Shu fell silent. He looked down at his own hands resting on his knees.
"...I don't have anything I've never done before that I want to do."
Kiana tilted her head. "Have you ever been to a KTV?"
Shu began to search his memories.
KTV... He had indeed been before. About two or three years ago?
Back then, he had rented a small private room, tentatively sang a couple of lines by himself, and then proceeded to use it as a personal listening booth for two hours.
Why did he go to a KTV back then?
...Because he wanted to know what a KTV was like.
And then he knew, so he left.
He didn't even remember the name of that KTV. The experience was like an overexposed photograph in his memory—he could see everything, but nothing was clear.
"...I've been," he said.
Kiana was just about to ask the next question, but she froze upon hearing his answer.
Shu has actually been to a KTV?!
With who? When?
Could it be...
No!
Don't tell me—?!!
Kiana's expression shifted from surprise to teasing, then to realization, and finally to pure shock. She went through three transformations in a single second. It was incredibly amusing.
"Shu..." Kiana's pupils were practically quaking. "Don't tell me... you went alone, did you?"
Kiana's tone was so utterly incredulous that even Shu couldn't help but turn to look at her face, which was a mask of pure shock.
The shocked Shu felt a little awkward.
Going to a KTV alone... was that something worth being so surprised about?
Shu didn't think it was a big deal... or had he stumbled into another blind spot in his knowledge? Was going to a KTV alone actually some kind of huge faux pas in certain circles?
Shu started to feel anxious.
Meanwhile, Kiana had calmed herself down.
With the KTV question as a precedent, Kiana had a feeling her next line of questioning and suggestions were going to be quite wild.
But Kiana still resolutely asked her next question: "Shu, have you ever been drunk?"
A bad premonition welled up in Shu's already anxious heart.
"Shu, have you ever been drunk?" Kiana asked again.
"...No," he answered, his voice faltering slightly this time.
"Not even a single drop?"
"...I've had alcohol before..."
"So you've just never been drunk, then?"
"Yeah."
Kiana nodded knowingly. And then... she flashed Shu a smile that screamed "victory is mine."
"Then let's go to a KTV tonight!"
Shu looked at Kiana in disbelief.
What the hell are you planning?!
"A KTV!" Kiana saw the look in Shu's eyes, bounced up from the sofa, placed Rice Cake down, and turned to face him completely.
"We're going to a KTV tonight! Just you, me, and Rice Cake—oh, Rice Cake is still a minor, so it can't come."
"Meow!" The abandoned Rice Cake let out a cry of protest.
As if you're an adult!
Shu gave Kiana a thorough up-and-down look. If he remembered correctly, this particular Kiana in front of him was only seventeen years old!
She could go to a KTV?
Mei would kill him!
Kiana patted Rice Cake's head as a form of appeasement. "Rice Cake can't come, so it'll just be you and me! We'll sing, we'll drink, you can drink as much as you want! Until you're drunk! And it's fine if you get drunk, because I'll carry you back!"
So your goal is to get me drunk!
Shu's mouth hung open, his throat feeling a little dry.
"I... I'm actually not that good at singing..."
"It's fine! Neither am I!"
"Then what are we going there for?"
"We're not there to hold a concert!" Kiana declared righteously, planting her hands on her hips. "Didn't you say you don't have anything you've never done before that you want to do?
"Well, now I've thought of something for you! You've never sung a full song at a KTV, have you? You've never been drunk, have you? You—you've never gone to a KTV with a friend, have you?"
"Hmph~" Kiana pouted her lips into the same cat-like expression as Rice Cake, elegantly placing a hand over her heart, striking a pose that clearly said: "This young lady will, as your friend, help you break free from being a ** today."
...Something wasn't right here.
Shu fell silent, taking a tactical deep breath.
Heh, she's right. I really haven't!
He had been to a KTV, but he had never sung a full song there.
He had tasted almost every kind of alcohol, but he had never been drunk.
He had a lot of things he had "done but not experienced."
Like a person standing outside a shop window, looking in. He had seen what everything looked like, but he had never touched a single item.
