Chapter 15: A Game Interrupted

The living room was alive with the sounds of rapid button clicks and the muffled cheers and groans of Yuqi and her friends. They were locked in an intense gaming session, their characters navigating a chaotic level that none of them seemed close to beating.

“Stay behind me!” Ian shouted, frantically dodging an enemy attack.

“I’ve got it covered!” Yuqi replied, her fingers moving quickly over the controller.

Elliot groaned as his character met a sudden, untimely end. “Unbelievable. This game is rigged.”

Stan laughed. “Says the guy who walked straight into the trap.”

Yuqi smirked, her focus unbroken. “Don’t worry, I’ll carry the team. Again.”

The playful banter came to an abrupt halt when the sound of the front door opening caught their attention. Yuqi’s dad stepped into the house, looking tired but content. His tie had already loosened as he set his keys down on the entry table.

“Hey, everyone,” he greeted, glancing at the group spread across the couch.

“Hi, Mr. Allen!” the boys replied in unison, still holding their controllers.

Yuqi paused the game, turning to smile at him. “Hey, Dad. Long day?”

“Busy as usual,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I was hoping to relax in the living room for a bit.”

Yuqi caught the subtle hint and stood up, brushing crumbs off her lap. “Got it. We’ll move. Thanks for letting us take over.”

Her dad smiled at her, appreciation in his eyes. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

Yuqi turned to her friends, gesturing toward the door. “Alright, game night’s over. We’ll pick this up another time.”

Ian stretched as he stood, tossing his bag over his shoulder. “Fine, but we’re getting farther next time. No excuses.”

Elliot groaned but followed him. “You mean no distractions from Yuqi bossing us around?”

Yuqi laughed. “If I didn’t boss you around, you’d still be on the first level.”

Stan waved as they shuffled toward the door. “See you later, Yuqi.”

“See you guys,” she said with a grin, watching them leave.

When the house fell quiet again, Yuqi headed upstairs to her room. Her eyes landed on the chest filled with scrolls sitting beneath the portrait of her mother. Her fingers lingered on the lid before she opened it, carefully pulling out one of the aged parchments. The Dragon language flowed across the surface in graceful, deliberate strokes, familiar yet still mysterious. It was as if her mother's magic was still alive in these scrolls, waiting to be discovered.

She carried the scroll downstairs to the kitchen, laying it out on the table under the warm light. The words were clear to her—reading Dragon had come naturally since she had started diving into her mother’s legacy—but understanding the deeper intricacies of the magic described was another matter entirely. The spell was delicate, layered with subtleties that made it feel just out of reach.

A few minutes later, her dad walked into the kitchen, pausing when he saw her bent over the scroll. “What are you reading?”

Yuqi glanced up briefly, her fingers still tracing the parchment. “One of the spell scrolls from my mom’s chest.”

He raised an eyebrow, moving closer to peer at the intricate writing. “What kind of spell?”

“This one’s about fire,” she said thoughtfully. “It’s a control spell. It explains how to gather and focus heat to summon a flame, but the process is…” She sighed. “Complicated. The words are clear, but the magic itself? That’s the tricky part.”

Her dad studied the parchment for a moment. “It looks like a formula or a blueprint.”

Yuqi nodded. “Exactly. It’s structured like a recipe, but it’s not just about following steps. It’s about… feeling the magic. And I don’t know how to do that yet.”

“Feeling the magic?” he repeated, his tone curious.

She smiled faintly. “Yeah. It’s like trying to sense something that’s not there but should be. It’s frustrating.”

Her dad leaned against the counter, watching her carefully. “And you’re planning to try this?”

“Not yet,” she said quickly. “I need to understand it first. I’m not exactly eager to set the kitchen on fire.”

He chuckled softly but nodded. “Good. This kind of power isn’t something to take lightly.”

“I know,” Yuqi said, her voice quieter now. “But it’s part of me. If I don’t figure it out, it’ll just stay a mystery forever.”

Her dad placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You’ll get there. Just take your time, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, smiling up at him.

As her dad headed upstairs to relax, Yuqi returned her attention to the scroll. The characters glimmered faintly under the light as if alive, holding secrets just beyond her grasp. She traced the lines again, murmuring the words under her breath.

Closing her eyes, she focused on the world around her—the warmth of the kitchen light, the coolness of the air. For a fleeting moment, she thought she felt something else. It was faint, like the flicker of a flame, but it disappeared before she could grasp it fully.

Her eyes opened, and she stared at the scroll, her heart pounding. “Okay,” she whispered to herself. “I’m getting closer. I can feel it.” Her journey to understand her mother's magic was filled with anticipation and hope.

The smell of dinner filled the house, the savory aroma of stir-fried vegetables and roasted chicken wafting through the air. Yuqi carefully rolled up the spell scroll, ensuring the edges lined up perfectly before securing it with its ribbon. The characters still glimmered faintly under the kitchen light, but their mysteries would have to wait.

