CHAPTER 14: Gone

Once the lights turn down and the stage returns to normal, the goddesses have returned to the sky only to leave their mark.

In a flash, the models turn themselves from goddesses to divas as they prepare themselves for the after-party held at Club Secracy. To the models, it wasn’t a big deal because at every runway show, they would dance themselves into V.I.P clubs but for Gui and Genie—all of this—was a new experience.

“Are you guys coming to the after party?”

“No, sadly we aren’t.”

“Oh... Well, you guys did a good job. I hear you guys are first-timers, so I was pretty surprised when I heard it.”

“Thank you!”

Genie and Gui responded at the same time, like twins.

The models giggled as they walk off in their own party outfits, making their way to the after party held at Club Secrecy. While Gui took out the pins in her hair, letting the curls fall down naturally, creating the romantic look while Genie smile.

“Maybe I should be a model.” Gui look over to Genie, surprised. “Just a thought.”

“Yeah, a big thought!”

“I haven’t really thought about my future but originally, I wanted to be normal like do some office work or something. But now that I took a chance and did something completely dream-like, I like the idea of feeling nervous and the adrenaline feels great!”

“Genie... Really?!”

Genie only laughed as she wrap her sweater around her. “We should go now, everyone is waiting for us.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they are just waiting to sneak a picture of you or an autograph.”

“Gui, stop making fun of me!”

“Genie—shh, it’s my secret to an everlasting friendship!”

They laughed out loud as they walk out to see Calvin, Aaron, Wu Chun, Jiro, Danson, Angela, Mr and Mrs. Wu greeting them with all smiles.

“You guys were great!”  Angela cried out as she hand two flower bouquets over to them. “Personally picked by Danson and I!” Danson smiled as he patted Genie and Gui’s head.

“Honey, you have outdone yourself once again.” Mr. Wu complimented his wife with a kiss on the cheek while Danson and Gui eyes widen, making an ‘eww’ face.

“Let’s go back home, you need to sleep tonight honey. You children be safe alright?” Mr. Wu asked as they nod. “Aaron, take care of Ying Jie, on a night like this, she will try to sneak out of your sight now that she is famous.”

“DAD!”

Aaron only laugh at Mr. Wu’s witty remark, “I’ll take good care of her.” Mr. Wu smiled happily at his response as he his wife out.

“Well if you don’t mind, the night is still young so I will be making my way to club Secreacy.”

“I’ll join you!” Jiro call out to Wu Chun as they walk out as smoothly as they could.

“And if you’ll excuse me, Genie and I will take our leave.” Genie felt herself flush a shade of pink when Calvin intertwine their hands together. “Goodnight guys!” Genie called out as Calvin lead his girlfriend away from the group swiftly.

“Well anyways, I’m getting sleep so you are going to drive me home.” Angela point over to Danson who pointed to himself, still dazed. “Me?”

“Yes you. Who else is there?” Angela smiled as she mustered her strength to pull him out the door, not bothering to listen to his protest. “Bye Ge! Bye Angela!”

“BE SAFE YOU TWO!” Angela shouted out as they walked off.

Soon enough, Gui and Aaron are face with an awkward silence.

“Let’s go.” Aaron stated stop when Gui call out to him. “Wait–hold on, I think I left my phone backstage. I’ll be back.”

Before Aaron had the chance to offer his assistance, she left. And in a blink of an eye, she left him. He heavily sighed as he stuff his hands into his pockets and look around the venue. What was once crowded like a football stadium–only now–it’s no longer noisy and crowded. Wait—it may be less crowded and noisy but it is still a prefect spot for those who snoop around—

“Oh? Isn’t that Aaron Yan?”

“What are you doing here Aaron Yan?”

—only to be as he walk out of the building only to find a few paparazzi lingering around like rats.

Aaron stared at them blankly, while they look at him, curious as to what could be the reason why he is still doing at the venue while everyone has haded home or to clubs. Being curious is one thing and being a spy was another. Despite the fact that Aaron knew what the two had in mind when appear in front of him, he knew he didn’t want anything to do with them. Like two curious peas, Aaron knew why they stayed behind and in his plan, he isn’t planning on getting discovered. The press already has proof of their relationship and by having these two reporters dig into his life any further, it would be a mess he does not want to commit. So he keep his composure but the two men wasn’t budging; they were just as determined as he was. So he quickly calculated a plan B.

