Sheng stopped in her tracks and looked up at him.

”Wait-don’t ..go. Stay?” Liam pleaded as he gazed into her eyes.

Seeing the expectant look in his eyes, Ying Sheng nodded.

”Alright, but on one condition.” Liam’s brows shot up when he heard her.

”What?” Liam arched his brows, and he felt a bad premonition.

A mischievous smile spilled form Ying Sheng’s lips.

”You have to tell me why you look like a zombie.” Liam stiffened, and he blinked.

Sighing he agreed. “Alright.”

Ying Sheng beamed and followed him inside.

”Make yourself comfortable and feel like home. I will go take a shower.” Liam hurriedly uttered as he rushed to the bedroom. Before Ying Sheng could react, Liam was gone.

Ying Sheng heaved a sigh. She changed into the home slippers at the entrance. Looking at the oversize slippers on her feet, a smile formed on Ying Sheng’s lips.

Looking at the disheveled state of Liam, Ying Sheng decided to help prepare him tea to help him get over his hangover.

Ying Sheng intruded in his kitchen and opened his fridge. Her jaw nearly dropped from all the foods in the fridge. This is the first time she has seen such a pack fridge in a guy’s home. There were all kinds of food there.

Few minutes later, Liam appeared. He was in a sweatpants and white shirt, making him look like a teenager.

”What are you doing?” He asked Ying Sheng, who was sitting on the counter.

”Oh my! This chocolate fudge cake is soo good, especially with vanilla ice cream.” Ying Sheng moaned in delight.

Liam sighed. “You really like your ice cream don’t you.” Liam commented.

”Of course. Ice cream is life.”

Liam narrowed his eyes when he saw the weird tea on the counter.

”What is this?” He wrinkled his nose as he picked up the cup.

”That is for you. It would help with the hangover.” Ying Sheng replied as she scooped an ice cream in her mouth.

”For me? Is this even drinkable?” Liam scrunched his face.

Ying Sheng laughed, “It works like magic. Trust me. Go on drink.”

Taking a deep breath, he gulped down the weird tea.

The bitterness spread on his tongue, “What is this?!”

Liam squealed as he quickly took water from the fridge. Ying Sheng held her stomach as she bust out into laughter.

”Relax, you will live.”

”You-“

Liam’s stomach growled, cutting him off. He flushed and scratched his hair.

”Have you eaten breakfast?” Liam asked Ying Sheng as he removed food from the fridge.

’Yes. Where from all these foods in your fridge?” Ying Sheng questioned.

”My mom, she prepared it and sent them over.” Liam said with a soft smile.

Thinking about his mother, he realized he hadn’t call her and his phone was in voice mail. His mother will surely scold him if he calls her. Thinking about this, Liam sighed.

”Your mother must really love you to personally cook for you.” Ying Sheng said with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Liam noticed her sour tone and tried to change the topic.

”So how is school?” Liam asked as he placed a bowl of rice in the microwave.

”Ah, good I guess.” Ying Sheng said nonchalantly.

”So, why weren’t you picking up your calls and I didn’t hear from you too.” Ying Sheng paused.

”I-thought you didn’t want to be friends anymore, so you were intentionally avoiding me.” Ying Sheng blurt out her fears these past few days. Her voice thick with emotions.

Liam froze and looked up at her. She was playing with her spoon with loneliness surrounding her.

Suddenly Liam remembered the night he hit her with his car. Liam knew her mental health was pretty messed up and she was dealing with her own issues.

”Ah, sorry. I- of course I still want you as a friend.” Liam blurted.

‘Even though I can’t have you as my own.’ Liam added inwardly.