Rhea got into the room. Sat on a chair.
She took a diary from her drawer to her table. It was dated two years ago. She started to read that. In time, she was dragged back in her memories once again.
"Is she deaf?" Rhea could still remember the way Lilly Chen behaved on their first meeting. It was not even Rhea's fault to start with.
But additionally, to her surprise and disappointment, the one who was accompanying that B…Big woman was Ryan.
'Are they dating?'
There were no dating rumors, if there is any, a follower like Rhea would have known.
She came up with so many hypotheses and ended up with the most possible one. They must be dating, and somehow managed to keep it a secret!
The surprises of the day were not over yet!
Ryan got out of the car, nonchalantly joined the crowd, and didn't say a word.
Rhea expected him to say something since he could have hit her with his car just a moment ago. His silence told her that he was siding with Lilly Chen.
All this time, Rhea was unconsciously staring at him expecting an apology! He didn't mind her at all!
Rhea's pride was hurt.
He didn't even care to turn his head to look at her. His ignorance annoyed her.
She couldn't just go and let him know that she is his fan after what happened just then.
She tried hard to avert her gaze away from him.
'He should not find out that I'm one of his crazy fans!', she instructed herself.
Rhea concentrated on a tree far away while the director started to talk, or maybe warn Lilly Chen.
At least someone was there for her! Yet she was not even a bit happy about it. She was a little disappointed about this start. She wanted a peaceful start with him, not an accident.
To calm herself down she started to think how beautiful the trees were.
'OMG, they even have branches. Ah, there are no leaves, poor trees, But they are tall… so tall... TALL….
This word was enough to make her peek at Ryan again.
She expected him to be tall, but he was much taller than she expected. Is he wearing high heels? Her sight went to his boots. Nope. Men usually don't wear high heels. The point struck her.
This girl who had been always brilliant since her birth must have given her brain to someone else just now.
The trip began!
Everybody got on the bus. Even Ryan Jin, Lilly Chen, and the director chose to travel by that bus. Rhea liked the way they treated their co-workers with equality.
The director was the best. She even allocated a seat for Rhea next to her. She asked a lot about Alaska. Rhea was politely answering her questions. She was friendly. Yuan Yu introduced herself well to Rhea then asked about Rhea, to make her monologue into a dialogue.
That was when Rhea told her about her hobby of drawing comics, which resulted in the movie idea of Yuan Yu. Back then the director had asked her to mail some of her works since she was interested in comics. She had sent some links to her works later, but Rhea never expected it to become a hit one day.
They reached their first location which was a national park. Before letting everyone out, Rhea gave them a little introduction to the place.
Rhea was so good for a newbie. She was able to tell them the best things about the place since she had visited there often.
Rhea's father had arranged two more assistants for Rhea since that was her first workday. So it was not too difficult for Rhea.
But something was there to ruin her mood and it was her idol and Lilly Chen.
The two were always together. He seemed to talk less. Lilly Chen did all the talking. Unlike movies, he was silent and didn't smile or laugh. Lilly Chen always hung on his arm. Rhea didn't like that pair at all.
That night camping was included in their agenda. The resort they stayed at that day had already arranged everything. There was a forest near the resort and that was a famous camping site.
Everyone was excited, even Rhea. But more than all excitement Rhea was secretly planning a way to befriend Ryan Jin and get his autograph and a photograph with him if he is willing.
Once they were all settled in the hotel rooms they packed a bag with some stuff and left for the camp.
Rhea was late. She was the last one to join the camp. Some of the troop members were already asking for their beautiful guide.
Rhea took a bath, got changed, called her dad, and then went to the camping site.
When Rhea went there "There she is" someone shouted in Chinese. They were all sitting in a round, two of them were holding a guitar. The mood was so exemplary.
"Oh sorry, did you guys wait for me?" she smiled, "I was talking with my dad"
"It's okay. Come on and join us" the director patted the ground. She was keeping that place for Rhea.
Rhea sat down. Ryan Jin and Lilly Chen were sitting in the round, opposite to her.
The two of the troop members were grilling meat. Barbeque! Rhea always loved meat barbeque.
She couldn't wait to eat them.
They were all singing songs and serving meat. They were good entertainers.
"Why don't we play a game?" one of the trouble makers in the troop came up with an idea.
