Imperfect Desires

274 I Believe In Her

It was dark inside his office without the lights. The blinds were even down making his office seem dull and... gloomy? And there was even an eerie feeling in the air. As for the reason behind that coldness emanating from his usually warm and comfortable office, it was that person who sat at his chair right now.

That invader's facial expression was cadaver-like, not just sagged but lacking his usual liveliness as well. As if he had left his spirit snuggling under the duvet. His eyelids were drooped and clouds of gloominess were looming around his head. To be very honest, it took Darren a moment to even process who was this invader because of how rare this scene before him was.

He turned his head and looked back at Paige as he questioned, \"What's wrong with Didi? He looks like he came from a haunted house. Or did someone suck his soul out?\"

Yes, this invader was none other than his best friend, Dylan Qiu aka Qiu Hedi. But he certainly didn't look like himself. Or it'd be precise to say that he seemed like a ghost had possessed his body. Because it was rare to find such a dark and gloomy aura circling Dylan's exuberant self.

\"How would I know what's wrong with that young master? His eccentric personality is only understood by you,\" came a prompt reply from Paige. \"However, I might not be sure whether he had been to a haunted house or not, I can still assure you that his ghostly presence is certainly making your office seem like a haunted house to me.\"

Darren narrowed his eyes at Paige as he observed no change in Dylan's expressions who was staring blankly at a piece of paper before him. \"Don't tell me you did something.\"

His insinuation irked Paige as he snarled, \"Why would I?\"

\"Because you still hold a grudge over the fact that he laughed at your name,\" recalled Darren in an accusing tone.

Paige scoffed, \"Just because his sense of humor is so poor, I can't stoop so low to exact a revenge plan on him.\" She turned to enter back inside her cabin as she put forth, \"Besides, I have better things to do in life.\" Just as she was about to close the door, she left only one sentence behind, \"Don't care about his soul, but I hope his poor sense of humor has been sucked dry by ghosts.\"

Darren shook his head at her remark before he closed the door of his room and picked up the remote to open the blinds first. As the natural light of the sun entered the room, Dylan finally looked up at Darren. Seeing his best friend, his reaction was very slow and dull as he noted, \"You're pretty late today. I've been waiting for hours here.\"

\"If I knew you'd be waiting for me so eagerly, I'd have run to you long ago,\" remarked Darren.

Dylan didn't give the same reaction as Darren was hoping for. Instead, he softly whispered, \"As if you'd choose friendship over love.\"

Darren gasped, \"What? You don't think I'd choose friendship over love?\" Dylan simply and straightforwardly shook his head. Darren sighed, \"Fine. But if my friend really needs me, I won't hesitate.\"

\"I know,\" agreed Dylan with that same gloominess in his voice. His grim, sulky, and tensed look really bothered Darren.

He came around the table and put his hand on Dylan's shoulder, \"I still haven't asked you about last night and you're already looking like a dead person. What is wrong with you?\"

In fact, it was really hard for Dylan to describe his feelings as well. He had been pretty much okay when he left Xin Villa in the morning. Then suddenly something and some feelings caught up with him making him lose all his spirit.

\"How do you know about last night? Did she tell-\" he stopped mid-sentence and shook his head. \"Nah. You have your own ways.\" Darren smiled at how his best friend caught up so easily. Not only that he was even answering his own questions now. \"Before you get mad, let me explain myself...\"

While Dylan was preparing to say his side of the story, Darren chuckled at his reaction. \"Don't bother. Sweets already cleared it with me that you're innocent this time. It was her fault and she's willing to own up to it.\"

Dylan's brows knotted together almost instantly. Xiu actually took his side? But why? If one saw it logically, he was partially at fault as well. She didn't have to take up all of the blame for him. Whatsoever, he was still touched and this made his initial feelings get even more complicated now.

Dylan stood up from Darren's revolving chair and walked around the table as he spoke softly, \"Can you be honest with me?\" Darren raised his brow at Dylan's sudden alter in expression before nodding. \"Is she...\" he hesitated. \"I mean, is your girlfriend really...\" He clenched his fists in exasperation not knowing how to word it.

But he didn't have to. Darren's small smile showed that he understood his best friend's meaning. Darren sat down in his chair and began, \"Yes, she is.\" Dylan's eyes went wide as he stared back at Darren in disbelief.

\"You mean...\"

\"I mean that my Sweets is my Ah-Xiu and Ah-Xiu is my Sweets. I don't think I can rephrase it better than this,\" shared Darren without any hesitation at all.

It wasn't difficult for him to figure out that the reason why Xiu drank last night was to let Dylan know the truth of her identity.?However, he also knew that Dylan would eventually come to him for confirmation.

\"So...\" Dylan trailed off not knowing what to say at all.

\"You don't believe her words?\" questioned Darren.

\"Do you?\" retorted Dylan. \"Do you really believe a bizarre story of reincarnation? You don't even believe in fantasies!\"

\"Yes, I don't...\" replied Darren calmly. He looked at Dylan and continued, \"But I believe in her.\"