Keep My First Kiss Safe For Me - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Soothing music flowed slowly from the glass doors. Unlike the typical image of a DJ spinning discs and a wild, flailing crowd, the resort hotel’s bar offered a more relaxed and leisurely atmosphere.

Getting in was smooth. The waiter at the door didn’t check them strictly; a quick glance was enough to let the two girls pass.

The space inside wasn’t large, and there weren’t many people. Two rows of booths lined the walls, flanked by small round tables with high stools. At the far end sat a semi-circular stage adjacent to a small dance floor. A few people were talking in low voices, some were drinking, and others swayed gently to the music.

They walked straight to the bar. The bartender, wearing a white shirt and a black suit vest, asked them, “What would you like to drink?”

Fan Yue was about to order a proper drink when Xie Yanyan spoke first: “Two juices.” Fan Yue pouted, but a cold glance from Xie Yanyan made her quickly force an exaggerated smile.

Soon, two vibrant glasses of juice were placed on the counter. The orange one had a slice of orange clipped to the rim; the red one was garnished with a cherry, looking exquisite and tempting.

Fan Yue took a sip of the cherry juice, only to taste a bittersweet tang heavily laced with the sharp bite of alcohol. Xie Yanyan picked up the other glass, let the liquid barely touch her lips, and set it back down.

The orange juice is bad too?

Fan Yue naturally reached over and tasted the orange juice. While the texture wasn’t great, it was at least better than the one in her hand. She quietly claimed that glass and pushed her cherry juice to the side.

Xie Yanyan glanced at the glass in front of her, rotated it to a different angle, and drank it bit by bit, following the faint lipstick mark left on the rim.

The sound of applause drew Fan Yue’s attention. A boy with a guitar stepped onto the stage. He looked like a college student working part-time, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans. His slightly long bangs fell forward as he looked down to pluck the strings, giving him a casual, handsome air.

The boy sang original or niche songs that Fan Yue didn’t recognize, but his voice was unique—a low, moving hum that left her dazed and captivated.

Sitting there, the two girls had no idea how many eyes they were drawing. The tall one, with long hair shimmering with a faint golden halo under the lights, had a cold expression that made it impossible to look away. The petite one had a pretty face with eyes brimming with a gentle smile.

The singer glanced their way several times. After a few songs, he cleared his throat and spoke into the mic: “The next song is for the two ladies over there. I hope you both have a beautiful encounter tonight.”

As he spoke, the lighting technician cooperated by swinging a spotlight over to them. Everyone followed the beam. Xie Yanyan remained expressionless, but after a moment of surprise, Fan Yue waved graciously at the singer on stage.

The music started again.

The intro sounded familiar, but Fan Yue couldn’t place it until the boy sang the line: “It feels like we’ve met somewhere before…”

Fan Yue began to hum along.

As the last note faded, the boy said “Thank you,” slung his guitar over his shoulder, and walked off the stage straight toward them.

The boy, who had looked quite cool on stage, now had a smile on his face. When he was a few steps away, he greeted them as if they were old acquaintances: “Hello there.”

Fan Yue nodded instinctively. “Hello.”

The boy deliberately adjusted his guitar in front of him—many young girls were suckers for the “singer-songwriter” vibe. He introduced himself: “I’m A-Kai, the resident singer here.”

“You sing really well…”

Before Fan Yue could finish her praise, Xie Yanyan stood up abruptly, grabbed her wrist, and led her away, giving the guy no chance to continue the conversation.

Ignored on the spot, the boy shrugged with a mix of regret and embarrassment, greeted the bartender, and left.

Fan Yue was pulled to a booth in the corner. Watching the boy’s retreating back, she felt they were being a bit rude. However, seeing the frost on Xie Yanyan’s face, she wisely shut her mouth.

The music shifted to a retro style, and people began to dance. Fan Yue nudged Xie Yanyan with her arm and winked toward the dance floor. Xie Yanyan pretended not to see, so Fan Yue simply hauled her up, pushing and pulling her into the crowd.

Fan Yue swayed to the rhythm, finding it hilarious how Xie Yanyan looked so reluctant. She lifted Xie Yanyan’s wrists, moving her like a marionette.

The music slowed down, and some couples began to ballroom dance. Fan Yue carefully observed an older couple nearby—the woman’s hand rested on the man’s shoulder, the man’s arm was around her waist, and their free hands were clasped, taking slow, casual steps to the music.

Fan Yue followed suit, taking Xie Yanyan’s hand. She clasped one hand and placed the other on Xie Yanyan’s shoulder. Xie Yanyan instinctively reached out to wrap her arm around Fan Yue’s waist. Clumsily mimicking the adults, they pressed close together and swayed to the music.

The air in the bar was stifling. That cup of cherry juice had a bizarre taste, and after the whole glass settled in her stomach, Xie Yanyan felt a tightness in her chest and a surge of nausea. She needed fresh air, but Fan Yue was having too much fun.

The lights were dim and they were very close. Xie Yanyan leaned down slightly, her nose brushing against Fan Yue’s hair. The soft texture and light fragrance of Fan Yue’s hair suppressed some of her rising discomfort.