Kiana didn't say anything else. She just stared at Shu, her gaze intense, her eyes seriously reflecting his silhouette.
She was so serious...
So serious that Shu didn't dare refuse, couldn't bear to refuse, and didn't want to refuse.
So what was left to say?
He.
Was.
Happy.
To.
Do.
It.
In that silent moment, Shu himself didn't even know how many internal debates he had just had.
In the end, he simply looked at her, opened his phone, and started searching for the best KTV they could go to tonight.
Kiana watched Shu's movements, making no attempt to hide the joy of her "plan succeeding."
Rice Cake let out a ghostly "meow" at Kiana, who had started celebrating right in front of Shu. Kiana giggled, looked down at it, scooped up Rice Cake's face in her hands, gave it a good rub, and then planted a loud smooch on its forehead.
"Rice Cake~ We're going to a KTV tonight! You stay home and watch the house, and we'll bring you back some yummy treats!"
The poor Rice Cake, now a plaything in Kiana's hands, shot her a look of utter resignation before slumping back down and burying its head in its paws.
"Meow."
This is a story about two humans and a cat, but there's no place for me in it.
Just go, before my heart breaks.
The cold-hearted Kiana paid no mind to the heartbroken Rice Cake. After thoroughly squishing the kitten, she immediately returned to Shu's side, resting her chin on his shoulder and looking at the KTVs he had pulled up.
The prices were a little high, but she was very satisfied with the fruit platters, drinks, and the size and amenities of the private rooms.
She reached out a finger, decisively cutting through Shu's indecisiveness. "Shu, I think this one looks pretty good~"
Actually, Kiana had intended to discuss it. She had a follow-up sentence: "But this one isn't bad either."
But before she could even say the second half, just hearing the first part of her sentence made Shu's gaze sharpen. He decisively placed the order, paid, and screenshotted the receipt in one fluid motion.
Phew—this feeling of not having to agonize over a decision, of having someone choose for you, is really nice~
"But this..." Kiana's expression gradually became dazed. "How did you already place the order?! It's so expensive, Shu, are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
Shu remained silent.
I'm hap—
"Ugh..." Kiana shrank back beside Shu, starting to count on her fingers pitifully. "We spent five thousand yesterday... and another few thousand today... five thousand plus four thousand plus..."
She couldn't continue. Ten fingers were no longer enough to support her calculations.
"Waaah—" Kiana grabbed her head in despair, her hair a complete mess, her heart filled with ashes. "That's so much money... I feel like I'll never be able to pay it back in my entire life..."
How could it possibly be that exaggerated?
Shu thought to himself. But... Kiana actually cares about this?
"Actually..." He never intended for Kiana to pay him back.
But watching Kiana beside him, completely devoid of confidence as she tried to calculate how many years she'd have to work for him, Shu didn't say a word.
Hmm... maybe Rice Cake was right.
Shu really did have a bit of a mean streak.
The KTV Kiana had chosen for Shu was right next to the mall they had visited yesterday.
As they stepped through the neon-lit entrance, Shu's footsteps faltered.
The lobby was carpeted in a dark, intricately patterned rug that muffled all sound.
The dark gold walls were embedded with long, thin light strips, casting a luxurious glow that felt like it had a filter over it.
A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted through the air. Shu couldn't quite place the scent. He could also hear the muffled thumping of music, sounding as if it were coming from far away, a testament to the excellent soundproofing.
It was exactly as he remembered.
And yet completely different.
The last time he came here, he was alone.
The receptionist had asked him how many people were in his party, and he had said just one.
Although her expression didn't change much—just a professional smile—he always felt there was a subtle pause in her "Alright."
Maybe there wasn't. Maybe he was just overthinking it... That's what he thought back then, and that's what he thought now.
But that pause was like a fishbone stuck in his throat, becoming more and more glaring in his memory.
It wasn't until just now, back at home, when Kiana had reacted with such shock to him going to a KTV alone, that the pause had finally become clear.
The receptionist was the same... or maybe not, he couldn't remember.
The lighting was the same, the hallway was the same.
Shu held Kiana's hand, standing at the entrance to the lobby, suddenly forgetting which foot he was supposed to step with first.
