Story by: JVH624
Author of:
"Prompt Me",
"Perspectives",
"Faith In Me"
Title of the story: "Made For Loving You"
Song: "I Was Made For Loving You" by Tori Kelly and Ed Sheeran
A dangerous plan, just this time
A stranger's hand clutched in mine
I'll take this chance, so call me blind
I've been waiting all my life
Please don't scar this young heart
Just take my hand
I was made for loving you
Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through
Every bone screaming, I don't know what we should do
All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you
Seven Years Ago
Dylan Wang took a big slurp from the bowl of extra spicy ramen noodles in his hands, set it aside, and picked up his pencil to jot down some notes. The scalding soup almost burned his tongue, but he paid scant attention to that - his mind was singularly focused on the geometry book before him. He desperately needed to pass the upcoming midterm or he would certainly be suspended from the basketball team. Maybe he'd even get kicked off the team, permanently. Shuddering at the horrific thought, Dylan quickly shook his head and concentrated once more. He needed to play basketball. Not just because it was his favorite sport or that he was ridiculously talented at it, but because it was his way out.
And he really, really needed to get out.
So when he heard Chen Xiao (head cheerleader and his very vocal admirer) call out his name in the quad, his first instinct was to bolt. Because really, he had no time for a girlfriend and even if he did, it certainly wouldn't be her. He'd been chased by many girls before and each one had quickly left with her tail between her legs after his polite but firm rejection. But not Chen Xiao - she was truly in a league of her own. No matter how many times he said no, she took it as a challenge and insisted that it was all going to pay off in the most romantic of yeses. She was misguided and terribly wrong, but she couldn't be deterred.
Which meant he should have started running five minutes ago.
***
"I love him."
Li Jiaqi looked up from her magazine and saw her best friend, Shen Yue, staring dreamily across the quad. Her eyes followed the trajectory and, as expected, collided with a very tall, very handsome, very familiar face. Yang Yang, captain of the basketball team and top student, had been Yue's crush since he moved in next door even though he was two years ahead of them. Since that very first meeting, Yue had been infatuated. She learned all his likes and dislikes and made it a point to be interested in all of his interests. Unfortunately, his primary interest was sports and Yue couldn't throw a ball to save her life. In fact, her struggle in gym class was threatening her nearly perfect grade point average. But she chose to disregard all that - despite their differences, Yang ge had always been friendly and kind to her. No matter how many girls relentlessly chased him after basketball practice to invite him out for food or to go to the movies, he always gently turned them down; not only that, he chose to walk home with her instead. She knew in her heart that definitely meant something.
"I'm going to tell him today."
"You're going to CONFESS?!"
Yue took a deep breath, gingerly brushed the bangs out of her eyes, and nodded. She knew why Jiaqi was concerned but everything was going to be alright. Just last week, on one of their walks home, Yue had asked Yang ge if he liked anyone and the boy had smiled at her in response. A shy, self-conscious smile but his eyes had been warm and happy, and it had all been directed at her. She almost blurted out her confession right then but his mom called him in for an early dinner and she missed her chance.
Well, she certainly wasn't going to miss her chance today. Closing her eyes and letting out a slow and steady breath, she fully gathered her nerves before resolutely standing up and marching towards him.
This was it. Her life was going to change, she just knew it.
***
Good God, Chen Xiao was unwaveringly persistent. Dylan had very long legs, the conditioning of a hard-trained basketball player, and a decent head start; yet there she was, closely tailing him, still calling out his name despite him obviously ignoring her. His best friend Caesar was trying his damnedest to distract her but his best was nothing compared to Chen Xiao's stubborn determination. Thankfully, Caesar's efforts were not for nothing because it did buy Dylan some time. Not much, but just enough.
Dylan moved faster, cutting his way across the quad in an attempt to get to the boy's locker room. Even Chen Xiao wouldn't dare enter lest she face the wrath of Coach Jiong. But in his haste, Dylan failed to watch where he was going and his hard body collided with something small and soft... something that squeaked like a little kitten... something that was hanging tightly to his waist and desperately trying not to fall onto the grass.
Something that was definitely slowing down his getaway.
"Look, I'm sorr-" he began to say when he heard his name being called again. God help him, Chen Xiao was quickly approaching and she had dragged the entire cheerleading team with her. That could only mean one thing - she was going to confess again. It was a deliberate and strategical move designed to make him accept; she knew he had no issue turning her down when they were alone, but gossip would fly and he'd be known as the biggest jerk on campus if he turned her down in front of all these people.
Gritting his teeth, Dylan's sharp eyes flitted around the quad as he tried to plot his escape; relief flooded his body when he spotted an opening to the left. With expert precision, he employed his most impressive spin move and found himself... stuck? Too late, he noted with panic that the fierce kitten was still hanging around his waist in an attempt to right her balance. Damn it, he had completely forgotten about her!
