Chapter 98：Jealous Girlfriend

"My relationship with Miyu is nothing more than a business. I know it's not enough, but that's all I can tell. I can not ask you to trust me, because I may not be able to trust. But I ask you to trust us. To trust our love. Can you do that? For us?"

Xiao Ping sighs deeply while staring at Takeshi's email that is still shown on the monitor. She finally could not bare to hold and asked Takeshi about the gossip. And that was Takeshi's answer. Short, firm, and sounded a little disappointed due to her question. Xiao Ping feels ashamed and regrets for asking. But on the other side, she is not satisfied with his answer as well. She feels like Takeshi didn't tell her the whole thing. She is not saying that he lied to her, but there is something he hidden from her.

Xiao Ping rereads Takeshi's request to trust their love. Of course she trusts Takeshi, and especially their love. Once again she regrets to have sent the email. But when she read the next mail from the mailing-list, her regret is changed with annoyance.

The email contains candid pictures of Takeshi came out of Miyu's car, Takeshi opened the door for Miyu, and Takeshi held her hand. Xiao Ping doesn't understand why people exaggerated those things. There is nothing wrong with a friend within a friend's car. It is also common for a gentleman opens a door for a woman. About the hand hold.. well.. well.. they are celebrities. Holding hand is common thing for them, right ? Xiao Ping's thought defends Takeshi fiercely. But her heart can't lie. She is jealous.

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"Don't you feel Xiao Ping is a little weird lately ?" Han Han asks while letting his sight from Xiao Ping away and turns to A Lin who is playing with a puppy. "What do you mean weird ?" A Lin asks without moving her attention. "I don't know.. she seems to be too carried away with the Japanese idol's gossip," Han Han explains. "Well, she is a big fan of Takeshi Hasegawa," A Lin says. Her hands are busy tickling belly of the brown hair puppy.

"But.. do you think her act now is still normal ? I mean ..." Han Han has to stop his words when A Lin says, "That how a fanatic is." From her tone Han Han realizes how reluctant A Lin is to talk about Xiao Ping. That is why Han Han doesn't continue and instead changing his attention to the puppy he just bought. following A Lin to tickle its chubby belly.

"Isn't he adorable.. yes you.. you are adorable..," A Lin says while squeezing the puppy's body in amused.

"You like him ?" Ham Ham asks. A Lin nods with a smile toward the puppy's round face. "Then.. would you keep him for me ?" Han Han offers, of course followed by A Lin's surprised turn. "Really ?" A Lin asks excitedly. Han Han nods in firm.

"I'm very careless. He better lives with you than lives miserably with me," he tells his reason. A Lin's wide smile accompanies her agreement nod. She doesn't know that Han Han initially bought the puppy for her.

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"Show time," Takeshi hisses to Miyu's ear followed by a sigh. Miyu nods a little, letting Takeshi put his hand around her waist along their last two floors down with the elevator. The elevator door is facing the hotel lobby exit door, thus once it is opened it immediately shows a view of dozens of reporters waiting at the hotel terrace.

As an ant smelling something sweet, the reporters quickly realizing the attendance of the 'couple' and wait no time to capture that 'caught-in-act' moment. They catch how the surprised look of Miyu that is still in the embrace of Takeshi's hand. A second later, Takeshi is releasing his hand from Miyu's waist with reddened face, seems to regret his slow reaction. They both then widening their distance with another, walking toward the lobby door. When the automatic door is opened, reporters immediately urge eagerly to pounce with their cliche questions.

"What are you doing here together ?"

"Do you often visit here ?"

"What did you do upstair ?"

"Does this mean you really are on a date ?"

"When will it be officially announced ?"

"What do you like from Hasegawa-san ? Hasegawa-san, are you sure to be able competing with Yamamura-san ?"

With the help of hotel security, Takeshi and Miyu try to break the reporters crowd while giving answers as they have prepared at the hotel room.

"We had work here. A photo session."

"No, not often. Just occasionally. Alone, not together."

"I told you, we were just having a photo session."

"We're just friend, no more. No. Nothing is to be announced."

"Nothing needs to be announced for a friendship, right ? Hasegawa-san is very nice, also good looking. But we are only friends."

"She is a very good friend. What to compete about ? No, none. Thank you."

"I need to go to my shooting location. Excuse me."

Finally they make it to Takeshi's white SUV, having a bit of trouble closing the car's door that being held by a reporter. "I'm sorry, but we are in a hurry. Please understand," Takeshi requests right when the reporter attacks him with a blitz. Takeshi maintains his patience and keeps on his smile. "Excuse me," he says, forcefully pushes the reporter then closing the car's door. When the car is moving, Takeshi and Miyu look at each other and give bland smiles.

Xiao Ping stops her hand's movement that is about to feed noodles to her mouth. Her appetite drastically drops to hear a shrill voice that talks loudly behind her back. "Did you know ? Yesterday they were caught in the act came out of a hotel. They said they had a photo session. But I don't think so. They were hugging in the elevator." Xiao Ping closes her eyes, trying to calm her emotion down.

"Something's wrong ?" Xu Qian asks feeling her anger. Xiao Ping shakes her head. "I.. I'm going to class," she then says goodbye. While standing, Xiao Ping tries to deafen her ears from Er Hua's chat that still continues on. "They were so intimate yet still said they were only friends. How can friends act so intimate, holding hand, hugging, kissing.."

"Shut up, Er Hua !" Xiao Ping shouts. With a half-turn body, Xiao Ping's face is almost as red as tomato. Er Hua grins. "Oops, I forgot that there is Takeshi's girlfriend here," she mocks. "So? Is Takeshi also that intimate with you ?" Er Hua's question is very hurtful, even more the adding, "I mean... in your dream..."

"Shut up !" Xiao Ping's exclamation is following her slap on Er Hu's face. The canteen is in silent for a moment. Everyone gasp, including Xiao Ping her self. She doesn't expect to slap Er Hua. But she doesn't regret. "Shut up," Xiao Ping repeats her saying with trembling voice to suppress her anger. She then leaves Er Hua that still touching her sore cheek. Xiao Ping's step is about to get through the canteen's door when she hears Er Hua's shout, "You crazy bi**h!"

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In her classroom, Xiao Ping sits face down on the table and crying hard. All her emotions are spilled on the table in form of tears. The tears are her anger to Er Hua and her desperate confusion toward Takeshi's news. The strength of the gossip's attacks via mailing list and online news and the blur signal from Takeshi slowly scrapping away her trust to their love.

Xiao Ping feels the presence of someone next to her. "What has actually happened ?" Xu Qian asks. "Why do you really care about the gossip ? And why Er Hua mocked you as his girlfriend ?" Xu Qian asks again confusedly. Xiao Ping raises her head showing her crumpling face due to the tears to Xu Qian.

"Because I am Takeshi's girlfriend," Xiao Ping confesses, no longer able to bare the burden alone. "You.. what ?" Xiao Ping asks, doesn't believe her hearing. "I'm Takeshi's girlfriend," Xiao Ping confirms seriously. She doesn't expect any specific response from Xu Qian. But when her friend only stiffed and stares at her with a disbelief and pity look, that second Xiao Ping regrets her confession.