Work Text:
Please all passangers of flight 371 go to Gate 6 to board the plane, thank you!
You heard the speakers announce the information. You tried to hide your face behind the black mask and sunglasses you wore. The hoodie pulled up on your head helped as well. It got hectic lately. Ever since you debuted as a member of F-LASH, a K-pop girl group of seven members, you felt like you couldn’t even go to the toilet without paparazzi following you. You wore no make-up hoping that without it, people would recognize you less.
You grabbed your suitcase and went over to Gate 6. San Francisco was beautiful but you were happy that you could finally return to China. You were born in (European/Middle-Eastern country) then at the age of fourteen, your dad who was Chinese born got a good job offer in South Korea and your family moved to Seoul. You entered the industry late but worked hard to get to debut. Your passion for singing and dancing helped you through the hardships especially when one of the girls in the dormitory decided to pick on you.
To her demise, you surpassed her in everything and she quickly dropped out. You learnt many languages, Chinese was given to you through your dad who taught you the language. You learned English, Spanish and Italian in high-school, though only English got to C1 level. And of course Korean was necessary for you to finish school in Seoul.
You checked your watch once you boarded the plane and leaned back in your seat. A long flight was ahead of you and you knew that the paparazzi and fans were already at Beijing Airport waiting for your arrival. You were already dreading every moment of the travel that would bring you closer to the first production day of the new Cdrama you got cast in. You were jumping out of your skin once your manager called you that you landed the role, though your heart seemed to skip a beat when you heard her say that your partner would be Wang Yibo. During the years, you learned about all of the big hits and it terrified you to meet him. Rumors were floating around about him being cold and distant which was terrifying for you because you’ve always been the type of girl who got made fun by guys like that.
You were the quiet type, humble and polite but once someone grew close to your heart, you showed affection carelessly. You noticed your phone lighting up with a notification. You grabbed it and opened your chat group with F-LASH. The girls were all missing you and wished you good luck with production. Only the four of you were available at the moment but you knew Soojin, Ho-Sook and Sang-Hee were filming a variety show.
Sulgi: Are you excited? You will be meeting Wang Yibo!
Mynie: She was freaking out over it! She will be so terrified of him! My poor baby!
Luna: Girls, she must be already freaking out in the plane’s bathroom. You okay, sweetie?
You: Thanks, girls… yeah, I’m freaking out but rather over the paparazzi finding me.
Sulgi: He’s a prince! You will love him! 😍😍😍😍😍
Luna: Can you just stop gushing about that Wang Yibo?! You’re squealing loudly whenever you see a new video of him!
Sulgi: But can you really blame me? He’s dreamy ~ 😍😍😍😍😍
Luna: 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Mynie: Will you got to production right away? Maybe you could meet up with Jackson!
You: Wish I could have enough time but I will be brought to location right away. Nah, Jackson’s busy with GOT7 leaving JYP. Maybe later once they settled everything.
Luna: Jackson almost asked you out last time. You know… he’s been circling you since years…
You: You know how oblivious I am to all that, Mynie… I wouldn’t even get what he wants if he yells in my face: “I like you!!!”
Mynie: 🤣
Luna: 🤣
Sulgi: 🤣
You: I gotta go, the plane’s taking off. C U! 😘
You put your phone in airplane mode and leaned back. Maybe you had nothing to be afraid of. Maybe you were just freaking out over nothing. Closing your eyes you tried to sleep a few hours knowing you will be working until the next morning once you landed.
Time skip to landing ~
You could hear the crowd even before you appeared. You greeted your fans and stopped to sign some CDs and shirts and whatever they pushed into your hands. You were almost blinded by the bright snaps of cameras of the paparazzi before you were ushered away by your manager and the body guards who she hired. Linda was really good at her job and she could dodge questions and paparazzi at the same time like a champ.
When she pulled the SUV’s door closed you slumped down on the seat.
“It’s still exhausting…” you mumbled tiredly.
“After being on the road, I’m not so surprised” Linda chuckled. “Do you want to stop at a drive-thru? Are you hungry?”
“Nah, we don’t have time” you shook your head. “I got muffins on the plane. They got enough sugar to fuel me till next Saturday.”
“You know you shouldn’t eat things like that… your diabetes is not a joking to-“
“I know… I was kidding, Linda” you chuckled waving tiredly. “I gave them to the boy two seats in front of me. He was really happy and I can stay healthy.”
Linda just shook her head with a fond smile before she started listing your duties and assignments. You realized that you barely had any time in your schedule. You wanted to go shop Christmas presents for your family and friends but maybe ordering on the internet will have to do.
Suddenly, your phone chimmed and your eyes went wide. It was Jackson Wang. You picked it up with a smile on your face. He was one of the only guys who you could call friend. Mostly, guys avoided you, you had no idea why. Maybe because you had a cold and serious exterior just like Yibo or maybe you were just not really as good as the other girls.
“Hey, stranger” you spoke with a smile on your face.