"Look, I don't mean to be rude but -"
"But you didn't mean to run me over?"
Dylan glanced down warily, fully expecting an immature girlish tirade, but what he found was a pair of laughing brown eyes and a mischievous smile that was punctured on the top right corner by the most intriguing mole. He didn't think he'd ever be able to unsee that mole, not for the rest of his life. "Sorry," he apologized sheepishly before flashing a sincere smile. She smiled back and cheerfully said, "It's alright. I'm just glad that for once in my life I'm not the clumsy one." It was an unexpected response that begged the question - just how clumsy was she and why? - but what threw him off even more was that there was something very familiar about her even though they'd never met. He suddenly recognized her as Yang Yang's neighbor, the one who was always studying while she waited for him to finish practice. What was her name again?
"Um, were you going to let go or...?"
Dylan almost blushed when he realized he'd been so busy staring at her that he didn't notice she was still in his arms. He released her and was about to apologize again when her eyes locked onto something behind him and her demeanor completely changed. A determined look came over her face and she suddenly said, "Gotta go. Just watch where you're going next -"
He kissed her.
Dylan didn't know what the hell he was doing, but Chen Xiao and the cheerleading brigade were zeroing in and he went with his gut reaction. Unfortunately for him, his gut reaction was now telling him that he was about to be the recipient of a very strong, very deserving slap. He didn't know her after all, had kissed her without permission, and he was pretty sure she had a crush on his basketball captain.
But desperate times called for desperate measures and if he was going to get slapped, he was going to make damn sure it was worth it.
***
Yue froze and blinked in confusion as a pair of warm lips pressed softly against hers. The foreign sensation rendered her completely speechless as her mind worked to comprehend what was happening.
Why did Dylan Wang just kiss her?
She barely even knew him. She'd occasionally seen him at basketball practice with Yang ge but they'd never actually met. She only knew his name because Yang ge once shared that Dylan was the best player on the team. They've never had a conversation, never even looked each other directly in the eyes. But now that she was up close, she admit it'd be hard to ever forget these eyes - jet black and piercing, deep and bottomless, seemingly taking everything in but not giving a single thing back. It made everything on his handsome face even more pronounced and that made her uncomfortable. His good looks were the intense, overwhelming kind that she tended to avoid. She preferred gentle boys with bright smiles, kind eyes, and an approachable attitude... like Yang ge.
Yang ge! She was supposed to confess to him before stupid Dylan Wang interrupted her. Not only did he ruin her moment, he had stolen her first kiss.
Her first kiss that was meant for Yang ge!
SHE WAS GOING TO KILL HIM. She was going to kill Dylan right here in the quad, in front of all these witnesses, and she didn't care.
"YOU -" she hissed, ready to give him the verbal and physical thrashing he deserved when a loud collective gasp interrupted her violent mission. With dread, she turned around and came face to face with ten outraged cheerleaders standing in military precision, all of whom were glaring at Dylan as if he were pond scum.
The head of the group, a pretty girl with large eyes and petal-shaped lips, stepped forward and demanded, "What are you doing, Dylan?"
Lord, if this was an angry girlfriend, Yue was going to kill him twice.
"Just kissing my girlfriend."
Nope, she was going to kill him three times.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-"
Yue snapped her mouth shut when she saw that they had drawn a small crowd. In fact, Yang ge was standing off to the side with a look of concern as he watched the scene unfold. She almost rushed to explain when she noticed that he wasn't alone; on his arm was the campus goddess, a beautiful senior named Yang Zi, who gave Yue a curious but friendly smile before frowning at the cheerleaders with grim disapproval.
She barely heard Yang ge ask if she needed help because all she could focus on was his hand... which was now wrapped securely around Yang Zi's waist.
Everything was suddenly clear. Yang Zi was Yang ge's girlfriend. That smile that Yue thought had been reserved for her was actually for Yang Zi.
She was mortified at just how wrong she'd read the situation. She had almost made a fool of herself by confessing to a boy whose heart was already taken. She had almost ruined a cherished friendship because she didn't know how to tell the difference between kindness and love.
She was an idiot of epic proportions.
Something warm gently grazed her hand, drawing her attention downward, and she found that Dylan's fingers were now laced with hers. Looking up in surprise, she saw the sympathy reflected in his dark eyes and it made her want to cry. If Dylan could tell how heartbroken she was at seeing Yang ge and Yang Zi together, then soon everyone would know her humiliation too.
"What's going on, Yue?" Jiaqi whispered worriedly, noticing the crowd around them had expanded in size.
Something had to be done. Even if people had guessed her feelings for Yang ge, they couldn't confirm it because she hadn't actually confessed yet. There was still time. Yue took a deep breath to recalibrate when she suddenly remembered that Dylan had audaciously announced her as his girlfriend earlier.
How quickly things could change - a few minutes ago, she had been infuriated with him; now, she gratefully took comfort in clutching this stranger's hand. Maybe he had actually saved them both.
