Where the Moon meets the Sun

Chapter Three

           

Song Bai Bo, model extraordinaire and one of the up and coming faces of fashion in China, looked outside her room at Hotel Indigo, and let out a frustrated sigh.

She walked 25 shows for Milan's Fashion Week but it still isn't enough.

"The Vogue invite has fallen through", her agent told her over the phone this morning, dampening her mood for the entire day, if not, for the entire year.

She was expecting the Vogue Italia cover and knew it would further propel her star against all her other peers once it happens. Vogue Italia is the fashion bible, a mecca for every aspiring name in fashion, everyone's goal, and buzz has gone around that a new name in Asia will be tapped to be in its cover after two years.

She asked who would be featured but her agent had no idea.

This would be kept under wraps until the magazine launches, of course, but she wanted to just try to know who beat her to it.

Maybe that will help her let out her irritation at being unable to book this.

She called Dylan to ask him to see her but he called just about 15 minutes ago and told her he had an emergency to take care of.

"I hate him."

Her roommate and co-label, Xin Ting Ting, looked at her quizzically.

"Bai, if Dylan said he can't come, I think he really can't come. It must be something important."

That was true.

During the early stages of their relationship, he told her he might be very busy and might not have enough time to see her but he will always do his best to be there whenever he can.

That lasted for a whole five months because he was shooting what would become one of his most famous series – Detectives of the Underworld.

But she held on to him despite the fact that they only had two or three actual dates because she loved him.

And he... he loved her.

He video-called her every night, sent her flowers every week to lighten her mood, bought her trinkets (anything at all that he says reminded him of her), he had lunch and dinner delivered to her whenever she would be too tired from casting calls, he was the most creative boyfriend she has ever had in that she missed him a lot but even if they went thru a phrase of being unable to see each other, she never felt lonely for he always found ways to be there for her.

He sent her his favorite jacket, perfumed with his scent, and told her to put it on a pillow so she would feel as if it is him she hugs at night.

But being a superstar's girlfriend, despite the happiness and joy it has given her, brought its own set of challenges and as her star shined brighter, she had to ask Dylan for a break-up.

That happened six months ago and he has been very understanding – far more understanding than she deserved, she knew.

And despite their break-up, he has been very vocal about his support for her and has always wished her well. He has even been present in some of shows that it has gotten to the point that people think it ridiculous that they had to break-up at all.

Yet... Bai is steadfast in her decision for she knows that she could easily be distracted by him.

And the distance that this break-up has afforded her has indeed helped her for propel her career forward.

"I know that...", she finally responded to Ting, "It's just..."

"I know you are feeling very down right now. I understand that. But don't say you hate Dylan just because he cannot be here."