“Hey, (Name), I heard you arrived to Beijing” Jackson replied and you could hear the smile in his voice. “Unfortunately, I just left a few weeks ago…”
“You can still come and visit me during filming” you suggested with a mischievous smirk playing on your lips. “You already met Yibo.”
“Is it frightening? Your first role?” Jackson asked then.
“I’m more afraid of living up to my partner’s expectations, you know?” you sighed heavily. “He has a reputation and you know me… I always mess up with guys like him. I’m totally afraid of him.”
“Yibo’s strict and serious when it comes to work but he’s polite and kind” he replied.
“I wish you could be here” you smiled. “But you have a tone of work to be done so… talk to you later?”
“Alright, princess” Jackson replied and somehow you could hear his disappointment in his voice. “Leave a day free in your schedule, okay? I have a surprise.”
“See ya” you hung up. Your heart was pounding in your chest as you put your phone away. Maybe Luna was right about him and maybe you noticed his advances before… only you were afraid of not being good enough for him. You closed your eyes for a moment to get your bearings before you grabbed your manuscript to repeat your lines.
The first time you read through the manuscript left you speechless. You weren’t sure if you could ace the role but you were confident of landing it right. You’ve had supporting roles before and based on that you got this one. You loved to work with the director who was directing this drama.
By the time you arrived to the location, you already created your character in your mind and were confident of how you would form it. Linda ushered you out of the van and helped you get into the building safely. Someone must have leaked information about your location or Yibo’s because there was such a big crowd. At the disappointed “meh”s you quickly realized that they must be Yibo’s fans. You had no idea how he could handle all this fuss. He was the same age as you, 23 but was way more famous. It didn’t surprise you, he deserved it for working so hard and he was a guy. Fangirls were always more enthusiastic when it came to their idols.
The director and stuff greeted you and you exchanged handshakes and name cards before all the crew sat down for the read through. You opened your manuscript and was about to start when Wang Yibo arrived. To be honest, you expected him to enter the scene with lights highlighting his form while fog machines would blow fog around him. However, Yibo only wore a simple blue hoodie and jeans. He wore no make-up and his hair was not as perfectly styled as you expected him to appear. A little part of you was happy that he wasn’t the perfect human being everyone wanted him to be. He looked normal as he bowed and greeted everyone, introducing himself like no one knew who he was. He was quickly ushered next to you and you stood to introduce yourself to him properly.
“Hi, I’m (Name) (Last Name), nice to meet you” you smiled at him after bowing a little and offering him your hand. You felt like freezing under his intense gaze while he lifted his hand and shook yours. His grip was firm yet not lingering a second longer than the necessary.
“Nice to meet you” he nodded and sat down with you quickly following. Mostly he seemed to be indifferent which was nicer than what you expected him to be like. You started the read through which went smoothly. There were a few mistakes you’ve made with pronunciation but mostly it was a success.
Everyone was ushered to another room where you were measured so the stylists could choose the right outfit for you. You thanked their work before you decided to go and have lunch. You stood in line and chose some vegetables and rice. Everything looked tasty but you had to be careful with food. You spotted a table in the far corner where no one was seated and went over with your tray. You sat down with a quiet huff and picked up your chopsticks. You knew everyone who could make out the contents of your tray was surprised to see only vegetables and some rice on it. Mostly everyone wanted to have meat but it was easier to keep your diet if you chose vegetables when you weren’t eating at home.
You were about to take a bite when a familiar pair of shoes and jeans approached you. You looked up to see Xuan Lu. She was so delicate compared to you, her petite form so feminine and gentle. She got the supporting role of your older sister in the drama. She was the first to talk to you when you arrived. You smiled at her in greeting and scooted over to make some space for her.
“Why are you sitting alone?” she asked concerned. “No one introduced you to anyone yet?”
“No, not yet but… I think it is better” you replied politely. “I just got off the plane and I’m afraid I would fall asleep while someone’s speaking. It would be extremely rude.”
“Hahaha, it is alright” she giggled. “Have you talked to Yibo? You guys are gonna be playing the main characters.”
“Not really, he sat next to me during the read through but I just greeted him” you shook your head. “I know that I’m not doing my best… but-“
“You’re doing quite well, you’re just new” Xuan Lu smiled at you reassuringly. “Everyone else know each other here. We worked together before and you’re the only one new here. It is hard, but I know you’ll get used to things quickly. It will be fun!”
“I hope so too” you nodded with a quiet chuckle. Talking to her was nice. She was like the sunshine, bright and warm. After lunch, you were ushered into the room where teachers showed everyone the right etiquette. You had no idea how hard it was to keep your back straight for so long or pour tea properly. Once it was time for everyone to return to the hotel you felt completely drained. You caught a glimpse of Wang Yibo as he left the scene with all his fans screaming and yelling after him.
Linda was on the phone once you boarded the van and listened to her negotiate with Yuehua Entertainment. You were signed with Kanjian Music because Jackson insisted on you signing with them. At XXXXX Entertainment you felt underrated and left out and Jackson thought you deserved to be treated well. He saw talent in you even if you didn’t really think you were anything extraordinary. Yuehua was organizing some big event, you weren’t present when they announced and wanted you to perform.
