Warning: Has not been beta'd.

“Shim Changmin, it’s time for you to wake up.”

He reminisces on Zhang Liyin’s words—a dreadful warning in his own ears.

Changmin once believed Zhang Liyin to be a pampered rich girl, with nothing but an innocent and straightforward personality to go with her pretty little face. She wasn’t persistent enough or interesting enough, neither did she make herself seem intelligent enough.

However, he’s learned better now. Those who appear to be oblivious are the ones who know the most.

“You thought I didn’t know you were using me to get to my family’s business benefits? Shim Changmin, I may not be a suspicious person, but I’m not stupid. The reason I didn’t expose you was not because I wasn’t aware; in fact, I’ve actually been secretly helping you.”

“Why?” He asked.

Zhang Liyin shook her head. “You know exactly why. The only way Qianqian can live a better life is if the man she chooses lives a good life of his own. In helping you, I’m actually helping my best friend.”

Changmin released the breath he’d been holding. “Then Song Qian…”

“Do you think it’s possible for her not to know about your ambitions towards my family?”

What left was there for him to say?

“And as for my child—how likely do you think it would have been for her to believe that this baby is not yours if I hadn’t told her myself?” Liyin asked him. “And why wouldn’t I have admitted the truth to my family then proceed to reconcile with the man that I’ve always wanted to be with? Because of fear? Hah. Because of you? Not even a chance. It’s because of Song Qian; because if you and I have a child together, my family would be even more trusting of you with their crowns.”

“You believed it when Choi Minho said Song Qian was alright without love. You accepted it when Choi Minho said Song Qian could easily walk away from Kris—who told her he had never loved her. You watched her turn her back and walk away from you with a smile, time after time, after marrying me. Which of these do you think hurts her the most?”

“The answer is all of them because not a single one of those actions did not hurt her, but she still smiles and believes that life goes on; no complaints, no protests.”

“And you did it again today, didn’t you? You heard her say that she wouldn’t turn to you for help, so you walked away believing her. But Shim Changmin, do you know that when a woman walks away from you, it isn’t always because she’s trying to escape? Maybe she’s actually waiting for you to hold on to her and pull her back. When Song Qian says she isn’t worthy, she wants you to tell her that she’s worth each and every inch of your heart and mind.”

“She called me again, just now. Song Qian said to me, ‘Liyin, it’s really tiring to love someone but I want to become better. I want to see the day when I’m good enough for someone to reach for my hand and tell me they won’t let go, even if I let go first. Right now, I’m still not there.’ Shim Changmin, Song Qian deserves more, don’t you think?”

Liyin said, “I admit that I am selfish. I married you because I had just broken up with the man I loved for so many years and I needed something to distract me. At that time, I hadn’t thought about your connection to Song Qian. I hurt her, but I didn’t mean to. What do you think the biggest difference between you and I are?”

“What?” He asked.

Smiling, Liyin got out of bed and placed her baby in her crib. “I never underestimate people but you do. You underestimated me and my friendship with Song Qian. That is the biggest mistake you have ever made.”

Luhan insisted on staying in Shandong with Song Qian until she returns to Nanjing with him.

“I’m too worried,” he concluded, “so I might as well save myself the worry and stay here with you. I’ll grow wrinkles if I worry too much, you know.”

When they venture out together in the early afternoons, because Luhan complains that it is too boring staying in her house all day, he likes to throw an arm over her shoulders and hold her against his rib cage.

“This keeps all those random girls away,” Luhan explains. “Your looks are decent, so I won’t lose any face dragging you around with me. Even if people misunderstand us, at least they’ll think I have good taste in women.”

Song Qian rolls her eyes but smiles nonetheless. “Luhan, I’m actually quite pretty, aren’t I?”

He feigns a gag and continues looking forward.

“If I’m not pretty, then my body makes up for it, doesn’t it? You said it before yourself; I have really nice, long legs.” Song Qian teases him.

Luhan clears his throat. “How is there someone as narcissistic as you in the world?”

“Look who’s talking,” Song Qian retorts.

He pinches her at the waist causing her to jump back in surprise, nearly throwing Luhan into the street.

“Luhan, is your girlfriend pretty?” She asks.

He nods.

“Is she smart?”

He nods again.

“Does she have a really good body?”

Luhan laughs. “Her s are a little small and her legs aren’t quite as long as yours, but everything else is perfect.”

“How nice,” Song Qian smiles at him, “I’m really happy for you.”

There is a brief silence before Luhan speaks again. “Song Qian, I’m planning on getting married next winter.”

