Imperfect Desires

Xiu looked at the screen and exclaimed, "Oh, that's my baby!"

Dylan's face twitched at the way she screamed, 'my baby?' What the hell? Rolling his eyes, he sighed out saying, "What did you do to convince him for this?"

Xiu tilted her head in confusion, "Eh? What did I do?"

"Why did he agree for this interview?" asked Dylan in a loud voice glaring at Xiu dangerously. She didn't think it was such a huge matter. Wasn't it just an interview, why was Dylan looking like he was gonna murder her?

"How would I know that? And by the way, he's such a successful person. Why can't he do interviews? It's nothing to get angry about," replied Xiu in a calmer tone making Dylan even angrier. 

"Are you simply dumb or pretending to be one?" retorted Dylan. "Since the time Darren left his racing career, he had never been on tv, magazines, and stuff." Seeing Xiu frowning, he rubbed his forehead, "When he announced a sudden retirement at the peak of his career, everybody was curious about his disappearance. He doesn't like talking about that phase of his life. That's why I am curious as to why he decided to accept this interview when he always rejected hundreds of times." He stared at Xiu accusingly as he added, "Which brings me to the point that this has something to do with you."

As Xiu listened to him, her eyes had been drawn to Darren's face that she could see on the laptop screen. The interview was with an international business magazine, oddly Xiu could see Darren's discomfort through his face clearly. His usual calmness was somehow overshadowed. Xiu never had a dream in her life. Perhaps, that's why she really couldn't understand what Darren felt at that moment.

But she wondered, whether facing the trauma of his broken dreams was that scary for him? Then why was he doing it? When she heard Dylan pointing his finger at her, she asked, "Why do you think it's because of me?"

Dylan scoffed as he fast forwards the interview and said, "Listen to this part."

Xiu paid all her attention to the video as she listened carefully...

The interviewer was saying, "Mr. Salvay, we are thankful that you managed to spare some time for us. At the last of this interview, do you mind me asking a personal question?"

Darren shook his head, "I don't mind."

"You have won the award for the Top businessman of the year, twice in a row. How did you manage it? I mean what motivated you to achieve this dream of yours? Is there a person behind this success?" asked the pretty interviewer making Xiu glued to the screen staring daggers at the way that woman looked at her boyfriend.

Darren's expression changed as he replied, "There are a lot of people. But the one who pushed me to this place is the person who taught me how to dream..." He looked at the camera and as if looking straight into Xiu's soul, he added, "She said if I have the freedom to dream, I shouldn't stop myself from dreaming. She said I should do what made me happy. So, I took a step towards this new dream forgetting about the world because I wanted to see her happy."

Tears pooled in Xiu's eyes as she thought about how the broken parts of Chen Xiu managed to give wings to Darren to take a flight for new dreams and hopes. That was the first time, Xiu felt like she did something worthwhile as Chen Xiu. No matter how crooked or twisted Chen Xiu's life was, she still pushed Darren to dream and fight for his dreams.

The interviewer was lost in his words and the sincerity of those words as well. "You must really love this person you talk about."

"I do," replied Darren without hesitation, "I really do love her." Xiu chuckled as he said that so straightforwardly. Was he an idiot announcing his love for her before the whole world?

"Do you think she'd be seeing this interview?" asked the interviewer.

"I hope so," answered Darren.

"If you could tell her something at this moment, what would it be?" 

Darren took a deep breath and looked at the camera again making Xiu's heartbeat sped up in anticipation and anxiousness and excitement. "Sweets, you know I chose you then. I still choose you and I'll choose you over and over again. Without any doubt, in a heartbeat, I'll be choosing only you. Because me and my heart both know, it's you. It just has to be you. My one and only. My forever and always."

Xiu covered her mouth with her hand as tears burst out of her eyes. Of course, she knew that. She knew he would choose her even if she was the craziest person alive, he'd still choose her. But then why his words were making her heart clench in her chest? Why was it so difficult to hear it? Why did it seem so painful? Weren't those some happy words? Then why those words were making her cry? Oh, she knew... It took her a lifetime to realize that the one she needed had always been right by her side. How dense was she, right?

"That's so sweet and somehow making me envious as well," said the interviewer in awe before adding, "I think this message is enough to make it clear to all the single ladies that you're taken. Such a piece of heartbreaking news. But I'd still like to say best of luck with your partner."

Xiu's eyes went round when she heard the interviewer's words as she was reminded of her own whining, 'I want to tell everyone that you're off-limits. Nobody should look at you like they are coveting you. You're mine and I want that message to get across!'

Her tears fell even more hard. That stupid, idiot actually went to face one of his biggest fears because he wanted to end all her insecurities? Was he crazy? Yes, as he said, he was crazy! He'd really go to any limits for her. But why for her? Was she really worth it? Did she really deserve the love of someone as amazing as him?

Dylan saw her bawling her eyes and seemed reluctant to even say anything. He didn't know why she was reacting this way. Wasn't she supposed to be happy about this confession? He was the one mad and angry here. Not because he wasn't happy for them but because somehow he felt like Xiu was changing Darren.

He thought he did something, so he came around to her side and touched her head softly saying, "Oi, sorry for being harsh with words. But you don't have to cry because of it. I think you might not have told him to do this but what you don't know about Dazi is that he reads between lines way too much. So, maybe you said something which triggered this. However, I'm not mad at you. Actually, I'm happy. This is the first time in seven years that he is willing to face his fears."

When Xiu started crying even harder, Dylan panicked, "Oh, come on! Can you not cry? Dazi will kill me if he got to know that I made you cry. Please, stop it already!"

Xiu got up from her chair abruptly and hugged Dylan taking him by surprise.