Linda groaned when she put the phone down and rolled her head in order to loosen her joints. She was the business casual type, always wearing business clothes which complemented her form yet still managed to look casual and comfy.
“Are you okay?” you asked. “You know, I thought that you could work from home like… I have Jimmy and the crew around. Yunduo must be missing you.”
Yunduo was Linda’s seven years old little daughter. The girl was so cute and you really loved her. A long while ago, Linda had to bring her to work because no one could look after Yunduo and her elementary school was closed due to snow. You played with her after recording and even inspired you to write a new song.
“But there’s a tone of work to be done… we still need to find a new background dancer in placement of Jeremy, the photoshoot for L’Oreal still has no place in your schedule and they insist on 29th of March.” she replied. “And that is only the tip of the iceberg.”
“And Black Pink is still waiting for an answer on the collab” you sighed. “There’s like three days during shooting when I’m not needed on location. Do you think we can fit it in there? Like the videoclip shooting doesn’t need more than three days usually.”
“I’ll call their manager” Linda nodded and picked up her phone. During the way to the hotel you checked your schedule over and over, trying to fit as much as possible into the free days you had during the drama’s shoot. In the hotel room you dropped everything and went into the bathroom. The hot shower was heavenly after such a long day. You checked the schedule for tomorrow and picked out your sports bag. You packed work-out clothes for the martial arts practice and a change of clothes. As you looked around the dark room, you realized how cold it was. The atmosphere was cold and lonely. It has been years since you let alone thought about love and romance. To be honest, it wasn’t hard to keep the dating ban because you had no time to really fall in love. You were too busy.
Time skip ~
You got up early and changed into your work-out clothes before jogging down and jumping into the van. The weather was nice and you were grateful for whatever godly being for the absence of paparazzi in front of the hotel. You sighed and leaned back in your seat while you greeted Linda.
“You look refreshed” Linda noted making you snort.
“I finally slept” you grimaced. You happily accepted the coffee she pushed into your hands and the bag of whole grain fitness croissants. Right after you arrived, you were ushered into the room where the teachers waited for everyone. To your surprise, Yibo was already practicing. You knew he had a lot of practice because of the amount of dramas he already starred in. You greeted everyone and put your bag down in the corner.
“(Name)! Good morning!” Xuan Lu chirped and intertwined her arm in yours.
“Good morning” you nodded with a soft smile. “How did you sleep?”
“Oh, I was a little bit restless but overall, I slept well. How about you?”
“I slept like a log after such a long day” you replied. “Flying from San Francisco to Beijing was tiring. The kid behind me kept kicking my seat.”
“Are you excited? About today’s practice?” she grinned.
“We will try out the carabiners and everything right?” you asked and didn’t notice she was leading you towards Yibo. Only when his practice sword hit your side making you yelp. Your co-star turned around startled with wide eyes as you held your side. “Ah, I never imagined a fake sword could hit this hard.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you” Yibo spoke up and checked your side for any serious injury. You waved him off with a smile.
“It’s okay, I know you didn’t intend to hit me” you replied. “I should’ve looked where I was going. Sorry for startling you… W-Wang laoshi.”
You noticed how both of your co-stars looked confused at your stutter. You blushed and tried to come up with a good explanation for your awkwardness. Ever since you were thrown in the middle of Chinese culture, you had a hard time keeping up with it. Calling someone who was a few months younger than you ‘teacher’ was strange. Calling anyone ‘teacher’ outside of school was strange. Though, you tried your hardest to get used to titles and things like that.
To your luck, the teachers started the session, drawing everyone’s attention. You got a wooden sword of your own and started practicing. It felt nice to have some work-out and actually move. The day went smoothly and soon you were trying on your costume for the promotion photos. You looked into the mirror and was amazed by the results. Yibo approached you for the first time when you were asked to stand in the middle. He looked ethereal in the costume, his wig was long and he had a hair dress that made him look like a dragon in human’s form. The drama was about the dragon prince falling in love with the human princess and kidnapping her. You smiled at him gently and carefully complimented him.
“It suits you, Wang laoshi” you said as you pointed at his head dress. “They made a really good job, it truly looks like dragon horns.”
“Ah, thanks” he nodded flashing you a small smile which didn’t reach his eyes but he seemed rather tired than annoyed. If you looked closely, you could see the faint shadow of circles under his eyes. You heard some of the stuff talk about how he was running back and forth between the shooting of the drama and the shooting of the new show where he was one of the mentors.
“(L/N)-laoshi, could you turn your back on Wang laoshi and make an angry face?” the photographer asked and you obliged. You were nervous through the first half of the photoshoot but Yibo made some silly faces when the photographer asked him to look at you pleadingly and everyone burst out laughing. His face was so expressive, every emotion could be read and you wished that you were just a little bit like the other actresses. They were so carefree, not minding if they said the right thing or not.
