It was early in the morning, so Mrs. An hadn't arrived yet. It usually fell onto Long Wei to make breakfast for Aaron and change his clothes. Luckily, the boy was playful but behaved well. He couldn't know how he was at that age, but when he was around five years old he used to be a constant headache to his mother. On the other hand, everything he'd ever done usually resulted in a headache to his parents, and he thought they often just made things bigger than they really were. No matter how much effort he put into fulfilling their expectations.

He still remembered when he was six, his parents left him at home with Mei Li. His sister was four, and she made use of that chance to take the box of chocolates their mother had in the bedroom. Mei Li ate them all alone when Long Wei was busy doing his homework. In the end, she had so much chocolate that when he found her, she was already feeling sick. Their parents were mad at him for not looking after his sister when it was just a couple of hours, and he remained silent and accepted it all.

However, in his heart he was still bitter, because other kids of his age certainly didn't have to babysit their younger siblings. Besides, their mother didn't punish Mei Li even though she was the one who ate the expensive chocolates Grandfather had brought her from his trip to Europe. The same incident resulted in Long Wei not being able to go and play with their neighbor, Daniel Kim, for one week.

" Dad, let's play." The boy asked, looking at him with his big hazel eyes. In appearance, besides the shape of his eyes and his nose, Aaron had not inherited much from him.

" Eat first."

How had Thalia done it alone all that time? When he thought about it, and that her family didn't want to be involved any longer with her or her child, he felt some anger growing in his chest.

Things would be different when he had his own family, he'd told himself so many times when he was younger. However, this wasn't the way it was supposed to be.

Thalia had always been such a lively and spirited person. It was what attracted him to her first. She also was too stubborn and could never admit to being in the wrong, or have others expressing an opinion different from hers, which was why they ended up arguing over everything. But even when they parted ways, how could one imagine one day life would hit them like this?

If he was going to be a considerate person, Long Wei would not try to be closer to Bai Lu any longer. Still, if he hadn't received her text that morning, he wouldn't be in such a good mood when all he really wanted was to go back to sleep.

[ Meet me in the reception of my building, we can go together from there.]

It was the first time he was going to see the place where she lived (maybe) but it already seemed to be a great conquest that she wasn't ghosting him after their last meeting. They were also going to eat out together, would it count as a first date?

He shook his head and laughed at himself. How silly and old-fashioned it was to think in terms of first dates, when they had already jumped to the other steps before.

***

After making her coffee, she checked her phone and was surprised to see Long Wei already replied. How did he wake up so early? Even though she was tired on Saturdays and would sleep longer, she was so used to getting up early to work that even without setting up the alarm her eyes were completely open after 6 a.m. Long Wei worked until late in Loko's, and Fridays were a busy day, so this was really strange.

Well, he was now living with a small boy. Probably all his routines had changed, but he still made time to have lunch with her later. She sighed and brought her coffee mug closer to her face, breathing in that delicious smell, then looked around her messy apartment.

It was small, and she had tidied everything up just at the start of the week, but how were things like that already? Her books and magazines were scattered on the puffs and the carpet, the coffee mugs were piling up for days, and her clothes were also thrown covering everything in the bedroom, on the floor and her armchair.

Clearly, Long Wei wouldn't be visiting her place, but it was still embarrassing. She couldn't help but compare it to his own luxurious apartment, and even though this was quite decent for a young, single woman.. well, if her mother ever came to visit, she wouldn't think this was where Bai Lu lived.

Finally, feeling a bit guilty she decided to clean up and then went back to the bed to finish watching the latest episodes of her favorite web series. If she thought too much about her date with Long Wei, she'd feel nervous.

" I'll be there by 12, if that's okay."

She was going to have a date with Long Wei.

Considering how they met and how things started between them, it shouldn't be a big deal, but it was. He didn't belong here, it was something her heart kept telling her so she couldn't just ignore that truth. In life, there were nothing but transient meetings, and everyone left eventually. Some people stayed a bit longer, but everyone eventually moved on to something different. She did it too when she left her town, these days she didn't have contact with people who had called friends when she was in high school or in college, there might be one day when she would no longer be friends with Tao or Zhing Yi.

What if she only came to like Long Wei more and more? What would she do the day they also had to part ways? This was a fear hard to control, but as she thought about him, Bai Lu was still excited and happy to be seeing him again.

***

" Where are we going?"

" How do you feel about Italian food today? I know a very good place in the southern side of the city."

She smiled.

" Long Wei, you really like Italian food, don't you?"

It was her guess since practically all he could cook was pasta.

Long Wei stared at her, at first embarrassed because she was pointing he just went by his own preference, but also surprised because she had called him by his name. He realized it was the first time she did so.

" I'm sorry, my mistake. What would you like to eat?"

" Italian food is fine too. I just wanted to tease you."

He stretched his arm and caressed the back of her hand.

" How is work going? You're not at the end of the school year yet?"

She shook her head.

" No yet, but almost there. Anyway, I'm thinking about taking the offer of another teacher and giving summer classes to the high school seniors who plan to enter art schools after graduation."

" I see. It's good that you do it, since you are a gentle person. Kids are very stressed when they prepare for college entrance."

Indeed. Parents and teachers and everyone else expected things, and one had to live up to it, failure was very difficult to take... Bai Lu thought it better to change the topic of the conversation towards him.

" How is Aaron doing?"

" He's learning a few words from Mrs. An already. It's amazing how children learn so fast. He didn't like the food the lady prepared for him the first days, but at least he's eating."

" That's good to hear." She smiled and then was reminded of the toy she got for Long Wei's son, but she forgot it in her bedroom. It had to be next time.

The restaurant they visited was very nice. Long Wei let her know the owner was also a friend of his, although the person was not living in the city at the moment. Sitting one in front of the other, perhaps it was unavoidable that his eyes fell on her so frequently, but the intensity of his stares when he listened to her talk was too much for her to handle. Bai Lu felt her heart beating erratically.

It had been a long time since they were together, so every glance and little touch revealed their desire and made her feel a bit impatient.

" You... don't have to go to work later." She asked, when he drove her back to her apartment.

" There are still a few hours before that."

" Do you want to come in for a while?"

He smiled. Earlier he'd learned she actually lived so close to his own place, yet she had been so secretive about it, so Long Wei was a bit surprised, but also satisfied, that she was willing to let him see something more about herself.

" Can I?"

They walked the stairs in silence, Bai Lu's apartment was on the third floor, so she didn't really like to take the elevator when it could be avoided.

" Well... welcome."

He looked around and smiled. " Nice."

" I'll make some tea. Or do you prefer coffee?"

She drank too much coffee, he thought, because the smell lingered around those four walls. It couldn't be good for her health.

" Tea would be fine."

Before she could walk away, Long Wei took her hand and pulled her closer to him. He'd been holding himself back for hours, but the more time he spent with her, the more difficult it was.

This should come first, everything else could wait.

" Is it okay if I kiss you now?"

She wanted to say something, but didn't find her own voice. Instead, she just nodded and her hands embraced his back. Perhaps it was because they had not been together for a long time, anticipation had been building up to that moment, when he kissed her and his hands caressed her neck, Bai Lu could swear her whole body was melting in his arms.

" I like you." The words just escaped her lips.

He caressed her cheeks.

" That's good then. Since we like each other. Are you ready to start dating from now on?"