It was a dangerous plan, but just this time... she was going to take the chance. Before she could change her mind, Yue stood on her tiptoes and pressed a full kiss onto a very surprised Dylan's mouth before answering:
"Just kissing my boyfriend."
***
Present Day
The excited screams from a throng of fans echoed in Yue's ears as she exited the Happy Camp studio. She smiled and waved at them as she climbed into the unmarked van waiting at the curb, then stuck her head back out to blow a kiss towards the general crowd to show her appreciation for their support; the roar of approval she received in response warmed her heart so much that she didn't even mind the pain from the high heels she'd worn for the past six hours.
"Did you see how many people were out there? They were all waiting for you, Yue!" Jiaqi, best friend and now trusted assistant, exclaimed with excitement. Yue blushed. "I'm sure there were fans of other guests too." Her long-time friend and agent, Liu Tao, looked up from her phone and laughingly chided, "Yue, get used to it - you're a star now!"
It was all still a bit surreal, but Yue had to admit it was true - it took years of struggle and hard work but she had finally succeeded. She was no longer the indie singer with the quirky sense of fashion, whose songs were "good but not mainstream enough." She was Shen Yue - the Princess of Pop with a string of #1 singles, the current #1 album, and a sold out concert tour kicking off after the new year. She had millions of fans, wore the most fashionable clothes and frequently appeared on the Weibo hot search with her equally famous boyfriend, the actor Jiang Chen. In fact, they were so popular together that Hunan Television had invited them to sing a duet at the upcoming New Year's Eve gala.
All in all, life was really, really good - even if she often felt like she was living under a microscope with the way the media and overzealous fans dissected every single thing in her life.
"Takeout for dinner, okay?"
Yue nodded and Tao jie gestured for Jiaqi to call in the order. A second later, Jiaqi cursed so loudly that both Yue and Tao jie looked up in alarm. Before either of them could speak, Jiaqi thrusted her phone into Tao jie's hand and pointed at the screen; a second later, it was Tao jie's turn to curse. A considerable sense of foreboding overcame her as Yue waited for someone to say something - anything - yet the van remained deafeningly silent. That's when the panic started to set in.
Something was very wrong.
She just didn't know how wrong.
***
Beads of sweat permeated his body as Dylan slowly lifted his left knee until it was perpendicular with the floor. A searing pain ran the length of his leg but he refused to give in. His entire body was shaking as he painstakingly counted to ten before putting his leg back down.
Damn, it hurt.
Closing his eyes and mentally blocking everything out, he repeated the movement another nine times. By the end of it, his shirt was soaked and he could barely move his leg anymore but he felt a small sense of accomplishment at finishing the assigned number of reps his physical therapist had given him. Six weeks had passed since he badly tore his MCL and he had been working tirelessly to get back to normal. After seeing specialists in the United States, he'd flown back to China to rehab so that he could work with his old teammates. Everyone warned him to take it slow lest he reinjure himself, but Dylan knew his body best and refused to back down.
Besides, it was a contract year and he couldn't afford to rest. Not if he wanted to get re-signed and continue playing in the NBA, and especially not if he wanted to stay with his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dylan had work so hard to get here, to build this life for himself and his family, that the possibility of starting over - or losing it all entirely - chilled him to the very core. He knew it deep in his bones that he'd live the rest of his life in regret if he was never going to be more than the rookie sensation who made a name for himself during preseason, killed it during the first two months of the regular season, only to be brought down by a freak injury during practice... destined to never realize his true professional basketball potential. It would break his heart.
Not to mention that the entire country of China was already comparing him to Yao Ming in his ability to impact international sports on a national level. He really didn't give a damn what other people think, but he personally wanted to show the whole world that a dominant Asian professional basketball player was not an anomaly.
Something hit his head and he spun around to find Wang Anyu standing in the doorway smirking at him. Before Dylan could say anything to the star power forward of the Guandong Southern Tigers, Anyu had thrown another stuffed basketball at his chest.
"Will you grow up?" growled Dylan as he reached for the floor.
Anyu rolled his eyes. "No, not until you stop being so grouchy all the -"
A smelly wet towel hit him right in the face. Frantically pulling it off, he started spitting and gagging as he clawed at his tongue with his shirt. "Dude, that's so gross! I have your sweat in my mouth!" Dylan laughed so hard that he fell on the floor, at which point Anyu ran over and began choking him and demanding that he apologize.
"What the hell are you two monkeys doing?"
They both froze and looked up to find Jerry Yan, Dylan's manager, standing over them with his hands on his hips and an exasperated expression on his face. Springing up, they dusted each other off and smiled innocently. "I fell," Dylan offered and Anyu quickly said, "I was helping him get back up." The older man raised an eyebrow and blandly asked, "By trying to choke the life out of him?" Before either of them could speak, Jerry pelted them each in the head with the stuffed basketballs he had collected before alerting them to his presence. He bit back a smile as they both grumbled but neither dared to complain. Pointing at Anyu, he said "Your coach is looking for you." He didn't need to say anything more - Anyu was already rushing off with a quick wave goodbye.
