Love Business

"That's it. Last round..."

Pan panted hard. Yet, her hand still dribbled the ball. She took a deep breath and was ready to charge forward. Zee was waiting at the D area with a smirk on his face.

Her legs moved fast. With just two or three stomps, she was already in the half circle. Zee didn't make an easy way for her. He put the tight guard, blocking her way to the loop. Pan turned her body, with her back facing his body. She tried to find a hole to escape.

She had no choice but to turn around and jump.

"3 point shoot! Nice!" Zee cheered for her. She smiled as she hugged him tight.

"Tired?" he asked her.

Pan nodded. She still hung her hand on his shoulder. The man spun his body and grabbed her waist tight.

"Why do I need this practice anyway?" she whined while pouting her lips. Zee chuckled before he planted a kiss on the lips.

"Any skill comes in handy..."

"Hold on. Basketball? Are you sure, sir?"

"For me, any skills will have benefits in the future. Sports, sewing, cooking even tying a shoelace..." he glared at Pan. "That is something that I can't do, but it's fine since I only wear slips on," Pan gave Zee a snarky look. He lifted her a bit before putting her down on her feet.

"How about flirting skills?"

Zee halted a bit. He winched his nose.

"Hmm... You don't need that..."

"Why tho? It's important for self-esteem!"

"No. You don't have to. I can always flirt with you," Zee replies.

"You said, all skills are useful. I mean, flirting is not only for love. It can be used to draw people's attention-"

"You don't need that," Pan shut her lips when she realized that Zee's gaze turned darker. One more word and the air will turn ugly.

"Pan, only look at me. No one else. Understand?"

Pan slowly nodded. Zee held a sigh while grabbing her into a tight embrace. He loved this girl so much. He had been through a lot to be with her. He didn't wanna lose her.

So, anyone who wishes to get closer to her will face him and hell!

***

Zee looks down. His body still leaning against the lamp pole. The heavy feeling inside him stirs like a wind whirl. Slowly, his head lifts, eyes watching the sight in front of him.

From afar, he can see the book has been passed back to the owner. That marks the defeat of the most notorious second-year BBA student.

Aye Yi.

Out of so many freshmen, Pan is the only one who successfully retrieves his signature.

Aye Yi is not some ordinary male student of BBA. The memory of him standing up against the seniors during the orientation when he was just a freshman still lingers in Zee's mind. The boy never bothers to be kind to others, except people in his circle. He has a very remote lifestyle, spending most of his time studying and playing basketball with his best friend from Engineering, Top.

He has no friends in his course. He did hang out with some, but only with people who were on the same page as him. Yet, he builds a wall around them. The only person that he trusts is Top. He is unlike Cray, who is the Economy Moon. He hates the idea of popularity, although he knows his name is well-known among others.

But today, someone managed to crumble those walls.

Her name is Pan.

***

Top wiggles his eyebrows. He gives Aye Yi a wicked smile as the boy hands the book back to Pan. The girl grabs it with a plain smile on her face.

"Thank you so much for the signature, Senior..." Pan bows a bit before grabbing her bag from the ground. She slowly exits the court.

"Yo, freshie!"

Pan turns back. She halts her steps at where she stands. Aye Yi hikes towards her. He throws the heavy ball at the girl.

"What's your name again?" he asks her. Pan looks at the ball. Staring deep into the orange rubber with white worn stripes around it. The game today brings back memories.

Something that she wanna forget, but she can't.

"No need to know," Pan passes back the ball to Aye Yi. Her lips draw a straight line and she takes a step back before turning away from Aye Yi. Leaving the boy stuns alone on his feet.

***

Han lets a sigh of relief escape from his lips. He leans at the flight of the stairs, with a snack.

"Chips?" he hands the bag to Yara. The small girl fishes one out of that packet. She munches it with emotion.

A tiring day has ended.

"How many signatures are left?" asks Han to Pan. She flips the book and slowly counts.

"Not much. Only a few..."

"Shia, my friend is a supergirl!" Han exclaims. Yara gives him a teasing look.

"Friend.. Are you sure...?" Yara whispers to him. He just gives her a dead stare.

"So, what did you guys have to go through for these?" Pan shows them her book.

"Nothing much for me. I just need to act cute, hopping like a bunny and singing an old classic song," says Yara.

"You are cute. Why do they still ask you to act like one?" Pan frowns.

"I'm not cute!"

"There. There..." Pan points her finger and snickers. Yara makes a so-done face and tries to bite Pan's finger. She quickly halts and laughs.

"What about you?" Han asks Yara.

"Nothing much either. Some debate skills, modeling with a cat, basketball games..." Pan softly smiles, remembering the intense one-on-one basketball game.

"Oh, Han... If you get a weird call from Senior Kim, just answer it. Don't be afraid..." Han frowns. He stares at Pan who grins at him.

"Hah?!"

"He insisted on my number. I gave him yours..."

"Ai shia, Pan!"

For that, he gets a wack from Yara. Han whines in pain while holding his anger inside. Pan sticks out her tongue.

"Yara!"

"Don't curse in front of me!"

Han glares at Pan. She grins like a fool and teases him for being reckless in front of Yara.

"What about you, young man?" asks Pan. He rubs his head a bit, before continuing munching his chips.

"I was invited to a party. By a bunch of bimbos..."

"Shia... You step up your move!" Pan snickers.

"I can smell an utter motive. They will grind my ass for sure..."

"So, you wanna pass it or...?" asks Yara.

"Who said I wanna pass it?" Han slowly draws a wicked smile. He gazes at Yara and Pan. "We gonna rock the party hard! Kaboom!" he creates the spark motion using his finger.

"Wait... Wait... Did I hear 'we'?" asks Pan.

"You must use your crazy English language again, did you?" Yara points his finger at Han.

The man snickers. He grabs both of his friends' shoulders.

"Nope... I'm using the right pronoun. We,"

"We? Why we?!" asks Yara.

"Because both of you... You and you..." he points his finger to Yara and then moves to Pan. "Both of you will come to the party as well. With me. As my supporter," Han smiles.

"Yara, close your ears please..."

Yara nods. She cups her hands onto her ears. Pan glares at Han.

"Ai Han you satt! Why are you dragging us with this???" Pan smacks his head. The same spot where he got a smack from Yara just now.

"Yara, Pan cursed at me!"

"I heard nothing..." the girl innocently looks at Han. Pan smirks. Once again, she wins the fight.

"What's with this biased treatment, huh? Just because she's a girl?" Han goes berserk. He gives Yara a dead stare.

"Nope. She asked me to close my ears. She's being polite," says Yara. Han's jaw hanging on his face.

Pan smirks at him while wiggling her brows.

"So, that's how you play?" Han grits his teeth and gives Yara a deadly stare.

"What matters the most is politeness..."

The boy sighs as he almost smacks his forehead. A sign of unbelievable thoughts. Yara is the epitome of weirdness and unpredictable weather.

"Freshies..."

The triplet immediately stands up at the sight of Zee who suddenly appears in front of them.

"Greetings, Senior Zee..." they greet him in consensus.

"Pandora, can I talk to you for a second?" he glares at Pan. The girl blinks her eyes in disbelief.

Yara and Han slowly push her to the front. They grin and nod at Zee. The man tilts his head for a bit, asking Pan to leave her friends so they can talk in private.

"Ship sails smooth like buttah!" Yara shrieks. She squeals like a fangirl shipper who watches the two fave idols going out together.