Imperfect Desires

-Golden Star Mall-

Han Bohai had gotten here as fast as he could. He even had to lie to get here fast. However, when he saw Ying standing there before him, he knew he was doomed.

When he stood before her, he was panting because of all the running he did in this huge mall just to find her. But Ying simply lifted her wrist to tap at her watch saying, "You're exactly three minutes late. Should we call the deal off?"

Han Bohai's arm went around her neck as he pulled her towards himself and said, "Sweetheart, you can't look for trouble over three minutes. I don't have wings. It's peak hour, there is traffic as well."

"Take your hand off," she retorted in a stern voice.

"I need some support. I can't stand on my own," he replied while pretending to weak and feeble.

Ying held his arm and pushed him over to the bench where they actually met yesterday as she said, "Then sit down. Who asked you to stand?"

"Stingy!" he grumbled at the way she literally threw him off. "Oh, by the way, how did you recognize me? Even like this?"

His clothes were hanging loosely on his stature while he wore a cap, glasses, and a mask to hide. In fact, he looked nothing like he did yesterday if one didn't focus on his cap and the glasses.

"It must be a connection between us."

"Aren't you cheeky?" said Ying with a fake smile and went on, "In this attire, you can either be a thief or a celebrity."

"Why do I feel like you just insulted me?" he asked.

"Maybe because I did," she answered matter-of-factly. His face was completely hidden from her eyes and yet, she could feel that he was smiling underneath that mask. "Why are you smiling?"

"Huh? How do you know I'm smiling?"

"So, I'm right?"

He nodded his head and went on, "I don't know whatever you say just make me want to smile."

"What? What kind of logic is that?" She waved her hands trying to stop herself from arguing over these small things. "Forget it. Let's focus on why we are here."

"Why are we here?" He took off his shades and showed her those eager eyes that stared right at her face. 

"Of course, for that meal. Why else?" 

"You want to be done with that meal to end our association right here?"

Ying didn't think before she nodded honestly.

"How cruel!" He stood up and said, "Then let's take a raincheck. I'm busy today." 

Ying held his hand before he could move. "Oi! Do you think I have all the time in the world? It's either today or never!"

Han Bohai turned around and said, "But didn't you say you'll only treat me to a meal if I won in a fight with you?"

"You're a celebrity. What if I accidentally broke something? What will I do then?"

He leaned closer to her saying, "Then you'll have to take responsibility for me. I don't mind. I'm more than willing to give myself to you."

Ying gaped at him in disbelief. He was... He was unbelievable! "Are you really looking forward to that?" He nodded his head while laughing at the way she was fuming. "Okay, it's a battle. Let's have a battle then." Saying that she turned to drag him along to somewhere. 

In fact, Ying didn't even realize that she had never left his hand since the time she held it to stop him from leaving. Even while talking, his hand was in hers and now that she was dragging him around on will, he didn't mind at all.

But when she brought him to the bowling alley, he was surprised. That was not the place he expected to end up at. He looked at her inquisitively. "Why are we here?"

"For the battle..." 

"Battle?" she nodded her head. "What kind of battle are we having?"

"Bowling!" she answered while smirking at him. "Fewer chances of getting injured and no excuses will work either."

"Excuses?" he repeated.

"Yeah. If we go to ring for a fight, and you end up losing, you'd say, 'I went easy on you because you're a girl and I don't hit girls and blah blah blah.' Here you can't have any excuses."

Han Bohai couldn't stop laughing at the way her brain was working. Perhaps, she really believed him when he said he would ask her to take responsibility for him. If she did, then she was really gullible.

However, Ying had something else on her mind as well. If by any chance, he really got hurt, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. He was an actor and she couldn't just ruin someone's dream like that. She was the person who valued these things very much.

Getting inside the private bowling room, she said, "You can take off your mask here. Isn't it uncomfortable?"

He chuckled at her saying, "I used to ask the same question and whenever my sister said that she got used to it. I never understood her meaning. Now that I have done it for years, I can completely understand her. We get used to things even if we don't like it. Just like we get used to someone's presence or absence. It's just a matter of time."

Ying stared at his face for a long time when he took off his cap and mask while his shades were already in his hands. "Am I that handsome that you're already falling for the looks?"

Ying rolled her eyes at him. "I don't fall for looks. If I did, I have seen better."

"Ouch!" he grabbed his chest as if it was hurting, "Do you have to hurt me so brutally?"

"I was just telling the truth though," she shrugged as she threw aside her blazer and tied her shoes up. "Shall we begin?"

He who had been lost in staring at her all this while was taken aback when she asked that and looked at him inquisitively since he was just sitting there and dumbly looking at her face. What was wrong with him?

With a cough to hide his embarrassment at being caught, he stood up and said, "Yes, we shall begin."