Imperfect Desires

Words don't matter when a simple hug is the only cure you needed in life. Oftentimes, that hug is the only thing you really needed to keep going. At the very least, Xiu only needed that hug from him.

"So, you believe me?" she asked hesitantly as she tilted her head up slightly to observe his expressions.

Darren looked uncertain as he nodded reluctantly before shaking his head but ended up sighing in defeat as he said, "I honestly don't know."

"Oh..." 

Darren kissed the top of her head saying, "You can't possibly be expecting me to actually believe everything immediately? I mean, it's a lot to take in." Xiu pursed her lips and thought about his words. She certainly didn't think he'd be able to digest such a weird phenomenon so easily. "But I do know that my Sweets is not lying. So, give me a little bit of time to wrap my head around this whole thing."

Xiu nodded her head and snuggled up against him like a kitten as she whispered, "Take all the time you need. I'm already glad that you're not breaking up with me or sending me to an asylum."

Darren rolled his eyes at her saying, "Sweets, what do you cook in this head of yours?" Xiu knitted up her brows as she looked at him in confusion while he continued caressing her hair gently, "Even if you were lying, I'd still choose to believe in you."

"Hmm? Really?" Darren nodded in response. "Why?"

"Why?" Darren repeated her question softly. He shifted his body to make her back touch his chest while he placed his chin on her shoulder and answered, "Because I love you."

Xiu leaned against his back with a sheepish smile on her face. Her heart was beating fast while a blush was creeping up her face. "Whenever you open that mouth of yours, I really want to kiss you."

"Why don't you then?" 

Xiu tilted her head to face him as she said, "Oh, are we being cheeky now?" Just as Darren opened his mouth to speak, Xiu planted her lips against his taking him by surprise. There was nothing dreamy or giddy about that kiss. Instead, it was filled deeply with emotions. Emotions that screamed how happy Xiu was to have his trust and love. Emotions that showed how deeply Darren had fallen for her.

When they pulled away, Darren tightened his arms around her waist saying, "Sweets..."

"Hmm..."

"Did you really think I'd break up with you?" questioned Darren and Xiu nodded her head in reply. "Why would you think like that?"

"Because every word I just said sounded like a lie or craziness. Obviously, anyone wouldn't want to be with a crazy person."

"You mean, I fell in love with a crazy person? What does that make me?" Xiu glared at him before hitting his arm making him laugh. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. But in all honesty, I already knew you're crazy from the moment we met in that 'Men's bathroom'."

His emphasis on that 'Men's bathroom' made Xiu want to bury herself alive. He did that on purpose and she knew that. "Also, when you called me the son of a biscuit, you sounded crazy enough."

"Hey!" Xiu exclaimed with a pouty face. "That's not fair. Both of the times, it was an accident. I didn't know it was Men's bathroom and I really lost my way to that hot spring."

Darren rubbed the side of his face with her saying, "I'm glad that you lost your way to my hot spring. That's like the best thing you ever did in your life."

"You mean I haven't done anything else praiseworthy in my life except for having a bad sense of direction?" Xiu sounded mildly upset but it flew away as soon as she heard his reply.

"No, what I mean is that... You lost your way but you found the right way to my heart."

"Eeee..." Xiu cringed saying, "That was so damn cheesy. I got cringes all over." Even though she said that she couldn't hide that goofy smile from her face at all. "But you're right. I also love the fact that I lost my way that day."

"Huh?"

With a dreamy look in her eyes, she said, "I got to see a sight worth remembering."

Darren's face twitched at her words as he tickled her making her squirm in his grasp while saying, "Sweets, a sight to remember? You ogled my body like a predator! Do you even realize how uncomfortable I was?"

"Regan, stop tickling!" Xiu tried to reason as she said, "It's not my fault entirely. I mean your body is like a piece of art and only an artist like me can appreciate it. I was just doing my job."

"Oh, really?" Darren continued to tickle her making her tear up with laughter. Suddenly, he stopped as he realized, "Wait for a second! You'd have done that if there was another man there?"

"Nooo..." Xiu put some force on her words as she added, "I mean, not everyone has a body like my boyfriend."

"And if they did, you wouldn't mind, right?" That was a tricky question making Xiu grimace. Darren stared her down for an answer as he added, "Don't you dare say yes to that."

Xiu turned around to wrap her arms around his neck saying, "Well, that was the past. I won't do it now. EVER!"

"You don't sound very convincing," replied Darren.

Xiu kissed his cheek and whined like a kid, "Come on, you can't be jealous over a possibility that didn't even happen." Darren still showed no sign to budge and she went on, "Besides, I should be the jealous one here. You built a dream house for another woman. Don't you think I should be the jealous one?"

Darren blinked at her weirdly before stating, "Surprise! That woman turned out to be you!"

Xiu looked around trying to retort but couldn't since he was right. Even though he built the house for Chen Xiu, the fact that she was Chen Xiu couldn't be overlooked at all. Especially when she accepted it herself! When Xiu didn't reply, he sighed out, "I fell in love twice in my life. And guess what, both of the times, I fell for a dumb Xiu!"

"What can we do now?" said Xiu making him raise his brows at her inquisitively. "I mean, even if I'm dumb. I'm still yours. You just have to deal with this crazy, dumb, weird, messy person."

Darren closed his eyes in disbelief before saying, "I don't plan on dealing with her. I plan to love her for the rest of my life."

Xiu realized a small detail after they both said their parts, it felt like all the barriers between them were broken. As if they were closer than before. Because she certainly felt more at ease while teasing him or flirting with him. This strange connection that they made from her past life definitely was strong enough to pull them together all over again.

This was the play of destiny at it's best!