Wang Ling was taken aback for a moment, but then she brightly smiled. “Yukito! Long time no see!”
Yukito was a little shocked by her reaction. He thought she wouldn’t be too thrilled to see him again, but it was the opposite.
What he assumed was natural because they had dated for a short while in high school, after which they broke up, or specifically, she broke up with him. That went on a sour note for her, and after that, they never much talked again in school.
Yukito wasn’t sure how to answer her enthusiasm. He politely smiled.
“Yeah. Long time no see.”
His tone was more formal, which she faintly caught on to it.
Wang Ling said, “I am so happy to meet you again. Wow. I cannot believe that you have become such a famous model now. Your talks and pictures are at every TV show and advertisements. Even Yukira too. He had become such an incredible actor. My friends are all his die-hard fans.”
Yukito smiled. “Well, he always had that dramatic side to him. No wonder he shone as an actor.”
She laughed. “Haha. Absolutely!”
Then there was a beat of silence.
Yukito thought that considering his position, it wouldn’t be wise to stay there any longer since she was his ex.
He wondered why she was here, though. But it would be inappropriate to ask.
He said, “It was nice to see you again. I will have to leave now. My manager must be waiting for me.”
Wang Ling pursed her lips. “Wait…”
Yukito took one step ahead, but he stopped.
“Yes?”
He turned and raised an eyebrow.
Wang Ling stared at him for a moment. She had seen him on TV numerous times, walking stylishly and with grace on the ramp in fashion shows, but it was after seven years that she was looking at him in person.
He has really changed so much…
“You have changed so much…” she didn’t realize that she spoke it aloud.
“Hm? Change? How?”
His question snapped her back from her daze, and she bit her tongue.
I didn’t want to actually say it…
“Haha…I mean…”
Yukito was quite thin in high school and had an average height. He was barely two inches taller than her, but now it was as if he had a sudden growth spurt.
He was so tall that she had to crane her neck a little to meet his gaze. His body seemed toned and fit as opposed to how delicate he was in the past. The contours of his face had changed from being boyish to manly.
Yukito was, in a sense, cute in the past, but now he was simply attractive.
Yukito looked back at her, his gaze still questioning what she meant.
Even Wang Ling didn’t know what she was looking for in his eyes, but the way he plainly looked at her made her sure of the thing that she didn’t want to see.
Indifference.
I thought maybe…he would be a little affected to see me since we were dating…
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Ah? Oh, nothing. I forgot…”
Yukito didn’t understand, but he shrugged.
“Alright.”
He seemed ready to leave again, but she quickly said, “Are you!”
He stopped in his steps again. “Am I what?”
Wang Ling clasped her hands.
“A-are you still…”
“Yukito!”
They heard Yang Tian’s voice.
Yang Tian saw a woman at a distance and was surprised to see Yukito still talking to her. He thought she was just a fan.
Does he know her?
“Ah, Yang Tian…”
He politely smiled at Wang Ling. Then he looked at Yukito. “What are you still doing here? It’s time for the interview already.”
Yukito nodded. “Yes, I was about to return.”
He faced Wang Ling and said, “I need to leave now. Nice meeting you again.”
The smile on her lips slightly faded. “…Yeah. Same here.”
As they walked away, Yang Tian asked, “It is rare to see you talking with a girl for so long. Do you know her?”
“Well, she was my ex-girlfriend in high school. Remember, I told you about her once when you asked me about my relationships? She is the one.”
Yang Tian stopped as if lightning zapped back. “What!!?”
Yukito was surprised. “What? Why are you so shocked?”
“Of course, I will!”
He dragged him into their waiting room, and urgently said, “Why is she here?”
“I don’t know, and I didn’t ask.”
“You don’t find anything weird that your ex-girlfriend is here where you are supposed to give your interview?”
Yukito blinked his eyes. “That did come into my mind, but I thought that she might be working here?”
Yang Tian gritted his teeth and smacked on his head hard.
“Ow! Hey!” he painfully rubbed his head.
“Idiot! Does it look like she works here? Didn’t you see her clothes? She was wearing a branded dress and fashionable sandals. She was totally dolled up.”
“…I didn’t notice it that much.”
“…”
Yang Tian felt really bad for Wang Ling at that moment. “You know. If she heard this, then it would be like a slap to her face. She was your freaking ex-girlfriend, and you didn’t even notice her that much? Especially when you have met after so long? She was totally checking you out, and you didn’t even move your gaze past her face?”
“I don’t know. It just didn’t come to my mind.”
He sighed. “You are unbelievable, but well that’s actually a good thing in a way. She didn’t get any wrong signals.”
“Why will she get any wrong signals?”
“Are you dumb? What if she felt like going back together with you?”
“Huh? We already broke up and are way past what happened. Actually, we didn’t even date for quite that long. That was seven years back. I don’t see why she will be interested in me again.”
Yang Tian was stupefied. “Do you see yourself now? Do you understand your position? You are ‘the’ top model and fashion icon in China. You earn loads of money. You are handsome and attractive. Girls soooo want to throw themselves at you, and you ask why wouldn’t she might think in that way?”
Then he narrowed his eyes. “And I am still suspicious of why she is here. I don’t feel it’s a coincidence.”