"How do you feel today?" Jerry asked as Dylan began packing up. In response, Dylan turned up his thumb and nodded. When Jerry continued to look worried, Dylan laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not lying to you. It still hurts but I feel a lot stronger. I'll be back to normal soon." Jerry patted his hand and sighed. "I know you won't lie to me. I actually have something else to talk to you about."
Curious, Dylan took a seat and waited expectantly.
"You've been here for almost two months now and you've done nothing but rehab."
Dylan raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, that's because I'm here for rehab."
Jerry sighed again. "I know that. But the team owners are starting to wonder if your injury is more severe than we said because you seem to be in hiding." Seeing Dylan's incredulous expression, he quickly said "We can fix that easily enough by having your PT give them a call." The younger man relaxed a bit and Jerry felt sorry for what he was about to say next. He knew what a private person Dylan was and this was not going to go over well. "That's not the real problem. The Chinese media is questioning why you haven't been seen around town."
"I don't give a damn what the Chinese media thinks."
"You need to care. I know you're recovering well, but your NBA contract is in limbo until you're back and playing on the court. What we need to do now is protect your other assets. I'm talking about your endorsements, all of which are Chinese at the moment. You're only worth the money if you're bringing attention to the brand. Posts on your social media and a couple of commercials were acceptable when you were busy playing. Now that you're on this break and especially because you're home, they want more."
Dylan looked at him warily. "What do you mean by more?"
"They want to see you in public, at events, mingling with other people." Before Dylan could rightfully point out that he didn't have the time for such things, Jerry quickly continued. "I know you are focused on rehab. But you just need to go to an event or two - wear their stuff, mention their brands, let the paparazzi snap some pictures." When Dylan didn't immediately object, he pressed forward. "Look, you've been invited to the movie premiere for If Only. Caesar's agency produced the movie so he'll be there. You can go and hang out with him for a few hours."
"I already hang out with Caesar. We had hot pot last week and played League of Legends the entire night."
"Dylan..." Jerry warned.
Sighing, Dylan closed his eyes in defeat. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"No. But you do have a choice as to whether you'll enjoy yourself."
"Not bloody likely."
***
"Can you believe Jiang Chen cheated on Shen Yue? She's so hot right now. Something must be really wrong with her for him to prefer Zhu Cai Na."
"Right? I bet she just pretends to be nice in magazines and on television. He's so handsome and always comes off really well in interviews. It has to be her."
"I feel sorry for her. Jiang Chen was wrong to cheat and now Shen Yue has to deal with it being splashed all over the media! It's so bad that her ticket sales are plummeting."
Yue bit her lip as she waited for the group of girls to finish and leave the powder room. Once they were gone, she let out a deep breath and quietly opened the stall she had been standing in. Staring at herself in the mirror, she saw a beautifully gowned woman with exquisite makeup and perfect hair on the outside... but on the inside, she was a total mess. Her boyfriend of two years had not only cheated on her, he had let the paparazzi catch him doing it. Each day since the scandal dropped, she'd been inundated with a new picture of the two of them together, followed by a bold headline declaring their relationship that was inevitably accompanied by an unflattering picture of her.
Sure, all of that was distressing, but the most infuriating part was that his bad behavior was affecting her years of hard work. Her agency was freaking out over her image, the radio was playing her music less and less, and her sold out concert was now in limbo as buyers threatened to return their tickets. To make matters worse, she had taken her publicist's well-intentioned but misguided advice to lay low after the news broke and now the public actually believed she had something to hide or be ashamed of. The room seemed to close in on her until she could hardly breathe; desperate for air, she practically ran out the double French doors leading into the garden. Thankfully, the other guests were all gathered in the rotunda for celebratory drinks and she was left alone in the corner of the balcony, partially hidden by one of the many large potted plants set all over the terrace.
God, why did she even come to the premiere tonight? All she wanted to do was crawl into a ball and hide under a blanket. But she knew she couldn't do that, not when she did absolutely nothing wrong. Besides, she sang the main song on the movie's official soundtrack and she was damn proud of it. Screw Jiang Cheng for being a liar and a cheat and putting her in this terrible position! Screw him even more for not having the guts talk to her face-to-face and instead leaving a lame voicemail that seemed to blame her for his infidelity more than to apologize. Apparently she'd been too busy with her projects to pay him the attention he deserved. What a narcissistic, self-centered jerk! The only thing she'd been too busy doing was not noticing how he had changed for the worse since his popularity grew.