Perhaps this was what it was like for Cinderella and the Prince dancing in the castle. But when the clock struck midnight, everything would become a dream.

The music stopped abruptly, and the warmth in her arms vanished. Fan Yue’s withdrawal took the only bit of fresh air with it. Fortunately, their hands were still connected, though they had shifted from interlaced fingers to a loose grip.

After being held like that by Xie Yanyan, Fan Yue had broken into a light sweat despite the heavy air conditioning. She grabbed two glasses of water and returned to the booth. Just as they sat down, someone approached.

A middle-aged man walked over carrying two snifters. The crystal-clear liquid inside swirled with his movements. He placed the glasses on the table and smiled at them. “May I buy you two beauties a glass of fruit wine?”

Fan Yue’s world was small; the men she knew were limited to her father, neighbors, the school dean, and teachers. Seeing this mature, seasoned man, she involuntarily straightened her back, her relaxed posture becoming formal.

Across from her, Xie Yanyan’s brows were deeply furrowed, her face a mask of undisguised impatience. Only then did Fan Yue notice how pale she was—she seemed very unwell.

Ignoring the fact that neither “beauty” acknowledged him, the man remained unfazed, the smile still on his face. The music changed back to a high-energy dance track. Colored lights flashed to the beat, and no one paid attention to the corner booth.

Amidst the shifting lights and shadows, the man suddenly sat down next to Xie Yanyan and draped an arm over her shoulder. The stench of alcohol from his breath hit her instantly. Xie Yanyan’s stomach did a violent flip, and her body recoiled as if struck by an electric shock.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

A glass of water was suddenly splashed over the man. Everything had happened too fast; Fan Yue felt a roar in her head. When she regained her senses, she was gripping an empty glass so tightly it looked like she might hurl it next.

Wiping the water from his face, the man turned red with rage. He stood up and glared at Fan Yue. “What did I do?!”

Fan Yue wanted to slap him. Xie Yanyan suddenly pushed past the man, covered her mouth, and bolted for the door. Fan Yue slammed the glass onto the table, shouted “Pervert!” at him, and chased after her.

A few people noticed the commotion. Seeing the man’s disheveled state, they understood exactly what had happened. Under the contemptuous glares of the crowd, the man yelled, “If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen!”

“Yanyan!”

Fan Yue couldn’t catch up; she followed behind, calling out anxiously.

The thick carpet of the corridor muffled their frantic footsteps. Xie Yanyan rushed to their door, fumbled with the key card with trembling hands, burst into the bathroom, and locked the door.

Splash!

The dark cherry juice was vomited out.

“Are you okay? How are you feeling?” Fan Yue’s voice came from outside the door, her breath ragged from the run.

Her throat was too raw to speak. Xie Yanyan propped herself against the wall and stood up. The nausea still came in waves, and the pungent smell of alcohol lingered. She stripped off her clothes and stood under the showerhead, vigorously scrubbing the shoulder that had been touched.

The sound of vomiting was replaced by the sound of rushing water. Fan Yue banged on the door. “Yanyan, are you okay?”

A moment later, the water stopped. The door finally opened, and a cloud of steam rolled out. Xie Yanyan stood at the bathroom door, her face pale, wrapped in a bathrobe. She spoke, her voice raspy: “I’m fine.”

Fan Yue saw her shoulder, red from scrubbing. In her urgency, she grabbed Xie Yanyan’s wrist with a grip so firm the other girl couldn’t pull away. Her voice rose an octave: “How can you say you’re fine looking like this!”

Thinking that the man’s actions must have truly terrified her, Fan Yue softened her grip and gently shook her wrist. “Ignore that creep. Since he dared to touch you, I’ll go find him and drag him out tomorrow!”

“No need. I’m fine. I just… my stomach was already upset,” Xie Yanyan replied softly.

“Why didn’t you tell me if you weren’t feeling well? I even forced you to dance.” Fan Yue felt even more guilty, regretting that she had dragged her to the bar.

Water was still dripping from the tips of Xie Yanyan’s long hair. Worried she would catch a cold, Fan Yue went into the bathroom for a towel. She stood on her tiptoes, draping it over Xie Yanyan’s head to help dry her hair, muttering all the while: “It’s all my fault. I was too careless. I didn’t even notice you were suffering.”

The towel soaked up the droplets. Fan Yue then went to get the hair dryer. Xie Yanyan lowered her head, letting herself be tended to. But she was too tall; Fan Yue’s arm soon went numb from holding the dryer. She led Xie Yanyan to sit on the edge of the bed so she could reach the top of her head.

Fan Yue’s fingers gently sifted through the strands of hair. Suddenly, Xie Yanyan reached up and pressed Fan Yue’s hand down. The hum of the dryer stopped. Fan Yue looked at her with confusion.

“Was my reaction just now… a bit too much?” Xie Yanyan whispered.

“No, it wasn’t. That creep was disgusting.”

Xie Yanyan kept her eyes down, her right index finger unconsciously twining around the long cord of the hair dryer. Then, she looked up at Fan Yue and asked, “Do you know why I had such a strong reaction?”

Then, she told her a story.