Yu Jin stiffens for couple of seconds before laughing out loud. He laughs so hard, holding his belly while bending his body. Xiao Ping squints her eyes, disturbed because feeling ridiculed. "Why are you laughing ?" she asks curtly. Yu Jin can only answer after he manages to stop his laughter. "Ooh.. you're so funny," he says while wiping his tears. "I'm not joking !" Xiao Ping pouts. "I know you're not, but your idea was just.. ridiculous," Yu Jin utters and laughs again. "Which part was it ridiculous ?" Xiao Ping challenges him to explain more. Yu Jin takes a deep inhale to calm himself before answering,
"First of all, I can't teach you to love me. I don't know how to make you love me. If I knew, I would already do it, wouldn't I ?" Yu Jin starts explaining. His tone is now serious and wise. His eyes stare directly to Xiao Ping's eyes. The angry glare in her eyes is turning into gloom once she heard his explanation. "Secondly, I don't need a girlfriend that doesn't love me," Yu Jin continues, "I told you before. Forced love is dying one, even more fake love. It will only hurt both of us."
"But you love me, don't you ?" Xiao Ping asks him. Yu Jin nods. "Why don't you want me to be your girlfriend then ?" she asks another question. Yu Jin sighs. "Every person wants to be with someone they love," he answers. "Then ?"
"Aren't I already with you ?" Yu Jin asks back. "But.. being friends and being in relationship is totally different," Xiao Ping insists. "Will it be different if your heart is still the same ? What's different will it make to have Xiao Ping as my friend or as my girlfriend when I know the truth is you don't love me ?" Yu Jin says firmly. Xiao Ping can not find a word to argue Yu Jin's words. Instead, she starts to sob again.
"I.. feel unloved.. I feel lonely.. I feel unwanted.. Even you don't want to be my boyfriend," Xiao Ping whines. Yu Jin is stunned. This girl is being too emotional. He rounds his arm around Xiao Ping's shoulder. "You know it's not true.. You will know what my saying is right once you have your logic back," Yu Jin says to calm her down. His cellular rings. With his other hand, he grabs it from his pocket. Once he knows the caller, reflexively he stands up straight.
"Yes, Ma'am," he answers the caller. "Oh, right.. I mean A Mei," he corrects his words. "I'm already at Taipei. Yes, I will pick you at 10 AM tomorrow. Okay. Bye," he says it with stiff and formal tone. Once he ends up the call, he goes back sitting beside Xiao Ping who is no longer crying.
"Who was that ?" Xiao Ping asks. "My supervisor," Yu Jin answers her. His tone is casual again. "Do you have job to do ?" she asks. Yu Jin scratches his head. "Hmm.. you can say that. My supervisor asked me to escort her on her friend's wedding," he answers truthfully. "I see.. that's why you rejected me," Xiao Ping responds. "No.. no.. It's not like what you thinking of. She is my supervisor. In military, you can't easily say No to your supervisor's request," Yu Jin explains. "But it is out of military matter, isn't it ? You have the right to say No.. if you wanted to," Xiao Ping argues him, then gives him an investigating stare.
"Do you like her ?" she asks.
"No !"
"You lie.."
"I love you. You know I love you."
"Then prove it.."
"What ? Prove what ?"
"Prove that you love me.."
"You know exactly the reason why I don't want to be your boyfriend in this state. You can ask me to do anything except being your boyfriend."
Xiao Ping falls silent for a moment before she says, "Okay. Cancel your plan with her."
"What ?"
"I don't want you to go on a date with other girl. Whatever the reason is."
"You're being child.."
"Will you do it ?"
Yu Jin sighs. He stands up to make a call. "Good afternoon, Ma'am!" he greets with military style. "I need to tell you that I can't escort you tomorrow, Ma'am." He stretches his body to dodge Xiao's Ping attempt to seize his cellular. "Stop it.. I was just joking," Xiao Ping hisses while still trying to grab his cellular. "I have some emergency matters, Ma'am. Yes. I'm sorry about this. Yes, Ma'am. She you on Monday," he ends his call before voluntary giving his cellular to Xiao Ping. "You're crazy," Xiao Ping hisses in disbelief what Yu Jin just did. The latter just smiles. Xiao Ping hands back Yu Jin's cellular on his hand. "You will be in trouble, won't you ?" She asks with a regretful look. "A little bit" Yu Jin answers. "I'm sorry," Xiao Ping murmurs. Yu Jin pats her head before landing both of his hands on her shoulders. He bends his body so their eyes meet in the same line. "I will do anything you ask me to do.. except to accept your fake love," he says his promise once more.