For a brief moment, she considered canceling their duet at the New Year's Eve gala next week. The last thing she wanted to do was to sing with him on television in front of millions of people who all knew that he cheated on her. She couldn't even bear to look at him, let alone share a stage with him. But canceling would mean breaching her contract and she couldn't afford that; moreover, she didn't want to let Jiang Chen run her off such a big opportunity. Not only is it historically the most watched show on New Year's Eve, but their duet was going to lead right into the countdown. She had no choice but to sing.
"Bastard," she whispered angrily, her eyes burning with unshed tears as the silence amplified every frustrated thoughts inside her head. She was so mad at him for putting everything she had built at risk. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got until she finally gave in to the tears that had been threatening to fall for days. She was completely lost in her misery until she heard a leaf crunch behind her. Quickly wiping her face and schooling it into a neutral expression, she turned from the corner and stared warily out into the darkness.
"Who's there?"
***
Caesar watched as Li Lan Yi walked away disappointed. Arguably the prettiest and most popular actress in China, Dylan had refused to show her even an ounce of interest despite her best efforts. Frustrated, he smacked Dylan in the arm and said, "Bro, what is wrong with you? She's gorgeous!"
"Not interested."
"You are never interested in women! Are you gay? You can tell me, I won't judge."
Dylan rolled his eyes and checked his watch. It'd been two full hours since he arrived. The tailored black suit sent over by Dior fit like a glove; he made a show of answering a call on his new unreleased IPhone, displayed his custom-made Louis Vuitton cuff links, and angled his gold Rolex watch so that it shone brightly under the lights; most importantly, he had made sure he was photographed holding a bottle of Louis XIII Magnum with the label clearly visible. He smiled and mingled and even pretended to enjoy himself. Surely his job here was done.
Unfortunately, Caesar wasn't done as he continued to ramble incessantly about Dylan's romantic preferences. "No, you can't be gay. You were interested in Shen Yue once..."
Dylan's head snapped up at the mention of a name long gone from his life. Even now, he still recalled the depth of her deep brown eyes, the warmth of her sunny smile, and the joy in her musical laugh despite not having thought of her in years. Not because he didn't want to, but because he had forced himself not to. It hurt too much, knowing that she was probably very angry and disappointed with him for disappearing without a word.
Knowing that he'll never have a chance to see what they could have been if he had stayed.
"I'm going to go," Dylan declared, anxious to get back to his hotel so he can shower and sleep. This promotional stuff always seemed to tire him out even more than the most intense basketball practice. Waving good-bye over Caesar's noisy protests, he grabbed his jacket and decided to sneak out the back door to avoid the media. He didn't think he could stomach yet another picture taken of him tonight.
Closing the door quietly behind him, Dylan turned and had the breath knock out of him. For a split second he wondered if he was dreaming that Yue was standing right in front of him. He did not expect to see her out there. In fact, he didn't expect to see her at all, ever. But there she was, draped in a shimmering gold gown that glinted in the moonlight, her previously short hair now long and arranged in an intricate array of curls, her upturned profile staring forlornly at the stars. Nothing could stop the flood of memories that overcame him as he recalled their unconventional first meeting; their unexpected deal to fake a relationship; how they'd grown closer after he offered to coach her in basketball to save her gym grade and she turned around and used the game to tutor him in geometry; all those late afternoons filled with teasing and laughter and discussions about every topic under the sun; the frustrating, overwhelming chemistry that brewed between them but always remained unspoken; how he looked forward to waking up each day so he could see her and how his heart ached whenever the day ended and they parted; of the countless number of times he wanted to kiss her but never dared.
The sight of her now hit him like a ton of bricks and his first instinct was to go to her, to apologize profusely, to see if she had it in her heart to forgive him.
But he couldn't seem to take the first step. Not when his mind was now remembering the day he came home and found his mom lying bruised on the floor, his younger brother crying over her; how he had immediately gone after her good-for-nothing drunk and violent boyfriend and beaten the crap out of him; the death threats that came quickly after and the need for his little family to pick up their scant belongings and run across the ocean to the only family member who would help; how he was so ashamed of everything that he never dared tell a soul, not even Caesar (though he sensed that his best friend had eventually pieced it all together). But most of all, he remembered leaving without a single good-bye, ignoring her texts and calls, desperately trying to block her out so that he wouldn't be tempted to come back.
It worked to a certain degree, and he was able to convince himself to stay away since they were never going to be more than friends anyway. He had confessed to her once, but she had laughed it off as if he was merely joking. It was a kindness on her part so that the rejection wouldn't be awkward on him. He eventually took the hint though he never stopped hoping; at least, not until he had no choice but to stop.
Now here she was, hiding alone in the corner of a deserted balcony, crying for some unknown reason and he didn't have it in his heart to leave her there. So when his stupid dress shoes crushed a dead leaf and alerted her to his presence, he warily made his way out into the light.
"Hi, Yue."
***
"Dylan?"
Yue could hardly believe her eyes - Dylan Wang, standing in front of her seven years later, ridiculously handsome in a raven black suit and looking more like a professional model than a basketball player.
