Trouvaile: Something lovely to discover by chance

--

He walked at the old abandoned building. He looked at the picture at his hand for a long time, comparing it to the building in front of him. “It has been a long time…” he said to himself. The old building was almost in rubbles. It’s charcoal black color was the evidence left of the fire that happened there fifteen years ago.

“May I help you sir?” he heard a voice say behind him. He looked back, and saw an old man walking towards him. “Is this the Holy Angels Convent?” he asked the old man. “It used to… until the fire ruined this place fifteen years ago.” The old man said. “I know the convent had an orphanage before. Do you know where they took the children after the fire?” he asked again. The old man shook his head. “The fire took the lives of almost all the children living in the orphanage. Even the nuns… I don’t think anyone ever survived.”

He sighed as he lowered his head. He felt as if he was losing hope in finding her. “Do you know where they took the bodies of the  victims when they got them out of the fire?” he asked again. “It’s at a nearby hospital, I believe.” The old man said. He thanked the old man, and left the old building. “The hospital is my last hope in finding her…” he thought as he walked away.

--

Pets slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw what the ceiling fan turning round. The last thing she remembered before passing out was jumping onto a guy, and the pang of pain she felt when the baseball hit her head. Until that moment, she could feel the pain in her head. She flinched in pain as she tried to sit up.

"Don't force yourself if you're still in pain."

She looked up, and saw the guy from a while back. "I'm sorry..." she said in a low voice. He gave her a boyish smile. "No, don't say sorry. I should thank you. You took that hit instead of me. You protected me." he said. "Did we win?" she asked again. The guy just stared blankly at her. Sure, he was watching for a while, but he didn't bother to check which team is winning.

"Pets, are you awake?" Pets heard Yu Fei's voice. She looked to the door, and saw her peeking. "Yu Fei, who won?" she asked. Yu Fei smiled at her as she approached her. "Of course we won, silly!" she said giddily. Pets smiled happily upon hearing that. The two girls giggled and hugged each other.

Wayne could only smile as she watched the two girls. "Congratulations on winning." he said. Pets looked at him and smiled shyly. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I'm really sorry about that ball..." she said. "I told you, no need to say sorry. You're the one who's hurt here." Wayne said.

Meanwhile, Yu Fei was staring at Wayne for a long time. It seems to her that she saw him before, but she just couldn't figure out where. "You look familiar..." Yu Fei said. Pets gave her a puzzled look. "'You know him?" she asked. Yu Fei moved closer to Wayne and looked closely at him. Wayne was surprised at her move. "I... I assure you this is the first time we met." Wayne told her. "Are you a celebrity?" she asked.

Pets couldn't help but laugh at Yu Fei. "No, I'm not." Wayne said. "But you do look familiar.... I think I've seen you on TV..."

Yu Fei still stared at him, until she could figure out who he is. "Aha!" she exclaimed. "You're one of the Wang brothers! Wayne Wang, am I right?" she said, as if she discovered slice bread. Wayne just smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, I'm Wayne Wang." he confirmed.

Yu Fei shrieked at her discovery. "Oh my God! I never thought I could see you upclose! I only see you on TV an on lifestyle magazines! You're much handsome in person!" she said. Wayne could nonly scratch his head. "Thank you."

Pets poked Yu Fei's side. "Don't embarrass him.." she reminded her. Then, she turned to Wayne. "I'm sorry about the way my friend acted..."

"There you go again, saying sorry..." Wayne said in amusement.

Pet's cheeks turned pink with what he said. As she blushed, Wayne could only stare at her face. There was something about that girl that made him want to stare at her for a long time. From that moment he got to look at her face, she already got his attention.

"I have to go." Wayne said as he stood up. "I just wanted to make sure you're OK before I leave." Pets nodded her head. "Thank you, Mr. Wang." she said. "Please, just call me Wayne. I think I'm just a year older than you.  I'll see you around." Wayne said. He then left the two girls alone in the clinic.

"I can't believe that Wayne Wang carried you here to the clinic!" Yu Fei said. Pets gave her another puzzled look. "He's the one who brought me here?" she asked. Yu Fei nodded her head. Pets felt more embarrassed. She jumped on him a while ago, let him carry her to the clinic, and now she forgot to thank the guy. She could only smack herself in the head in disappointment.

--

The moment Wayne got home, he went down to their recreation room at the basement, and plopped himself on the couch. He's tired, all right, but remembering Pets' face made his exhaustion go away.

"Home soon, I see." he heard a familiar voice say. He turned, and saw Jiro approaching him. "How was the visit at St. Margaret?" Jiro asked, sitting right beside him. "It was the best." Wayne said happily. Jiro could only give him a puzzled look. "You didn't chase girls there, did you?" his brother asked. Jiro knew Wayne when it comes to girls. He flirts a lot with cute girls, and he changes girlfriends more often than he could change his underwear.

