Imperfect Desires

Darren waited outside Xiu's room contemplating whether to go inside or not. He didn't know whether it was a good idea to face her when she was so down or not. But considering how his heart urged him to be with her at that time, he pushed open the door. 

To his surprise, he didn't see her at first glance and his brows knitted up in confusion. He was certain that she didn't leave the room unless she jumped down the balcony. When that far-fetched idea crossed his mind out of nowhere he hurriedly wheeled himself towards the balcony but stopped when his eyes fell on a slender figure curled up beside the bed's other side. 

Darren unconsciously heaved a sigh of relief. He came to her side and called her, "Chen Xiu!" Xiu didn't respond at all. She was motionlessly staring into nothingness with a dazed look. Darren tapped her shoulder, "Ms. Superstar, can I get an autograph?" Getting no response again, Darren held her shoulders and looked at her face. His eyes widened at how half of her face was painted with scarlet blood dripping from the side of her head.

And the way she looked at him seemed like a lifeless person or perhaps calling her a lifeless doll would be better. In his shocked state, he lifted his hand to touch the side of her face but Xiu didn't even flinch. As if she couldn't feel the pain at all. After getting out of his initial shock, Darren pressed the button beside her beside to call the doctor. He felt completely helpless at how restricted he was because of being in a wheelchair. 

He had to wait outside her room while the doctors took her for treatment. He didn't know why he was so worried for her but he was and he couldn't deny it at all even if he wanted to do so.

"Dazi, what are you doing out here?" came Dylan's voice which wasn't able to get Darren's attention. Seeing blood on Darren's hand, Dylan's eyes widened as he frantically started questioning, "What happened to you? How did you get hurt? Why is there so much blood?"

As always Dylan's reaction was overdramatic but Darren wasn't in the condition to point that out as he replied with, "Not mine."

"Huh?" Dylan raised his brows at him inquisitively.

"The blood is not mine," elaborated Darren while he stared at his blood-stained hand that had touched Xiu's face and added, "It's not mine but it's hurting like it's mine."

"Can we not talk in riddles?" said Dylan as he helped Darren back to his room while talking, "By the way, how did you get someone else's blood on your hand?"

Completely disregarding Dylan's question, Darren said, "Didi, contact the specialist you're talking about. I'll go for rehabilitation. I want to stand back on my feet."

Darren's sudden decision came as a surprise to Dylan as his face bloomed with a huge smile. "You're serious?" Darren nodded in reply. "Oh My Gosh! That's like the best news I've heard this month." Recalling something, he frowned and asked, "But what changed your mind so suddenly?"

Darren raised his blood-stained hand towards Dylan and said, "This changed my mind. I have never felt so helpless in life before. Not even when I thought I'd never be able to be on a track again."

Even though Dylan didn't understand a word he said, he didn't bother asking for an elaboration either. He knew if his best friend wanted him to know he would know. Therefore, he silently went to contact the doctor before coming back with a wet towel in his hand. He sat beside Darren's bed and wiped the dried blood off of his hand saying, "I don't know what or who changed your mind but I'm certainly very happy about it."

Silence fell between them for a long moment which was eventually broken by Darren.

"Can you do me a favor?" 

Dylan was taken aback since Darren never asked for any favors since the time they had been best friends. If anything Dylan was the one always asking for something and Darren could say to be the one who loved to only give. "What is it? I'll do anything for you," even though Dylan asked in a daze but he was determined to do anything as he said so himself.

"Can you find out about the condition of the patient next door?" 

Again, Darren's request left Dylan in a dilemma. "Who is the patient next door?" asked Dylan.

"You don't need to know that much. And try not to act like Sherlock Holmes and just ask how she is. If you tried to know who is she, I'll kill you," Darren's threatening eyes made Dylan raise his hands in defense.

Staring at Darren's face for a long while, Dylan smiled in mischief as he said, "Dazi, is it love at first sight?"

Dylan was expecting to be yelled at or he was expecting a pillow to be thrown at his face in response since that had always been Darren's reactions whenever they talked about love. However, this time to his surprise, Darren didn't act rashly. He calmly and languidly looked towards the sky through the window and said, "I don't know if it was love at first sight or second or third or maybe fourth. But I do know that whenever I look at her, I don't want to look away."

As far as Dylan could remember, Darren never believed that someone's outer beauty could attract you to the point of love at one glance. Because he clearly remembered the distinction between attraction and love. 

And Dylan wasn't wrong at all. If Darren had to love Xiu for her beauty he could have done that when they first met. But he clearly felt the pull towards her because of her real self. When he had looked into her eyes moments ago, he saw those teary but dazed eyes staring back at him in a lifeless way and that's when it hit him. That was the real her... Lost, broken, lonely and fragile.

Dylan placed his hand on Darren's shoulder and said, "You never believed in love at first sight though."

Darren chuckled softly as he replied, "Perhaps, that's why fate made me walk by her again and again. Apparently, someone up there is hell-bent on making me turn my head and look at her. I guess this love is the miracle of my life."