Stepping closer to him, she asked, "What are you doing here?" After all, this was a movie industry event and he had no business being there. In fact, he had no business being in China, but she wasn't about to let on that she secretly followed his career.
"What are you doing here, crying alone in the dark?" he countered, deliberately changing the subject.
Amused by his bluntness, she said, "How unchivalrous of you to remark upon that."
"What did I ever do to make you think I was chivalrous?" he asked jokingly.
Tapping her fingers against her chin, she pretended to think really hard. "Hmmm... saving me from embarrassing myself in front of Yang ge, for one. You also saved my GPA by teaching me basketball. And there was that one time you saved me from drowning when we fell into the lake. Bonus points because you chose to save me over Caesar." They both laughed at the memory and Yue wondered why it was that no matter what happened between them or how long it had been since she'd seen him, they fell so easily back into their old rapport.
"Why did you leave without even saying good-bye?"
The laughter faded from his eyes and he regarded her somberly. "I'm sorry if I made you mad."
"I wasn't mad. I was hurt and disappointed."
Her words tripled the guilt in his heart and he swallowed uncomfortably. "I owe you an explanation, and I will give it to you. But right now, tell me why you're out here alone and crying. What's wrong?"
Yue didn't know why, but she found herself spilling her heart out to him despite their past. Or maybe she told him everything because of it. Dylan had gone from stranger to fake boyfriend to real best friend in their few short months together and even now, she found an odd sense of comfort with him, as if she could tell him anything and he would always be on her side.
"I don't know why you're crying. You should be celebrating instead."
She gaped at his outrageous words. "Why should I be celebrating?"
"Because you dodged a bullet when that asshole showed you who he really is - what if you had gone on to marry him? Once a cheater, always a cheater."
She bit back a smile. "That's easy for you to say - you're not the one whose reputation is tarnished, whose career is hanging on by a thread."
"The circumstances may be different, but our situations are more similar than you realize."
Before she could ask him what he meant, the sound of rustling leaves to the left caught both their attention. Unsure of the source, Dylan instinctively drew her closer as he looked out into the darkness. He cursed under his breath when he caught a young man aiming his cell phone in their direction hiding behind a large plant. "What is it -" Yue asked, trying to stand on her tiptoes to see around his tall frame. "Paparazzi," he whispered and was stunned when he looked down and saw the panic in her eyes. "Please, don't let them see me. I don't want them to take my picture or ask me questions. I -"
Without a second thought, he kissed her.
***
Unlike before, this time Dylan knew exactly what he was doing. He made sure that the photographer clearly saw his face in the light. When Yue tried to pull back, he anchored himself to her and molded their mouths more firmly together. He only intended to kiss her briefly, just enough for the photographer to capture the picture that indicated Yue was already moving on from Jiang Chen; but when she began tentatively responding to him, he gave in to what he'd dream of doing ever since that first and only time they've kissed.
Dylan brushed his lips softly against hers, kissing first the top and then the bottom, sliding from one corner to the other and making sure to catch that unforgettable mole at the top right. When she didn't stop him, he drew her even closer and continued thoroughly caressing her mouth with his own. He kissed her slowly, deliberately, trying to savor the moment but also wanting her to know that she can pull away at any time. She eventually did, breathless as she stared questioningly into his eyes; their kiss had lasted only a few seconds but it felt like a lifetime.
"What - what are you doing?" she whispered, still standing in his arms.
God, he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to explain how he felt about her and apologize and then drag her back into his arms so he could kiss her again. But she would probably thing he's crazy so he said, "Giving the photographer what he wants - a story. He'll go away now that he has pictures."
Just as Dylan predicted, Yue looked behind him and saw that the photographer was gone. Suddenly realizing what Dylan just said, she hissed, "But I don't want him to have any pictures!" A moment of silence and then, "Oh my God, he has pictures of us kissing! People are going to think I'm easy, that I just go from one man to the next, that -"
"People will think that you are smartly and rightly moving on from a cheating jerk and they will applaud you for it."
"You don't understand. They think I'm pathetic. They think something is so wrong with me that I made him cheat. They -"
"They're stupid and you shouldn't care what they think. But if you do happen to care, then know this - people are fickle. You can make them see whatever you want them to see and what I made sure the photographer saw just now was that NBA professional basketball player Dylan Wang, who has not been seen at all in public since he came back to China to rehab his knee, is so enamored with Shen Yue that he came to this event and was caught kissing her underneath the romantic moonlight. When the media calls my publicist tomorrow, she will confirm that it is all true. In fact, she will say that I have always admired you and I'm not giving up my chance now that you're available again."
Yue stared at him in confusion. "Why are you doing this? Why would you let them think you want me?"
The truth was that he has always wanted her. But too much time had passed, too much had happened, and it was insane to even think about saying that to her so he said, "Because no matter what, I have always been and always will be your friend and you need me right now."
