''You are very funny, Via. You are the one who betrayed our friendship first. Why should I have to choose something that is already broken?''

''Are you saying that you are going to keep been by Connor's side?''

''I am saying even if I leave, you will still not have his heart. I am not interested in the drama between you two. Leave me out of it. If you want to pursue Connor, that is your business'' Xia stood up and Via said to her.

''His family supports me. I have a better chance of getting together with him than you. I have a son for you, he would always choose Karl over you. Can you handle that? Even if you get together with him, you will always see us around. Won't you feel uncomfortable?''

Xia smiled. ''Via, if I were Connor, I would choose my child over any other woman. I am not competing for his affection. After all, the love he has for his child is different from the kind of love he has for me. Why fight when we can all have what we want? I'm saying this because we were once friends. Never assume you can tie a man down by using his child. Those kind of things never happen. You can ask my mother. My father still left for his mistress even after she did everything to manipulate him using me''

''What?''

''Don't worry. I won't come between you and Connor. After my work here, I will make sure we don't have any reason to come across each other. But, I do hope you realize this sooner before you get hurt. Cherish what you have with him before you lose everything including what you thought you had''

Via clenched her fists tightly against her dress as she remained seated. She watched Xia walking away.

''Xia'' Connor stood up when he saw Xia walking towards them.

''I will see you tomorrow at the documentary, Mr. Cobbs. Have a good night'' Xia said professionally before walking away to Alice who was waiting for her.

''She has done it again. I'm going to bed, brother'' Josh stood up and also left.

''Connor, I think Xia must have misunderstood us. What to do? I tried reasoning with her but she seems more disappointed. She didn't even want to listen to my explanation''

''Drop the act, Via. I know you very well''

''You are right'' Via smiled mockingly, ''I told her I had feelings for you and asked her to back off''

''Keep dreaming'' Connor said and walked away.

''Daddy, wait for me'' Karl who was quite all that while ran after his father, leaving his mother alone.

Via frowned as her gaze turned sinister.

…..

''Xia'' Alice mentioned Xia's name when they got to the door.

''Alice, I'm sorry but can you leave me for a while? I really want to be alone''

''Oh, I will be next door. Just call me if you need anything'' Alice said and smiled before closing the door. She sighed and turned to go to her room and saw Josh.

''Is she alright?''

'Were you also in on this?'' Alice asked.

''No. although I knew about it, I felt the one to tell Xia was my brother himself. After all, it was between them''

''I will see you tomorrow then''

''Wait. Are you angry?''

''Yes, I am angry but I know it's wrong to be angry at you because you are not your brother but I can't help but feel that, you also deceived Xia. She is your friend, too''

''I'm sorry''

Alice smiled, ''I am not really so angry with you. Because you are my sponsor, I can't risk having you take away your support''

''Am I just a sponsor to you?'' Josh asked, meeting her gaze.

Alice pretended to yawn, ''I feel sleepy. Let's talk tomorrow'' she said and hurried to her room.

…

Xia laid on the bed with tears in her eyes as she reminisced on the past.

The year 20xx.

Xia was walking to her lecture hall when someone suddenly jumped on her, ''Kim Xia, my beautiful little bunny. Where are you going?''

''Via, stop calling me a buddy'' Xia frowned.

''But, Connor calls you adorable buddy Xia and you don't complain. Could it be because you like him?'' Via teased and Xia covered her mouth with her hands.

''Stop spouting nonsense. What if someone hears you?''

''Alright, I will stop''

''Don't you have class today? Is your department that free?'' Xia asked as they walked towards her classroom.

''We have a lecture at 13:00PM, so I decided to look for you. Have you had lunch yet?''

''No, but I need to finish my assignment. They are collecting it today''

''Why didn't you do it last night?''

''Was it not Connor? He kept bugging me to accompany him to go and eat hotpot. We didn't get back early''

'You went on a date?''

''Via, it wasn't a date. We went and ate hotpot. Besides, we go out to eat all the time''

''But, Kim Xia. What if…. I am just saying, what if… what if Connor has feelings for you, what would you do?''

''That is not possible. He treats me like another man. I don't want to get my hopes high. Go and have lunch alone today. I really need to finish this assignment''

''Alright, I will see you after school'' Via kissed her cheek before running off.

Xia smiled and turned to go inside the classroom. She saw Connor sitting on her usual desk with the girls sitting around him. Even though he knew they were looking at him, he didn't even bat an eye at them and kept his gaze fixed on his phone screen.

Xia's heart skipped a bit as she watched his nonchalant attitude. This was how he usually was with all the girls, except her. Till now, she didn't know why he was always bugging her and ignored everyone other girl in their school. She was tempted to think that he had feelings for her. But he treated her the same like he treated his male friends.

Xia shook her head and walked into the lecture hall. She went and placed her books on the table and asked him, ''what are you doing here?''

''I called you but you didn't answer so I figured I might as well come here and wait for you'' Connor said and looked up to meet her gaze. He lifted his hand and tussled her hair saying, ''my adorable buddy Xia''

''Stop messing my hair up. it took me a lot of time to get it right'' Xia hit his hand.

''Sit down, I will braid it for you. Because your hair is long, you find it difficult to comb it all the time. What would you do without me?'' Connor scolded her and she blushed when his face came closer to hers.

''She is not even that beautiful. What does he see in her?'' one girl muttered and Connor looked at her.

''Innocence which sadly you don't have. She only thinks about how to get her grades right. You all think about boys, makeup and dresses'' Connor said defensively.

''That's because she is poor. She can't afford all those things'' the girl sneered.

''She isn't poor. She has me, which you all don't''

Xia chuckled and said softly, ''you are such a narcissistic. So, shameless'' she shook her hair.

''Connor. What are you doing with this girl again?'' a lady shouted at the door. This was the same person who tripped Xia at the basketball court.

''What is your business with what I do? Xia, your lecture was postponed, let's go and have fun'' Connor said, pulling Xia up.

''When?''

''Mr. He told me when I was coming in. He said he had an emergency and was going to attend to it. It should be in your group forum by now''

''Let me check'' Xia removed her phone and checked, seeing the notice already up, she picked her bag, ''I didn't know about it''

''You should always check your phone. What do I do with you?'' Connor shook his head and held her hand, walking out with her. When they got to the lady at the door, Connor placed his hand on Xia's shoulder and shielded her until they were out of the lecture hall.

''Connor, if you complete next year and leave me here, I am going to get a lot of enemies because if you''

''I will still protect you even after completing. When I complete, I will bring you with me wherever I go''

''Why?''

''Because I can't live without you''

''Why can't you live without me?''

''Kim Xia. Do you know that you are so dense? Let's go. I will tell you when the time comes''

''I'm hungry''

''Let's eat whatever you want today. Yesterday, we ate what I wanted, today it's your turn''

''I want kimchi with rice''

''I know the best go to place when you are craving kimchi and rice''

''Spicy kimchi and rice with lots of pork?''

''That's right'' they laughed as they walked away.