"A game? Sounds good", the director replied.
"Can we play truth or dare ma'am?" a girl in the crowd asked.
"Any objections?", the director asked them all. Since all of them were ok with that, they have started to play.
They spun a bottle and began.
Their questions were all funny. None of them agreed to dare, they were all telling the truth. Those who were lying were exposed by their colleagues.
It was fun.
It was one of the best days in her life!
Rhea's turn came when they spun the bottle the ninth time.
"Your boyfriend's name?" They asked her this because she was the youngest there.
"I don't have one!" Rhea replied.
"Crush?"
"Yeah", she replied.
"Tell us his name!", they seemed curious.
"I've already answered a question, you can't change the question!", Rhea shielded her secret.
Once she said that her eyes automatically went in the direction of Ryan Jin.
He was also looking at her at that time.
Rhea who tried her best to not look in his direction from the start, finally locked her eye with him, accidentally.
His face was not fully visible because of the campfire in the middle. He noticed her looking, he suddenly turned his gaze towards the fire. Rhea too averted her gaze down immediately.
They kept playing and it was Ryan Jin's turn. The question was, "How many women have you dated?"
Some of them tried to shush the questioner because it was Ryan Jin! His cold nature was well known. But he somehow spat the question.
Ryan Jin was always famous with girls. So they were all curious. But their curiosity was not even close to Rhea's.
He was still indifferent.
Others were silent!
"None", his reply tore down the silence of the venue.
"What? He must be lying…" Rhea could hear some chitter-chatter.
Lilly Chen was with him from the beginning to the end of the journey as if she had been glued to him. Even it was difficult for Rhea to trust what he just told now! It was acceptable that others couldn't believe that.
Everyone's face proclaimed doubt while Lilly Chen's face darkened.
The game once again continued as the director told them to spin the bottle again. She must have wanted to smoothen the situation.
After a few more spins, it was Lilly Chen's turn!
The trouble-maker once again asked a question. He must have wanted to know the truth, then and there!
"What is your relationship with Ryan Jin?"
Lilly Chen was already irritated enough because of the game. Now, she didn't seem to have a solid answer for that question as well.
She chose dare.
It was the first dare of the game!
The man told her to go a hundred meters into the forest and stay there for five minutes.
The one who asked her didn't mean it. He wanted the truth so told her something she wouldn't dare to do. But she accepted the dare!
Lilly Chen got up and started to walk towards the woods!
"Don't go. You may get lost in there" Rhea tried to stop her.
".....", she just kept walking.
"Let her go!"
The words startled Rhea. She turned her head towards Ryan Jin. She knew it was him since she heard his voice in movies many many times and in reality a few times.
Lilly Chen stopped as if she was hurt by his words, then started to run into the forest.
She must be heartbroken.
'How can he be so careless about her? She must be his girlfriend or something like that', his words forced Rhea to doubt him. She started to wonder what kind of a person he is.
"It's dangerous. I can't let her go", Rhea's resolute words were directed towards Ryan Jin. Her persistence was obvious in her expression.
Rhea rushed after Lilly Chen.
"Rhea, hold on, Simon, go with her!" the director persuaded a boy in the group.
"I'll go" the heavenly voice of Ryan Jin volunteered.
But Rhea who already left the campsite didn't witness this.
Rhea ran for about thirty seconds. Then halted. Started to shout Lilly Chen's name. She was nowhere to be seen. She started to go further into the woods.
Even the woods were moonlit, it was still dark. The trees looked like giants. It started to get scary! Rhea couldn't decide what to do now. She couldn't find Lilly Chen.
After a few minutes, she hopelessly turned back.
But someone was there, resting on a tree, with one leg on the ground and the other on the tree, hands crossed, looking in her direction.
The man looked as if he was looking at her carelessly.
She only saw the silhouette, he was in a darker area. He must be able to see her.
'Was someone following her? Or could it be a serial murderer?', her mind started to calculate all the possibilities.
Rhea had always been an over-thinker so her mind just climbed from the best to the worst scenario.
After about a minute the silhouette started to move forward!
Her heart started to panic.
The silhouette was so tall and had a well-built body. She brought herself in a defensive position, ready to attack any minute.
But it turned out, that she had once again humiliated herself.
It was Ryan Jin!