The Rise of the White Lotus

Ethan Lu was solemnly flipping the page of the documents he asked from Morris Liu. As expected, the brief phone call that Lexi answered obviously displeased Morris Liu, hence, he didn't show up. Fortunately, Morris Liu was professional enough to send his assistant to hand over the documents to the said meeting place.

"Hey brother, since it's just the two of us… Who's the girl?" Suddenly, the peace around Ethan Lu shattered when Chris Yu decided to open his mouth and turn his busybody mode. 

Raising his gaze and stopping at Chris Yu's sly grin across him, Ethan Lu frowned and he unenthusiastically responded, "Why does everyone want to know who she is? She's a friend -- nothing important."

"Exactly! You call her your friend! That's the only reason why everyone's interest was piqued!" In a matter of fact tone, Chris Yu looked at him in disdain as if Ethan Lu was the dumbest person he ever knew. 

Had he forgotten really forgotten his belief? Girls and guys could never be friends? Did he forget how he jinxed most of his friends' friendship with other girls and predicted that they will end up in bed if they continued? Though what he said indeed happened, however, now that it was his turn to be the 'guy best friend' of the year, it is only meant that it was their turn to jinx his friendship.

However, Chris Yu's perspective was gradually changing whenever he meets with Ethan. He could not pinpoint it but Chris Yu was certain that something had changed because of this 'friendship' his dear friend affirmed.

"I, Ethan Lu doesn't give a damn with everyone's interest! Give me a break!" Guessing the thought that hovering inside Chris Yu's head, Ethan was utterly annoyed on their malicious mind. Pondering about something, Ethan Lu added as he leaned his back on the luxurious sofa of the lounge.

"On a second note, I think I'm infatuated with her but that's it. It will wear out after a week or two… just a fleeting emotion." 

"Eh? Eh? Infatuated? Why, why? Spill the beans! I'm a love expert, this is your chance for a free consultation!" Hearing his confession, Chris Yu's eyes lit up as he energetically hopped to Ethan Lu's with great interest in the feelings that Ethan never admitted before.

"Nah, I'll pass. The last person who said he's a love expert advised me to do immoral things." Shaking his head, Ethan was once again reminded with his grandfather's advice that he desperately wanted to forget.

"No, no. What do you mean by infatuation? Like, you had a crush on her? Pfft--! Crush," Chris Yu suppressed his laughs as he imagined Ethan Lu, the ultimate playboy having a crush. God knows how hot and gorgeous his exes and he never admitted that he bore any emotional feelings to them. 

After getting his composure back, Chris Yue probed further. "I mean, you think that she's the most perfect girl you had ever seen?"

Upon hearing this, Ethan tirelessly closed his eyes, yet, he still responded in the end. "No," Indeed, Ethan never thought that Lexi was perfect as she was originally a flawed person that was being covered with her beautiful, proud front.

"Eh? Then… did you like her at first sight?" Knitting his brows, Chris Yu's tone gradually turned solemn as if he was now taking this 'consultation session' with importance. Of course, he was still intrigued by Ethan's heart condition.

"No," Thinking the time that Ethan's first encounter with Lexi, she was being chased by the Morris Liu's guard as they forbid her to go further the establishment. At first, Ethan Lu didn't expect that he would bore the feelings he had now, because back then, he had a mischievous plan to annoy Morris Liu by leading Lexi to him -- nothing more, nothing less.

Only their encounter afterward made him see the good and side of the 'crazy reputation' of her that made him admire her.

"Huh? Let me ask this… did you like touching her? I mean, you know, touchy-touchy under the sheets?" Now, Chris Yu's full interest was piqued as he heard more honest responses from Ethan.

'What nonsense! We're friends without benefits! She barely just accepted me to be her friend -- how could I ruin that?" After hearing the ridiculous question of his friend, Ethan Lu abruptly opened his eyes and turned his disdainful gaze on his side. 

How the hell Chris Yu concluded that Lexi and Ethan were friends with benefits? Couldn't they understand the word 'friendship'? Or do they believed that he was living with his d*ck in mind? Sure, Ethan Lu might have a long list of exes, however, the women he had touched was his first girlfriend! After that, he never got that far with his other exes.

"Tsk tsk tsk… you are bound to doom, my brother." Upon receiving his aggressive response, Chris Yu clicked his tongue as he got to see the result of his friend. He added,

"Don't tell me you started liking her after spending some time with her and with every encounter, your connection seemed to grow deeper? Also, don't tell me that sometimes, you feel disappointed that she doesn't see you just like what you wanted her to see you; for example as a man? But also feel content seeing her happy..." Chris Yu prattled without an expectation that Ethan Lu would agree or rather, he expected another 'no' answer. 

However, as he raised his gaze to Ethan's shocked, speechless front, Chris Yu's eyes widen. Even if Ethan wasn't saying anything, his expression was enough to confirm his answer.

"What?! You do… experiencing those things?" With a disbelief tone, Chris Yu stuttered as he could not believe that he hit the right circumstances that Ethan was undergoing.

"How -- how did you... Hey, tell me are you reading my diary?" After some time, Ethan Lu asked in disbelief. What his friend said was entirely on-point. He does feel those feelings that he never gave much thought about it. After all, he had been trying to divert his attention from it. If Chris Yu didn't mention it, Ethan Lu wouldn't even realize it.

"Huh? You're writing a diary?" Chris Yu's brows twitched with Ethan Lu's statement. They had been friends for a long time but never did he thought that Ethan was writing a diary like a teenage girl. He doesn't know if he should laugh about it or questioned his gender preference.

"Nah, was just checking if your head was alright." Waving his hands off, Ethan explicated his little abrupt test. He just wanted to know if Chris Yu wasn't blabbing things that were horrifyingly right.