YEARS AGO I MET THE SUN (3)

"Jingjing?" Xue Guangxi called out in surprise when he thought he saw her in the premises of Xue Shipping, the company that his family owned.

He recently joined as an intern under the close supervision of his sister, the Chief Operating Officer (COO). He thought he saw the girl whom he had met in the temple inside their own company.

'How could that be?'

But he wasn't mistaken at all. 'Cool!'

Things escalated quickly. Upon learning that both of them were interns at Xue Shipping, they were beyond elated for the mere fact that they were in the same place at the same time.

It meant of advantages and benefits such as being able to take a sneak peek at the other when no one was looking, or secretly fake a meeting at a hallway or at the fire exit.

They found the idea thrilling.

They exchanged text messages and snickered at each other's childishness.

There was a spot in the company where employees did not frequent. Xue Guangxi discovered it while exploring their company's premises alone during his free time. 

One afternoon, he invited Su Jingjing to meet there.

The girl arrived at half past four in the afternoon. She was as clueless as ever, just like how she had been ignorant about baseball. "Why did you ask to meet here, Guangxi? I nearly got lost—"

"Su Jingjing, I like you. Be my girlfriend!" The boy raised a bouquet of flowers she did not notice he was carrying initially behind his back. It was a huge bouquet of pink roses.

He blurted out the words, afraid that if they lingered for a few seconds more, he would have lost all his courage. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The timing was crucial. 'Better early than late.'

Otherwise, it he missed that one chance, he wouldn't know if he could try to ask her again. If he hesitated, the words would get swallowed down along with his saliva.

He was so nervous that he nearly peed his pants. It was hilarious, but the poor Xue Guangxi fought till the last words came out before he could relax a bit. 

His eyes never left the ground. He's too scared to see her reaction.

There. The question was out.

She gasped as she covered her mouth. Her fingers trembled. "Guangxi…"

He felt the urge to cover his ears. Suddenly, he didn't want to hear her answer. How absurd could that be?

However, he couldn't cover his ears yet because he's still holding the huge bouquet of flowers to her. The girl seemed frozen from ground up.

For a few seconds they were like a tableau, beautiful wax figures perfectly depicting young love.

"What is your answer? My arms are getting numb. If you take the bouquet, it means you accept. Go out with me." His voice came out shaky. He was as bright as ever, but he appeared timid.

"Take it. I'll count to three. One." He urged when the girl stood rooted to the ground without saying anything. His worry of rejection intensified as the seconds dragged on.

"Two."

He took the courage to take a peek at her face. 

Without saying any word, Su Jingjing coyly took the bouquet of pink flowers. Her cheeks were of the same lovely shade.

"!!!!"

Surprise filled Xue Guangxi's countenance. "Does it mean? So you… Are we… officially together? Are we going out now? You're… you're my girlfriend?" He asked nonstop like a chattering box. His knees flexed on its own and performed knee-high jogging. Then they dipped into squats. "Ihhhh!!!!"

The girl giggled at his questions, but only managed to nod her head at him.

"Oh, Su Jingjing!!! You don't know how you make me happy." He jumped several times in ecstasy while throwing his victorious fists up in the sky. 

This must be how winners at lotteries feel. 

Then when he calmed down, he extended his hand to her. "C-Can I… Can we hold hands?"

 She could tell that he was as nervous as she is. She nodded and reached out for his hand. Before she could touch his, he grabbed her hand in a flash. The act startled her. She thought her heart had just jumped out of her rib cage. She almost laughed at herself, if she could.

But she couldn't. 

Because she was mesmerized with her sun. He's so near her, blazing at his mightiest intensity. 'So blinding.'

That's right. The sun became hers the moment she accepted his love confession.

The feeling made her lightheaded, but it was of a good case. It felt like she was intoxicated with such an addictive drug. A happiness-inducing drug not in the form of a pill but in the form of a huge human being towering almost six-foot tall, and in the name of Xue Guangxi, her sun.

For the succeeding days, they plunged themselves into worriless, carefree escapades. After their internship duties, they would grab dinner together and watch movies. One day, as they grabbed their early dinner together – again and as usual – in each other's company, they watched a live baseball game as was earlier agreed on. She could see how much Xue Guangxi's eyes sparkle out of his fondness for baseball. Yet, when she looked at his eyes, she could only see her reflection on it. Her stomach churned in the most wonderful way. It was exhilarating.

It happened several times. Amidst the noisy cheering of the crowd around them, they were captivated in each other's eyes, and the crowd fell into silence each time, completely muted against the flow of earthly logic. All they could think about was each other, as if they were the only people in that jam-packed stadium. They even missed the most epic homerun of Xue Guangxi's favorite team.

As the crowd stood up and cheered, Xue Guangxi and Su Jingjing were drowned in their seats, imprisoned by walls of people's jumping bodies all around them. They did not pay them any mind. Likewise, those people did not bother with them.

Just as the homerun was at the players' reach on the ninth inning, Xue Guangxi mustered his courage and gently laid his expectant lips on hers for the first time. It lingered there, savoring the flowery scent of her cologne and the soft, warm sensation against his lips. He felt his neck up to his ears burn sizzling hot. The heat originated from his chest, from the racing inside his chest. His heart seemed busy galloping at a whopping a thousand miles per hour.

And the world stopped for the two of them. The world muted. 

They realized that whatever they do, wherever they are, the company of each other would suffice. Su Jingjing for Xue Guangxi, and Xue Guangxi for Su Jingjing.

"Tonight, my sister will return from her Shanghai trip. Tomorrow morning, I will introduce you formally to her." Xue Guangxi relayed his plans to Su Jingjing.

Immediately, apprehension poured over Su Jingjing's countenance. "I'm terrified." 

"I've got you." He blinded her with his brightest beam. He brazenly smacked her lips one more time.

The corner of Su Jingjing's lips uncontrollably turned upward on its own. Its own movement embarrassed her.

At this point in time, Su Jingjing did not know yet that Xue Guangxi was the little brother of Xue Shipping's Chief Operating Officer (COO). In other words, he's someone prominent and rich, too.

Their relationship moved too fast. They barely knew each other. They were both aware of it but their hearts had never felt so alive. Xue Guangxi thought, "Ah, maybe this is how a werewolf would have felt when imprinting with his mate. Su Jingjing… I love her."