"Come on, you're always so busy and you finally have a day off from your job, you can't ditch us now!" Ai Dong whines, clutching my arm and dragging his feet in the sand.

"Let go." I try to tug my arm from his grasp but his fingers are like the claws of that monkey that stole grandma's mango that one time. 

"Noooo!" He howls, resembling a monkey even more. 

"I'm going down to check out the beach, I've already told you this!"

"But whyyyyyy? The beach is always there! Do you not have one where you're from?"

"In the city? Of course not. So let go!" I yank myself from his grip and stride down towards the beach, ignoring Ai Dong's whining behind me. A passing breeze from the sea caresses my cheeks as if urging me on and the salty scent swirls around my nose. As I walk forward on the sandy path leading to the blue green waves and hazy pink sunset, I lightly close my eyes and feel my other senses more strongly. 

I pause for a moment, remove my sandals, pick them up and continue moving down the beach with my eyes lazily closed. Feeling the warm sand sink under my feet before rising up to surround them like a warm glove, feeling the salty sea breeze passing by and swirling around me, I almost feel like the master of anything, powerful, able to do, able to obtain anything I desire.

At that thought a figure comes to mind. A familiar slender figure surrounded by a halo of light-thump! Feeling myself run into something, I open my eyes with a flicker to see...

"Boss?!" I seem to have run straight into my boss's back. I jerk back and Chen Mingzhu turns around. He glances at me for a moment. "...Oh it's you."

I feel my ears flush. Oh it's you? What's that supposed to mean, especially with that disappointed air? I know I screwed up back at the bookstore but...Chen Mingzhu lifts something to his lips: a cigarette. I feel a pain in my chest. Why is boss smoking? Doesn't he know the negative health effects?! Furthermore, as I watch him smoke and see him surrounded by that cloud of vapor, it almost seems as if he could just disappear within it. 

Seeing this, I suddenly reach out and, before I have time to process my impulse, swipe at the cigarette between his fingers, which sends it tumbling to the ground. His perpetually lazy eyes widen as he looks at the now downtrodden cigarette, somewhat at a loss. 

I open and close my mouth for a moment. Apologize, I should apologize...Instead what comes out is "boss why are you smoking! Don't you know how bad it is for your lungs?!" Instantly I feel a pang in my chest. I've already screwed up this week, and now I'm doing this? He's definitely mad at me. However, I don't regret it. I didn't say anything wrong. I hesitantly look up, my gaze anxious but determined. Chen Mingzhu's expression is inscrutable. Is he mad?

Suddenly, I hear a peal of laughter. I blink. Boss is laughing? And he's laughing quite strongly at that. I watch entranced as the corner of his eyes turn up charmingly and his full lips softly curve. Amidst the laughter he starts to cough, choking from the laughter and leftover smoke and after a moment of hesitation, I lightly pat his back, trying not to notice the feeling of the warm but firm back under my hand.

"Uh...what are you doing here boss?" I ask as he calms down. 

"Hmm?" He asks, his gaze out on the horizon. "Oh...I'm just waiting..."

"For your destined person?" At this, Chen Mingzhu looks up at me in surprise, then he softly smiles, a sad tired smile. "Now why would you think that?"

"Because of our conversation the other day." He laughs.

"Yes, I'm waiting for my destined person." My hands tighten into fists. Seriously? Who is she? I feel my chest tighten as my thoughts race out of my control. Is she fair and pretty or soft and sweet? Is she pure and innocent like that white dress lady? Or is she fierce and hot? No, she must be pretty and pure. But who? But why? But why not m-

"It's useless waiting for someone who'll never come." I hear myself speak, my voice frostier than I've ever heard it. Seeing Chen Mingzhu's reaction however, I immediately regret the words. He jerks back as if stung, then his face rapidly blanches and his gaze drops. 

"I suppose I'll head back." He replies, his voice just above a whisper. Then he turns and disappears up the beach like a wisp of smoke. Watching his back disappear, I feel my heart pound. I...what have I done?

The salty breeze continues to encircle me but now it feels cold rather than pleasant. The once beautiful sunset looks like a monstrous, uncontrollably fierce fiery blaze...just like my jealousy and just like my heart.