Parting
Xue Yiran heard the sudden interruption at the other end and asked, "Is everything okay?"
Ian took a long while before answering Lavinia, "It's a friend of mine."
"Isn't Colton the only friend you've got. And if I should recall, today is his grandfather's birthday, so he shouldn't be here inside the virtual net. Is it a female friend?" Lavinia brow raises in suspicion as she asked this question.
Ian could detect the underlying meaning behind her question.
Indeed, Lavinia had noticed Ian weird actions. During their date, the other party would constantly stare at his device as if he was hurrying to go somewhere. This would be the first time she had seen him acted this way. While surveying the shops, she was also keeping an eye on Ian. Upon seeing his delightful expression the moment that call came through, her suspicion rouse up.
"That..." Indeed, the caller was a girl. However, Ian didn't know how to explain this to Lavinia. He knew that Xue Yiran definitely wants to keep her other identity as a man from everyone. Him exposing it to an outsider is the same as betraying her.
Seeing Ian hesitation, Lavinia expression darken. "I want to see who it is." Without giving Ian any time to react, Lavinia snatched his device and switched on to the holographic mode.
"What are you doing?" Ian realizes what was happening and tried to take back his device. But it was too late by then.
A holographic figure of a man pops up in front of the two. Realizing that the figure on the screen wasn't the female figure she was expecting, Lavinia breathes a sigh of relief.
'Huh. Why does he look so familiar?' Lavinia took a closer look at the young handsome man, before finally recalling where she had seen him.
"Huh. You..." She pointed her finger at the handsome man on the screen, surprise evident on her face.
Isn't this Axel?
Xue Yiran guessed that the person who had interrupted Ian must have been his fiancé. Just as she was about to explain the situation, a holographic screen appeared in front of her.
On the screen appears a beautiful young girl. She was wearing a plain brown gown which would have looked ordinary on any other person, yet it looks luxurious on her. Her blonde hair fell across freely across her shoulder. She had the bearing of a royalty which doesn't seems to be faked. Behind her was Ian. However the expression on the girl's face quickly change to that of surprise, her finger pointed at her as her body trembled with excitement.
"You're Axel!" Lavinia screamed upon seeing the face of her celebrity crush. "Ah, oh no. What to do. What do I say to him." Flustered expression appeared on her face at the loss of sentence to say. Who would have thought that the person whom her fiancé was talking to was none than her celebrity crush, Axel.
Forgetting that there was a certain person beside her, Lavinia swiftly checks on her dressing. She suddenly regrets to have worn such a plain clothe for their date. Why didn't she dress up nicely? Indeed, the saying that you will always meet most important person of your life at your worse day is definitely true.
"Hello." Xue Yiran waves her hand in greetings at the beautiful flustered girl on the screen.
"He-hello. My name's Lavinia." Lavinia hurriedly introduced. "I'm a very big fan of yours. Also, I'm your store number one biggest patron."
"Really. Then, thanks so much for being our number one supporter." Xue Yiran had a smile on her face as she said this.
Since she was using 'Axel' face, Lavinia was entranced by her beautiful smile.
'Ahh! My day is made. Axel smiled at me.'
Ian at the other side never expected the situation to be as follow. Who would have thought that his fiancé was also a fan of Xue Yiran. But recalling that Xue Yiran was a girl instead of a boy, he didn't know how Lavina would react once she realizes that her dream crush wasn't whom he supposed to be.
"Hum… this is Lavinia, my fiancé." Although Lavinia has introduced herself earlier, Ian still gave a proper introduction which defines the relationship between the two.
"Hello, Ms. Lavinia. I'm your fiancé friend, Axel." Hearing Xue Yiran introducing herself as 'Axel', Ian knew he had made the proper choice by keeping her secret away from Lavinia.
Xue Yiran continued. "When next you visit any of our stores, I'll request a discount for you from the top boss as a reward for you being our number one biggest patron." The discount reward isn't only accessible in the virtual net store, but can also be use in all branches of creamery creamer stores across the universe.
"Really. Thanks so much." Lavinia was happy to have gotten such a good reward. "I'll make sure to visit your store more often."
To others, they would have assumed that Lavinia intends to make good use of the discount offer to get more freebies. However, Xue Yiran knew the flustered girl had only said that out of excitement.
Xue Yiran chatted with Lavinia for a while before switching the conversation to Ian.
"I'm currently on a date with Lavinia. So, I might arrive there late. Why don't you head there first. I'll meet you at your master place."
"What. No, we're already done with our date." Lavinia immediately cut in. How dare she let her crush wait so long. "You can go and meet with Axel. How could you let him wait for you."
Seeing her staring at him as if he was some sort of enemy, Ian suddenly felt that he was less important in Lavinia heart as compare to Axel.
With her constant urge, he could only say to Xue Yiran, "Wait for me. I'll be there soon." With that, he ended the call.
Lavinia excited squeal pierces through his ears.
"Oh my, that was Axel. How did you two get to know each other? No, I shouldn't delay you further with my question. Hurry up and go. Don't keep him waiting." Lavinia pushes Ian onto the road.
"I'm going." Ian wave back at her.
"Bye." Lavinia watched as his figure fades into the distance. "Whoo-hoo." She jumped up in excitement. "I'd better update this on my story. Stephanie and Gina would definitely be green with envy. Ha-ha-ha, I can't wait to see how the expression on their face will be."
…
Xue Yiran was waiting patiently for Ian, when she saw the later coming down from an hoover cab.
"Over here." She immediately called out.
Ian heard the voice and sighted her figure.
"Hope I did not accidentally end your date with my call?" Xue Yiran asked as he arrived before her. She didn't want to be reason why the couple couldn't enjoy their date.
"Not at all." Ian shook his head. "I was just about round it up when your call came in."
"That's good then. Come on, let's get going."
The two head to the bus stop and board a bus to Logan residence.
Training was the same as usual. Ian was very persistent with his training, so his improvement could be seen at a glance. On the other hand, Xue Yiran noticed that there was something off about Logan mood today, as the later seems to be in daze ever since they arrived.
Leaving Ian to train by himself, Xue Yiran walked over to him and ask, "What's wrong, master? You've been sitting here for over an hour while looking daze. Is there something troubling you?"
"Ah." A sigh leaked out of Logan's mouth. He turned his head and look up at Xue Yiran who was beside him before answering. "I'll have to leave for a while."
"How many months?"
"How many months, not sure of that myself. Perhaps it might take years for me to be back. Just know that I'll be absent for a very long time. As for your friend, just let him stick to the training schedule I made for him." He looked at Ian who was still training vigorously in the distance and sighed once more. "I don't want to leave either, but I've no choice but to do so."
Xue Yiran knew Logan must have a secret of his own. The other party real identity was still mysterious to her. Ever since Susu couldn't get an information about him, Xue Yiran has started to revered this master of hers a bit more.
"Okay, you can leave. Just know that I won't miss you any bit."
"Ha-ha." Logan chuckled at Xue Yiran words. "Since your master do not know when he will be back, why don't you tell me your actual name then. As a master, how can I not know my pupil's name."
"Axel. Didn't I introduce myself to you on our first meeting."
"Never mind. I'm not curious on knowing your name anymore. As long as you're still my students, it's all fine." Logan's lips curl up into a smile as he stared into the distance, seeming to be thinking of something.
Seeing this, Xue Yiran left him to his thinking and went ahead to train with Ian.