“You’re done playing?” She asks in surprise, her heart feeling rather at ease.

“I’ve played around for so long even I thought I’d be numb towards women but this time… this time I don’t want to play anymore,” Luhan confesses. He releases her shoulders and stuffs his hands into his pocket, staring straight ahead as he says, “She’s never tried to stop me in the past couple of years that we’ve been together but somehow I feel like it’s time to settle down.”

She nods. “You are getting to that age.”

“Flowers bloom after long periods of seeding and pruning. Your love will be beautiful when it finally blossoms,” Luhan reminds her, ignoring her insult. “Just remember not to run away from it when it happens.”

“Luhan…”

Just like always, Luhan reaches over and pets the back of her head gently, as though comforting a child, and sighs. “Song Qian, I know I’ve told you before but if you want something, it’s okay to strive for it.”

It may take a long time and you may lose confidence, but isn’t it better to know that you’ve tried and failed rather than not even trying at all? You may hurt people and you may have to use some tricks here and there, but isn’t that better than telling yourself it’s okay to let go, knowing very clearly that it isn’t okay at all?

That’s what Luhan once told her.

She takes his hand and lowers it to his side, fixing her hair and continuing forward.

How many times have Luhan told her that she should fight for the things that she wants in life? Even Song Qian has lost count. However, one thing she will not forget of him is that of all the men in her life, Luhan is the one who has encouraged her the most to insist on what she wants, lecturing and scolding her rather than just supporting her each and every decision.

She then remembers Minho, and how he always stands by her, no matter what she decides to do.

They are two such different types of men; yet, they are both people that she could never live without. True friends, just like Liyin; that’s what they are.

“Luhan, you have to be happy.”

He chuckles lightly, throwing an arm over her shoulders again. “Of course I will be.”

“Promise me that when you’re married you won’t act as casually with me or any other woman besides your own wife like you are now,” she lectures. “I don’t want to hear about you being divorced by your wife because you can’t be more respectful of personal space.”

“You like it,” Luhan jokes.

Song Qian scoffs rather loudly.

Luhan rolls his eyes. “I’ll introduce the two of you when we get back to Nanjing. I think you’ll like her.”

“I think I will too,” she agrees.

And just like that, they reach a small dessert shop and settle on a bowl of ice and a cup of smoothie. Just like old times, really, only without the third and main wheel.

“You’re going to be happy too,” Luhan wants her to know. “Just wait for it.”

Song Qian smiles at him in turn, the clouds of the sky floating forward with a fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Alright, I’ll try waiting for a while longer.”

In Korea, Minho receives a text message.

[Love begins at one hundred percent and slowly downsizes as two people get to know each other. Is your love still at one hundred percent?]

He hastily replies, [Song Qian, are you drunk?]

[Haha. Not even a chance. Luhan is getting engaged; he said that the longer he knows her, the more he falls in love.]

[That person’s crazy.]

[What about you? Are you crazy, too?]

Minho thins his lips into a line. [How much have you had to drink?]

[Some. Don’t change the subject.] She writes back.

[I’m not in love.]

[Who are you trying to trick? Don’t forget; I’m Song Qian—your best friend.]

He grits his teeth. [I don’t like thinking about the impossible.]

It takes her a little longer to reply this time. [Indeed. I couldn’t agree more.]

[Zhang Liyin and Shim Changmin will divorce.]

[Perhaps.]

Just as Minho is about to type more, he receives another message from her.

[I’m not trying to put you down or anything, but I strongly believe that if they do divorce, Liyin will return to Kris’s side.]

Minho swallows hard on his breath. That wasn’t what he was referring to but he replies to her nonetheless. [How do you know?]

Despite the distance, he can almost see a knowing smile on her face. [They love each other enough. I know, because I’ve seen both of them broken down because of the other.]

[Perhaps.] Minho echoes.

[You’re not going to stay in Korea for forever, are you?] She asks.

[I’ll be back in a few weeks, but I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay.]

[Okay. I’ll make a soup for you when you’re back; it’s more bitter than anything else I’ve ever had, but it seems like it will suit you well.]

He shakes his head with a small smile. [Song Qian, you’re so stupid.]

[Choi Minho, sometimes, it’s okay to use your friends.]

[When did you find out?]

As though knowing he would ask, Song Qian replies rather quickly this time. [Not too long after they married. You were much more upset about it than I was and I knew it wasn’t because of me or Changmin—if you had romantic feelings for either of us, you wouldn’t have tried to set us up.]

