Jin reached the boarding gate, wheeling his overhead cabin luggage with him with his head lowered down. His heart raced with jitters crackling like fireworks in the sky. He had completely immersed himself to achieve and maintain only one status quo with Shui, and that was to behave professionally with her at all times. There won't come a time where he would let the distance breach between them and whether alone or with people, there would only be professionalism radiating from his demeanor. He took several deep breaths and nodded to himself as if practicing his behavior for the next few days.
Just act cool and calm. It will be all fine. It's only for a few days. They will be over in a jiffy.
Jin moved his shoulders in a swag and straightened them with his aura exuding an air of confidence. But that balloon of confidence deflated soon enough the moment he caught the outline of a familiar figure he vowed to keep his distance with.
He immediately ducked his head down and pulled the corner of his coat over his mouth as if wanting to camouflage himself in the dispersed crowd. He quickly zoomed past her, his heart pounding in his chest. He was so occupied in avoiding her space that he almost crashed into an incoming man walking in the opposite direction.
"Hey man, watch where you are going," he grumbled with complaint and annoyance.
"My bad," Jin apologized and quickly walked away. He stood at some corner, trying to placate his heart which felt like jumping up and down on a trampoline.
It was all of a sudden that she came before my sight…! It's not my fault if it alarmed me…
He exhaled another deep breath and decided to board the flight at the very last. As he turned, he jumped like a scaredy cat and stumbled several steps backwards.
Shui watched him with her arms folded on her chest. "You realize that you are looking like a terrorist by pulling that coat over your mouth, right?"
His brow twitched hard. His heart palpitated in his chest like a violent seesaw. He immediately pulled down the collar and cleared his throat. "I was feeling a little cold on my nose."
"Cold only when you saw me?"
He threw a pointed glare at her. "Everything is not about you."
"No, it isn't. But you MAKE it all about me," she replied with an equally pointed tone. "What next? Were you going to swap your seat with somebody else so that you won't be tortured to sit beside me?"
Jin almost scoffed at the ridiculousness of her suspicion but stopped midway in deep thought.
It is not a bad idea actually…
Shui could clearly decipher his expression like an open book. His brain was definitely churning in that direction as if he accidentally discovered a great idea.
Shui smiled. "Fine. If that is what you want. Also don't bother swapping the seats. I will move out of your way myself. Rest assured, Liu Jin. I only intend to succeed in our professional endeavor for this trip, nothing else. I will make sure to protect your innocent purity and keep a safe distance from you."
"..."
Her long, untied hair fluttered in the wind as she turned in a huff.
Jin awkwardly remained standing at his place, his expression slightly perturbed by Shui's nonchalance.
This makes things easier then…
—
The other passengers waiting to board their flight felt a strong tension circulating in the air with Shui's presence. She was tapping her finger on her arm, her countenance wrenched with indignation.
That idiot! Now I am so intolerable to him that we cannot even sit beside each for a few damn hours!?
The more she thought about it, the more she rapidly clicked her heels on the floor in frustration, which only made the other passengers make some distance from her, afraid of her exploding at any moment.
Her phone chimed with a ding and as she saw Ai's name as the sender, her eyes watered. She immediately typed back, unleashing all her grievances.
'Jin is being very stubborn, isn't he?' Ai replied.
She furiously typed. ''He is being the epitome of stubbornness! He should be crowned as the Stubborn Prince! Ai, you said that Jin really likes me too. He is shying away from it because of his emotional burdens. But how will I be able to release those burdens if he wants to keep a distance as wide as a football stadium! You should have seen him now. He was acting like a terrorist covering his face! He doesn't even want to be my neighbor on the flight!'
Ai consoled her. 'This is just the start, Shui. There are many more days ahead to bridge the gap between you two. I am sure you will be able to definitely break his defenses. Just be sure to follow my tips. There is no way Jin would be able to resist for long.'
'Master Aiiii!!!' Shui cried her heart out. 'I will follow whatever you have to say!'
The other passengers made some more space between them and her. First, she was furious, now she was crying. Her unpredictability was scary.
The boarding finally started and Shui was ahead in the queue. She slightly coughed and requested a passenger two rows ahead to swap seats with her. He had come alone, so he really didn't mind switching the seats.
Jin arrived, cursing the whole way and questioning Jinhai's decision.
Why did Dad book economy seats?
It felt way crowded and obviously there was no privacy like in the business class.
He narrowed his eyes with suspicion.
Did Dad do it purposely so that Shui and I…
He gritted his teeth and texted Jinhai, demanding an answer.
'Business class was full.'
Was Jinhai's short reply.
Somehow Jin sensed the stern rigidity from the full stop at the end of his message as if he would entertain no further questions about this trip.
As if the great Liu Jinhai would be helpless to arrange two business class seats! Who are you fooling, Dad!?
He noticed that Shui wasn't in her booked seat.
She really did swap. Good for me, he nodded.
He searched for her and found her two rows ahead. But his gaze immediately darkened, seeing her already get comfortable and laughing with her male passenger neighbor. He was fairly good-looking and seemed to be around Jun's age.
Their interaction irked Jin even further when the man held Shui's hand in his and was seemingly tracing the lines of her palm with a thoughtful gaze.
What the hell…!?
Shui, who was excited for her neighbor to do his job, felt a sinister shadow creep over her head. She looked up and was dumbfounded to read the outrage on Jin's handsome face.
Jin smiled through the seething indignation burning within his heart. "I changed my mind. Let's sit together."
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