Jun stared at her answer.
What?
The ones involved are imperfect? Like hell!
His gaze clouded in dark anger.
[MrPerfect - Not everybody is imperfect. Some people do have everything they would want in their life.]
[MissImperfectlyFine - Nobody has everything. But everybody has something. Perfection is an ideal. You can never achieve it. It is not meant to be achieved.]
Jun tilted his head.
[Everybody wants to live the best life they can. It only happens when everything is going perfectly in and around your life.]
MissImperfectlyFine was typing.
[To live the best life…It's subjective. I feel the best when I stand under the rain. But you may hate getting wet in the first place. You don't need perfection to live a good life. Because…
If everything is perfect in your life, then there would be nothing to look forward to the next day.]
Jun blinked.
There it was again. The similar frustrating feeling he felt whenever he read her books. The annoying feeling that crept in his heart whenever he thought about her.
She had a point to make. He wholeheartedly rejected it. Yet, he couldn't rebuke it.
Jun didn't bother to reply and straightaway went offline.
He shut his laptop in disdain. The patrons around the area were terrified of the dark aura he was emanating as if he wanted to strangle someone. He banged his fist on the desk, making people scurry away in fear.
It was a mistake asking her. I would never talk to that woman again.
—
Ai was startled when Jun suddenly banged his palm. He seemed to be in a bad mood. She pursed her lips and went back to her phone.
She was puzzled as to why MrPerfect suddenly went offline.
Weren't we chatting just fine now?
She waited but then didn't see the signs of him coming back online again. She closed the chat and put her phone aside.
Ai took a book to read which was another love story. But her mind wandered off to MrPerfect's words.
[Your leads lack chemistry.]
[I didn't even feel the threat in his words.]
[They dare look at my woman. They wouldn't have seen the next day at all.]
She felt a chill at the back of her neck. It was the same feeling she got when she met Jun in the library. When she saw him for the first time, there was only one word that came to her mind.
Intense.
His gaze was so deep as if he would suck you into a black hole. When she looked into his eyes, she said to herself,
"It is dangerous to be loved by this man."
But that was exactly the feeling that Ai was searching for all along. She had published three books until now. One of them gave her an award too.
But she thought she just got a lucky break.
Her editor, Xing Bi, had said, "Ai, your books are nice. But…I feel something is missing. You write love stories, but it feels as if there is no love between your leads at all. Hmm..it feels like they would have been just fine even if they hadn't met each other. That they can live without the other just fine. Do you understand? There should be strong feelings between two people if they are made for each other. Your stories are just 'nice.' They don't invoke any stronger feeling than that."
Ai lowered her head. "Somehow, I cannot grasp those emotions."
Xing Bi smiled. "I know. It's okay. There is no hurry. You can take your time in understanding those feelings. I suggest you take a break from writing until you can organize your thoughts."
Ai had agreed.
It was her dream to write a book that would shake people's hearts to their core. She wanted to write the best love story that she could.
The moment she met Jun, she knew that he was the key to the answers she was looking for. She would learn something if she talked to him and observed him and so, she started to visit the library daily.
Apart from that, she joined a reading group to help her get a reader's perspective. As soon as she joined, she saw two people talking about her. It wasn't in her favor. But she took it as a chance to know more about her improvement areas.
But, they didn't reply to her at all.
With some courage, she pinged MrPerfect a second time. Her mood deflated to see no response.
Maybe I should leave this group…
'I am sorry for bothering you.'
She was about to exit when MrPerfect replied back. She was elated and as he said more, she got a little insight of what he was trying to say.
She vaguely felt as if Jun and MrPerfect were too similar. Intense and dangerous. Their words emitted a sense of alarm.
Ai took her notebook and jotted down some points. She glanced at Jun. The imaginary cold winds around him didn't seem to settle down.
She seriously wondered.
What is wrong with him?
—
Thirty minutes before the closing time, Jun met Mrs. Quan Su as she had asked.
"Jun," she smiled. "What happened today? Some patrons were telling me that the assistant librarian seemed angry for some reason. They couldn't approach you at all."
Jun's mood went sour again. "It's nothing."
Don't make me remember that woman. Even her name irritates me.
MissImperfectlyFine.
How can anybody be imperfectly alright?
She sighed. "I told you, Jun. You have to be polite. Polite."
"I am already very polite."
She helplessly chuckled. "Anyway. Help me hang this board outside."
Jun took a look.
"Children's storytelling, author reading events…What's this?"
Just then Ai came down too, and she heard Mrs. Quan Su. "It's an event I organize in the library a few times. Neighborhood children or some from far away schools come with their teachers and do a storytelling activity. Children, guardians, parents, teachers - everybody can participate if they are interested in reading a book aloud. We will be doing some book sales too."
Ai came forward and asked, "Storytelling…Can I participate too?"