At the end of the day, you returned to the dressing room which you shared with Yibo and the other main actors. Yibo sat down in the chair next to you and waited for the wig and make-up to be taken away. He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. His skin looked so flawless, so perfect and his lips were so plump.
“You know, it is rude to stare at others” he opened one eye looking directly at you. You squealed in surprise and blushed.
“Sorry… I just noticed how your skin seems to glow even when you look so tired” you shrugged.
“You look like you’re afraid of me” he shook his head at your evasive reply. “Am I that scary?”
“I-I… I didn’t mean to be rude” you sighed averting your gaze. “Maybe I’m a little bit intimidated.” You shrugged as a sad smile appeared on your face. You could tell he was watching you with curiosity now.
“You know that we will be working together for months, right?” he asked then like he was bored making your heart jump in fear. Again. You will be humiliated by another guy. Your hand curled into a fist in your lap as you stared forward. Anger and frustration at your own inability bubbled up in your chest.
“I can separate the time in front of cameras and the time behind them” you replied coldly. “Don’t worry, Wang laoshi.”
Your smile was saccharine sweet and filled with anger and displeasure. You expected to be treated badly, to be looked down upon, to annoy someone like him. The make-up artists suddenly appeared and started working on the two of you, chatting away with each of you amicably. Fortunately, Yibo finished earlier and left the room with a cold “see ya” before you. You sighed tiredly not really believing how badly you were getting along with the one person you should have chemistry.
“Don’t be hard on yourself, darling” Jennie said as she wiped your face. “He’s always cold and distant, workaholic for sure. You will warm up to each other and learn how to cooperate as we go.”
“I hope so” you mumbled unsure if that was possible.
Time skip ~
The three days off from shooting was heaven. Finally you could take a break from being under Yibo’s scrutinizing gaze and distasteful expression whenever he was in the same room as you. You apologized to him politely for being rude but he just accepted it quietly and left you hanging. During shooting, you totally fell in love with his character, the gentle, courting dragon prince who tried to win the heart of the princess. However, when the cameras were off, you ran as far as possible from him and sought refuge in the presence of the other cast members.
You felt refreshed when you arrived to the location of the shoot and greeted everyone with a bright smile on your face. Xuan Lu gave you a gentle hug and asked about the shooting of the videoclip. You didn’t even notice someone approaching you as you told her all about it until that someone tapped you on the shoulder. You turned to them surprised just to be shocked when you spotted Yibo. Your eyes widened at his sight and you tried to keep yourself from freaking out.
“Hey, um… nice to have you back” he said. “Han ge wants to invite you to Day Day Up. He asked me to ask about your schedule, if you could make time?”
He looked uncomfortable as the silence stretched on. You swallowed the lump in your throat as you nodded. You grabbed your phone and opened the planner to show him.
“Um… I can send you a screenshot of my schedule? It will be easier for him to choose but if nothing is good for him, I can ask Linda to rearrange things so-“ you rumbled embarrassed as you showed Yibo the screen of your phone.
“Yeah, that’s okay” he nodded. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Y-yeah” you nodded and followed him to the corridor. Your heart was thumping hard in your chest as you tried to figure out how will you escape from your co-star in case things escalate in a bad way. Yibo led you into an empty room and closed the door behind himself trapping you inside. “Um… what did you want to talk about?”
You couldn’t believe how weak and shaky your voice sounded and scolded yourself for being afraid of Yibo. You both were adults and could settle your opposing ideas or whatever without strangling each other.
“Why are you always so on edge around me?” he asked. “So long it didn’t interfere with work but if in the future it does, you should think about all the other people working on this production hard with us.”
“It is not you… or not only you” you sighed. Maybe trusting him would help you finding a way for this whole working together to be less awkward. “I… I’m always worried about others being annoyed with me without me doing or saying anything. I’ve always been scolded for anything and everything… I’m sorry it got in your way. I’ll try my best to change it.”
Tears were about to pour out of your eyes as memories flashed before your eyes. Silence enveloped you two as you stood there with Yibo staring at you. You were too afraid of looking him in the eyes, afraid of what you would see on his handsome face.
“It hasn’t gotten in my way, (Name)… it gets in your way and will get in your way in the future if you don’t deal with it.” Yibo sighed. “I am aware of how hard it is to deal with anxiety but you have to fight your fears. The only opinion that should matter to you is your own.”
You felt him move in front of you and you managed to look up still trembling under his gaze. Yibo looked down on you with his eyebrows furrowed and eyes shining with fire. A fire to fight. Your heart skipped a beat as you stared back at him. His plump lips then curled upward in a gentle, genuine smile. You didn’t even notice how you followed him and smiled back before you whispered a quiet ‘thank you’ to him.
