Imperfect Desires

"And if we are really being posh with words, then what will the weekdays become?" asked Xiao Bai in curiosity.

"Oh, then it'll be Margarita Monday and Tequilla Tuesday," replied Xiu without even thinking.

"What about Thursday?"

"Thursday is Thirsty. It had always been thirsty," said Xiu and went on, "Friday is Fearless and Sloshed is Saturday. And that's how we survive the week."

Xiao Bai pressed her lips together before saying, "You left Sunday out."

"Hun, you need to look up the definition of sloshed. If you're sloshed on Saturday, there is no way you'll wake up on Sunday. So, Sunday is called Sleepy but it can be slurring Sunday if anyone really managed to wake up."

Xiao Bai laughed again at her and said, "Older Sister, you're really funny."

Xiu knocked her head against the table and said, "Funny? I should be called reckless and an idiot. How can I even say all this to a teenager? I'm really a bad influence." She tried to look at Xiao Bai through her blurry vision and went on, "Xiao Bai, be good and don't pay attention to this Unnie[1]."

Before Xiao Bai could say anything, her cellphone's ringtone made her swallow her words. She looked at the caller id and excused herself. "Hello!" she answered the call in a soft voice.

"Baby Xiu, where did you run off to? When we got home, you weren't here. It's 3 in the morning and mom and dad are worried about you," Nora's concerned voice didn't give Xiao Bai a.k.a Bai Xiu any chance to speak. 

And when she finally found a chance, she answered with, "Relax, Nora darling. You can tell my uncle and aunt that I'll stay at the school dorms tonight. Besides, I'm not a child who will get lost."

"I'm not worried that you'll get lost. I'm worried because of your changing behavior. Since the time your mother died, you've been changing into a person I can hardly recognize," said Nora.

"Don't worry. I won't get into any trouble. I promise. Now, I gotta go. Bye!" Saying that Bai Xiu hung up the call and walked back to their table. 

However, while she was passing behind Chen Xiu, her eyes caught sight of an incoming call on Chen Xiu's phone. She wouldn't have taken interest but the picture flashing on the screen was very familiar to her. 'Han Bohai? Sister Xiu's assistant?' Her brows raised up instinctively.

"Older sister, you seem a little bit reckless but I don't think you're moxie." Xiao Bai said in all honesty as she settled in her chair to finish her meal and sipped on her smoothie.

"You think, I don't have the spunk?" Xiu exclaimed in disbelief and added, "Okay, sober Xiu has no chills, I agree. But drunk Xiu is spunky. I have all the balls... Cough... I mean, I have all the guts needed for an adventure. Do you wanna try?"

'Sober Xiu? Drunk Xiu? Sounds very familiar...' Bai Xiu scrutinized her gaze at Xiu's face and tried to mentally put together Chen Xiu's picture with the face which was right before her. When the mental image really matched, she didn't freak out like fans. She was very calm but the smile on her face couldn't be any more obvious. "Older sister, do you have a boyfriend?"

Xiu rubbed her eyes and turned the screen of her personal phone upside down before saying, "Boyfriend? Define boyfriend. Because I'm pretty sure my dating vocabulary is worse than yours." Her words were slurred, her eyes were dazed while her head was swinging from one side to another. But there was no way that she was gonna stop drinking.

 "I'll take that as a no. And since you look like a very safe kind of a person, I want you to come out of your shell. Just for one night," said Bai Xiu with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"My shell?" Xiu raked her fingers through her ginger red hair and said, "I am a loner. I have no friends. I have no lover. I spend my days alone drinking. I guess that's the shell you're talking about." Bai Xiu nodded her head in response and Xiu sighed out, "Does it show? Is my shell so obvious now?"

"I'm not sure whether it shows or not, but I'm pretty sure that sounded like a narration of every documentary made on serial killers." Hearing Bai Xiu's words, Xiu couldn't find words to refute. She had to accept that she sounded like that.

"Okay, then!" Xiu slammed her hands on the table and said, "It's coming out of my shell, right? It can't be as difficult as people coming out of the closet. I think I can do that."

"Alright," said Bai Xiu and looked around the bar. It took her a moment before she said, "How about flirting with the next man who enters through that door?"

Xiu followed her finger to look at the main door and slapped her cheeks to keep herself awake as she gave him a thumbs up in reply. "Now, all I need is a catchy pick-up line," Xiu whispered to herself.

"Here we go," announced Bai Xiu and Xiu herself also looked at the man in a green leather jacket that just walked through the door. He stood there waiting for someone and only walked ahead when another man joined him. 

Xiu, using her fingers, kept her eyes open and asked for confirmation, "I have to hit on that green jacket one, right?" When she didn't hear a reply from Bai Xiu, she looked at her. Even though her vision was dizzy, she could tell that something was off. "Should I not hit on that one?" Xiu asked cautiously.

Bai Xiu was jolted awake as she tried to smile and said, "It seems like destiny. You should do it since you said you'll do it."

Xiu picked up a bottle of water and gulped it down for her parched throat. Feeling her brain activity coming back, she stood up and said, "Wish me luck. I'm gonna embarrass myself for sure but hopefully, it won't be that bad."

[1] "Unni": In Korea when females address each other Older sister, they say 'Unnie'.