The Intriguing Guest

The anxious feeling persisted well into the following afternoon. Just as we finished lunch, Chen Si Yi’s classmate finally arrived.

The sudden, pleasant chime of the doorbell, however, filled me with an inexplicable agitation. Unconsciously, I clenched my fists.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

From the sofa, Chen Si Yi called out, then rose and headed toward the door. I paused for a moment, then, as if possessed, found myself following close behind her.

“Hello, Si Yi! My apologies, there was a slight mishap on the way, so I ended up being a little late!”

The door swung open to reveal a rather petite girl. (Naturally, this was only in comparison to the statuesque Chen Si Yi.)

She wore light blue ripped jeans and a yellow long-sleeved hoodie, her shoulder-length chestnut curls framed by silver earrings dangling from her lobes. The ensemble screamed “trendy rebel,” a stark contrast to her inherently sweet and innocent face.

I couldn’t help but gape for a moment, utterly surprised that Chen Si Yi’s friend would present herself in such a fashion.

‘Ah, I had always imagined my ‘sister’s’ friends to be the demure, studious type – perhaps wearing glasses, quietly engrossed in a book in a classroom corner.’

‘Given that my ‘sister’ consistently ranked at the top of her class, such a presumption on my part felt entirely reasonable.’

“Alright, Park Yeon, let’s not just stand around idly at the door. We can settle onto the sofa and chat properly in a moment.”

After a few more pleasantries, Chen Si Yi retrieved a pair of guest slippers from the cabinet. She then gestured to her friend, leading the way toward the living room.

“No problem at all!” The girl at the doorway nodded delightedly, then bounced after her. “It’s my very first time visiting your home, Si Yi! Everything feels so novel and exciting!”

“Oh, please,” Chen Si Yi scoffed playfully, turning her head as she walked ahead. “What’s so novel about my place? It’s nothing compared to your grand villa.”

Huh? A villa? And a *grand* one at that?

I couldn’t help but twitch the corner of my mouth.

Truly, students attending an elite high school never disappoint. It seems every single one of them hails from a family of wealth or influence.

“Oh, come on, it’s not nearly as exaggerated as you make it sound,” Chen Si Yi’s classmate said, waving a dismissive hand. “My house isn’t *that* big. Besides, compared to a sprawling mansion, I much prefer your home. It’s cozy, yet brimming with a delightful aroma!”

With that, she wiggled her nose, taking a deep, almost greedy inhale. “Mmm, it’s all Si Yi’s scent! So fragrant, so utterly delightful!”

This…

Witnessing this, I was utterly speechless. Damn it, I’d just breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the classmate wasn’t a boy, only to discover this girl was a yuri?!

To avoid exposing my true identity, I simply blinked innocently at Park Yeon’s words, feigning ignorance as I continued walking forward as if nothing untoward had happened.

Meanwhile, Chen Si Yi, now settled on the sofa, frowned deeply. Her tone was distinctly displeased. “What in the world, Park Yeon? Don’t you dare pull any strange stunts in front of my sisters! If you corrupt them, I swear I won’t forgive you!”

As Chen Si Yi spoke, she made a pinching motion with her hand. I glanced back, only to see Park Yeon’s expression falter, the corners of her mouth beginning to tremble almost imperceptibly.

‘Ah, I understood that feeling perfectly. I nodded. After all, my ‘sister’ was quite the violent girl; it seemed little Park Yeon and I were kindred spirits!’

Soon after, Serena, who had been dispatched by Chen Si Yi to prepare refreshments, emerged from the kitchen. She meticulously arranged the drinks and biscuits on the coffee table, then let out a weary sigh before collapsing onto the sofa beside me.

“Hey, hey, Si Yi, you actually have *so many* sisters?” Park Yeon exclaimed, her gaze fixed on Serena, who was now sprawled across the sofa, her expression utterly surprised.

“Oh~ did I really not mention it?” Chen Si Yi asked back, covering her mouth in feigned surprise.

“When did you ever tell me that? You only ever mentioned having a brother! These two—they’re both your sisters?!”

As Park Yeon spoke, she turned her gaze between Serena and me. Then, as if a sudden thought struck her, her tone shifted. She cleared her throat before speaking again.

“Ahem, ahem, I completely forgot to introduce myself! I’m Park Yeon, your ‘Sister Si Yi’s’ classmate and closest friend!”

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” Serena and I replied in unison, nodding politely.

“I’m Serena, Si Yi’s cousin.”

“And I’m Lin Ruoxi, Si Yi’s paternal cousin.”

‘Hold on, why is one a maternal cousin and the other a paternal cousin? I should have coordinated our stories with Serena! Two different types of cousins showing up at home together on a weekend – that’s suspicious no matter how you look at it.’

Fortunately, Park Yeon didn’t seem to suspect a thing. After smiling and complimenting our good looks – a true testament to being Si Yi’s sisters, she remarked – she turned her attention to Chen Si Yi beside her and began to chat idly.

“So, what exactly are we supposed to do now?”

“What else? Just sit here and gape, I suppose.”

Serena and I exchanged a knowing glance, then, after a perfectly synchronized sigh, we settled back onto the sofa, rubbing our hands together like silent spectators.

After all, Chen Si Yi and her friend Park Yeon were engrossed in conversations about school, fashion, and makeup – typical girl talk. As a “tough guy” in disguise, I naturally couldn’t interject.

Moreover, in Chen Si Yi’s presence, Serena and I couldn’t appear overly intimate. We needed to maintain the facade of being at odds with each other.

Thus, under the present circumstances, silently observing them was indeed the most prudent course of action.

****

I had no idea how much time had passed; perhaps it was half an hour, or even more.

Once the biscuits on the tea table had been thoroughly decimated by Chen Si Yi and her friend, Serena was once again forcibly dispatched to the kitchen, leaving me alone to continue staring blankly from the sofa.

“Oh? Si Yi, speaking of which, where’s your brother? I haven’t seen him this entire time.”

Suddenly, Park Yeon, mid-conversation, unexpectedly shifted the topic directly to me.

“Ah… you mean Lin Yan…”

Chen Si Yi, upon hearing the question, visibly faltered. After a moment of realization, she quickly offered a strained laugh:

“He apparently went out to play basketball with a friend named Cai. He probably won’t be back until tonight.”

“Oh, I see,” Park Yeon nodded, a strangely cunning smile playing on her lips.

She propped her chin, lost in thought for a few seconds. Then, with a decisive clap of her hands, she announced her decision.

“Alright then, I’ll just stay the night at your place, Si Yi. After all, I’m quite interested in your brother, Lin Yan!”

“What?! What did you say?!”

Chen Si Yi and I blurted out in unison.