Kiana stood beside him, wearing that wide-brimmed hat, the brim pulled down low.
She didn't speak, just squeezed Shu's hand a little tighter, as if trying to inject her own confidence into his body through this simple act.
She probably succeeded. Shu took a deep breath and walked toward the reception desk as if treading on thin ice.
The carpet absorbed all the sound of his footsteps. He felt his own heartbeat was too loud, drowning out the sound of his own thoughts.
The receptionist looked up, flashing a professional smile. "Good evening. Do you have a reservation?"
Shu opened his mouth. "Yes."
His voice was louder than he expected, which made him pause and consciously lower his volume. "Seven o'clock, surname Xu, last four digits..."
The receptionist looked down at her computer to check.
"Alright, Mr. Xu, your room is ready." She looked up, her gaze sweeping over him and Kiana, lingering on the wide-brimmed hat for a second before quickly moving on.
"This way, please."
Shu followed her, and Kiana followed beside Shu.
The hallway was long. The doors on both sides were closed. Occasionally, they could hear the muffled sounds of music and laughter from within, filtered by the door panels until only a dull, low-frequency vibration remained, like distant thunder.
Shu's gaze drifted unconsciously toward those doors for a moment before he quickly looked away.
In his memory, he had walked this same path the last time he came.
Alone, following a stranger, walking down a long hallway, into a small room, staying for two hours, then leaving and going home.
Back then, every step he took was like executing a program—walk here, turn left, keep walking, turn right at the second intersection...
Every step was certain, known, requiring no thought.
But it was different now.
Kiana was beside him, holding his hand, following him step by step. He was pulling her forward, she was pushing him forward...
They were walking forward together.
For a moment, Shu didn't know if he was more nervous or less nervous.
They had arrived.
The receptionist pushed open a door, stood to the side to let them pass, like the butler of a noble family.
"This is your room. Drinks and snacks will be here shortly. If you need to select songs, you can use the tablet on the table or scan the QR code. Please enjoy your time." She smiled, nodded, and turned to leave.
The door was still open.
Shu stood at the entrance, staring blankly at the room inside.
The room wasn't very large. A dark-colored sofa was submerged in dazzling, colorful lights. A glass coffee table held a vase of fake flowers and two wireless microphones. A large screen hung on the wall.
In front of the large screen was a small step that looked like a stage. Besides the two wireless microphones, there was also a stand microphone that looked different from the others.
There was a faint smell of disinfectant in the air, with an undercurrent of fruity fragrance.
He stepped inside. Kiana followed behind him, closing the door on her way in.
The lock clicked shut.
Shu's shoulders slumped in that moment, as if a weight he had been holding in his heart had finally been released.
He walked over to the sofa and sat down. His movements were a little stiff, as if he were trying to confirm that this sofa was actually safe to sit on.
In that moment, he truly felt like he was in a dream.
He had actually... come to a place like this with someone else?
Kiana sat down right beside him, eagerly taking off her hat, shaking out her hair, and letting out a long sigh.
"Finally, I can take this off~ It was so stuffy!"
Her voice echoed slightly in the room, absorbed by the soft-paneled walls, becoming a little muffled.
Shu turned to look at her, his lips unconsciously twitching, as if he wanted to laugh at her words, but his face was too stiff. The smile was stuck at an awkward angle, unable to go up or down, completely at a loss.
Kiana, who was stretching out on the sofa, looked up and saw Shu's expression. She blinked. Under the dazzling lights, her face wasn't tinged with any unusual color.
This was different from what Shu had imagined.
The world was a dyeing vat... Whatever environment you were in, that was the kind of person you would become. Shu had always believed this.
There were indeed differences between people. Some could remain unstained even in a swamp, while others were still filthy even in the highest heavens.
But...
She was different.
Shu stared at Kiana in a daze, gazing at her, watching her, as if she were the only face, the only person in the entire world.
She was different...
Slap—
Kiana reached out with both hands and gently cupped Shu's cheeks, looking him straight in the eyes.
In the next moment, she flashed him the exact same smile she had back at home.
Right...
She's different.
Understanding dawned in Shu's heart.