There was something magnetic in the air as you stood there. Suddenly, one of the stuff members knocked on the door and opened it. They informed you about the starting of today’s shooting and asked you two to return to the dressing room. The whole day went in a blur and you felt giddy at the end. For the first time, you weren’t restraining yourself around anyone. You laughed and joked around with the others, with Yibo of all people. If someone would’ve asked you at the beginning of the shooting what you thought would happen during shooting this was the last thing that you would’ve answered.
“(Name), we were thinking about having dinner together, the whole cast” Xuan Lu approached you after shooting. “Are you free?”
“Um, yeah, yeah” you nodded checking you phone quickly. “What are we eating? I’m famished!”
“We thought of some hotpot, it is nothing heavy on the stomach” she grinned at you before she looked up at Yibo. “Are you joining us too, Yibo?”
“Yeah, sure” he nodded. That is how you found yourself sitting next to Wang Yibo in the restaurant. The food was delicious and the booze let you loosen up a little which you shouldn’t have drank but who cares about diabetes? It was just one night and you barely had the half of the beer in front of you.
You found out that Yibo was quite enthusiastic when it came to his passions. He was telling you stories about his DDU brothers when his phone lit up. You saw that it was one of his former co-stars from The Untamed cast. Xiao Zhan was now maybe even bigger of a star than Yibo was. Your eyes jumped to Yibo’s face to see a melancholic, sad smile on his face, like he was remembering ‘the good old days’. He closed his phone without replying and leaned back in his seat. You checked your watch and saw that it was quite late.
“You look tired, Yibo” you noted as you nudged him gently. “Jimmy is waiting for me outside with the van. I’ll ask him nicely to drop you off at your hotel, okay?”
“I don’t want to trouble you” he shook his head but you could tell he was grateful for your offer.
“It’s not a trouble, not for me” you chuckled. “Maybe for Jimmy but he cannot say no to my puppy dog eyes.” you winked at him before you stood from your seat. The two of you left the others after wishing them good night and left the restaurant. You were happy that there were a few days where there were no paparazzis and crazy fans running after you. Then you looked at your co-star and realized that Yibo was dealing with that ten times as much as you.
Jimmy just sighed tiredly at your request but turned the way Yibo’s hotel was in. You leaned back in your seat and sighed contentedly. Yibo was looking out the window quietly, his expression showing that he was deep in the past.
“I already told you about my anxiety… it’s your turn to trust me with something” you quipped quietly with a gentle smile before adding: “If you feel like it.”
Silence sat in the van as he kept staring out the window. You swallowed and averted your gaze. It was too early for you to ask him something so personal. You messed up aga-
“It’s hard to stay friends when you love the other person” he replied quietly, his voice barely audible. You were aware of the rumors and contemplations going on around Yibo and Xiao Zhan. You knew about all of it and how Xiao Zhan got into trouble because of his fans. So this was the truth or part of it. You had no idea but you decided that it is not your business. Yibo was seemingly coping with his feelings or past feelings, he didn’t need someone nosy. He needed a friend.
“What is your heart saying?” you asked as you looked at him. “Do you want to wait any longer or do you want to give up?”
“It’s hard to move on when the other is just keeps popping up in your life when you were about to say goodbye” he sighed, his eyebrows furrowing and you could see the pain in his eyes. He looked so vulnerable for the first time. You had no idea why he let his guards down in front of you but you appreciated his honesty and trust.
“Was he serious about anything or…?” you questioned gently.
“I have no idea… one moment, I felt like he was but then pressure grew on both of us and we were forbidden from even just greeting each other on the award shows… and then he disappeared and then popped back into my life like he wanted to continue then backed away… It was a mess…” tears gathered under his eyes and he pulled his gaze away from the window, averting it onto the car’s floor.
“Maybe both of you would be able to settle your feelings once you properly talked about it” you replied. “You definitely need closure.”
“I know that I’m tired of trying to chase him” Yibo shrugged. Out of your control, your body moved over to his side and placed your hand on his gently squeezing it. You felt bad for him, you had no idea how it must’ve felt, to be on cloud nine one day and then drop to hell on the next.
“Do what your heart tells you to do, Yibo” you smiled sadly. “It will damage you on the long run if you keep these feelings bottled up.”
“Thank you…” Yibo said quietly and you heard him sniff before Jimmy stopped the van and opened the door for him to leave. Yibo grabbed his bag and got off before turning back and waving to you. You waved back with a small smile before Jimmy closed the door and Yibo disappeared behind the hotel entrance.
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Time passed by quickly as the shooting went and the most dreaded day went smoother than you thought it would. That day was the filming of the princess sleeping with her dragon prince as husband and wife. No nudity or anything but being so intimate with Yibo was frightening you. You’ve never been intimate with anyone and in your former roles you didn’t have to kiss or caress anyone.
However, with how Yibo started treating you like one of his close friends and even kept annoying you with hugging you so tight that you thought your ribs would break, it wasn’t as hard. When the camera started rolling, it felt like you were a completely different person, like you were the princess who was truly in love with her dragon prince. And when her dragon prince looked at her, it was filled with adoration and love. Rarely, sometimes you wished that Yibo would look at you like that but then you quickly shook your head and told yourself that it was impossible. You quickly made yourself see reality knowing that in the end, falling for him would be instant heartbreak. He would never look at someone like you, the way he was looking at Xiao Zhan.
