whirlwind: diyue ficlets

walk with me

Shen Yue was speed-walking through the hallways of her agency's building. the meeting with the president ran longer than she expected and she was running late to her next schedule, a dress fitting.

she turned a corner and almost bumped into her stylist who had an urgent look on her face. Yue nodded and said, "i know, i know. i'm sorry. if we hurry, we can still make it on time."

she hastened her steps but her stylist pulled her elbow and slowed her down. "no, it's not that. i don't think we need to go to the fitting anymore."

she stopped and turned to look at her stylist, "what? why?"

"you haven't heard?"

she automatically checked her phone and saw 2 missed calls from Xi Ze. 3 from Xi Zi. 5 from Sun Qian but no messages. she frowned. this was odd.

"what am i supposed to have heard?"

her stylist hesitated, then said, "the wedding. it's ... been called off ..."

her heart dropped to her stomach.

"WHAT? IMPOSSIBLE!"

"well ... i got a call from the bridal shop saying that someone from the wedding party had called and canceled the booking on all the dresses for the Wang - Li wedding..."

"where is he right now?!"

without waiting for an answer, she started jogging towards the elevators with her phone on her ear. no answer. she frowned as her fingers moved very quickly on the screen of the phone. she brought her phone back to her ear and waited. this call, too, went to voice mail. she fiddled with her phone again as the elevator pinged and opened its door. she stepped into the crowded lobby and ran to the waiting van.

she was about to step into the van when she caught a glimpse of him in her peripheral vision. he was leaning on the building's glass facade dressed in all black. he has a baseball cap and a face mask on but she didnt need to see his face to know it was him. her heart ached at the defeat radiating from his slouched posture.

she slowly made her way towards him and as she got a little closer she could see the emptiness in his eyes as he stared at a faraway non-existent focal point. she felt her heart broke right then and there for him.

she saw him let out a deep sigh. and as if sensing her, he turned his head and looked her straight in the eyes. he lowered his mask and gave her a bitter lopsided smile that barely reached his eyes. she ran to him and threw her arms around him. "i'm sorry. i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry."

she felt his arms slowly wrapping around her small frame.
"hey. what? why are you sorry?"

"i just am." she tightened his hold on him and pressed her face on his chest willing her tears not to fall.

"... you know.  ... how? ... we havent told anyone..."

"the shop called my stylist to cancel the fitting..."

"oh. that was fast of her. we just decided last night ..."

"i'm really sorry, Dylan."

"stop saying that. it's not your fault."

she loosened her hold on him and lift her head back and looked at his face with glassy eyes.

he chuckled and pinched her nose.

"silly girl. i'm the one who got his wedding canceled. why are you the one crying?"

"because!"

"i'm fine, Shen Yue. really."

she studied his face and searched his eyes. he's not fine. but he didn't look as devastated as she had thought he would. he smiled and rubbed his thumb on her forehead.

"stop frowning. you're gonna get wrinkles."

she completely untangled her arms from his body and stepped away from him. she narrowed her eyes.

"i'm not that old, you little ..."

he laughed.

"that's better."

he put his mask back in place, pulled another one from his jacket pocket and offered it to her.

"walk with me."

she nodded and put the mask on. then she rummaged through her bag and pulled a beanie out. she turned her head and saw that her stylist and manager were still standing by the van watching her. she gave them a thumb up and signaled for them to go home.

then she turned to him and said, "where to?"
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(1 March 2019)
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author's note:

i wanted to continue this (and some of you on twitter REALLY wanted me to continue 🙈) but for some reason i really like where it ended. it feels like with the walk they are embarking on a new chapter in their relationship (friendship?). the possibility of what the walk might entail is limitless and i kinda like that.

did they perhaps simply walk in silence? or did they talk about every topic under the sun BUT his canceled engagement? did either of them cry? or did by chance one of them realize just how relieved he/she was by the cancellation and go into confession mode?

hence, i decided to publish this here with its current ending. a little open-ended, a little happy, a little hopeful and A LOT of possibilities. you are welcome, AS ALWAYS, to comment with your take of what may have happened next. i LOVE reading your own mini fic in the comments.

have a great weekend, y'all. love and hugs and all that's warm and squishy!

(if by chance someday i decide to continue this, rest assured it will be published here too. 😊)