Imperfect Desires

Over on Xiu's side...

She was holding her phone up and zooming in the camera on the person Ah-Si and Nora went to meet at the floor below theirs. She was still nosy enough to know what could catch their attention while they were on their own date.

"Is that your idea of binoculars?" questioned Dylan.

Xiu didn't reply until she thought it over, "How much did you pray for me to leave you alone?" Dylan quirked his brow at her playing dumb. "Don't try to fool me. I know you. I saw you earnestly praying earlier. Obviously, you wished for me to leave you alone with your girl." Dylan avoided her eyes since she was absolutely right. "How about you name a price and I'll leave?"

Dylan looked at her wiggling her brows at him and scoffed, "Are you serious? How come you always want me to name a price?"

"Because you don't have a price tag. If I won't ask, how else I'd know how to bargain?" Dylan facepalmed himself in frustration because he couldn't do anything to her. She was the opponent he couldn't win from. And even if he did, he'd be the one suffering the loss. Seeing his reaction, Xiu added, "I'm kidding with you. I'm leaving."

"Really?" Dylan was too eager but had to hide his excitement from her as he lowered his voice, "Really? How come?"

Xiu laughed at him, "I found my ride back."

"Huh?" Dylan stared at her for a minute before adding, "Why can't you be simple?"

"I am simple," replied Xiu calmly. "I'm as simple as quantum physics."

Dylan nodded his head, "No wonder you and I don't go along. Quantum physics was my nemesis that's why I chose business as my major."

"That's strange. You studied business and yet you can't mind your own business. Tsk. Tsk."

Dylan's expressions were worth noting. He was fuming but before he could burst out, Xiu had made a run for the escalator. 

While Ah-Si and Nora were waiting for Ying to say something, she felt a weight on her shoulder before she heard Xiu's voice, "How come you missed me so much that you even followed me here?"

Ying tilted her head to look at Xiu with a smile and said, "I guess I really missed you." She rubbed Xiu's head asking, "Why are you here?"

"I told you," replied Xiu, and Ying nodded her head since Xiu indeed texted her earlier but she didn't tell where exactly she was going with Dylan. "Anyways, why are messing up their date?"

Ying also looked at Ah-Si and Nora before shaking her head, "I did no such thing. They came to look trouble for me instead."

"Ay! Ying Jie, I just wanted to meet your boyfriend," argued Ah-Si.

Xiu stared at Ying with wide eyes, "Ying Jie, you got a boyfriend? How come you didn't tell me? You're keeping secrets from me?"

"Will you all stop it?!" exclaimed Ying in exasperation. "I really don't have a boyfriend!"

 "Then who was that boy you hugged? You're even wearing his jacket!" inquired Ah-Si.

"Yes, who was the boy you hugged? And you're even wearing his jacket?" Xiu followed along. "Wait! You hugged a boy? How come I didn't see that? Where is he? I need to meet that daring person who hugged you. His jacket looks good on you though."

"Xiu!" Ying gritted out in a low tone making Xiu step back in defense. 

But soon, she leaned close to Ying and whispered, "This is why they say, lies have a way to catch up to us. We should always think before speaking. In the morning, you lied to Weiwei and mom about having a boyfriend, God must have heard you."

From Xiu's words, Ying finally had a realization. She indeed had lied to three people about having a boyfriend today. Zhao Wei, Francesca, and Xin Xiaoli. Was it really her lies catching up to her? That soon?!

Now everyone was misunderstanding that she had a boyfriend!

Then Xiu turned her attention back to Ah-Si and Nora. "That's enough. If Ying Jie said there is no boyfriend. Then there is no boyfriend. And even if there is one, Ah-Si you should focus more on the girl beside you." Ah-Si looked at Nora who shrugged her shoulders. "I mean you both are acting like you don't even have a daughter already."

Nora tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear while Ah-Si scratched his chin awkwardly. 

"There you go again acting like bloody teenagers in love."

Ying smacked her head saying, "And when did you become a love expert? Not everyone has a relationship experience like yours. It varies from person to person."

Xiu rubbed her head as she grumbled, "Ying Jie, you should stay out of this. You still haven't told me who was the boy you just hugged? And whose jacket are you hugging on to?"

Ying rolled her eyes at how Xiu was still stuck on that one point. Couldn't she move over already?! However, Xiu was right. Ying was indeed hugging on to the jacket around her body.

"Anyways, let's go home," said Xiu while tugging at Ying's sleeve who was left baffled at how quickly Xiu's moods were swinging around. One minute, she'd be saying something to Ah-Si or Nora and the next minute, she's dragging her to take her home.

"Xiu, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you're keeping an eye on us?" 

Xiu scoffed at Nora's insinuation, "Do I look like that kind of a person?" Nora nodded her head without hesitation shaking Xiu's momentum. "Okay. I am that kind of person. But I didn't follow you. I was bored so I became the third wheel on Dylan's date. HA. HA. HA. It was fun!"

Ying burst out laughing at Xiu's idea of fun while Ah-Si was appalled at her evil laughter. Nora, however, didn't have much of a reaction since she knew her Xiu'er very well. Her idea of fun was really one of a kind. But then again, she was also one of a kind person.

Nora stepped up to pat Xiu's shoulder as she said, "I can understand your condition. Long-distance relationships can be hard but you can't lose your sanity because of this temporary separation. Get a grip on your emotions."

A vein on Xiu's temple twitched as she glared at Nora, "Are you calling me insane?"