[I’ve never been a very generous person.] Minho admits.

Song Qian doesn’t very much agree. [You have something I’ve always wished I could have.]

[Tact?] Minho jokes

She doesn’t play along. [Courage; the courage to give for your love, even if you know your feelings may not be returned.]

Insisting on meeting with Liyin alone, Song Qian finally breaks away from Luhan’s watch and escapes into the calmness of the beachside. She arrives a little earlier than they scheduled and settles into the warm sand, running the particles through the creases of her fingers as she stares out into the waters.

With every wave and crash, she feels the weight in her heart lessening.

Song Qian rolls her knees up to her chest and hugs them, resting her chin atop, and thinks. She thinks that men and women lie alike, yet, men always lie about the larger scales and women always lie about the little things in life.

For instance, Minho can lie time and again about how he doesn’t love Liyin but Liyin can only lie about whether or not she enjoys food that is put in her plate.

And then she thinks about how she first noticed the way Minho felt about Liyin.

In high school, Liyin and Minho didn’t have very much interaction because by the time he had met them, Liyin was already dating Kris and she seldom showed her face unless Kris was with them as well. However, Minho always seemed aware of her presence.

That friend of yours is glued to her boyfriend at the hip. Doesn’t she get tired?

However, once Minho and Liyin both entered the same college and began to spend more time together, especially after Liyin broke up with Kris, something changed.

Zhang Liyin is more independent than I gave her credit for, Minho once commented to Song Qian. Not a surprise, really, because Song Qian already knew.

One time, he even commented on her cooking. She actually learned a Korean dish because I said I missed home, Minho laughs over the phone to her, it tasted horrible but I finished it anyways. I don’t think I can ever look at ddeokbokki the same way again.

 She misses you so much she actually cried today, he said, and Song Qian swears she can hear the frown in his tone. Have you ever thought about visiting? I’ll buy the ticket if finances are hard on you.

“Why don’t you bring Liyin to Nanjing with you?” Song Qian asked him in turn, already suspicious. “It will be a nice little vacation for her.”

At first, Song Qian hadn’t thought much about Minho trying to set her up with his cousin. Friends do that sometimes when times are getting a little desperate, she supposes. To be honest, Minho didn’t have impure intentions when he introduced them to each other, anyways.

Over time though, Minho became more and more insistent on them getting together.

Up until the night she discovered that Changmin’s engagement was with Liyin was when she finally sort of suspected the true motive behind his growing interest in her relationship with Changmin.

Actually—

“Have you waited long?”

It feels like it’s been so long since she’s last heard his voice. Being called back from her trail of thought, she turns around and glances up at the man who lowers himself beside her.

His face, his posture, his expressions are all the same.

“Where is Liyin?”

Changmin smiles at her. “She couldn’t make it so she told me to meet with you instead.”

Liyin is so silly, Song Qian thinks. Liyin is perhaps the silliest girl she has ever met.

“I heard about you and Kris,” Changmin continues. “Are you… alright?"

Song Qian really, really wants to feel his arms around her once more. She feels tired, so tired, and somehow just looking into his eyes makes her want to forget about reality and fall into his embrace—is she being too willful for just thinking thoughts as such?

“You’re okay, aren’t you?” Changmin confirms once more after receiving no answer.

Suddenly, Song Qian looks up at the sunny skies and tilts her head back, hands prodded into the slick sand beneath her at both sides. With eyes closed and the light shining rays of brightness over her pearl-like skin, she says,

“I’m alright. In fact, I’m doing very well.”

How much should he believe her?

“We loved each other at the wrong times, so parting wasn’t particularly difficult,” Song Qian tells Changmin. “Right now, of all the people I love, Kris Wu is not one of them.”

“Who do you love then?” Changmin wants to know.

She tilts her head and turns her face towards him, her eyes opening slowly. As they stare into each other’s gazes, she can feel a certainty in her heart that she’s never felt before.

Who does she love? She repeats the question to herself. Well, the list isn’t very long.

“I love my mom, my dad, and a man by the name of Shim Changmin.”

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*New Luhan/Victoria here >>> Promise Me Sunrise | *New Kris/Victoria here >>> Forsake to Foresee

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A/N: As we succeed towards the wrapping up of this story, I just want to thank all of my lovely and amazing readers who read, comment, and leave me wonderful messages to encourage and motivate my writing! There were many flaws in Wing to Wing it seems, but you've all pulled through and supported me all the way! Thank you! If any of you want to chat, you can find me at @qian_xin0202 on twitter~~ ♥Xue