Miss No Label

   C H A P T E R   T H I R T Y -  F I V E   

POV:

        I shifted from the bed and realized that the space beside me was empty. I quickly opened my eyes and called for him. "Lay!" Several times have I screamed for his name, but there was no reply. It was the first time that he left without telling me. It tensed me up. I convinced myself that he might just be somewhere outside for some fresh air. After all, we were in his homeland which I assume he missed. 

       I shuffled out of the bed, grabbed my cardigan and decided to go and search for him. I was ceased, however, by a bright yellow post-it note on the bedside table. 

        Were you worried?  Mama called me saying she misses me alot. She can't wait until the party. I don't want to disturb your sleep, so I went off. My sister will be there in a while. She'll help you get ready. Love you! - Lay

        I can't help but smile at his crooked Korean penmanship. Oh, wait! "He's sending his sister?"

        Not long after, there came a knock on the door. Opening it, an elegant and goddess-looking lady was revealed. She was so simple that she barely even wore make-up, but she was undeniably beautiful. 

        She flashed a wide smile. "You must be Krystal." She knew Korean. In fact, she was fluent - better than Lay. "I'm Zhang Mei Lin, Yixing's sister. Call me Angela, I'd prefer that." She extended a hand to me, without vanishing the smile she was wearing.

        I grabbed her hand. "Yes, I'm Krystal. Please come inside."

        "I hope you liked this room. Xing told me to book the other room, which is better, but it was already occupied." She said as she takes a seat ever so elegantly.

        I shook my head. "No, it's okay. I even though this is the most expensive and the best. This is more than enough."

        She chuckled. "Now I know why my brother loves you so much. You're lovely and really kind."

        Despite being flattered with her remark, I was more botehred of what to do. I felt like I was some peasant in front of a princess. Her smile neevr disappeared, and it made her look even more beautiful... and intimidating.

        "Have you checked the dress out?" She held my hands and led me to the bedroom. The bed sheets were still a mess, and I could not heloo but feel awkward. To make things, worse and even more embarrassing, Lay's shirt, the one he wore when we came was crumpled on top of the bed. I could only hope his sister would not think of anything... malicious.

        She giggled. "So my brother still doesn't know how to tidy his things. He must be such a burden to you."

        "No." I shyly replied. "He's not."

        She opened the door, and inside a hidden and locked compartment was a grand - I mean, perfection-filled - high-low dress in a light shade of periwinkle chiffon. Just be the sight of it, I knew it was too elegant for me.

        "What do you think?" She takes the dress out and led me to a full-body mirror. "Xing sent me a photo of you, and when I saw this dress, I knew it would be perfect for you."

        I blinked a few times to make sure I was not dreaming. "This?" I run my fingers through the soft chiffon fabric. "For me?"

        She nods. "Exactly! Just for you."

        After changing into a robe, Angela-unnie did the make up for me. She brought along with her a lot of signatured cosmetics that glittered in elegance. I can't help but feel like some child who just eneterred Cinderella's life, and Angela-unnie as my fairy godmother. Well, only that she's not fat and does not wear hold a magic wand, that is.

        "I know it's not easy to love Yixing." She suddenly says.

        I blinked and took glance of her. Her expression darkened and she was no longer smiling.

        "His life is not easy. Being Yixing and Lay at the same time, I know he feels like he's too burdened." She flashes a faint smile on the mirror. "That's why I'm really happy you came into his life." 

        I smiled when I heard her. It was my happiness to bring the best out of the man I love.

         "If I am to decide, I could just turn everything into their right tracks and get both of you to be together." She caressed my hair and it felt comdorting. "Some things just had to happen, and sometimes... no, most of the time..." She paused and took my hand. "...it will definitely hurt. I might be asking too much, but I hope you keep up with Lay no matter what." 

        I nodded.

        "Believe me, he loves you." Her eyes softened. "I have never seen him treat a girl so affectionately like he does to you. For the first time, my brother fell in love. And it was you who gave him life. I don't want him to turn lifeless again, Soojung."

        First time? I don't think I was Lay's first love. "I'm not his first love." I shake my head. "He had one before, right?"

        Angela-unnie chuckled. "It was not love, I think. Lay needed her, and she needed Lay. My brother wants to be the Lay that we have lost. I guess he already told you that." I nod. "That girl was my lost brother's best friend. Yixing needed her to become Lay, so he mistakened it for love. I always knew it was not love. He never even told her those three words."

