Ying Jie’s POV

The next morning, Aaron went back home for a shower, just like his usual routine. Sheng Yi called too, telling me that he will be coming to visit me in the afternoon. I’ve got nothing to do, so I switch on the MacBook to read some news.

I went to the news Home Page. The first news that is trending and most popular caught my attention. I thought my eyes are playing tricks on me, since I’ve gotten my injection just a few hours ago, but no, it really states ‘Yan D&C CEO’, and just these 3 words that have caught my attention.

~

Italy Fashion Designer Rainie & Yan D&C CEO Aaron Yan are a couple!

Last night, paparazzi have captured pictures of the designer and Yan D&C CEO at a Café. They were seen having an intimate conversation, holding each other, and rides off in the same car!

This morning, Rainie has admitted that she’s currently dating Yan D&C CEO, and they have been dating for the past 8 years.

The famous Italy Fashion Designer, Rainie, has come to Taipei a month ago stating that she’s in Taipei for her work, and also for her boyfriend. Her boyfriend is none other than Yan D&C CEO Aaron Yan!

She didn’t disclose her boyfriend’s identity, until this morning, where reporters have asked her about the pictures. She admits, and said, “Since the paparazzi have taken the pictures, I can’t deny that he’s not my boyfriend. We’ve been dating for 8 years.”

Let’s congratulate this couple and wish them happiness!

~

I scroll down and look at those attached pictures. There are pictures of them sitting in the café, holding hands, him holding her by the waist and putting her in the car, his car. So he really has a date with her last night? So what the girl, Rainie, said, it was all true? So he lied to me, telling me that he is working? But instead, he’s having a date with her. Before I realise, tears have already started to fall.

“You’ve saw that news huh?” I look towards the person who said that. It’s her, Rainie. When did she come in? I wipe my tears away.

“Why are you here?” I manage to ask.

“I’ve changed my mind. I want you to leave him. You wouldn’t want to let people know that you’re the third party, right?”

Third party… Am I really the third party?

“The whole Taipei knows that Aaron and I are dating. I hope you can leave him. You wouldn’t want to ruin his reputation, and also yours.”

“Can you please leave?” I say nicely, not wanting to see her, or hear anymore.

“Just leave him. He doesn’t break up with you is because you’re still in the hospital. He pities you, so he doesn’t want to leave just yet.”

“Please, leave!” I tried to shout.

“I’ll be gladly to. I’m done with what I have to say anyway.” She says and leaves.

After the door close, I cry all my heart out. How… How can he lie to me? I wanted to trust him, but pictures of them together last night are on the internet.

Sheng Yi came in after a while. He saw me crying. I didn’t tell him the reason why, but he already knew. Everyone should have seen the news by now. He just comfort me, letting me cry.

My phone rings. I look at the caller ID. It’s from Aaron. I just let it rings and not pick it up. Sheng Yi looks at me, and he can tell that the call is from Aaron. He didn’t say anything. The phone stops ringing, and it rings after a while again.

“Aren’t you going to pick it up?” Sheng Yi asks. I nod slightly at him. I heard him sigh, and then he continues to speak. “You should let him explain. Maybe it’s not true.”

“There’s nothing he can explain. He told me he’s working last night, but no. He’s having a date, with that girl. He lied to me.” I say. I can see that Sheng Yi is shocked by what I’ve said. It’s true that he lied to me, and that cannot be changed.

The phone stops ringing. It rings again, but this time, the phone call is from Ya Tou. Sheng Yi saw the caller ID too, and he’s looking at me, waiting whether I am going to pick it up or not. I decided not to. I know their siblings’ relationship is really close, and I know she definitely will help him explain, but now, I don’t need to listen to some explanations. Or maybe it’s not going to be an explanation. Maybe they are calling to tell me that he’s going to break up with me.

To change my mood, Sheng Yi told me lots of funny things that have happened to him, and his friends. He succeeded in making me forget about those things, and make me laugh. I’m really happy that he’s still my friend.

I was startled when someone opens the door harshly. It’s Aaron. My mood went back to what I have felt earlier. Hurt, pain, deceived. I didn’t look at him, but I can feel that he’s walking closer, closer to me. He holds on my hand, but I take my hand back.

“Ying Jie… I know you’ve seen the news. That’s not true.” He says. I wanted to shut my ears, not hearing what he says. How can I trust him after he lie to me? How can I trust him after I’ve seen all those intimate pictures? How can I trust him just because he said it’s not true?

