Li Na observed how out of place Li Jun appeared among the regular Taiwanese and tourists—not for any other reason than he was so striking in all his tall, hot, buzz-cut perfection. She couldn't help notice the admiring glances he got from the other women as they walked past. Li Na had secretly been dreading meeting Li Jun for the date. She realized that technically, she wasn't doing anything wrong by going with him to the park, but deep inside, she knew she was toeing past the line of reasonability.
She'd been standing at the gate outside for at least ten minutes already, palms sweaty, heartbeat out of control, unable to make herself call him that she was around and yet unable to walk away.
She didn't even know why she was here, considering she'd spent the whole day telling herself she wouldn't be. You know why you're here.
A kiss that had blown her mind. Then his hand was on the back of her neck. A firm grip, strong and yet gentle. That's all it had taken for those long-buried feelings to start up. Feelings that weren't going to stay buried.
Yeah, she knew why she was here. The time for denying herself had passed. That kiss had made a lie out of her every denial and if that hadn't, the way he'd held her certainly had.
Maybe it was a bad decision, but she couldn't go on the way she had been. Couldn't bear the fear that lurked in her gut. That had consumed her the moment she'd first spoken to Li Jun if she were being completely honest.
A day, he'd said. They'd talk and then it was up to her what she did.
Perhaps she owed it to herself to at least talk. Perhaps it's not thinking you need, Professor.
But to have it, she was going to have to trust him and that was the thing she just didn't know if she could give.
Maybe that's why she was here, ultimately. To find out if she could trust him.
"Are you all right over there, Li Na?" The voice of Li Jun drew her back to the pool. When she looked up, she noticed the top of his nose, which was hidden below his sunglasses, squished into a worried expression. 'Yes, I'm alright,' she replied. "Let's sit over there, This spot looks comfortable." Li Na said as she made her way over to the grass and pressed a hand down to check its dampness.
"Here," Li Jun whispered as he laid his jacket down. "You can sit on that."
"The grass is dry," Li Na insisted.
He shrugged. "Just sit on the darn thing, Li Na. It is not that expensive."
Li Na dropped her stuff on the ground and sat down. "Thank you."
Li Jun dropped down onto the grass, his arm grazing hers. He gave her one of the lunch boxes he bought, leaning back on his elbows, he stretched out his legs as he watched the horizon.
Li Na watched him furtively as he looked out across the water, glancing at the children climbing all over the Mermaid statue situated to their right. He looked devastatingly beautiful.
"I, um . . . Thank you for the lunch and bubble tea." She said as she unwrapped the lunch box and started munching on it.
He looked at her and raised his eyebrows in excitement as She placed the steak into her mouth and savored the taste. He grinned knowing that she was enjoying the snacks.
"You are welcome." He chuckled.
She eyed him when she saw that he was not eating. "Hey, where's your lunch box?" she asked, seeing a questioning expression cross her face. Li Jun answered her."I was hungry, so I ate it before you arrived." He blushed as he pulled the grass beside him.
Smiling at his actions she delved into her box and gave him a piece of steak. "Here, take it." Li Jun sat up, drooling at the steak offered greedily.
"Who am I to say no to an offered steaked."He said as he grabbed it from her hand.
"I can see that you are fond of steak."Li Na eyed him.
"Yep, Thank you," he said, while his tongue began doing indecent things to the pepper sprinkled at the side of the steak. She watched, entranced. "Um, do you want more?"
" No, I'm good," Was it even possible to be jealous of a steak? She turned from him, watching the lotuses swimming peacefully across the pond.
There's something so restful about the pond. Why is that? Perpetual motion, never still, and yet it's a soothing, peaceful, rolling, restless movement. Even the Lotuses gave it a calm and serene atmosphere.
"This place is simply amazing." The astonishment in Li Na's voice made Li Jun grin as he turned to face her, witnessing her surprised expression.
"I had a feeling you'd like it." A long silence envelopes them. And it was a peaceful place—it was where he and Li Na can be themselves for a few, brief, uninterrupted hours. Even so, they had to be careful.
"Well, you know, you surprise me all the time, Lu Li Jun. As soon as I discover something good and altruistic about you, you go and top it with something even better." Li Na said jerking him from his musings.
Instead of being flattered, her remarks merely added to his guilt. Because bringing her here today was incredibly selfish, endangering her career as a lecturer. Worse, he didn't seem anxious enough to take her home just yet.
They are already here; what were another few hours? Besides, He wanted her to experience the one thing He'd brought her here to do. "Come on." He took her hand and helped both of them to their feet.
"I think it's about time for the actual event." "Actual event?" Her grin was intriguing, with a tinge of eager anticipation. "Tell me. What's the Actual event?
Pointing to the twinkling, gleaming lights on the other side of the market vendor's booth. The lightened outline of a large merry-go-round in the butterfly garden rotated slowly in the distance.
Li Jun lowered his mouth to her ear, grinning. "Professor Li Na, you are about to have the most pleasurable experience in one of the most beautiful gardens in the world." He said as he dragged her to the Butterfly garden.
Her beautiful lips parted with awe. The colorful lights mixed with different species of butterflies flying about and the flowers situated in the garden was the most amazing and dazzling scenario Li Na's eyes had ever witnessed.
