Because of You: Junping and Yuerong

Chapter Sixteen: Back to the Beginning for Forgiveness

I didn't think the world could get any better. I was so happy studying the things I liked and being with Yuerong. I didn't have to hold myself back any more. When I wanted, no needed, to touch him, I did. When I wanted to kiss him, I snuck one in when no one was looking or controlled myself because I knew I would be able to kiss him all I wanted when we were alone.

Even his grandfather noticed when we went back to visit that following weekend. Although all he said was, "I'm glad you boys got everything settled," I could tell he was happy seeing Yuerong so joyful. Because, oh my goodness, it was a beautiful sight seeing him so full of smiles and laughter.

I laughed, too, thinking how often he would go on the attack when were alone. Anyone who thought I was always in charge in this relationship, did not know Yuerong.  We kissed and nibbled, and sucked until we would fall asleep with limbs all intertwined. But we agreed no marks where anyone could see. I had told him about our fan page, and neither one of us wanted anything to fan those flames or to provoke his sister.

We had done nothing but kiss and pet each other, but we weren't in any rush to go further. I wanted to take it slow. I wanted our first time together to be perfect. We still had much to learn about each other as boyfriends first.

But just as Yao, our math team friend, would have said, in dramas when everything seems perfect is always when something bad happens. We had only been dating for three weeks. We had just come back from playing basketball, and Yuerong asked if I wanted to take a shower. Remembering the last time, I declined but wondered why we didn't just use their hotspring pool instead.

We stripped off our shirts and slid in to the warm water. I was relaxing and trying not to ogle my boyfriend's perfectly smooth chest when he squirted me with water and the water battle began. We didn't stop until we heard yelling from Yue Wu. Initially, I thought something happened to her, but as I wiped the water from my eyes, I realized she was yelling at Yuerong.

She accused Yuerong of not helping her because he was going after "him." I wondered at first who the "him" was until she yelled gesturing toward me, "How dare you steal my man?!"

Wow. She was delusional. When was I ever her man? I wouldn't have dated her even if I weren't with Yuerong.  I'd rather be forever alone than be with her for a day. I was mad that yet another girl was accusing Yuerong of stealing something that was never theirs in the first place.

"Yue Wu," I yelled back, standing in front of Yuerong. "You can't do this even if he is your brother. I won't sit and watch if you continue to do this."

And then the world took a turn.

From the Prologue:

"I heard that you are a playboy, and that you flirt around. You are a fuckboy. Now you are going after my brother?"

Surprise didn't even describe what I was feeling. That is one thing I never did. I never slept around. There was too much of a risk of bribery for that. So I asked her.

"Fuckboy? Who said that?"

"Yan Yeurong"

The water turned cold as I slowly turned to look at the person in the springs next to me. I wished that he didn't still look so beautiful to me, but he did. Even as my body seemed to be slowly freezing while looking at his face that was obviously trying to come up with an explanation, I couldn't ignore how beautiful he looked with the water sparkling on his skin and the droplets of water on his hair looking as though he had been crowned by a water god.

I don't know how I got back into the house or into Yuerong's room or into dry clothes. I do know that I was almost finished packing up my backpack before Yuerong came in. And then all the feelings came back because the pain hit me like a wave. My wonderful Yuerong thought I was a flirt and a fuckboy? Did he not think anything I said or anything we did together was precious to me? That he was precious to me? And what was I to him?

"Junping, don't go."

He went to grab me, but I pulled away. "Get off me."

I turned and I wasn't going to, but I had to ask. "Why did you say that?"

Yuerong looked desperate. He pleaded. "I didn't mean that. I didn't."

He looked so forlorn but instead of making me feel sorry or forgiveness, it pissed me off. Why was he so sad? I was the one who was betrayed. That's how he talked about me to his sister? The person who had immediately dropped the idea of seducing Xiang just because she got a glance of me in the shower?

"Playboy? Flirting Around? You said I was a fuckboy!"

Yuerong was practically twisting himself up in his shame and misery, but I didn't care. 

"You aren't!" he cried.

"Then what else am I?!?!" I exploded.

Yuerong broke, sobbing and yelling and barely able to stand. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO MEANS THE MOST TO ME!"

I stopped. Yuerong for years now has been my person. I knew in that moment that what I wanted most in the world was to be his.

"How much?" I replied.

Yuerong rushed to me sobbing. He grabbed me and hugged me sobbing into my neck. My mind told me to stay angry, but I was melting into the warmth he was giving back to me through his arms and the words he spoke through his sobs.

"I can't live without you. Don't leave me. I'm sorry." He said.

I hugged him back. I wasn't going to let go either.