“Last night, I-”

“I don’t want to hear.” I say, cutting him off. I really don’t want to listen to him.

“No Ying Jie, you must listen-”

“No!” I shout, using my palms to cover my ears. He took my hand, I shake it off again. I look at Sheng Yi, asking him for help.

“I think you should leave first.” I heard Sheng Yi said to him. At the side of my eyes, I saw Aaron standing up, still looking at me. “I’ll come back later.” He said, and left the room. I don’t want him to come back later, but I know I can’t stop him. Sheng Yi will need to go back to his restaurant later, and I would need to face him after he left.

After the door close, I take my hands of my ears. I started to cry again. I tried not to cry, restraining the tears to come out of my eyes, but I can’t seem to control it. Sheng Yi takes a tissue and wipes my tears. I flinched at what he’s doing. He moves back his hand and passes me the tissue.

Sheng Yi receives a call from his restaurant, so he ought to leave. Knowing that Aaron might come soon, I decided to sleep. I close my eyes for I-don’t-know how long, but sleep just can’t get to me. Since sleep can’t get to me, I open my eyes, but to close it again when I heard the door opening. I pretend to sleep, just in case it’s Aaron who came in. I’m not ready to face him yet.

The person caresses my cheek. My body immediately turn stiff. I know it's Aaron. I can feel the familiarity.

"I'm sorry." I heard him whisper. Sorry? Is he admitting? I restrain myself to move, to cry. "I'm sorry." He says again and He removes his hand from my cheek. Then, it's just silence. I didn't hear the sound of the door, so I know he's still in the room. I continue to close my eyes, and this time, I drifted off to sleep.

The nurse wakes me up for dinner. I sit up, and turn to the couch. Aaron is there, and he's sleeping while crossing his arms. I can't help but think whether he had his dinner. I ask the nurse, and they said they didn't saw him went out of the room ever since he came in just now. That means that he haven't bought and had his dinner. I wanted to ask the nurse to wake him up, and tell him to have his dinner, but I know if I did that, he will want to talk to me. I'm still not ready to talk to him yet.

Not wanting him to starve, I ask the nurse to help me buy him some dinner. She agreed to help me and left to buy the dinner for him. Then, I start to eat my dinner.

When the nurse came back, I have already had my dinner. She came and takes the tray, and stare at me. She saw that I only have the soup, and not the main course. I told her that I'm full and she just nods. Then she walks towards Aaron and wakes him up, since I asked her to help me to wake him up.

When he woke up, I'm already laying down on the bed, facing my back against me.

"Please have your dinner Mr Yan." I heard the nurse says to him.

"Dinner?"

"Miss Ying Jie asked me to buy it for you." ! Why did she have to tell him that?

"Did she have her dinner?" I heard him asking the nurse. Then there isn't any reply from her.

"Only the soup?" He says. I guess the nurse must have shown him the tray.

"Yes."

"Oh okay. Thank you Miss Kim."

After I heard the sound of the door, I heard the noise of the plastic bag. He's eating his dinner I guess. After that, all I heard is silence.

Because it's all silent, my mind drifts back to the news, Rainie's visit, Aaron's lie, Aaron apologising. All questions were coming to my head.

Is he really dating her, too?

Am I really a replacement, a third party?

Does he love her?

Did he ever love me?

Or the love he has for me, has always been out of pity?

***

I wake up the next morning, not knowing when I fell asleep. I sit up and turn to the couch. Aaron is still there, sleeping. I wonder what time it is. Before I can check the time on my phone, the nurse comes in with my breakfast. Then I know, it’s already 8AM. Shouldn’t he go to work? Shouldn’t he go home to shower?

The nurse put the tray of breakfast in front of me. The noise of the tray must have waked him up. I saw him flinch awake. He slowly opens his eyes, and he saw me looking at him. I turn back to the tray of breakfast, and take up the utensils and started eating. The nurse then left.

I know he’s walking towards me, I can see it through the side of my eyes. “Ying Jie…” He says, but I ignored him. I heard him sigh, and then he continues, “Ying Jie… I-”

“You should go to work. It’s late.” I say to him plainly, not looking at him.

“No. You should listen-”

“I don’t want to see you.” I say, and manage to stop him from saying anything. He stays there, not moving, not talking. I still didn’t look at him. After a while, he walks towards the door, and whispers something, but I can’t catch it. Then he left the room.

***

A/N: If there are any Rainie fans here, I'm really sorry for making her a bad person. You can think of the 'Rainie' in this story as another person. Please don't hate me because of that :(