But her eyes flew open when she saw Li Jun standing by the table. Startled, she let out a squeal and flew backward out of her chair and against the wall. She looked confused and shocked as she shrank back in fear, and it almost broke Li Jun's heart.
"Ssssshhhhh. Li Na, it's just me." He held his hands high up in complete surrender. He tried to smile charmingly.
Li Na was stunned. She'd been dreaming of him moments before. And now he was here. She rubbed her eyes. He was still there, staring. She pinched the skin on her arm between her fingers. He was still there.
What the... what's he doing here?.
"It's just me, Li Na. Are you all right?"
She blinked rapidly and began rubbing her eyes again. "hmm..I…okay."
"How long have you been here?" He lowered his hands.
"Um…I…don't know." She was trying to wake up and remember all at the same time.
"Are you waiting for someone?"
"No."
Somehow, Li Na felt relieved as she knew it was Li Jun. "How did you get in?"
Li Jun looked unabashed as his eyes flew to her, measuring his reaction "I saw the light spilling out of your office and your door was not locked. So I entered"
Li Na nodded as she moved forward rapidly, knocking the chair over in the process and tipping over a stack of books that had been resting near her hands. A large quantity of loose notebook paper was thrown aloft by the commotion and began falling about her like massive, pinstriped snowflakes.
Li Jun thought she looked like a fairy or an angel in a child's snow globe, with the white paper fluttering all around her.
Amazing, he was captivated.
She began to scramble, trying to put everything back in order.
"shit!!!" She repeated the same swear word over and over again like an incantation to ward off evil as she mumbled something about the papers she will be using as a presentation for her next lesson.
In a stride, Li Jun was next to her, his hand gently but firmly on her shoulder. "It's all right. Here let me help you. Be still."
Li Na inhaled sharply, and her eyes flew open, glazing over at his touch.
Li Jun brought his head close to her face and peered down at her. "Li Na? You've gone pale. Are you alright?"
He didn't know what to do. Why was she acting so strangely? Perhaps she was tired or not quite awake. The room was very warm. Too warm. She hadn't remembered to turn off the heater. He caught her just as she was about to faint, wrapping her tightly and pulling her into his chest. She was not unconscious, at least, not yet.
"Li Na?" He pushed the hair out of her eyes and brushed the back of his hand across her cheek.
She murmured something, and he realized she hadn't passed out but was leaning against him as if she didn't have the strength to stand. He held her to keep her from hitting the overturned chair or the floor.
"Are you okay?"
He began to move her so that she could sit down, but she clung to him, wrapping her arms about his neck without hesitation. He liked the feel of her pressed against him, so he hugged her tightly and leaned down to sniff her hair, somewhat sneakily. Vanilla. Her body pressed against his perfectly, as if their shapes were ideal complements. It was astonishing.
"What happened?" she mumbled against his dress shirt, which was a brilliant blue designed to contrast with the grey trouser.
"I'm not sure. I think you grew light-headed because you stood up too quickly. And it's hot in here."
She smiled weakly, a smile that melted his heart.
Li Na desperately wanted to kiss him. He was close. So very, very close. Two inches and those lips would be hers…again. And his eyes were soft and warm…and he was being sweet with her…
He pulled back from her slightly, checking her to see if she was going to fall over.
When she didn't, he placed her gently on top of the desk before righting the chair. Then he withdrew to the door of the office and straightened his dress shirt. hmm...
"Why don't you sit down and rest a little bit." He smiled to put her at ease, watching as she grasped the surface of the desk for support.
"No, I'm okay" Moving slowly but carefully, she stood up and began to stack the books which were on the table and the white sheets of paper that had drifted to the floor.
"Were you trying to meet a deadline tomorrow? Is that why you are staying over at the office?"
"I've got a seminar at the graduate student conference tomorrow. So what are you doing at school by this time?" She looked over at him curiously, and when she saw that his head was cocked to one side and he was still smiling, she relaxed.
"I'm at the library reading up on the paper I'm presenting by next week Monday. That's a very nice lunch box you have." He smiled at her perceptively, gesturing to the box that was propped up against the wall.
Li Na smiled, just recalling that she had not eaten the food delivered by Albert the chef to her office this afternoon.
"But there appears to be something alive in there. I can see a pair of ears poking out of one of the pockets."
She whirled around. Li Jun was right; two little black ears could be seen sticking out of the lunch bag, almost as if she had tried to smuggle a pet into the office. Li Na looked a bit embarrassed.
"May I?" He gestured to the Lunch bag but made no move as he waited for her permission.
Hesitantly, she pulled the stuffed toy out of the lunch box and handed it to him, biting her lip in embarrassment.
Does Professor Li Na like stuffed toys? Li Jun thought.
Li Jun held the Stuffed toy between his thumb and forefinger, gazing at it curiously as if he didn't know what it was. Or as if, in a fit of temper, it might decide to emulate the behavior of the Po character in the kungfu panda movie.
"Who gave this to Professor Li Na?" Li Jun asked.
"Albert the chef at the restaurant we went to the other day gave it to me. He frequently packs it with the food he always delivers to my office. It's a joke between us since I like kungfu panda."
Li Jun placed a hand in his pocket as a precaution and resisted the sudden and overwhelming urge to rip off the head of the stuffed toy which was black and white, of course, and soft, made of velvet or something. It had a pudgy belly and big limbs and cute-looking eyes. It stood straight up, looking rather stiff looking as if it wants to engage in exchanging some blows with him.
Around its neck, someone had tied a very sloppy knot out of yellow ribbon. Li Jun measured the knot with his eyes and snorted as he concluded that someone who was either slightly handicapped (no disrespect intended), or perhaps who had very large hands and lacked the fine motor skills of someone who was gifted with manual dexterity (such as himself), had tied the bow, such as it was. And there was a card.
Not wishing to embarrass her further, he smiled and let his eyes dart momentarily to the card, just so he could catch a glimpse of it:
A,
Someone to keep you company while you eat. Rest well.
le vôtre, Albert.
"What the F…" Li Jun growled to himself.
He handed the toy back to Li Na. "It's very—ah—nice."
"Thank you."
"But what is the meaning of A?"
Li Na grabbed the toy out of Li Jun's hands as she turned away and she placed Albert's latest gift back into her drawer, taking great care not to let the drawer hit the Panda's belly.
"It's my baptismal name. Aamiya"
Why will you give him your baptismal name when I don't even know it' li Jun murmured
Li Na frowned at him. "You said something?"
"Nope, the writing is kinda sloppy," said Li Jun with obvious contempt for the writer of the letter. Then he blushed, for the word had slipped out by mistake.
" I didn't realize you like watching Kungfu movies." he coughed out.
"I love it" Li Na seemed amused. Shaking her head, She quickly turned off her laptop and placed it carefully in her bag with the lunch box being carried together.