Fan Fiction |
by ran_shuang_hua
“Wei, Lei?”
“Oh XM, I was beginning to wonder if you have already forgotten about giving me an update about your ‘campaign’,” Lei teased.
“Hey bro, I know I owe you a lot already but I need to ask one last favor. I promise to fill you in with the details when we get home,” XM said nonstop.
“Woah! Slow down! Sounds like you’re being chased by your ex-meimeis! Haha!…wait…did I hear you right? Fill me up with details when you get home…that means…,” Lei sounded so excited.
“Yeah, that means things are going smoothly according to my plan. And they will even go smoother if I manage to pull out the finale perfectly. That’s where your help comes in,” XM said while his hands were busy chopping vegetables.
“Sure! Ask anything! I’ll be your genie!”
“Hey, you sound more excited than me…”
“Of course! I can sense that this finale you’re talking about will be the event of the century,” Lei snickered.
“Okay, here goes. Could you go to our house and get the blue velvet box inside the topmost drawer of my dresser? Then please send it over to me here. I need that box HERE in approximately 6 hours. Can you do it?” XM rattled as if he was talking to his secretary.
“Ei, ei, I’m not your secretary, you know…”
“I know bro and I’m sorry to be a bother. But you’re the only one I can trust with this one. Please do it for me…and for XY.”
“Hao la! I’ll pull some strings so that your package will arrive on time.”
“Thanks bro! I really owe you a lot!” XM sighed with relief.
“Yeah, I already have a long list of your IOUs here.”
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XY was sitting behind her desk, staring at blank space. She was still marvelling over how the past week had been heaven for her. Well, almost heaven, that is…for XM still didn’t say the words that would transform her into his real princess.
“And as long as he won’t say those words, I’m no different from his past meimeis,”XY muttered softly to herself.
“Raine, are you alright?” Ella asked XY when she heard the latter talking to herself.
“Oh si, I’m fine,” XY smiled weakly at her.
“Signorina Yang?” a delivery boy came near XY’s desk.
“That’s me,” XY answered the call.
The delivery boy walked towards her desk. He was carrying a boquet of wildflower and daisies. “Flowers for you, signorina,” he handed her the boquet then asked her to sign the slip.
“Grazie,” XY said after signing the delivery slip. She marveled at the beautiful flowers then realized that there was a note on it.
“Hmmm…looks like someone’s got an admirer…” Ella teased.
XY did not pay attention to her teasing ang read the card instead.
Princess,
I can’t wait to see you tonight.
Superman
XY was extremely touched. XM has always been sweet and thoughtful but he got sweeter since Ivan’s unexpected visit. He was more affectionate and showy with his actions. The sweet memories of the past week brought a smile to her lips. But soon that smile became a frown.
“Hey, why do you look so crest fallen? Shouldn’t those flowers bring a smile and send you giggling like a lunatic?” Ella asked.
“I’m happy, Ella. I really am…but this is all too good to be true. When things are so perfect, there’s always a drawback…whenever something good happens to me, something bad will soon follow that will overcome the good thing…” XY’s face registered fear.
“Oh honey, you’re thinking too much. Just savor the moment and set your mind free from these senseless worryings,” Ella wrapped an arm around XY’s shoulders to lend some comfort and moral support. “What you should be thinking of is the person who sent you these flowers,” she winked at XY then returned to her desk.
Ella’s right,,,I’m just being paranoid. I should think about now and leave tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow. XY thought to herself. But the strange feeling was still there.
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XM was buttoning his shirt when the doorbell rang. He almost felldown the stairs in his haste to reach the door.
“XM Shao Ye, here is the package that Hua Ze Lei Shao Ye asked to be sent to you,” the man in a black suit said.
“Xie xie, you’re just in time. Are you under William’s orders?”
“Yes sir,” the man answered politely.
“Then you’ll be rewarded for your service as soon as I return to Taiwan. And make sure that no one else knows of this,” XM reminded him.
“Yes sir and thank you,” the man made a small bow then left.
XM looked at his watch and panicked when he realized that he has only 30 minutes to go. “Shoot! I still have to pass by the restaurant,” XM felt his pocket to check his wallet and phone then quickly got out of the house as soon as he made sure that he had the necessities with him. He made a stop at the restaurant first before fetching XY.
“Nana, is everything set?” he asked the old lady behind the counter.
“Yes, Er Long, everything is set,” the old lady answered with a teasing smile.
“Nana, you know I hate the sound of my name! Only…”
“…XY calls you that nowadays without you being ticked off with the sound of it,” the old lady finished for him.
XM rolled his eyes and held his hands up in surrender. “Hao la. I don’t have much time to get into a debate. Please give this to Jen, she knows what she has to do with it,” he said as he handed the blue velvet box to the old lady. “I have to go, I don’t want to be late. Wait…do I look good enough?” XM took a few steps back to present her with a sweeping view of his tall frame.
The old lady chuckled at his question. “Good enough?! My, my, Er Long! This is the first time that I see you fidget and get conscious of your looks. Why, even when you were just a small kid you were already so sure of yourself that you could sweep any girl off her feet…but now…,” the old lady shook her head with mock disbelief.
“Nana!” XM protested while sounding more conscious.
