Her skin is pale the first night, and it attracts her wandering gaze.

Krystal keeps guard with her hands deep in her pockets as she approaches the auburn-haired that sits at the edge of the pond. She’s unsure of how to approach her without scaring her off, she knows nothing of her and is contemplative how to.

In sight of her precautions, the other catches sight of her too, and widens her eyes.

“I’m assuming you want the same thing,”

“E-excuse me?”

Krystal chuckles inwardly, she misspoke, “Never-mind, my fault. I just assumed you were here for this.” She takes a step and sees the other take a cautious step back. Krystal than pauses, gesturing with an outstretched hand to the closed leaves floating above the water.

Krystal smiled as the stranger guarded her gaze. “The Victoria Water Lily,” Krystal says, “a beautiful miracle of nature. I know of few people who want to come by or even know of its existence. Are you a fanatic as I am or just wandered by?”

“A bit of both,” the stranger admits. “I heard of it recently, and thought it’d be nice to see.”

“Then you’re from the tourist spots, aren’t you?”

The stranger pauses, “how would you know?”

“Because the tourist guides like to tell that fact the most, boasting about it around this time of year. It’s this season that it has the best chance of blooming, it’s difficult to pinpoint some years than others.”

“Then you’re a local,” the stranger deduces. “You already knew I wasn’t from around here.” She almost accuses.

Krystal stops and the stranger follows her gaze, and through the small lights above, do they see the water lily blooming just right.

Krystal glances back at the stranger, “you are lucky, not many wanderers manage to find it on its exact night. So many are disappointed, I guess you’ll be the exception to that. Oh so lucky.”

There’s a faint blush on the other’s cheeks at Krystal’s alluding words, and she quickly turns away to take her leave.

“I hoped I was wrong,” Krystal calls after her to the stranger’s confusion. “If you were, then maybe there was another chance we’d met again.”

The stranger is caught off guard by her straightforward behavior.

“Forgive me, but may I know your name?” Krystal asks, studying her every feature. The stranger reserves herself under Krystal’s prying gaze.

She guarded against giving her real name, and just leaves it at that.

Krystal knows nothing of her, but her interests are peaked.

Like the water lily, she accepts what life places in front of her, and takes the course.

Krystal decides to dub the stranger as simply ‘Victoria.’ And hopes that like her given name, she reveals another side tomorrow night as well.

-

The Victoria Water Lily is a plant that blooms at night, and blooms only twice.

The first night, it blooms white.

The second night, it blooms pink.

-

Victoria is nervous as she walks to the pond.

It’s just before dusk sets, and Victoria squints her eyes at the blinding sun, unable to see if her companion was already here for the night. She blocks her own view but she cannot see, she impatiently turns her gaze to the pond until the sun finally lowers enough for her to see properly and confirm her suspicions.

Krystal is already standing at her spot and glances her way, expectantly waiting for Victoria to take hers.

She does so, “You’re here for the second night as well?”

“I cannot just be here for one, and not the other.”

Victoria actually doubted whether she’d make the return trip, last night she was able to make up her mind through hours of indecisiveness with just one more factor. The idea that it’s this stranger who does so is a little troubling, but exciting to her as well.

There’s a silence, and Victoria wonders why the other isn’t provoking her as last night. She then figures out her motives, and realizes the stranger wants her to begin first.

Victoria is hesitant in that regard, and maintains her silence. Krystal doesn’t appear the least bit bothered as Victoria’s increasingly becoming,

“You were right in figuring out I was a mere tourist, but it’s more than that.” Victoria says upfront.

Krystal arches an eyebrow at her abrupt confidence, and appeared amused. “Go on,” she prompts.

Victoria clears , hoping she could compose herself justly. Though she was often praised for it, her composure was coming apart at the seams, and all because of her.

She should be wary of someone who’s already done such wonders to her, but she’s tempted nonetheless.

“I’m visiting to decide whether I want to move here or not, I visited all the surrounding cities and am still making up my mind.”

“Is that so?” Krystal asks lightly, though intrigued as she steps towards her, this time Victoria doesn’t move. “I hope you realized the wonders of my city.”

“I have.” Victoria says. Their distance is shortening, and it doesn’t scare her much now.

It’s when there only a few steps between them, that she says it out loud.

“Song Qian,” she murmurs. “Song Qian is my name.”

Victoria is too used to not straying from the set path, and though she first appears as a passing interest, she feels she's taking the right path.

Krystal smiles, deciding it’s best to close their distance now before the other comes to terms with what she’s allowing.

When the water lily blooms pink, Krystal realizes it matches the shade on her cheeks, and grins charmingly.

Song Qian, Krystal thinks delightfully, a fitting if not better name.