Yukito rushed over to Jing’s room as soon as he talked to Nana. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
“Yukito!”
Jing came running from the other side of the corridor.
“Y-you are here…? I was coming to meet you too.”
Yukito nodded. “I have something important to tell you.”
Jing’s heartbeat quickened. “I have something important to ask you too. How about we go inside?”
“En.”
They stepped into the room, and nobody spoke for a few moments.
“I…”
“I…”
But then both spoke at once.
Yukito urged, “Can I say it first?”
Usually, he would have let him speak first, but after keeping his silence for so long, he didn’t want to wait any longer.
Jing nodded. “Yes, yes! Of course! I am listening.”
Yukito clasped his hands together in nervousness. “Um, Jing. I know that you have many complaints about me. I know that I couldn’t get much time for you recently because of my shows. But I want to let you know that I am doing it for you.”
Jing blinked his eyes.
“I know it sounds strange. I didn’t get any time for you, and I was so busy in my work, yet I am saying that this is all for you. But you will get your answers tomorrow. So…if possible, I hope you come to the Platinum Age Fashion Show tomorrow. What I am doing and why I am doing all this, it’s just to fulfill my dream.”
“Dream?”
“Yes. I never told you about it because I was waiting for my chance. I thought that once I win this show, I will confess everything and let you know because there is something I have to prove.”
He lowered his head guiltily. “I wanted to surprise you, but I guess I hid it too much from you that it affected our relationship. I am working this hard only to win tomorrow’s show because for a model, this is a significant and prestigious show. I think only then I will have the qualification to fulfill my dream.”
Jing asked, “So winning the show is not your dream?”
“No. That is a path for me to achieve it. What I want to do is completely different, and it’s related to you.”
Jing trembled. “Me?”
“En. I cannot say any more than this, but please can you wait until tomorrow? I…it might be stupid for you-“
Jing held his hand and pulled him towards him. “It’s your dream, right? It’s something that you really want from your heart, isn’t it? It’s so important to you that you worked your butt off all this time and became the nation’s top model. And what you hold important is just as important for me too. I would never feel that it’s stupid whatever you want to do.”
Yukito’s lips trembled, and tears trickled down. “I am sorry. I should have told you about this, but I just wanted to give you a surprise in the end.”
Jing shook his head. “It’s my fault. I should have understood that you must have something in mind. I am sorry for misunderstanding you.”
Yukito hit his chest hard. “Don’t ever say that I am tired of you, okay? Or I would really break up with you next time.”
Jing held his ears. “I am really, really sorry!”
“And don’t question my feelings for you ever. Wang Ling was just my past, and she will always be that. Nothing more and nothing less.”
“I am really really really sorry! I won’t talk such stupid shit ever. I was a complete idiot!”
Yukito said, “I am sorry too. I am not vocal like you when it comes to feelings, but even if I don’t say it, my heart only has you, Jing. I will do my best to change from now on and express more of my emotions.”
Jing felt elated.
This was the first time in such a long time that they were having such an open conversation.
Jing kissed his lips. “It’s fine. Don’t push yourself too hard to change yourself. I cannot see you suffer. I-I will also do my best to be more patient from now on.”
Yukito chuckled.
“What did you want to ask me?”
Jing remembered. “Why did you become a model? Honestly, I thought you would join either the Liu or Liang Corps or something similar as your career. I never imagined you were interested in modeling.”
Yukito raised his brow and smiled. “I chose to model to always stay beside you even in…”
“Even in?”
He flicked his forehead. “You will get that answer tomorrow as well. And I am sure you will figure it out yourself.”
Jing pouted. “Can you not tell me now?”
“It’s directly related to my dream, stupid. How can I tell you now?”
“Fine. I will wait for tomorrow then.”
“En.”
As Yukito turned to leave, Jing said, “Yukito. You were saying something about proving yourself. But you should know that you don’t need to prove anything to me. You are my Yukito, and you are awesome just the way you are.”
Yukito smiled, and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “You are an idiot.”
—
The next morning, everybody gathered at the venue of the most awaited The Platinum Age Fashion Show. Various models from all cities gathered under one roof.
But everybody’s attention was on the charismatic Huang Minzhe.
Even though he suffered a blow in his reputation after the interview, his PR team somehow managed to keep everything under the lid. Yukito’s fans proved to be a handful, so he laid down for a few days until things calmed down.
“Wow, he is Huang Minzhe. Just as expected from the top model in China.”
“And look! She is his girlfriend, Wang Ling.”
“They look so good together.”
“I am sure Huang Minzhe would win this competition in a breeze. The other models have no chance against him.”
But everybody’s whispers faded away the instant Yukito entered the venue. His one step made everybody’s breath stuck in their throat.
Yukito entered with such grace and poise that nobody could tear their gazes away from him.
Including Wang Ling.
“Wahhhh! It’s Yukito! He is finally here!”
