The default location, where the best of class 13 met yearly or bi-yearly, was a noodle shop close to their school, Hammered Studies Academy.
They sat around the largest table at the back and reminisced about their school days, troubles, and life.
Most of all, they bickered back and forth and blamed each other for the stupidest things.
Like Shi Yi blaming Ha Xing for his lack of a girlfriend, saying Ha Xing's sunshine looks had ripped him of any relationships and it was trailing him in his adult life too.
This had been one of the many reasons why they argued all the time.
The glass door jingled as Gu Wei entered, and he saw that the shop was mostly empty, save for a few customers here and there.
Sundays were slow for the Tasty Noodles shop, as students were the main customers and visited on weekdays.
Gu Wei hadn't stepped fully inside when a woman appeared and called out his name, "Gu Wei! Is that you?"
It was none other than the owner, Grandma Fei, who always gave them free noodles during their visits and regarded them all like her own children.
This was due to countless noodles stomached during their youth and uncountable amounts of school money they'd spent here.
Gu Wei bowed and greeted Grandma Fei, her frail hands grasped his and she commented on everything. From his handsome face to his clean-looking clothes.
Gu Wei's cheeks were pink by the time she let him go, a few curious stares had picked up on the interaction and Gu Wei could feel eyes on him.
Totally unbothered, Grandma Fei gestured to the back and assured him that a few of his friends had already arrived.
Bowing one last time, Gu Wei ducked his head and fled, basically flinging himself onto a chair with its back to Grandma Fei, or else she might comment on his majestic seating.
He Sheng, Song Wei, and Xu Ai laughed at his entrance, and Gu Wei dramatically fanned his face.
"I swear to god, Grandma Fei does it on purpose." Gu Wei said, the tiny air from his circulating palm making him feel even hotter.
Song Wei agreed with him, "She knows more pick-up lines than we do."
The group of four laughed at this. Song Wei was right, Grandma Fei was learning more pick-up lines as the years passed.
After exchanging pleasantries and settling in, He Sheng handed him a glass of water but Song Wei slapped his hands away.
"Are you mad?! Water at this hour. Give him some alcohol!"
Chastised, He Sheng listened to his wife and poured a glass full of beer for Gu Wei.
He took a small sip and grimaced, this brand of beer still tasted peculiar.
Xu Ai shook her head at him, drinking hers in one go and slamming the cup on the table in victory. The others clapped enthusiastically at her display.
"That's how you drink Wei Wei-ah. Don't tell me you still hate beer?"
Gu Wei took another sip to test the drink out and pushed it as far away from him as he could go.
He Sheng poured Gu Wei's discarded beer into his now-empty glass. Gu Wei tried not to show his displeasure as his friends downed gulps of poison.
He must not have hidden his expression well, as Song Wei called him out.
"Aiyaa Gu Wei-ah, smooth out those eyebrows, will you? You know I don't like seeing them so furrowed, they're too pretty."
"Yes yes, Song Wei, we all know you're obsessed with Wei Wei's brows." Xu Ai countered, acting as cool as ever in her tailored suit.
Song Wei was in a frilly dress gown in a dark wine colour, while He Sheng had gone with a casual T-shirt and jeans.
Gu Wei himself had tried a bit with his appearance, he'd opted the usual joggers for pants and wore a designer comfortable sweater.
Gu Wei didn't have to wonder what the others would wear, they all had their uniforms.
Song Wei naturally took offense to Xu Ai's words, and the two began their unsurprising chatter.
Song Wei called Xu Ai out for her suited outfit, did she think this was an office dinner? Xu Ai replied with equal venom, why are you wearing a dress, having another wedding?
He Sheng tried to but in and got death stares from the two. Gu Wei grabbed his arm from across the table and sat him down.
"Best not interfere, you know how they are." He Sheng sighed and nodded at Gu Wei, "I know, I know. Just had to try, right?"
Gu Wei laughed wryly, trying to break those two when they got like that was like separating a tree from its trunk.
You would undoubtedly get hurt in the process if you don't come prepared with tools. And Song Wei and Xu Ai's tool hadn't arrived yet.
As if she'd heard their call, Ling Jie appeared in a cute black off-shoulder top and zebra-striped skirt.
Her stockings were ripped in places and her heels matched her punk look with their disheveled ropes.
She had also brought a tote bag like Gu Wei, and he peeked inside, unsurprised when he saw a pair of sneakers.
A hand suddenly smacked his nape and Gu Wei sharply twisted in his chair.
It was Ha Xing. Apparently, Ling Jie and the Master had met on the way, arriving at the same time just now.
Gu Wei was surprised to see that Ha Xing had managed to peel himself from his desk, and he voiced the sentiment.
He was awarded with another smack to his head. Gu Wei sniffed and lowered his head. "Mother Wei, see what I have to go through? He's always bullying me."
"Eh! Who's bullying who, you two-faced frog! Let me tell you, Mother Wei, he's always throwing papers at me while I'm working, grumbling for this and that like a newborn baby. I don't know what to do with him seriously."
Gu Wei gaped incredulously at his roommate, who sounded so righteous Gu Wei almost couldn't believe his ears.
Song Wei sighed and reached over to pat Ha Xing on the shoulder, who had settled right next to Gu Wei.
"You've tried Master, nourishing the baby for a long time now. We appreciate your patience and care. Don't worry, I'll make sure to scold him, he'll do no such thing again. Wei Wei! Why're you disturbing Master while he's working? Don't you know his job requires the utmost attention? Be good from now on okay?"
Feeling betrayed, Gu Wei wiped his fake tears with a part of Ha Xing's shirt, pulling it up till his skin was showing. "Ahhh! Gu Wei, you pervert!"
