CHAPTER 5.2:  A Mile

“I thought I would never be able to see you again.”

She whispered as she met his eyes, she always loved the way he looked at her, that warm look she always finds herself getting into. She never has been attracted to anyone like this.

“Ying Jie, I’m sorry.” She looks at him with a puzzled look. “For not being able to be there for our son early years… If I knew you were pregnant… I would have given you the encouragement, I could’ve been there... but I wasn’t there when you needed me the most… I missed out on being there when he took his first steps, staying up late at night, feeding him, playing with him, help you change diapers… I can’t believe I missed all that…”

Gui smiles happily before leaning in to wrap her arms around him. “You can start now.”

When she felt his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him, she could feel her heart racing against her chest. Is it because she is still getting used to being with him again? The butterflies in her stomach were making her fall over heels and before she knew it, she found herself acting like a high schooler once again. She looks over to Aaron who had his signature smile across his face, next thing she knew, he presses his lips on hers and it made her fall over once more. Is it weird to think that maybe she is beginning to fall in love with him all over again?

When he heard a knock on the door, he saw her escape his grasp, straightening herself as she looks over to see who was at the door. Aaron smiles happily as he remained cool and collected. Puff comes in with the documents he asked for.

“It has all been reviewed and ready for your signature!”

Puff stated as she placed the documents down and looked over at the girl standing relatively close to Aaron. Even though they weren’t touching, she could sense that something was going on between the two…but she couldn’t put a finger on it.

“Hi, I’m Puff Guo Xue Fu, Aaron’s assistant.” Puff felt like there was a need for her to know who she was to Aaron.

Gui nods before bending down to pick up her bag.  

“Are you leaving already?” Puff heard Aaron asks the girl. Strangely, she knew her boss doesn’t ask anyone to stay if it wasn’t important and she didn’t look like she worked in the building, so what was she doing in his office?

“I shouldn’t―”

“I insist. Stay a little longer Emma.” Puff turns to look at Aaron―Emma?

“Can you go and see if Alex is done with the files I asked for? I caught him slacking him off earlier so I want you to check up on him for a little bit.”

“Alex is slacking? That’s―hold on, everyone knows that’s my territory!”

“You better get that fact straight to him then, looks like he is starting to move into that territory.”

Puff took a deep breath and walked out of the office.

When the doors closed, Aaron stood up and s his arm around Gui’s waist. She stares at him and before she knew it, she felt his lips grace hers. As if he was trying to make up for all the kisses he missed out on, he deepened the kiss on her. She hasn’t felt this much since three years ago and now that he was back in her life, she wonders how much hotter this will get.

“Thank you for wanting the unwanted me, Gui.” She giggles as his smile got wider. “Aaron.”

“Mhmm?”

“This is bad.”

“What is?”

She gave him one last kiss before opening the door. “It feels like I am falling in love with you all over again Mr. Yan.” She gave him a wink before closing the door on her way out the office.

On her way out, she couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of being with Aaron again. She was ecstatic throughout the whole car ride back to the venue where Xiao Gui was waiting for her.

.

.

“The lights don’t look quite right, can we try something more…” Xiao Gui looks over to Gui who was concentrated at the lights. “…try something more bright. I want the designs to pop.”

Alien Huang smiled as he dismissed the team to put the plan to work. He crossed his arms and look at the runway. Runways weren’t different no matter where you go. This runway looked like the ones designers use every year. If he had to set the two apart, it would be the aura. Milan is the fashion capitol of the world; it is considered one of the best places for designers to showcase their work. It is like a dream, Milan is like a dream. But there is something about showcasing your design in your home country, it has a different feeling and he couldn’t pinpoint what the difference is.

“Have you thought of the name for the collection?” She looks at the wall located on the stage and smiles. “Xiao Gui…”

“Mhmm?” There gaze met and that was the feeling Xiao Gui wanted. “I will like to introduce to you, the Conscious Enchantment Collection.”

“Conscious Enchantment…” He taps his chin. “As in falling under conscious spell?”