Dylan held out his hand to her, waiting to see if she would take it even after everything that had transpired between them.
"Do you trust me?"
***
Can I trust him?
Yue's heart raced as she stared at his outstretched hand. She didn't know the answer to that question. After all, he was the guy that had broken her heart when he disappeared all those years ago.
She had known nothing about him except his name when they made their unspoken pact to fake date, but she soon learned that Dylan Wang was the ideal fake boyfriend. A hard worker and natural born leader, he easily took charge of their situation by crafting a couple image of them that was the envy of the school. Each morning without fail, he picked her up for school with a smile and a sweet treat to start her day. He carried her books, protected her from traffic, warmed her hands with his own when it snowed outside, and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders when she was too proud to admit she was underdressed. He created a flawless façade of the perfect relationship.
The other girls couldn't seem to look past his chiseled good looks and athletic ability, but all Yue cared about were the things he did for her when it was just the two of them. He was kind and funny, a veritable ball of unending energy that sucked her in and had her doing all sorts of adventurous things that she'd never thought of doing before. He forced her out of her comfort zone and made her braver. He always seemed to know what she meant even when she couldn't find the words, what she needed without even having to ask, and perhaps most endearing of all, he was always showing her kindness and pretending that he didn't. It was as if he had a certain image he wanted to protect but he couldn't help but show her his true self.
For a long time after he left, she wondered what would have happened if she had accepted his confession; but back then, she was still reeling from the aftermath of her experience with Yang ge and terrified of jeopardizing her friendship with Dylan. When she had finally worked up the nerve to face her fear, he had disappeared. Their timing just never coincided.
Yet, here they were again. It was as if they were fated to fall in and out of each other's lives until whatever destiny they had was manifested.
Yue looked deep into his eyes, trying to read into his soul, and whatever she saw there solidified her decision.
She took his hand.
***
The next few days passed by in a blur but Yue will never forget a single moment of it. She was at her lowest alone out on that balcony - vulnerable and defeated, uncertain how to defend her future, outraged that she even had to try. And for the second time in her life, Dylan had appeared out of nowhere, kissed her and unexpectedly saved her.
Ever since she took his hand, it felt as though she'd been dropped into a bizarre dream where she was reliving their past all over again. Only this time, they were both older and the stakes were higher. Like before, Dylan fabricated an entire courtship for them but now he had money and power and he used it to the utmost advantage. They dined at the most exclusive restaurants, attended industry events and went sailing along the Bund. He made sure they were photographed smiling and flirting and holding hands. He even sent a bouquet of a hundred red roses to her studio. When she informed him that there were only 99, he'd had his assistant post a picture to his social media accounts of him handing her the last one. It worked just like he said it would - public opinion swayed in her favor and she grew even more popular as his international fans began looking into the woman who had managed to grab his attention.
And just like before, it was the stolen moments together, not the grand gestures, that reminded her of why she fell in love with him back then: their lakeside conversation where he apologized and finally explained why he left; when he took her to karaoke after a rough day in the studio and surprised her with his singing ability; the smug look on his face when he easily won enough tickets from the basketball game machine to get her the largest arcade prize that she bet he couldn't get. But the one memory she cherished most of all was the night they spent on her yellow couch watching old episodes of Meteor Garden and arguing over the main leads and their ridiculous misunderstandings. She'd felt bad for Daoming Si while he surprisingly sided with Shancai; ultimately, their bickering had led to a full on popcorn fight that ended with them cracking up in the middle of the floor.
Yue had convinced herself that the maelstrom of feelings she had for Dylan was an illusion, something a sixteen year old girl had reimagined in her mind to be more than it really was. Maybe it was her way of trying to cope with his abrupt disappearance. But as a grown woman, she couldn't deny the truth.
After all these years, she was still in love with Dylan Wang.
***
"You're leaving?"
Dylan's heart ached at the disappointment he heard in Yue's voice. "I'm on the midnight flight back to Los Angeles. My physical therapist cleared me for practice so the team wants me back as soon as possible."
"I see."
Afraid that she would think that he was abandoning her again, he said, "I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye this time."
She nodded slowly, taking all of this information in. "Thank you for letting me know."
"My publicist will confirm that you called off our relationship so you don't have to worry about the scandal coming up again. Even if it does, there will be no traction."
She was still so shocked by his news that she hadn't even thought about what would happen to their fake courtship. "Thank you."
Dylan's heart beat wildly while he waited to see if she would say anything else... if she would ask him to stay. Not that he could, but he wanted her to ask anyway. The past few days had been his happiest in a long, long time and he needed to know if she felt the same.
"Do you have anything you want to say to me?" he asked when she continued to remain silent.
For a second, his heart stopped as she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. A minute passed as she clung to him with her face buried in his chest. Foolishly, he thought she finally going to tell him what he had always wanted to hear. But all she said was, "I'll miss you. Have a safe flight."