The two of you kept hanging out after the shooting wrapped up, you even prepared a birthday cake for him and gave it to him in the DDU backstage. You were aware of how the tabloids and magazines tried to prove that the two of you were going out and Yuehua wanted the two of you to even pretend. You could see how uneasy it made your friend so you refused their request, though you had no idea why Yibo looked disappointed at that. It was a mixture of relief and disappointment which confused you.
Linda and you were about to arrive for a meeting at an office building when you heard the loud voices of a crowd. You furrowed your eyebrows as the van stopped and the young girls gathered up to the van. Jimmy and the other three men who were the office building’s security stuff tried to hold back the crowd while you and Linda left the van. You couldn’t make out what they were yelling at you but they didn’t seem happy. You tried to move as quickly as you could so the security guys and Jimmy wouldn’t need to fight off the crowd for too long, when you felt something sticky and wet hit the side of your face. You gasped in surprise but barely had time to shield yourself before the onslaught of tomatos and other vegetables hit your form. Once you were inside you took deep gulps of air in your lungs, leaning on your knees while Linda tried to clean you off as much as she could with a handkerchief.
“W-What’s going on?! What was this?!” you asked frightened out of your mind. Linda’s eyes looked at you with pity before she picked out her phone from her pocket and showed you a picture.
Your eyes widened when you saw it. You could clearly remember that night. The drama was about to air and you were going around promoting it with Yibo. The whole cast went out to check out the festival that was organized locally. You talked Yibo into going to the small haunted house like thing and he was clutching your hand through the whole ride. Then when it was over, he leaned on your shoulder and held onto you out of fear. You had to console him with a bunch of tasty food and had to win a plushy for him to ‘make it up to him’. The whole night was hilarious and you never felt more like yourself before that.
The picture was showing the two of you cuddling on the haunted house ride, your faces clearly shown.
“But… but we’re not dating or anything” you mumbled. “It was just a friendly cuddle.”
“(Name), darling… he’s clearly into you” Linda sighed. “You haven’t seen him look at you during the promotion tour and Wang Yibo, is not one to cuddle one of his friends like that.” She pointed at the picture with a serious expression. “Not since…”
“Zhan ge” you finished it. Your heart started thumping hard in your chest. So you weren’t reading too much into things. So you were right when you felt like he wanted to kiss you, truly kiss you during shooting. Not the dragon prince kissing the princess but Yibo kissing you.
“You shouldn’t be smiling like that!” Linda groaned but you saw the amusement in her eyes. You lifted a hand to your lips and realized that you were smiling stupidly making you giggle. “(Name), this is a real thing we have to deal with. You know that netizens can turn your life upside down, right?”
“Yeah… yeah, I know… but just for a few minutes… can I be happy?” you asked and you saw the pity and pain on her face. She was aware of how hard it must be for you in that moment. You weren’t allowed to show affection, you weren’t allowed to be friends with just anyone and you were forbidden from dating anyone. Your phone suddenly went off. Yibo.
You let it ring for a while until you picked it up with your heart thumping in your throat. You were expecting… you had no idea what you were expecting or hoping for. That he would ask you to be his girlfriend? That he would say that he doesn’t care about the world and wants to be with you? Impossible.
“H-Hello?” you asked unsure and heard his relieved sigh on the other end.
“Thank God… I thought you wouldn’t pick up” he sighed heavily. Then a pause. Seconds ticked by like they were hours as you listened to his breathing. “I saw the videos… are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
Your heart jumped again at the anger in his voice. You swallowed before you answered, eyes wandering around trying to form your thoughts properly in your head before you spoke them.
“I-I’m okay, Yibo” you said. “Jimmy and the others protected me… you know… your fans are quite crazy.”
“I’m so worried, (Name)…”
“Don’t be, I’m okay now, it’s just some-“
“(Name)… I’m worried about us” Yibo said quietly. His voice sounded so vulnerable, so broken like he was… like he was frightened out of his mind. “I don’t want to… lose you too…”
“You won’t” you replied with determination filling you. He was your friend, you won’t just give up being his friend because some crazy teenagers thought they were owning him. You liked him and you were ready to fight, to stand tall and keep going for him. Thump. Thump. Thump-thump. Thump. “We’re friends and I’m not leaving my friends behind.”
Pause. You had no idea why the air suddenly grew heavy like you said something wrong. You pinched the bridge of your nose, scolding yourself for thinking about this again. Why were you still worrying yourself to death about saying or doing something wrong? This was no time for that. His silence was killing you so you decided to continue.
“We’ll fight” you said with your eyebrows furrowed. “We’ll figure out something, announce something so the crowd will go chill.”