“Hao la. You look like a dashing prince. The only thing that’s missing is your princess. Now go get her,” she answered with a wink.
XM’s lips broke into a megawatt smile. He leaned over the bar counter to give the old lady a peck on the cheek. “Thanks Nana. I promise to get her for good this time,” he promised to her…and to himself.
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He managed to get to their usual meeting place 5 minutes earlier than the agreed time. He was sitting on their bench, fidgeting and practicing his lines.
“Princess, I know it’s been only a week since…since…argh! That’s not so good,” he cleared his throat and tried again.
“XY, I know you’ve been waiting for this for a long time…no! That sounds so arrogant and egotistic,” he berated himself. His hand went unconsciously to his neck. He started to feel his necklace but his fingers were just brushing skin. He bent his head to take a look then he realized that he wasn’t wearing it.
“Shoot! Why do I have to leave it at home now when I need all the luck I can get?” This is the first time that his necklace wasn’t with him since XY gave him its lukcy star pendant. He never takes it off, even in sleep and in taking his bath. Last night was the first time that it left his neck. He removed it for it kept tangling with XY’s hair and he forgot to put it on because he was so busy doing the preparations for tonight’s affair.
He was so caught up with grimacing that he didn’t notice XY sit beside him. it was only when she gave him a peck on the cheek that he was shook out of his reverie.
“Hey handsome,” she greeted him, “You’re looking fancy tonight. What’s the occasion?”
“Hi…princess,” XM said uneasily.
“What’s wrong? Are you sick?” she asked when she noticed his discomfort.
“No, its just that…can I take you out for dinner?” he finally blundered.
“Oh, so that’s why you’re dressed up like that. But I’m not properly dressed…” XY looked down at herself. She was only wearing a red haltered top and black skirt, nothing fancy at all. And her hair was only pulled into a half ponytail.
“Nonsense. You always look lovely in whatever you wear…and even if you’re wearing nothing…” XM teased her to hide his own anxiousness.
“Er Long!” XY sounded scandalaized, but her eyes were twinkling.
“So, what do you say?” XM persisted.
“Do I have a choice?” she asked playfully.
“Um…no,” he answered with a smile. “Come on, I’m starving.” XM stood up and offered his arm to her. He was about to hail a cab when XY pulled at him to get his attention.
“Superman, could we just take the bus then walk? The sky is beautiful tonight and I want to walk under it for a while,” she asked him with cute eyes.
He was tired and would get more tired if he walked but how could he say no to those eyes so he said, “Sure, princess.”
After the bus pulled over to their stop, the couple walked slowly so they could enjoy the sky a bit.
“We’re going to the sameChinese restaurant, aren’t we?” XY asked while she was gazing at the stars.
“Uh, yeah…how do you know?”
“Because the direction we’re taking leads to it.”
“Don’t you like it there? We could go someplace else if you want,” XM offered though he was wishing so hard that she won’t ask to go anywhere else…or my plan and hardwork will only go to waste.
“No, its ok. Actually, I’ve grown fond of their food,” she looked at him then smiled.
Thank you! He whispered to the stars above.
They were now just across the street facing the restaurant. They were about to cross when XY stopped in her tracks.
“What’s the matter?” XM asked her.
“Superman, I think it’s closed,” XY pointed to the dimly lit restaurant.
“I can assure you that they’re open. I called earlier to make a reservation,” he assured her.
“Okay.”
They were only able to take a step when they heard a gunshot. Xm’s head moved from side to side then he saw a man at the far end of the street being chased by two policemen…and they were coming towards him and XY. He saw that the man was armed so he quickly grabbed XY and pushed her against the nearby wall. He covered her with his body then waited till it was safe again to move. He knows that the man won’t probably harm them but gunshots were going off and he’s afraid that a stray bullet might find its way towards XY.
After hearing two more gunshots, the whole chase was finally past them. XM sighed with relief.
“Are you okay?” he asked XY.
“Yes…”
“Are you sure? You’re shaking a bit,” he peered into her eyes.
XY took a deep breath, “Yes, I’m fine. Let’s just go eat and forget about everything that just happened,” she assured him with a tender smile.
He took her hand then they walked into the restaurant. The place was lighted with many candles, that’s why it looks dim from outside but so romantic inside. Though the lighting was faint, she could see that there were flowers everywhere. Then she felt XM lead her to the center, where a mini garden set up was. He made her sit on the lover’s bench then knelt before heron one knee. He took her right hand then kissed it.
“XM? What’s this?” XY was confused with his actions.
XM looked at her straight into the eyes then smiled.
“XY, I know I’ve done so many stupid things in the past and I know that I don’t really derserve to be here before you now and ask this. But I have to do this or else I’ll go insane,” XM made a hand signal then an old lady walked towards them bearing a small tray full of flower petals. XM took the box resting on it then looked again at XY.
“I know I don’t deserve an angel like you but I’ve decided to come here with a thic face so I could ask you this. I love you, XT. I have loved you for a long time but I was a scared fool who doesn’t know what he wants. But I know what I want now…and that is to be with you forever as your husband. WO AI NI, Yang Xiao You. Will you marry me?” XM declared his love as he opened the box to reveal a platinum ring with a modest blue diamond in the center.
Please say yes… he pleaded to her in his mind.