Before another smack could land on his head, Gu Wei dodged and shifted away from Ha Xing, sitting in the other chair and putting some space between them.
He would not survive this reunion if he sat next to his roommate.
Beer was poured for Ha Xing, and the six of them pondered ordering the food without their other guests, Shi Yi and Zhai Mei.
Gu Wei quickly shut down the idea, not only was it rude, but it might make them feel left out if they saw them slurping noodles in contentment.
Xu Ai and Song Wei also agreed and the notion was dismissed.
It seemed Ling Jie had been able to break the ice between Song Wei and Xu Ai this time. Gu Wei never really knew if they fought on purpose or not.
Sometimes, their eyes twinkled like they were enjoying themselves, and other times, the glare in their eyes was all too real.
Either way, Gu Wei had given up being the tool after he'd suffered a bite in the process. His left arm still tingled when he rubbed the area and a faint half-circle scar remained.
The two girls had been wild when they were young, now they only shared insulting words.
Still, Gu Wei kept his distance, another bite mark wasn't going anywhere near him.
Gu Wei sipped his water and the other slowed down their intake of beer since they didn't want to get drunk so soon.
Xu Ai inquired about Gu Wei's interview for the campaign, and he squinted suspiciously at Ha Xing, who began engaging in deep conversation with a confused He Sheng.
Before Gu Wei could answer, two hands wrapped around his eyes, obscuring his vision. Gu Wei heard laughter from the others as they saw who it was.
It was a bit obvious from the hands, but Gu Wei's heart still stuttered and he thought, Zhai Mei?
However, with the way they'd left things in the chat, Gu Wei knew it wasn't her. And the hands were too big to be Zhai Mei's. So it could only be-
"Didi-ah, you don't recognize your Gege?"
A soft voice whispered in his ear. Gu Wei shuddered as warm breath brushed over his ear, and he swatted at the person behind aggressively.
"Ow! Ow! Stop okay? Stop!"
The hands disappeared, and Gu Wei's vision cleared. He blinked rapidly and swatted more at Shi Yi as the boy tried to escape.
Gu Wei dragged him to the seat between him and Master Ha Xing, grabbing a handful of his clothing and seated him down in one move.
Shi Yi was giggling by the time the ordeal ended.
"Wei Wei-ah, how did you not guess sooner? Did you think I was someone else?" Shi Yi lifted his brow up and down in a playful manner.
Gu Wei's face started to feel warm and he swatted the boy again, "What rubbish are you saying? Here, drink drink drink."
Gu Wei snatched a bottle of beer and shoved it at Shi Yi, putting it to his lips and lifting till Shi Yi had to swallow. The boy chocked on the liquid.
Ling Jie giggled at the display. "Shi Yi Ge, you're always teasing Gu Wei Ge, are you that interested?"
Coughing his way through the abuse, Shi Yi nodded and said in a scratchy voice, "The only one for me is Wei Wei."
His wheeze at the end had the group in tears again, and Gu Wei smacked Shi Yi's back with the cover of help from his cough, but really, he was just beating the boy.
Ha Xing intervened and replaced Gu Wei's suspicious hands with his, comforting him with a 'there there'.
Gu Wei cleared his throat and sipped his water. Shi Yi really did like to tease him. Something Gu Wei had been subjected to from their school days.
You would think Shi Yi would grow out of it, but the boy was the same person as he'd been in his youth.
The only difference was his height.
Gu Wei rubbed at the spot where Shi Yi had placed his hands, thinking the teasing had stopped for now when He Sheng pointed something out.
"Shi Yi-ah, why are you wearing the same clothes as Gu Wei? Look, the sweater…"
It was true. Gu Wei's eyes widened as he too realized. Shi Yi was wearing exactly the same thing as Gu Wei.
But it wasn't possible, how could Shi Yi have known what Gu Wei would be wearing to the reunion?
Gu Wei lived alone with Ha Xing, there was no way Shi Yi could've known unless one of them had told him…
The moment Gu Wei realized, he leaped out of his chair and made for Ha Xing, "You little…!"
Commotion ensued as Ha Xing cried out in fear and Shi Yi held Gu Wei back.
But, Gu Wei was determined, and he managed to snatch a fistful of Ha Xing's shirt, once again exposing his skin as a button popped off.
Ha Xing was screaming dramatically, Shi Yi was trying and failing to hold Gu Wei back, He Sheng was dragging Ha Xing over the table in an attempt to escape, and the girls were clapping their hands hysterically and shouting,
"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The sight was an eye-full to behold. It looked like Gu Wei was going to eat Ha Xing alive, with his eyebrows furrowed tightly and teeth bared.
Shi Yi had his arms around Gu Wei in a hug and his face buried in his chest, uttering the most nonsensical words.
"Don't my darling, don't! It's my fault, it's my fault! Don't beat him up, please, don't beat him up!"
It was during this ensuing chaos, that Ling Jie abruptly stood and cheerfully said, "Zhai Mei Jie!"
The chaos itself was loud, but at the sound of Zhai Mei's name, everything came to a standstill, and heads turned to take in their new guest.
Gasps filled the table as they all saw Zhai Mei in the flesh and took in her vibrant appearance.
Gu Wei's eyes were wide in awe and his mouth was open, one of the many around him.
And then the cherry on top dropped. Zhai Mei timidly lifted a hand in a small wave and smiled.
A collective sigh went through the group as they all fell in love in one swoop.
Gu Wei only had one word to describe Zhai Mei at that moment, and he was sure the others would second the sentiment.
…So cute.