His heart shattered into a million pieces. He had his answer.
***
Dylan stared listlessly out the window as his van made its way to the airport. He relived the moment outside her door over and over again, trying desperately to find any hint that she had wanted him to stay even if she didn't speak the words. But he came up with nothing.
Maybe they were destined only to be best friends and not lovers and he was foolish to think otherwise. After all, he thought he had lost her forever and somehow - fate or luck or whatever you called it - she was miraculously in his life again. That really should be enough.
But he was a selfish bastard and he knew it wasn't enough. Not when they'd just spent a magical week getting to know each other again. Not when he remembered how it felt to talk and laugh and be near her after so many years. Not after everything they had been through and not after he had loved her for so long.
Especially not when every bone in his entire body believed that she loved him back.
He deserved an actual answer to the question in his heart, not an ambiguous silence that was open to interpretation. The more he thought about it, the more resolute he became. Why should he wait for her to tell him how she felt? What was stopping him from telling her how he felt? No matter what happened, he had enough faith in their friendship to know that they'll be okay in the end.
Dylan chuckled. He had spent the first half of the ride convincing himself as to why he shouldn't go back; it only took him a second to decide why he should. With hope renewed in his heart, he told the driver that they weren't headed to the airport anymore.
"Where are you going instead?" the driver asked in confusion.
Dylan smiled for the first time all night. "To get my girl."
***
Yue took a deep calming breath as the beginning notes of her chart-topping single started to play in the background. When the intro ended, she smiled softly at the audience and began to sing. Her lilting voice hit every single note as the entire room sat silently enraptured by her performance. Her heart beat a little faster as Jiang Chen's first verse came up and she closed her eyes so that she would not be distracted by the audience reaction when the two exes met for the first time since the scandal broke. When the song's interlude ended, she waited expectantly for Jiang Chen's voice; what she heard instead caused her eyes to snap open and her heart to do a somersault.
It was Dylan!
The crowd began to whisper and point and Yue's eyes darted about in confusion until it collided with Jiang Chen. He was standing offstage and smiling tentatively at her as he watched Dylan sing his part. She didn't understand what was happening but it was obvious that Jiang Chen had a part in it. Something warm gently grazed her hand, drawing her attention downward, and she found that Dylan's fingers were now laced with hers. Looking up in surprise, she saw love and tenderness reflected in his dark eyes and she wanted to cry with happiness.
Together, they harmonized and finished the song to a standing ovation. The crowd continued to clap and clap, excited to see Dylan Wang and Shen Yue together in person, while the hosts worked to quickly get over their shock at the unexpected turn of events. A quick-witted staff member recognized the need to continue the show in a timely manner and began ushering in the champagne glasses for the countdown.
Yue knew that she had never sung better in her life, but at the moment that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Dylan was standing right in front of her, a tentative smile on his lips as he was gently pulled her closer and closer until they were only an inches apart.
"Yue..." he began but she didn't let him finish.
Instead, she threw her arms around him and kissed him with all of the love and yearning and tenderness in her heart. She kissed him over and over again, every single emotion under the sun permeating each touch of their lips, telling him with her mouth in no uncertain terms what she hadn't yet spoken out loud. The audience exploded in cheers while cameras flickered around them like a thousand fireflies.
When they finally pulled apart, Dylan noticed that her eyes were full of unshed tears.
"Was I that bad of a kisser?"
She giggled and the magical sound made his heart grow twice in size; but then she started crying in earnest and he felt like a fool for making jokes when she was obviously distressed.
"What's wrong?" he asked, wrapping her tightly in his arms and rubbing his cheek against the softness of her hair.
"I love you. I love you and I thought I'd lost you forever."
"Shhh... I'm here now."
She pressed something in his hand and said, "You owe me $1200."
"What?"
Looking down, his heart soared when he saw that it was a plane ticket to L.A.
"Silly girl, you could never lose me," he whispered fiercely, wrapping his arms around her once again.
"How can you be so sure?"
Dylan kissed her long and lingeringly before resting his forehead against hers.
"Because I was made for loving you."
***
To say that I struggled writing this would be a major understatement. For the longest time, I had no song, no story, and no inspiration. It'd been forever since I wrote anything and I couldn't seem to find the right words no matter how I tried. What I managed to get down on paper didn't sound like myself and I admit that I still feel that way even after I finished writing this story. But the point is that I managed to finish so I really thank you for taking the time to read and for supporting the Diyue Love Playlist project!
Special shout out to @Meggyhashope and @Dr-Cokebottles for all the encouragement, @Chya26 for the beautiful cover, and @Myhappyending95 for inviting me, being so patient when I failed to meet any of her requested timelines, and not killing me for sending her the story about 30 minutes before it was due to be posted. Lafyue guys.
Wishing you all a safe and happy new year!
Until next time,
J.