        I hung my head low. "Never?"

        "Never." Angela-unnie replied. "Xing never said those words to anyone, not even to me our mother. Onl to you."

        I did not know what to feel. There seemed to be something between Angela-unnie's lines, perhaps something to expect in the near future.

        "She's going to be there at the party, Krystal." She said as she fixed her cosmetic sets. "Have Xing told you that you look similar to her?"

        Yes, he did.

        "It may be selfish to ask you this," I think her eyes got watery. It made me tense up again. "But don't let go of my brother. You're all that he's got. I'm always here whenever you need help, okay?"

        I nodded. She put me into a tight embrace, and it comforted me for a while. She did not need to make me promise, because I have been willing to hang on to Lay or Yixing or whoever the man I love is... even from the start. There will be no change of heart... I steadfastly hope it's the same for him.

        "Um... Sara..." I uttered as we got ourselves ready in final touches to go to the party. "I met her once. She's Lay's best friend, right? Is she going to be there as well?"

        It took a while before Angela-unnie could answer. She looked at me with soft eyes and nodded. "Sara will be there."

        The car stopped in front of an enormously prestige-dominated mansion. A lot of people were already there. Everyone was in their most expensive clothing, which I bet to be ten folds more than my rent at Jiyoung's place plus five folds more than my salary at Kris' bookstore. A few Chinese celebrities were there as well. 

        I barely know Mandarin or any Chinese dialect, so it was hard for me to comprehend anything.

        "Relax, Krystal." Angela-unnie patted my back. "You're lovely - even more lovely than anybody else here." She winked. "Well, expcept for my mom since it's her birthday."

        Right. Back in Korea, Jiyoung and I brainstormed on what to give Lay's mom. I sticked to giving her something personally made, so I made a scarf, one that I made with my own hands. Seeing the nicely-wrapped and obviously expensive gifts on the table, though, I started to feel insecure.

        "Don't worry." Angela-unnie said as she noticed where my eyes were locked on. "Mama loves collecting scarves."

        Just then, I felt an arm snake around my waist and pulling me closer. By the scent, I had no doubt who it was.

        "Good evening, ladies." He greeted. I smiled as soon as I feel him near me. Somehow, I felt a tiny teeny miniature bit of confidence.

        "You look lovely." He whispered in my ear and gently kissed my cheek.

        Angela-unnie rolled her eyes. "Come on, Xing. I also spent a great deal of time grooming myself. Won't you tell your sister that she's lovely, too?" She playfully nudged Lay.

        Lay spoke of a few Chinese utterances, gaining a plenty of a laugh from his sister.

        He kissed me on the cheek again. "Why did you beautify too much? I won't take it if someone makes a move on you."

        I chuckled.

        "Hey, you lovebirds." Angela-unnie laughs. "I'll leave you two, okay? My husband might be looking for me."

        "I didn't know you're a real prince." I tell him as we went inside the mansion. I've never been inside such wealth-filled house before. Everything seemed to be breakable, and unaffordable to pay when broken. Even the floor seemed to be so fragile. I understood why Lay foudn his condominium unit in Korea shabby. 

           "I'm calling you a princess for such reason." Lay had been impeccably touchy that night. Was he serious when he told me he's going to tell everyone that I'm his? I endlessly told myself not to blush, but I can't help it.

       Everyone looks at us whenever we go. They say something, which I could not understand of course. Most times, Lay would frown. When he catched my eyes, however, he smiled again... but the smile hold something I could not comprehend.

        "Sara." I pointed to my left. She was dressed in light blue silk and looked as dazzling as usual. Her bump was evident already though. "It's Sara." I told Lay.

        He simply nodded.

        "Sara." I called. 

        But she just turned for a brief time and smiled weakly - so weak that it seemed unreal.

        I waved a hand of greeting, but she only nodded.

        "Did she forget about me?" I asked Lay.

        "She didn't." Lay replied then immediately led me away. "Follow me. You have to see my mother, so you can give your gift."
 

author's note
Sorry for not  updating for a long time.
I  hope you still watch for my fic. :(
If you have a twitter account, please follow me. 
Link: @linnlovesxing