Imperfect Desires

Not just one or two, plenty of people saw Xiu getting off of a Mercedes. So, it wasn't a surprise that the news managed to reach Dylan as well. That's why when Xiu entered his office to drop off a file, his words were, "I heard your boyfriend dropped you off today."

"Who said that?" retorted Xiu in a nonchalant manner.

"Everyone," replied Dylan before adding, "Apparently your name is trending all throughout the company."

"When did you start listening to gossips?" questioned Xiu wiggling her brows at him questioningly.

"I only paid attention when I heard that you came with your boyfriend. That keyword 'boyfriend' was enough to catch my attention," said Dylan calmly.

"But I didn't come with my boyfriend," answered Xiu looking at Dylan with gleaming eyes.

"Then who gave you the ride?" asked Dylan with squinted eyes. This was the first time he was so interested in Xiu's personal life and that was only because his best friend was involved in one way or another.

"I came with my loverrr..." Xiu rolled that 'r' with her tongue unnecessarily just to get on Dylan's nerves.

"Now I know why you make such a good couple with Daz," said Dylan as a line appeared between his brows. Xiu's eyebrow rose as she looked at him. "You both love to play with my feelings by shoving your love in my face."

"It's not our fault that you're a still single dog," said Xiu making Dylan fume with anger.

"Do you really have to bring that up?" he questioned.

Xiu took a seat before his table, placed her arms on the table saying, "I think we had decided to be civil with each other for Regan. Remember?"

"I remember very well but you taunting me for being a single dog isn't nice. Not from any angle," Dylan said his piece as he studied her expressions carefully. "That means you're the one who is not being civil here."

"Aiyo! Don't be so sensitive. Just being civil is not enough. That's why I'm trying to be friends with you and what better way there is to be a friend than actually teasing each other?" Her mouth curved into a smile that appeared too crafty to Dylan.

"So that means I can tease you about Darren's first love?" 

Xiu gave him a fake smile saying, "Dear Didi, roses are red, violets are blue but blood is also red and it'll appear when I'll kill you." Only after saying those words, she realized that Darren's first love was also her. But that fact wasn't known to Dylan. Why was she being so hyper then? She inwardly facepalmed herself for being jealous of her own self again.

"See! You're still looking for trouble!" Dylan complained like a kid with a pouty face making Xiu smile for some reason. "What are you smiling about?"

Xiu shook her head saying, "It's the first time I think I find you really adorable. That pout really suits you."

Dylan didn't mind her words as he said, "My mom also says that." Then he smiled and added, "Well, I'm adorable anyway."

"You're the first man who is looking so cocky being called adorable," said Xiu looking baffled at him.

"I only like it when my mom calls me adorable. The rest can't do so," told Dylan as if he was sharing about himself with a friend. Without realizing it, he really was feeling like he wasn't as annoyed by Xiu as he was before.

Seeing him lost in thoughts, Xiu knocked on the table and said, "Where are you lost?" Dylan glanced at her and shook his head. "By the way, since we are trying to be friends, I can ask you anything. Right?"

Dylan noticed the way her eyes bore into him and said, "Yes, you can as long as you don't irritate me."

"Why are you still single?" asked Xiu straightforwardly without missing a beat and catching Dylan off guard completely. He gaped at her in confusion and shock.

Dylan looked out at the blue sky through the glass wall and replied, "Attachments hurts in the worst way possible. People disappear eventually with a simple goodbye not realizing that what they leave behind are flashbacks. Flashbacks that tend to scream pain." He shifted his eyes back to her and added, "Sometimes we stay alone because we don't want to lose ourselves."

"Are you heartbroken?" Xiu couldn't help asking since his words reminded her of the feelings she once felt. 

"We all are heartbroken in one way or another. Aren't we?" Dylan's eyes darted around as if avoiding her gaze as he continued, "Sometimes it's people who break us and other times, it's life. But it doesn't matter who broke us. What matters is that it gives us a chance to outgrow some people, places, and things which is the most important thing in life."

Xiu looked at him in disbelief. For her, Dylan wasn't a very deep person. She knew he was loyal and sincere but having such thoughts and feelings... It was really shocking to her. Without realizing it, she went around the table and ruffled his hair playfully saying, "If it's not broken, it's too good to be true. Beautiful people do not just happen. Beautiful people are beautiful because they are filled with compassion, gentleness and deep concern. And all of these things can only be valued by a broken person." 

Dylan looked at her in a trance not knowing how she managed to smile so brightly to make him forget about the sadness that suddenly has awakened inside of him. No wonder Darren fell in love with her. She really was a masterpiece.

When he smiled back at her, she shook her head at him before adding, "It's a good thing to cover your wounds with a smile but don't make it a habit. Oftentimes, we lose ourselves while hiding behind that one smile." Then she slapped the back of his head and went on, "Now, see what you did. I was in such a good mood and you made me talk about these depressing things. You really don't like seeing me happy at all."

Dylan gaped at her again and glared while saying, "How is it my fault? You asked me about being single."

"I wasn't expecting you to turn into a sad Romeo. If I knew, I wouldn't have asked in the first place."

Dylan took a deep breath to calm himself, "You know what, leave! You're hurting my eyes now!"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Hey! I'm so lovely you can easily insert me in your eyes."

"What?"

"Don't you know there is even a Korean saying about that?"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes! It goes like this, 'Even inserting them in my eye will not hurt.'" Dylan looked clueless and she had to elaborate, "It means I'm so lovely that even inserting me in the eyes won't hurt."

"You have got to be kidding with me!" Dylan clenched his fists and shouted, "Out! Now!"

Xiu puffed her cheeks and retorted, "Bad manners! I'll tell my Regan how you told me to get lost. Hmph!"

Dylan held his head in his hand as she left the room. In the silence, he thought back to her words and her antics and smiled realizing how she acted like that to make him smile again. She truly was a wonder like Darren said. It looks like he really had to deal with this future sister-in-law but suddenly this idea didn't seem as annoying as it used to do so.

If anything, for the first time, Dylan was actually anticipating it. Even though having Xiu as a sister-in-law screamed trouble in itself, it sounded fun as well. And Dylan would never back off from some troublesome fun. Especially when it came in a package like Xiu.