From the end of the hallway, he could see Gui making his way over to him so without a second longer, he broke through the two guys through the empty space between the two of them and grab her hand.

“WHY ARE WE RUNNING?” Gui shouted out while one of the reporters began the chase. “DON’T ASK QUESTIONS YOU IDIOT, JUST RUN AFTER THEM!”

Aaron tighten his grip on her hand as he turn left and right, from a busy street to a empty one; in an attempt to escape from the two stubborn paparazzi guys.

As Aaron begin to think that his luck ran out, when he turn around for the thirth time, he saw that no one was chasing after them. So he slowed down and before he knew it, they both lean against a wall and tried to catch their breathes.

“Do you think they are still chasing after us?”

“They wouldn’t be chasing me if they didn’t know who I was... But that was close, we cannot afford them to catch onto us.”

“The famous Aaron Yan, you sure make ‘friends’ everywhere you go don’t you?”

Aaron smirked at her remark as he straighten himself.

“Do I smell a hint of jealousy? Are you jealous of my popularity?”

“Yeah right, aren’t you full of yourself?”                                                             

“24/7 my dear, 24/7.”

Gui took a glance around the neighbourhood they were in. “We are close to home.” Gui smile as she continue to walk in the direction to their penthouse.

Looking back, the day has been full of drive and not a single break. Now that the show has ended, many will argue that the night is still young while some will disagree. Depending on the persons’ preference; in Gui’s perspective, the night was a little bit of both. It has been a hectic day and what better way to relieve the tension than to take a moment to slow down?

Walking along the streets of Kaohsiung is something Gui doesn’t get to do often because she often gets rides to pick and drop her off to school. It has always been the same routine—every day since Preschool. So instead of driving back to their penthouse, she was enjoying the night’s gentle breeze on her skin and taking in the night that Kaohsiung have to offer.

Their walk up to their penthouse has been quiet. Neither of them knew what to talk about and even if they want to break that awkward silence, they didn’t know how to start it or what to say.

So their walk up to their penthouse was quiet. Each of them were waiting for time to speak but there was no time frame to do so; and even if there was, their timing was off or they missed it. As easy as it was to create a random conversation, it was more trickier to come up with a question more than anything. Who said conversations was easy?

.

.

.

.

Once they got to their penthouse, instead of going into her room, Gui opened the door to the balcony and walked out. Taking in the night breeze that felt oh so great against her skin and tonight, it felt exceptionally great. If other people’s cure to their sickness was medicine, the night’s breeze was hers.

She looked up at the sky to see the stars twinkling above her, in addition to the breeze she was getting, her night couldn’t get better. She knew that being a goddess was only a once-in-a-lifetime chance but she didn’t know how heavy of an impact it was going to be. Her life wasn’t planned out but she just noticed, her life has been planned out to the point where her parents introduced her to Aaron thus writing her chapter about him and her.

But what happens next?

What will become of them?

How is her chapter going to end?

Will it end with a ‘happily ever after’ or will they end with ‘they could’ve been’?

Just when she thought Aaron had retreated to his room, he walk out to the balcony with her.

“I thought you would’ve went to sleep by now.”

He chuckled, amused that she would think that he (out of everyone) would go to bed. Instead of retorting back to her assumption, he stood beside her and glance at the city from afar while she continue to stare up at the stars. “It’s beautiful.”

He look over to her, can’t help but wonder if...

Were they both looking at the same view?

The view of Koahsiung was beautiful but are they taking in the same sight?

Aaron place the bottle of alcohol down on the table and poured the alcohol into two glasses. One for him; the other—for her.

Don’t get him wrong, there is no way he is forcing her to drink. After what happened last time, the drunk Gui is a sight to see but between the two of them, he doesn’t want to see her do something she will regret.