"There are a lot of cute girls there, all right, but this one girl I met, she's different." Wayne said. "What made her different? You always say that when you meet cute girls."

"I assure you, bro. This one really is different from all the girls I met."

That caught Jiro's attention. Whoever this girl Wayne's talking about, she should have done something to make him talk this way. "OK, let me hear about it." Jiro said. "I don't know, bro..." Wayne started. Jiro could see him blushing as he began to talk about this girl she met. "She had this sweet innocent face. It's like everything glows around her when she smiles. And when she talks, she talks softly like an angel."

Jiro wanted to laugh at the way he described the girl. "Could you meet someone like that at this time?" he asked. Wayne nodded his head. "I met one. You know the feeling of falling in love for the first time? I think I felt that way when I held her..."

"Wait... held her? You took advantage of her?"

"Of course not! But I have no choice."

"No choice but to take advantage of her?"

"No! I have to carry her to the clinic. She tackled me. I didn't know why. Then she passed out. It was when I saw a baseball rolling beside us that I realized she got hit by a ball. She protected me from getting hurt."

"That's a great story for first meeting."

Wayne just let out a laugh. "I know it is. It's like an angel fell onto me, that moment." he said. Jiro wanted to laugh at the way Wayne describe the girl. Cute, y or pretty are the words he usually hears from him when she describes his new girl. But angel? She must be that special for Wayne to use that term. "So, what's her name?" Jiro asked. Wayne paused for a while to think. "I forgot." he embarrasingly admitted. With that, Jiro burst out laughing. "Wayne Wang, the greatest playboy I ever know, just forgot to ask the name of the girl he likes. Way to go, bro!" Jiro said in between laugh.

Wayne let out a sigh, and then he smiled. "But I will find out her name soon." he said. Then, he looked at Jiro. "I'll go back to St. Margaret and find her."

Jiro could only shake his head.

--

"Please? Emily? Help me out here?"

Wayne begged the older girl that next morning at her office. "No." Emily said firmly. "Please?" Wayne asked again. This time, Emily chose to ignore him and continue with her paper works. "Please, Emily, I beg you. Help me find that girl" Wayne said as he fell on his knees.

Emily's eyes widened upon seeing Wayne kneeling. "Wayne, stand up!" she commanded him. "I won't, until you help me find that girl." Wayne stubbornly replied. "I'm busy, and besides, I won't let any pretty St. Margaret girls get played by you."

"I am not going to do anything with them. I just want a name."

"You should have asked her yesterday when you talked to her."

"I can't because -"

Emily waited for the next words he said. Wayne, on the other hand, just can't explain or admit to Emily that he suddenly got shy around the girl because he know she will laugh at him. It's not likely of Wayne to be shy around girls, and Emily knows that. "Because what?" Emily asked. "Because her friend suddenly barged in the clinic. I just can't ask her while her frien fawned over her." Wayne said. "Why do you want to know her, anyway?"

"Because I think it was my fault she got hurt. I want to make it up to her."

"And bringing her to the clinic doesn't make it up for her being hurt?"

"She protected me, OK? I just want to know who she is so that I thank her."

Emily let out a sigh. She then took the handset of her phone, and dialed a number. "Hello Clinic services? This is Emily Cai from St. Margaret Foundation. I would like to inquire about the girl who had an accident yesterday while playing baseball. Can you give me her name and details please? I just want to thank her in behalf of Mr. Wayne Wang." Emily said. Wayne waited as Emily listened to the details that the clinic staff told her. "OK, got it. Thank you." Emily ended the call.

"Got her name?" Wayne asked. "Pets Ceng. Her name is Pets Ceng. She's studying fine arts. Now, go and look for her, and leave me alone in peace, please." Emily said. "Thank you!" Wayne happily said as he hugged her.

--

The school bell rang, and every student rushed out to the door of the classroom. It was during that time when Wayne walked through the hallway of the Fine Arts building. His eyes searched every classroom to find Pets, and he was able to find her at the studio at the farther side of the building. From the window, he could see her painting a beautiful scenery.

Pets suddenly felt a pair of eyes watching her. As she looked at the window, she saaw Wayne standing outside, smiling at her. Wayne waved at her. "May I come in?" Wayne asked. Pets nodded her head. Wayne stepped inside the studio, and the first thing he did is stare at her painting. "So, this is your work, huh?" he asked. Pets nodded her head. "It's the final project that I need to pass for this semester. I'm halfway through it." she answered.

"I'm sure you'll be able to finish it on time."

"Thank you."

Wayne turned to her, and smile. "We weren't able to introduce ourselves to each other yesterday." Wayne began. Pets let out a nervous laugh. "Yu Fei told me who you are."

"But it would be nice if I get to introduce myself, right?"

He then exxtended his hand to her. "I'm Wayne." Pets smiled at him, and took his hand. "I'm Pets." she said. He softly pressed her hand as he stared into her eyes. "I'm glad to meet you, Pets." he said.