Michael rarely gets to lay back and relax within his line of work. Sure, he doesn’t have a 9-5 desk job but the problem with jobs that has no schedule usually means it can range from 3 hours in the studio to a wrecking 48 hour all-nighter. So, vacations? A luxury.

So, now, he is this “luxurious” getaway and literally laid back in a surprisingly comfortable lounge beach chair when a shadow blocked the sun from his view. Sitting up he squinted his eyes to look at the figure and was met with… a blinding smile that was brighter than the sun itself.

“Sorry to disrupt you, sir!” The woman had long wavy soft locks that Michael had the urge to just reach out and pet it lovingly. He didn’t though, he didn’t think the lady would appreciate that so he just smiled back at her and said, “No worries! Can I help you?”

She shook her head, still smiling, “No, but here is the lunch you ordered!” She motioned to the plate that was sitting on his table as well as the pineapple cocktail that he decided to go with his lunch. Don’t judge. It’s 5 pm somewhere in the world.

“Thank you uhhh…”

“Oh!” The woman did a literal face-palm in front of him. Michael couldn’t help but grin. “I forgot to introduce myself damn it-oh !-I mean oh my god.” And by this round, Michael was laughing. “I’m sorry sir for uhhh not properly introducing myself then cursing in front of you!” The woman then did a bow and whoah, Michael held up a hand.

“No no! It’s okay!” He waved her apologies. “I wasn’t insulted, just you were funny.” And cute, but he didn’t want to say it out loud.

“Thank you!” The lady did another bow as if to make sure.

“What is your name?” Michael casually asked, he didn’t want to end the conversation without at least knowing her name.

“Um...” She bit her lip, “Solar… that’s uhh my name… are you-” her gaze dropped to the ground. “-going to report me? Sir?”

“Huh?” Michael was confused for a moment but then it clicked. “Oh no! I just really wanted to know your name, you’re doing a great job, believe me! Is this your first day?” Solar, he mused. Never had a name fitted someone so perfectly.

Solar sighed of relief and the signature smile was back. “Yeah… it’s obvious huh? But it’s not like I haven’t been doing serving jobs in the past but uhh, I guess the resort is a new place.”

“Yeah, that happens a lot.” Michael added to appease her. “Doesn’t matter if you have been doing something for 10 years, new experiences never stop for anyone.”

“Yeah…” Solar smiled sweetly this time, looking appreciative to whatever he just said. Michael inwardly did a high-5 to himself. “Well, uh, I do hope you enjoy your food… I didn’t make it-well, obviously Solar-sorry, talking to myself anyway, yeah. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?”

Michael nodded solemnly, he didn’t want Solar to go away but he can’t really keep her from doing her job. “I will, thank you so much… Solar.” He smiled.

“You’re welcome, Michael.” And with a last smile, she left.

He realized not so many minutes later that he never gave her his name but she knew it. Michael took it as a sign from whatever god that exist.

-

Halfway into his vacation, Michael found himself in the same spot where he met Solar. He never seen again from the last time since there was no problem with his lunch. This time though, his server wasn’t Solar but a very charming lady named Wheein. She made jokes and frankly made Michael almost roll over laughing, she left with a friendly wave.

When he was busily digging into his BLT burger, a kid that was probably no older than 4, came into his peripheral vision.

Now, Michael likes to dip in the pool from time to time but doesn’t swim, not like the way normal people does. He’s tall enough to stay standing in the pool just to get wet and cool down but he doesn’t swim. He can’t float. But when the said kid, dauntingly jumped into a 15 feet pool, Michael was running.

He might have heard the mother scream for help but when he felt the water surround him as he grabbed the kid, he felt his body grow cold in the realization that he can’t swim.

He doomed himself and the kid that he was supposed to help.

It took all of his strength but he managed to push the kid afloat to the mother that was reaching for her child on the edge of the pool, she was still screaming.

Michael willed himself to float because this was more embarrassing than the fact that hey, he might drown to death. But all he managed to do was flail in the water, his oxygen getting shorter because of the panic he felt.

Then he felt the splash of waster behind him. He didn’t see anything as he was still busy flailing-important stuff-when he felt hands grabbed the underside of his armpits and was dragged afloat.

When they broke through the water, Michael graciously took a deep breath relieving his aching chest and turned towards his savior.

It was Solar.

“Solar!” He exclaimed still taking deep breaths. She was in her uniform but it didn’t look like the ones that safeguards get to wear.

“Hi!” She said, it sounded cheerful enough but her face was full of worry. “Are you okay?!”

“Yeah! Really grateful that I’m alive!”

“That’s good! Let’s slowly swim to the edge okay?” She hasn’t really released him since she dragged him underwater. Michael now only noticed how close they were to each other. “Just hang unto me.”

“Okay!”

-

“Thank you by the way.” Michael said after he was thanked by the mother and weirdly other people and staff when turned to Solar. He thanked that she didn’t disappear after the chaos.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Solar passed him a towel while grabbing one for herself.

“Um, you just saved my life.” Michael thanked her for the towel and started drying his hair. “I’m pretty sure I owe you a lot.”

Solar waved at his thanks as she busily dried her hair. “You wouldn’t have died. There was like… 10 staff and 2 safeguards, I just got there faster.”

“Still.” Michael argued and took off his shirt. “Are you a safeguard too?”

“Huh?” Solar turned to him and looked shocked for small second before saying, “Uhhh no. Safeguards are the ones in red tanktops.”

“Huh.” Michael started drying his body. “Where you around? You got there pretty quickly.”

“Um…” Solar looked at him, as if guilty. “Well, I was actually working in the Jacuzzi section.” Mapping the place in his brain, Michael looked at Solar in disbelief. “You were like on the other side of the resort.”

“Pssh” Solar laughed. “You’re exaggerating.”

“You’re a fast runner then.” Michael teased. “No but seriously, thank you. And from that far away… wow.”

Solar gave him his million watt smile and said, “It was probably adrenaline. I saw you and I just… I got scared and ran.”

“Thank you.” Michael said again. “Because of that, let me take you out for dinner at least.”

“Huh?” Solar was already shaking her head. “No need for that-”

“Please?” Michael cut in. “I will so much better, seriously, please? I can talk to your manager, I know they’ll understand-”

“You don’t have to!” Solar insisted.

Michael sighed and firmly said. “Solar.” She stopped shaking her head and looked back at him with wide eyes. There was a moment where they were only staring at each other’s eyes when Michael gave an awkward cough and followed with, “Please, just this once, let me take you out for a dinner. You can refuse, but don’t let it be because I don’t have to, I want to and that’s final. Refuse because maybe you find me boring, or it’s inappropriate, or-”

“You’re not boring.” Solar started. “It’s not inappropriate too… I… It’s my day off actually… well right now, not a while ago-you get what I mean-anyway, yeah.”

“So?” Michael waited patiently with bated breath.

“Yeah…sure.” Solar looked away with a faint blush painting her cheeks. “Dinner would be great.”