That’s what people who loves you do. They put their arms around you and love you when you’re not so lovable.

27^th April 2008

Bixue paced up and down the long coridoor worriedly, her fingernails dug into her palms. Every minute, she would look up at the door while biting her lower lip. Her actions were exactly the same as the few others who were also waiting for their friend to end the audition.

When the door opened, her head shot up right away but to her disappointment, it wasn’t Luhan. A few staffs walked out and when they passed her, Bixue widened her eyes and stared at their backview.

She couldn’t believe what she just heard. The staffs were speaking a foreign language that Bixue was quite sure it wasn’t any of their dialects in China. Instinctively, she looked up at the signboard that wrote the company’s name and it suddenly hit her; a Korean company.

Luhan had always been a big fan of Korean Music, his idol was none other than DBSK. But, she hadn’t expect him to daringly audition for a Korean company. The thought of Mr Lu knowing that his son attended an audition like this made Bixue’s throat turn dry, but the thought of him knowing that his son attended a Korean company’s audition made her shudder in fear; his father would definitely skin him alive.

Knocking her own head as a punishment for being so careless, Bixue blamed herself for assuming that Luhan was auditioning for a Chinese company. If she hadn’t insist to follow him here today, she probably wouldn’t come to realize his desire to enter the Korean Entertainment Industry.

Just then, the grey doors that everyone focused on pulled open. A group of boys and girls stepped out one after another. In the sea of crowd, Bixue’s spotted Luhan figure right away. And that instant when Luhan looked up at her, she knew the results.

“I…” Right when Luhan opened his mouth Bixue cut him off.

“I know.”

They looked into one another’s eyes and they knew right away. Their eyes spoke more than their mouths ever did. His glances told her “I failed.” And others said “Maybe I’m not meant to be singer.” But, her eyes told him, “It’s okay, I’m here” and “you can always try again.” They both knew what they were and what they weren’t, they didn’t have to find a way to put it into words.   

However, Luhan couldn’t even force out a smile at Bixue. He failed his audition, he failed at achieving his dream and the worst was, he couldn’t confess to Qian Ya. Everything fell apart at the same time and for an 18year old boy, it was beyond disheartening. He lost his dream and his love at the same time.

“I will treat you to lunch. Let’s go.” Bixue dragged the boy towards her car and instructed her driver to drive them to his favourite eatery. She hoped that by eating something he likes would cheer him up a little. But, little did she know, Luhan was more affected than she had expected.

Throughout the meal, he hadn’t spoke a word. He didn’t even lift his eyes to meet hers. Even though his chopsticks were moving, his favourite noodles was left almost untouched. He was merely just poking his food with a slumped shoulder. It was the first time Bixue had ever seen him so quiet, and so crestfallen.

He has always been cheerful and happy. It was also why whenever Bixue looks into his twinkling doe eyes, it was like her whole world flipped and everything was put in a new perspective. His jolly side encouraged her do things she never thought she could do. She could say things to him that she thought she would never say to anyone before because he was always so lively and accepting. It’s also because of his merry character that make her want to be with him forever. If possible, she wants to hold him in her arms, kiss those knitted brows and tell him how his failure meant nothing to her because he had changed her in ways that he could never imagine; her life and her everything.

“Shall we go?” She asked him softly. She didn’t want him to brood over his failure and she didn’t want him to think about that confession that he failed to make. From those doe eyes that were lacking of twinkle, she knew how much it was affecting him and it hurts her.

Nodding his head, Luhan stepped out of the eatery with Bixue. The couple walked down the streets of Beijing and Bixue suggested to take a rest at the nearby park. They sat in front of the fountain, none of them spoke a word as they dwelled on their own thoughts.

Luhan looked at the surronding, the open field and fresh air comforted him a little. He really wanted to pass the audition and run to Qian Ya’s house so he could confess to her proudly. The entire plan had ran through his head thousand of times and he even rehearsed his confession, but now that he failed, he couldn’t anymore. Qian Ya is someone so special and she deserves someone so much more capable, and special to be with her.

When he looked at Bixue staring into space beside him, a smile hooked his inner corner of his lips instinctively. The last thing he wanted was to let his group of friends see him in this state. Although Bixue doesn’t comfort him, her silence was exactly what he needed. Just like now, he turns around and she would be there for him anytime.

“Where are you going?” Luhan asked the girl who stood up suddenly. She turned around and flashed him a secretive smile before walking towards a group of children a distance away. He watched her bending down, talking to them while the kids listened to her attentively. After a while, they all ran away and she returned with a soccer ball in her hand.

They didn’t need words, they just looked at each other and smiled. She handed the ball to Luhan and he knew what she meant. Accepting the ball, Luhan stared at it for a while before looking back at her. Through her eyes, he saw her encouragement and support. The faith she had on him was still burning when his had already extinguished.

“How did you get this?” He asked her softly, tossing the ball in his hands lightly.

“From the boys.” Bixue smiled. She knew her plan had worked. Earlier, she had been thinking about how to make Luhan feel better. She wasn’t good with her words and she didn’t want to cheer him with merely something so superficial.

“But they gave it to you a little too easily.” Luhan squinted his eyes at the girl who was trying hard to keep a straight face. He had saw the bunch of boys who were playing soccer and he knew better that they wouldn’t give their soccer ball up so easily. Lifting his hand, he piched her nose lightly and asked. “What did you do huh?”

“I…” Bixue blushed at the sudden physical contact. She lowered her head to hide her blush as she mumbled. “I gave them $50 to buy ice-cream.”

“$50?!” Luhan exclaimed. The ball in his hands was held tighter instinctively.

The girl stuck her tongue out adorably and then pushed Luhan towards the field. “Don’t waste my money and just play already!”

“But you chased all the kids away. Who am I supposed to play with?” Luhan turned around and saw Bixue froze at her spot thinking about his words. With a sneaky grin, he pulled her along with her as he made his way to the centre of the field. “I don’t care you are playing with me.”

“But.. But I can’t play!”

“I will teach you!”

In the middle of the green field, laughters could be heard from afar, lighting up the Spring’s atmosphere. The boy was holding onto the girl’s arms as her feet tried to snatch the ball between his. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t get it away from him.

“You know I can’t win you!” Bixue crossed her arms on her petite waist as she panted.

“C’mon Xue, you can do much better than this.” Luhan as he laughed at her angry face, not noticing that he had forgotten the unhappiness earlier entirely. They looked at one another for a moment; one refusing to give in and the other refusing to lose.

Holding his gaze, Bixue swiftly bent down and picked up the ball between his feet. She hugged the ball in her arms and ran towards the goal that was on the other side.

“Yah! That’s cheating!” Luhan ran after her and caught her in no time. He grabbed her arms instinctively and blocked her way. “Since when did you become so cheeky huh?”

“Since.. just?” Bixue stuck her tongue at him once more and pulled her hand so she could toss the ball over his head towards the goalpost he set. And when Luhan turned to look, the ball had went in.

“Goal!” Bixue jumped up and down excitedly and Luhan shook his head, watching her run away from him happily. That moment, his gaze was filled with so much gentleness that he didn’t realize just friends don’t look at each other like that.

I know I said I am not updating other fics till Mnem is over but I changed my mind.

I shall update more often over the next few days instead.

It's been quite long since we have a fluffy chapter so here you go!

Enjoy!