After the case of her severe obsession with wine, he doesn’t want to see her in her drunk state again. As much of a player Aaron was, he loves alcohol and ladies but there’s a fine line between what he wants and what he needs.

The line that shouldn’t be crossed is drawn.

With a fine line that separates the two.

Will that line break?

If so, who will be the first to cross over it?

Aaron took a sip and when a single droplet reach his throat, burning it with heavy desires; his heart leaped with happiness. He knew that he was craving alcohol but venturing into the club at this hour isn’t what he wants. Right now, he just wants to find peace and a common ground to stand on; space.

“I didn’t know you would be there...”

“My buddies wanted to come and watch, I tagged along.”

Gui took her eyes off the stars to reach over and took the glass of alcohol. “Are you sure you want to drink?”

“What’s wrong with me drinking?”

“Don’t you remember what happened last time at your mother’s charity gala?”

“What happened? What did I do?”

“Are you playing with me?”

“No! What did I do? Oh No! Did I do something inappropriate?!”

“Seriously? You are awfully good at playing dumb.”

“I’m not! I seriously don’t know what happened and even if I did, I would apologize but I don’t remember.”

Aaron look over to her, it was true that she was drunk and he could picture her apologizing afterwards but how can he bring up the incident again?

“You wouldn’t give me the wine bottle so I tried to take it from you but you were keen on hugging that bottle.”

“Is that what happened?” Gui eyed him suspiciously. At the back of her mind, she knew she was one of the drunks that would be oblivious to their conscious but at this point, she didn’t know what to make out of it. “Of course, there is always more that meets the eye but right now, I just want to indulge myself with alcohol.”

Gui attempted to take his drink away from him but instead of stealing his drink, he took hers instead; fast and swiftly. When his lips curve into a devious grin, she knew he was satisfied with the look on her face. Indulging himself once again, he took one chug down his glass of alcohol—down to the last drop—before pouring him another one to fill his desire.

“Don’t look at me like that, you are going to make me go crazy.”  He spoke up as he pass the glass cup back to her, then he turn his attention back to the view of Koahsiung.

“Great, now I am curious! What happened? Tell me! What on earth did I do?”

“You really want to know?”

She firmly gave him a nod, determined to find out and Aaron could see how firm her decision was.

“What are you going to do with that information?”

“It depends on what I did.”

“What if you fell and tripped?”

“There is no bruises, pain or cuts.”

“And what if you threw a fit and caused trouble?”

“If I did that, someone would’ve complained. But they didn’t, so next.”

“Then... what if you did something inappropriate?”

“Like?”

“Mhmm, like... confessing to your crush?”

“I have done that and there is no one with that title right now, so... next.”

“Well, think carefully. What else is there left?”

Gui gave a pout as she try her best as she ransacked her mind only to come out clean, nothing was out of the ordinary; at least to her, nada. But she kept on trying anyway, hoping that it will make its way back to her. So here goes, beach, seashells, Vi Wu`s homecoming/charity party, Jack and Angela, Danson... and how can she foget that luxurious taste of wine and... that is where her memory abruptly comes to a sudden stop. Anything that happened after a couple of drinks of wine is beyond her knowledge—damn it.

“I... don’t remember.”

“At all?” She locked her gaze with his. “At all.”

“Then I guess there is no other way of finding out. But I’ll let you in on one secret that happened that night.”

“I’m listening.” He poured another glass of alcohol for himself. “Someone caught it on camera.”

“Caught what on camera?”

“You and me.”

“You and I.” Gui corrected him as he gave her his signature smirk, correcting himself in the process. “You and I.”

“So what did he caught on film?” Gui asked as Aaron look over to her and let out a chuckle.

“You don’t think I know what game you’re playing? Unfortunately for you, I saw through you.”

“Geez, fine I give up! Don’t tell me, just do whatever it is I did to me. That should be enough right?”

He came to a quick pause and stare at her, flabbergasted at her sudden suggestion. “What?”

“Do the same thing I did right now. I want to know what I did.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know what you did.”

“What did I do? Tell me! Tell me, tell me, what did I—”

Aaron wrap his arm around her wa