Zixin furrowed his brows in bewilderment. He failed to understand what changed within Guiying after the last bit he said.
"Me?" He blinked rapidly. "How can I be MrPerfect?"
"I don't know! But you…you always talk like how he used to in the letters. Your words, your tone and everything," she trembled, "it just feels so strongly similar. I have had this feeling many times, but I always shrugged it off. But that phrase 'I shall forever be your loyal fan.' is exactly…" her eyes ached, "what he used to say…I don't understand anything anymore!"
Zixin's countenance paled as he felt the turmoil from her aura. He wanted to deny, but he failed to back himself because it dawned on him that he had no memories.
If he had no memories, then was it possible that he might be MrPerfect but didn't remember it due to his accident?
He also agreed with what Guiying said about familiarity. He, too, had felt an odd sense of knowing her from somewhere before. Their first meeting under the cherry blossom tree felt warm, ringing a deep emotion in his heart.
Is it because I am…MrPerfect? Was it why he always felt so drawn towards her?
He felt a headache coming as if some memories in black and white were trying to pry their way in, but nothing went beyond that.
But that possibility only frightened him because MrPerfect had betrayed her and he…
"I would never betray you. I would never even think of fooling around with you," he said as he grabbed her arms again, shortening their distance between them. He peered into her clear, misty eyes with complicated emotions.
On one hand, he felt it would be so perfect if he was MrPerfect. If he was the man that she had fallen for, he felt his heart bursting with joy.
But if MrPerfect was somebody who had hurt her, then he would never want to be that guy breaking Guiying's heart.
Guiying slightly jolted, feeling a warm palm hold her cheek. The touch of those fingertips was so gentle that she wished to melt in that warmth.
"Guiying…I would never do anything to hurt you. I want to be someone in your life to protect you, not to bring tears to your eyes."
Guiying herself didn't know anymore what she said and thought. The incoherence between reality and her feelings was getting more and more blur. His breath fanned her forehead, heating up her cheeks. Suddenly, she had no courage to look into his eyes because she was afraid she would fall into a void from where she would never be able to come back.
"Then why do you sound…like him? It's so difficult to forget about him when you keep talking like him. Even though I know you are not him, I know I am just imagining things…I guess I have completely lost it, huh?" She was suddenly hit with a realization that she might be crazier than simply having another alter ego.
What a stupid thought...Zixin is not MrPerfect. He acts like him sometimes, but he is not him. Liu Jun is MrPerfect...Yeah...I am not making any sense anymore...
Zixin grabbed her neck, pushing her forward and closer to him. "No! You are not crazy! You are not lacking in anything! You are perfect the way you are. You are amazing whether it's you or 'her.' That's why I wanted to be with you. I only suggested brainstorming meetings because I just wanted an excuse to spend time with you. I wanted to know everything about you. I wished that the time we spent together would never end because you are so special to me!"
She finally faced him with the shock of what she just heard. "Special-"
But Zixin kissed her before she could finish her question. The press of his lips against hers jolted her with a disbelief she never felt before. Suddenly, all the jumbling thoughts in her mind vanished as she felt the sweet taste of his kiss in her mouth. Her widened eyes blankly stared at him.
It wasn't a deep kiss, but it was a long kiss for sure where Zixin felt like parting away from her would kill him. The growing frustrations within his chest started to calm down as he claimed her lips. The memory of their first meeting under the cherry blossom tree gushed into his mind.
The warmth enveloping his heart at this moment was just like the time he had seen Guiying's figure standing under the tree in the golden sunlight. Her presence and her smile was as tender as the lips he was kissing right now.
As he slowly withdrew, he spoke, "That's why I was not okay when you dismissed the fact that we weren't on a date. I wouldn't have minded if people mistook it as a date. But you were quick to reject that notion, so it hurt me."
Guiying felt like she forgot how to talk because right now, no words were coming out of her mouth. It was difficult enough to process the sudden kiss that now he was practically confessing to her.
His gleaming eyes took her breath away but also drowned her heart into further despair because with the way things stood right now, there was no chance of anything happening between them.
She took several steps back, making Zixin realize what he did in the heat of moment. "Guiying-"
"No! Please stay back," tears fell from her eyes. "It-it was a mistake…it was a mistake to be friends with you."
"No, it's not a mistake-"
"It is a mistake! With MrPerfect and you…it is impossible that…between us anything is impossible…" she clutched her head, wailing out her despair. "How did I even think that it was possible…"
Zixin clenched his fist. "I don't know why I remind you of MrPerfect, but I cannot be him. I don't remember anything from my past, but I cannot be that person to betray you."
"But somebody close to you is!"
He widened his eyes. "Somebody…close to me? Who?"
Her chest heaved back and forth with breathlessness and she turned to leave, biting her lower lip hard.
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But Zixin pulled her back. "Who are you talking about? Do you mean that MrPerfect is somebody I know?"
Her silence only aggravated his questions. "Who is he, Guiying?"
"Enough! It will only break your family for you. You won't be able to go against him."
"I will no matter who he is," he looked determined.
But Guiying gritted her teeth and shook him off. She turned but he grabbed her shoulder. "You have to tell me Guiying!"
Suddenly, she sharply turned and with one look, Zixin could say that it was 'her.' 'She' had taken over Guiying with a fierce gaze watching him with disdain.
"Oh yeah? You want to be the hero who gives justice to Guiying? Then go and demand an answer from Liu Jun because the culprit you are bugging us to know about is none other than your cousin!"