Miss No Label

   C H A P T E R    E I G H  T E E N   

POV:

        Something told me deep inside that I had to trust Sara. She had always been the clumsy and trouble-maker type of person who oftentimes gets herself into the hot seat, yet I have been a witness of the effect of her utmost sincere and positive personality. I don't know and I don't even think I can ever comprehend the way she just effortlessly tend to work and deal well with people. I knew I had to trust her when she eyed me to let her give a try to help me mend things with Krystal. On another part, I was desperate to fix things and I knew Krystal would not talk to me. At that very instance, I was glad I was given the present of having Feng Sara as my best friend. Having that label with her is something I never questioned.

       I sighed deeply as I closed the door, leaving Krystal and Sara behind inside my unit. I was so tensed up to the point that my palms were sweating, which was not a usual thing for me. I was not certain if it was the right thing to do or if I was man enough to just go out in such manner, but I knew I had to give it a try. My father used to tell me that being a man is not about being able to control the people around you and mandate on every aspect of life, but being able to know the proper time of balling a fist or taking one step back and see the whole situation at a better view. I never knew I had something to live by from my father until that very moment. I had to believe I was doing the right thing.

       I did not leave for somewhere farther. I just stood there, leaning my back on the wall beside my shut door. I lost count of how many times I sighed and scratched my nape out of tension. I was very well aware that one of two possibilities could happen. One, the so-called girl talk, as how Sara termed it, would work and Krystal would well, come back to me or at least cool down her cold treatment towards me. Second, things might get worse. Language barrier and the very situation can be factors. I hoped it would not be the latter. I made myself ready, however, for whatever possibility might occur. If the decision went for the latter, then I just had to try other acts of correcting the misunderstanding.

       It had been one long hour, yet neither of them have left the unit. The knob did not even turn a degree, nor were there a single decibel of sound heard from inside. It made my tension and anxiety worsen, and I was left with no choice but hope for the best to turn out. I swear it was the most nerve-wrecking instance I had. The pain I felt was more unbearable than a bad hangover or a paddle. The infliction of such pain and anxiety to me was definitely an exclusive capacity of Krystal Jung and nobody else.

       After about another thirty minutes of adjacent standing shakily and pacing back and forth along the condominium's hallway, the knob finally made a turn and opened. I did not help but flinch as my palms grew cold. Sara appeared as she went out of the unit, closing the door behind her. She was back in her usual outfit, along with Krystal's pale blue cardigan that covered the stain on her top.

       "What happened?" I asked her in a hoarse voice.

       "We talked, of course." She replied. Sara wore an unusual expression on her face - a darkened one with cues of frustration and regret. "I tried, Yixing." She added as she hung her head low, making me feel worse in what seemed to be a threat for losing grip.

       "What d-do you m-m-mean?" I stammered, which seemed to be the very first time in front of Sara.

        "It's novel, Yixing. It's something new." She replied, still in her serious-looking face with a worsening frown.

       "W-what?" I questioned, not knowing what she meant.

       Just then, she burst out into a weird round of laughter, even clutching her stomach and breathing heavily to catch her breath.

        Something is not right, I though. "Why are you laughing?" I sternly asked.

       "You must see yourself, Xing." She laughed even more. "You look like a little boy who broke his mother's favorite vase. I never heard you stammer like that before." And she laughed too heavily, making me confused. "I never thought I could ever see the cold and serious Zhang Yixing turn into a scaredy cat."

        I raised a brow at her and shot a serious glare, making her know well that I was still in the very verge of too much anxiety. 

       "Okay okay. Calm down, Xing." She said as she slowly stopped laughing. "Your amazingly wonderful and awesome best friend just cleared things out. Mission accomplished, stubborn man." 

       "Really?" My face brightened.

       She nodded, letting out an obviously proud expression.

       "You're the best, Sara. Xie xie." I told her as I gave her a quick friendly hug.

       "I've done my part, but the most part must be done by you. She has her questions, Yixing." She said before we parted.

       I saw Krystal sitting on the sofa as I went inside. It was not the usual comfortable posture she had, but rather a stiff one. I immediately headed towards her and gave her a slight squeeze on her shoulders as I sat down beside her. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and uttered a frail "Hey." as I earned a counterpart of a frail smile from her. 

       Seven long agonizing minutes have passed, yet nobody dared of any sound to utter. The only sound that dominated the used to be lively atmosphere was the ticking of the clock. Being the man, I knew I had to break the ice. "Have you eaten?" I asked. That was the lamest and most awkward opening statement, yes I know.

       "Not hungry." She replied. "You?"

       "I was waiting for you. We vowed to eat breakfast together every morning, didn't we?" She nodded with a chuckle, with relieved me. "I'm sorry, Krystal. I know I was dumb to..."

       She cut me off as she shook her head. "No, Lay. I'm sorry. I should not have avoided your calls."

       "You made me devastatingly worried, but I understand. Sara might have told you already, but I want you to hear the very deal from me. I don't have anyone else but you, Krystal." I cupped her face so that she was facing me; her eyes were watery. "I'm just so sorry to have kept it from you. I know I have caused you pain."

       "Sara... You're so lucky to have her." She stated. "If not for her very sincere personality, I could have..." She paused and looked outside through the window. "Left you."

       "So, you're not leaving me, right?" I bluntly asked her.

       "No." She replied as she shifted her gaze back at me. "But I still have to pack my bags, Lay."

       "Why?" I asked. "I thought you weren't leaving, I..."

       "I'm not leaving us. But I'm leaving here." She emphasized to clear out, yet I was still not in comprehension. 

       "You're leaving?" 

       "I have a place to stay and it's a nice place, Lay. A friend decided to share her place with me. Just like how you and Sara grew up, Jiyoung and I basically grew up together as well. We might have had some sort of rocky turns in the past, but she helped me up when I had nowhere to go last night." I listened carefully in hope of fully comprehending her decision. "In the first place, we shouldn't be living together, Lay. We're not..."

       I cut her off as I took a tight grip of her hand. "Because we're not yet married?" I questioned, too frankly but sincerely. "Then we would, if that would resolve this."

      "That is not something to make a decision of at a situation like this, Lay." She pointed out, which was obviously right. "If ever that happens, I want it to be proposed by Zhang Yixing. I have already known Lay, and I think it's time to get to know Yixing before any decision as such is to be made. Would that be fair?"

       "But Zhang Yixing is..." I paused and hesitated to dwell with the topic; I was not ready. "Anyway... Have you already made a firm decision? I mean, about moving out?"

       "Yes." She nodded.

       "I'd permit that, but..." I paused to kiss her forehead. "Just one more night. Stay here just until tomorrow. Please?"

author's note

Thank you so much for the overwhelming comments you dropped

and the additional subscribers I gained. THANK YOU!

Also, I really really appreaciate the upvotes you gave me.

It overwhelmes me a lot, and I swear I'll do my best to create  better chapters. ^^

So, would you like Krystal to stay for the night? :)