“Do you like me?” his question stopped you in your tracks. Linda was motioning for you to follow her quickly into the bathroom so you could change into some fresh clothes but you just stared at her. You knew Yibo was insecure about the whole feelings-thing after what was going on with Xiao Zhan for years. You wanted to hug him and tell him that everything’s going to be okay.
“That is not even a question” you said with a smile. “I’ll take your fans’ rage any day as long as I have you.”
You said goodbyes when Linda was trying to take your phone from you. You were late for the meeting as it is even if all of the internet knew about the incident a few minutes prior. Soon after the meeting with the promotion company, your agency called Linda telling you to be over at Shanghai as soon as possible.
However, even after doing as the agency said and both you and Yibo confirmed that you were just friends and he was holding onto you because he was afraid, the fans kept up the hate. The two of you couldn’t even text each other in case someone would hack into your phones. You were trying to lay low and concentrate on your work with your team after you arrived back to South Korea. The night seemed to stretch long with the recording for the new album. You leaned back on the red couch and listened to Sulgi singing her part when you noticed the pale look the girls had. You furrowed your eyebrows as you turned to them with suspicion. They were definitely hiding something from you.
“What’s going on? What are you all looking at?” you asked pointing at their phones in their hands. Sulgi tried to hide her phone behind her back with a nervous smile playing on her lips.
“Nothing, nothing” she shook her head and hid behind Sang-Hee who put her hands on her hips with a pout.
“Girls, we cannot hide it from her! She will find it herself anyway” Sang-Hee reasoned with them and took her phone out of her pocket, sliding her fingers over the screen for a few seconds before she sat down next to you and gave her phone to you. “Please don’t freak out, okay? Those people don’t even know anything about you and they are just speaking like that because they can hide behind their computers.”
You stared blankly at the millions of insults under the latest picture of F-LASH, all about how you didn’t worth Yibo’s attention and how ugly you were. Some of them even went to the extent of wishing you were dead. You felt arms hugging you close and a gentle hand taking the phone out of your clutch. These were people who only talked out of rage, it was nothing serious. You were your own person, you weren’t working for the haters, you were trying to please and give love to those who supported you. The haters didn’t matter.
You tried to tell yourself those things but your heart still thumped in your chest and you felt dizzy.
“(Name), the only opinion that should matter is yours” Luna said quietly as she held onto you. You sniffed and took a deep breath lifting your head and straightening your posture.
“Exactly” you nodded with a smile. “Thank you girls, let’s get back to work!”
All of them looked at you with worried expressions but agreed. Working till you were too tired to check your phone helped you many times. You were more afraid of how the promotion and sells would go if so much hate was focused on you. It was not only your work but the others’ and they worked ten times harder. They deserved the recognition even if you didn’t.
What shocked you that day was when Jackson knocked on your door with a box of take out and a bottle of wine. For the first time in months, you felt at ease again and genuinely laughed when he made silly jokes. After that, promotion went smoothly and the hate surrounding you on the internet subsided to your relief for the band’s sake. Though, your popularity decreased as well and you found yourself sitting in the conference room with the company’s head. The band’s manager sat next to you because Linda only worked with you when you were performing or shooting something in China. Your boss’ words were like slaps to the face as you sat there and listened to him telling you that he doesn’t want to work with you anymore because you meant no profit for the company.
You grabbed your bag and returned to your apartment without saying anything to anyone. You laid on your couch for hours as you tried to figure out what to do next. You knew you had to inform the girls about your leave and of course you had to contact Linda and ask Kanjian what were they planning with you after this. You got up with a groan and sat there leaning on your knees with your elbows. Maybe it was time for you to take a break just like Jesy from Little Mix a few years ago. Maybe things were going downhill for you for a reason but everything can be temporary if you fight and never give up what you dream of. You jumped to your feet and hurried inside your bedroom. Packing was easy because you didn’t have much clothing so everything you wanted to bring with you easily fitted inside two suitcases. You checked the earliest flight to (Home country) and bought a ticket. You knew your grandma will happily let you stay for a while and in the meantime you could gather inspiration and find yourself again. For the first time in months maybe in years you felt like you were making the right decision. It felt right and there was no one who could stop you from doing whatever you wanted.
Six months later ~
You missed your friends especially Yibo but your plans were still in the process and Kanjian haven’t replied about your ideas of your comeback. In the six months you spent hidden from the media and the world, you composed several songs, prepared with a new style which was your own and kept in touch with Linda who helped you plan out everything.
You kept texting Yibo but it couldn’t compare to the times you hanged out together. You saw him work hard like nothing happened six months earlier but when you watched the videos his fans made they pointed out things that could be seen only if you looked closely and even then could feel exaggerated. He definitely looked less enthusiastic and his smiles looked fake and unhappy. Some videos were even showing his bottled up anger showing in gestures or small expressions. You were returning from your morning run when you spotted a familiar hoodie on the person standing in front of your grandma’s door. The figure was slim and was clutching a skateboard in one of his hands.
Your heart skipped a beat and your feet stopped walking as you stared at him. Could it be? Were you hallucinating? Then he turned around. You watched in slow-motion as his eyes lit up, lips parted and face brightened when he spotted you standing there a few feet away.