Gui just smiles over as Xiao Gui tries to read what she meant. ‘As in falling under conscious’s spell… as in to fall against one’s conscious…’

Without getting the full grasp of what it meant, he claps his hands and gave her an applause. He was never the fashion fanatic, he didn’t care about what he wore or how he wore his clothes… and neither did he give two cents about it. Clothes were just clothes; he never knew how absorbed he would become when Gui introduces the world of Fashion. Living in one of the biggest fashion capitals has its rewards―blessing one received. Gui never critized the way he dressed so he was never concerned with whatever he wore. If you look at it, if he was the one who puts the spell together; she must be the enchanter.

Gui looks at the blank space once again and smiles. “Everybody faces their own reality and anyone can dream. It’s like falling under an enchantment only to discover you are escaping reality.”

She lifts her eyes of the blank wall to look a Xiao Gui. “I couldn’t take the bind off…” She whispers as she looked down at her wrists. “I couldn’t do it.”

Flashback

Xiao Gui unfasten his necktie and tied her two wrists together with it. She was confused by his actions but she didn’t say anything.

“When you are ready to face those fears of yours, that’s when this bind comes off. After all, you can’t start something and not finish the other.” Then he went on to say. “I will be waiting for the day you release yourself from the past. All I have to do is wait right?”

End of Flashback

“I found him. I found him, Xiao Gui. I found… Aaron….” He watches her tears fall down her face. “I can’t believe it, I thought I wouldn’t be able―” She cried harder when she collapsed in his arms. “So don’t wait for me, I’m sorry Xiao Gui… I’m really―”

“Shh~ Shh~ Shhh~ Gui.”

She closes her lips and turns on her listening ears for him. “I know; I know he was still alive. I found out when I met Danson, he didn’t want to see our relationship get messy so he told me. You ran away hearing that Aaron might not recover from the accident so you ran for it. And because of it, there was no chance for you to hear about Aaron and whenever you would hear Aaron’s name come up, you shut everyone up. You didn’t want to talk about Aaron nor did you want to erase him from your heart.”

He took out his handkerchief and wiped her tears away. “To tell you the truth―”

Flashback

On the day Gui and Xiao Gui came back, after they sat down for Dinner with the Wu’s. Gui had left to play with Kris in the gardens with her parents, leaving Xiao Gui and Danson together. Danson leaned against the door as Xiao Gui stood beside him, admiring the beautiful garden Vi Wu spend her time catering. It was her pride and joy.

“Vi Wu and my father spends the most time in the garden, they usually have their dates here.” Danson sighs as Xiao Gui chuckles.

Kris was trying to run away from the three monsters running to catch him. The house was full of life now that Kris joined them. Before, no one really stayed home because there was nothing to do here. In a way, Danson was really happy that Kris came and brightens everything up.

He looks over to Xiao Gui and he thought to himself, something in his gut have been repeatedly telling him to let this poor boy go. He could tell by the way he looks at his sister, he is holding onto his love for her. As if he was waiting for the right time to confess. This was no soap opera so there was no need to keep him blindly going for his sister. If he knows, then he can escape from all the hurt.

Without dragging this out, Danson told him. “Aaron Yan, Gui’s boyfriend did not die, this is one big mess.” Danson looks over at Xiao Gui. How is he going to take this?

He let the news fly out and it surprised Xiao Gui. He didn’t expect them to keep the news away this long, seeing how Gui took a long time to cope, he figured that time can only tell when she will move on. Nonetheless, he was more curious to know why he told him.

“Do you think she is moving on?” He asks, Danson looks over to his sister and shrugs. “Who knows?”

“I guess there is only one way to find out.” Xiao Gui says as he puts his glass of wine on the table and stepped into the garden. “I’ll ask her at the social gathering.”

Danson taps his fingers on his glass and continues to look at him. “Man to Man, what about you?”

Xiao Gui just smiles. “She hasn’t given up on him yet, the boyfriend; she hasn’t forgotten him… not even for a moment. She likes to look strong, like she has given up but who is trying to stay strong for? Kris? Her family? To the world? I have thought about our relationship and I knew there was no use waiting it out. I know where her heart belongs and it’s not with me. The most I can be right now is her partner and friend; after all, I can only give her my strength.”

He stuffs his hands in his pockets and continues to show that unwavering smile of his. “So Man to Man, I am letting go.”

End of Flashback

Xiao Gui pats her on the head and smiles happily. “Now this little ghost knows what she wants.” He got up and s