"Hey Li Sha!" I call as I open the door. 

"Well someone's chipper." 

I flash her a grin in response. "Where's boss?"

"It's always about boss with you isn't it? As usual, he's in the back. Hey, Xiao Sheng if you're heading there could you take this-dang, is he gone already? Such a hurry, tch, tch, tch..."

I practically fly past the familiar shelves until I reach that white door. I fling it open and pounce on the figure in the center of the room. 

"Guess who!" I wrap my arms around his slender shoulders, enveloping him in a massive bear hug from the back. For a second, I feel him tense up, then his muscles loosen and he lightly pats my hands. 

I burry my face in his soft fluffy hair and inhale. I can't believe he's back in my arms...As I pull back my eyes fall on his pale neck, now slightly covered in a soft blush. My gaze darkens and I bend down. As my tongue makes contact, the body in my arm freezes, turning rigid. Then, before he has a chance to escape, I bite down. "Xiao Sheng..." he warns, his protest swiftly transforming into a moan. 

I slowly move back, admiring the newly formed mark on Mingzhu's pale shoulder. Unfortunately, in my moment of distraction he sizes the chance to move back, putting distance between us.

"You're still a minor, don't go too far!"

My face transforms into a massive pout. "But you ditched me yesterday!"

"I didn't ditch you!" He says, backing away as I corner him.

"You did! You ditched me in the cold, wet rain."

"But you're a dragon, you're a living heater!"

"And you didn't even care even though we've met after so long, you just left me even after I saved you!"

"What does that have to do with anything!"

"Well, in the storybooks when the hero saves the prince shouldn't he give him something else in return...?"

"Wha-"

"Maybe like...his body? After all you own a bookstore, shouldn't you know this...?" I say, reaching for him.

"Shameless!" he swats my hand away.

"At least a kiss? I'm only 17, easily old enough for puppy love." At this, I see his brow crinkle before his gaze abruptly shifts down.

"Huh? Hey, what's wrong?" I reach for him but he shifts away rather violently.

"Boss-no Mingzhu, what's wrong? Mingzhu~" I notice his lips moving and I bring my ears close.

"-ve you had it?"

"What?"

"Puppy love." He mutters.

I blink. "Are you asking if I've had puppy love?" He looks away from me and I know I've hit the mark. I feel my heart softening into a pile of mush. This little vinegar jar...

"Of course!" I see him stiffen and turn away. But before he can escape, I lean down towards his ear. "Naturally, it's with you." I whisper. Immediately his ears turn scarlet and he turns away. I decide to focus on the most important matter at hand. "At least one kiss?"

I manage my best puppy dog face and I see him softening. Before he can change his mind, I launch myself towards him and our lips finally meet. His are just as soft as I imagined and I quickly slip my tongue into his moist, warm mouth. Several minutes later, we slip apart breathing hard. A second later we're back together. Somehow, we wander over to the couch at the side where he's encircled within my arms. We may be of similar height but my arms are visibly thicker from my frequent athletic training. Anyway, it's all the better to hold my love, my pearl, tightly to my chest.

Speaking of my pearl, his gaze is downcast, his mind visibly preoccupied. I sharply bite another spot on his neck.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

"Why are you being distracted when your attention is supposed to be on me?" He's silent.

"Come on, spit it out." After another seemingly endless pause he finally speaks.

"You're going off to university soon aren't you?"

"I am."

"You...then how long will you be gone?" I take a closer look at his face and notice  the fractional tilt of his lips into a pout. I feel my heart melt into a pile of mush for the second time today.

"I'll be back, every holiday, every single possible chance."

He continues to gaze down and I frown in contemplation. Now that I think about it, this university business is awfully troublesome...

"Alright, I just won't go-"

"No!"

I pause, then chuckle helplessly. "Then what else am I supposed to do?" He mutters something in response but I have to bend my ear to hear it.

"...I'll go with you." I freeze. "Really?" I feel excitement bubbling up within me. "You mean it???"

"...yeah."

"But...what about your bookstore?"

"I'll let Li Sha manage it." Hearing this, I feel the wave of ecstasy explode within me. However, I'm left with nowhere to vent. So I immediately aim puppy dog eyes towards my target. 

"One more kiss? Please? Pretty please?!" He looks off to the side, his ears scarlet, and I take that as acquiesce. So I bend down and kiss him, wrapping my arms tightly around him as if I'll never let go. Forget the "as if". I will never let go of him because I'm his dragon and he's my pearl.