She sputtered as she spun to Li Jun. "Thi-This is beautiful. How did you know about this place? I've never seen such an amazing sight."
Li Jun kissed her knuckles tenderly as he lifted her fingers, which were linked with his. "During the festival season, my parents would bring Jia Li and me to this location."
She loved it. Li Na didn't say anything aloud, but all Li Jun had to do was watch the expressions flit across her face to know the whole experience thrilled her.
"Oh, my Lord," she exclaimed. "Look. Take a look at that ride. I've wanted to ride a roller coaster" Li Na grabbed Li Jun's hand and said, "I've never ridden one before." "Let's go, Li Jun. Could we please go for a ride on it?" With misty eyes, she urged him.
"Oh, I don't know how to ride, I don't….I think I'm okay here. Li Jun expressed his worry. She glanced at him with surprise, her eyes expanding and her demeanor suddenly changing to one of great shock. "What? You're not scared, are you?"
"I'm not scared. It's just kinda huge, Li Na"
"Wow! I can't believe that the great Lu Li Jun is scared of a roller coaster, Don't worry. We'll start easy. How about the Ferris wheel?"
"The Ferris wheel? you call that Easy?" His eyes bulged even wider. "But that's almost the same thing as the roller coaster. Shit! It's scary, " he said unconsciously.
"Oh, and you said you are not scared. Come on. You have to try it out at least once in a lifetime. Overcome your fear, Li Jun." Looking at the way she was acting he was forced to agree.
Feeling as if she had achieved some great feat, Li Na was surprised how easy it was to talk him into it; She thinks he secretly wanted to go but was a little bit nervous. After buying tickets, Li Na was not feeling ashamed as they got into line behind a bunch of teenagers. They were the two people trying to board the Ferris wheel who was by far the oldest.
"This is absurd," Li Jun said, leaning in close to Li Na. Let's just get going."
"Nope. You brought us here and we are enjoying it to our fullest. You're not chickening out on me. Be brave Li Jun" She winked and patted him on his hand.
Li Jun tightened his grip on her hand, keeping her close as he stared up at the Ferris wheel as it slowed to let some boys who seem to have lost their souls off.
His back immediately stiffened as he kept on repeating. "Calm down Li Jun. Calm down —"
"It is okay, LI Jun. it is a first for both of us" Li Na grinned smugly, looking at him in her professor's way.
"I'm OKay," he snapped, turning to face the ride with fake bravado. "Let's go on the Ferris wheel ride, then."
"Hm, Good," she spat back. "Because it's our turn to get on it."
Pulling her along, Li Jun helped her into the seat the guy was holding open for them before he hopped up beside her and grabbed her hand. She looked so happy and carefree, her fingers wrapped around the safety bar as she continued to look around. Li Na turned to see that Li Jun was also gripping the safety belt but his knuckles were already turning white. Needing to distract him, she gripped his hands into hers and smiled at his scrunched-up face.
Just as their cart jerked into motion and they were lifted into the air, Li Na reached out to cover his hand as she continued patting it.
"Time to experience a very interesting ." Li Na sucked in a breath and leaned toward Li Jun who was watching her actions with amusement. As the wheel paused to let more people on, Li Na gulped audibly and leaned forward to gaze out at everything she could see from this height. "Wow. It is beautiful"
"Yes, beautiful" Li Jun looked at her, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" "It's the most gorgeous scenery I've ever seen," says Li Na. Li Jun couldn't stay still as emotions poured through her gaze. He leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. Li Na looked at him as he drew back, her fingers touching her kissed skin. He cleared his throat and attempted to shake it off, feeling more self-conscious after the brief kiss than all the openmouthed, intense kisses they'd exchanged previously.
"What? It's just a peck.."
"Really?" she said as she lifted her lips into a smile, and Li Jun blew out a relieved breath, glad she wasn't pissed. They sat in silence for the rest of the ride, admiring the sunset reflected in the water of the river below.
Once Their feet were back on solid ground, she admitted, "OK, this was fun."
She asked, "Aren't you pleased I had you try it?" She curled her lips as if to conceal a smile, but Li Jun noticed it nevertheless, and he was attracted by her carefree, eager side. "Yes. "I am," he says.
"So what about the merry-go-round?" she asked.
"Nope? I have a better idea." Grasping on her hand, he started walking in the other direction. She followed, charmed by his swagger. When they passed a canopy, he dodged left, taking her into the quiet, shadowed spot next to it, squeezing them between canopy and the shop holding a target shooting show with the prize being stuffed toy kung fu panda characters.
"Wha...?" She stopped abruptly and faced him. Looking at her, Li Jun picked up a gun and joined the queue so that he could get to shoot a target and pick up her favorite kung fu panda character for her. When it was his turn, Li Na was cheering him on so that he could win the prize, after several attempts, he won an oversized Po stuffed toy for her, feeling happy she suddenly hugged him. Feeling touched by his gesture, she never realized that he remembered her love for the Po stuffed toy, not even her parents remembered what she likes or what she dislikes but he remembered the most minute thing about her.
Li Jun was stilled for a moment. He looked at the pair of eyes that were filled with subdued joy. He unhurriedly lowered his head as he patted her cheeks. His voice was soft, almost quiet and silky, "It's all right. Let's go home."