“Dinner’s ready!” her Mom called from the dining room, her voice clear and firm, filling the house with a sense of warmth and comfort.

Yuqi stood, cradling the scroll in her hands as she made her way upstairs. She opened the chest beneath her mother’s portrait and placed the scroll back among the others, her fingers brushing the smooth parchment before closing the lid with a soft thud.

When she returned to the dining room, Kelly was already there, sitting at her usual spot with her phone in hand. She barely looked up as Yuqi slid into her seat across from her. Their dad had just joined them, loosening his tie as he settled in.

“About time,” Kelly teased, glancing up as Yuqi slid into her seat. “What were you doing, solving the mysteries of the universe?”

“Something like that,” Yuqi shot back with a smirk.

Their Mom emerged from the kitchen, carrying a steaming platter of roasted chicken and vegetables. “Alright, everyone, phones down and hands washed. Kelly, that means you.”

Kelly sighed dramatically but set her phone down and headed to the sink. Yuqi grinned, glad for the small victory, and began serving herself some rice and vegetables.

The table soon filled with conversation as plates were passed around.

Now recharged and fully engaged, Kelly launched into a story about her day, complete with exaggerated gestures that made their dad chuckle and their Mom roll her eyes affectionately.

“And then,” Kelly said, nearly laughing herself, “Jessie tripped over her own shoelaces while trying to impress everyone with her new dance moves. It was amazing.”

Their dad shook his head, amused. “Poor kid.”

“Poor Jessie,” Yuqi muttered, trying not to laugh as she took a sip of water.

“You would’ve laughed, too,” Kelly said, pointing at her. “Don’t act like you’re above it.”

Their Mom cut in before the back-and-forth could escalate. “Enough, girls. Eat before your food gets cold.”

As the meal continued, Yuqi found herself relaxing. Dinner with her family felt grounding in a way nothing else did, a moment of normalcy amid everything that had changed. Kelly’s antics and their parents’ amused tolerance filled the room with warmth, and for a little while, the weight of her studies and her heritage faded into the background.

Later, when the dishes were cleared and the house quieted again, Yuqi knew she’d return to the scrolls. For now, though, she let herself enjoy the easy rhythm of home.

After dinner, Yuqi followed Kelly upstairs, lingering in the hallway before Kelly waved her into her room. Kelly’s space was as chaotic as ever, with clothes tossed over the back of a chair and posters of her favorite bands lining the walls. Yuqi perched on the edge of the bed while Kelly flopped down beside her, scrolling absentmindedly on her phone.

“So,” Kelly started, her tone casual but loaded with curiosity, “are you ever gonna talk about it?”

Yuqi frowned. “Talk about what?”

Kelly set her phone aside and turned to face her. “Your friends. You’ve been spending a lot of time with them lately.”

Yuqi rolled her eyes. “They’re my friends, Kelly. It’s not a big deal.”

Kelly smirked, leaning in slightly. “Yeah, but do you think any of them are cute?”

Yuqi froze, staring at her sister in disbelief. “What?”

“You know what I mean,” Kelly said, her grin widening. “Elliot, Ian, Stan—do you think any of them are cute? Come on, you can tell me.”

Yuqi’s face twisted in exaggerated horror, and she almost choked on her own breath. “Hell no!” she exclaimed, recoiling as if Kelly had just suggested the most offensive thing imaginable. “Why would you even ask that?”

Kelly burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as she leaned back. “Oh my god, your face! That was priceless.”

Yuqi scowled, crossing her arms. “I’m serious. I don’t even want to think about that. Ever. I don’t want to be with a guy. End of story.”

Kelly’s laughter died down, but the amused glint in her eyes didn’t fade. “Okay, okay, chill. I was just curious. You’re, like, really pretty now, so it wouldn’t surprise me if one of them had a crush on you.”

Yuqi groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Don’t say stuff like that! It’s weird.”

Kelly shrugged, her grin turning smug. “You’re the one who always hangs out with three guys. I’m just saying.”

“Yeah, because they’re my friends,” Yuqi shot back, glaring at her. “And that’s all they’ll ever be. I’m not interested in them—or any guy, for that matter.”

Kelly held up her hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll drop it.”

“Good,” Yuqi muttered, though her face was still flushed from the conversation.

Kelly leaned back against the headboard, a faint smile on her lips. “You’re fun to mess with, you know that?”

“Glad I could entertain you,” Yuqi replied dryly, standing up. “I’m going back to my room before you say something even worse.”

“Fair enough,” Kelly said, still grinning. “Just let me know if you change your mind about the ‘cute friends’ thing.”

“Not happening,” Yuqi called over her shoulder as she left, shutting the door firmly behind her.

As she returned to her own room, Yuqi shook her head, still baffled by Kelly’s line of questioning. She flopped onto her bed, muttering to herself, “She’s impossible.”

But despite her annoyance, she found herself smiling faintly. Kelly’s teasing, as much as it drove her crazy, was just another reminder that their relationship hadn’t really changed. For that, at least, she was grateful.