“Yibo?” you blurted out still in shock.
“(Name)… you’re here” he mumbled before he jumped down the few stairs leading to your grandma’s door and stopped in front of you. “I thought you… left…”
You were aware of the lingering ‘me’ but for the first time in his presence, you couldn’t restrain yourself and hugged him with a large grin plastered on your face. The baggy clothing hid how he lost weight again, he almost felt like a skeleton in your arms and worry filled your chest as you pulled away.
“You lost weight” you blurted out with an unsatisfied expression. “Are you eating enough?”
“I do…” Yibo’s voice was quiet like he was being scolded and you noticed a light blush covering his cheeks.
“Are you aware of the fact that you just ruined my fabulous comeback in China?” you pulled away then and put your hands on your hips. “I wanted to surprise you… and everyone else for that matter but… mostly you.”
“You want to come back? To China?” he asked uncertain like he was afraid of it all being just a dream. You grabbed his hand and pulled up to the door quickly opening it. You ushered him inside and your grandma was hurrying out from the kitchen to see who came. She was the typical grandma so Yibo got a ton of cookies and a large mug of hot cocoa before she questioned him.
You were mortified in one second then the next you were laughing your head off at the way she was teasing Yibo about his skinny form. Finally having some privacy, you showed him your works and plans. You had the feeling that there was something nagging him but you didn’t want to pry. He was hard to trust someone and you didn’t want to lose that privilege. You were deep in explanation about your comeback plan when you felt his slender fingers touch your hand and slid into it. You looked at him surprised, your attention all on him. His brown eyes were boring into you making you feel like you were drowning in the deep ocean. His plump lips opened and closed as he was trying to form words before he finally spoke up with fire burning in his eyes.
“I like you” he said simply. It was so simple but that was the truth, you could tell. You squeezed his hand and tried to hide your blush before you answered.
“I like you too”
“Then why did you leave without saying goodbye? I thought that you left and I would never see you again” his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at you. He was hurt and you could tell. You were aware of it from how he refused to answer your texts at the beginning of those six months even if your first text was a long apology. “I felt betrayed… and I thought that you were just saying all those nice things but never thought them serious.”
“It was a rash decision out of hurt, out of anger and frustration… I saw no other way out and I just wanted to run because I felt trapped.” you replied slowly feeling guilty. After all the things he told you, after all the things you told him and trusted him with… you left just like XZ. “That doesn’t mean it justifies anything… I just want you to know that I never intended to hurt you, Yibo.”
You were expecting him to pull away, to tell you everything else and scold you for being so selfish… not his hand turning your head so you were facing him and not his lips to press against yours. Your eyes widened as he kissed you. It felt like the first time when he kissed you during shooting. You knew deep down back then that the kiss he gave you was not just his character kissing your character. It was the two of you.
You carefully, fearfully reciprocated his kiss, holding onto his baggy hoodie pulling him closer to you. It was unbelievable. You never thought this possible, even in your furthest dreams, he was only seeing you as a good friend. He was leaning after you when you pulled away and you giggled happily. Then reality hit you. Your smile melted away from your face and you sighed.
“Once we go back… what will we do?” you asked curious. Would Yibo want to continue or was it just temporary?
“I think that our personal life is none of the fans’ business” he replied with his eyebrows furrowed. Then he squeezed your hand with a smile that could brighten up anyone’s day. “It will be hard but I’m willing to fight for us.”
“I know and this time… you have someone on your side who’s not gonna runaway” you replied with a bright smile on your face.
Ten years later ~
Looking back on the hardships of your relationship with Yibo was filling you with pride and joy. The amount of work the two of you put into your relationship was fruitful. It was hard to keep it a secret but looking around the home you’ve built together and the family you had reassured you that it was worth it. Now, ten years later, your husband built his own entertainment company and you were owning your own brand of cosmetics.
When Yibo announced your relationship after he proposed to you, the fans were less outraged by it because of the seriousness and soon after your first child, the voices of the haters completely disappeared. The crazy fangirls realized that Yibo was taken and that they had no power over his personal life. The entertainment industry changed a lot during the years and you were one of the faces of the project that helped young idols and trainees develop a healthy body image and helped with mental illnesses. You sat amongst the other actors and actresses on the Tencent Award show as you were nominated for best supporting actress.
It was late and you were quite tired as you just arrived back from Seoul a few hours ago but watching your husband receive his sixty thousandth award was worth it. He was still as stunning as ever as he walked down the stairs back to the stars’ section and sat down next to you.
“Congratulations! You deserved it!” you grinned at Yibo.
“You know… having a kid and being a responsible parent really changed me” he chuckled. “Before, I was full of energy, filled with inspiration after receiving another award… now… I just want to go home and take a hot bath.”
You laughed giddily and slapped his arm playfully. He was right though, having a kid, being a boss and doing several other projects was tiring, however, you knew that you would never change anything.
End ~