-_-

[Selina’s bedroom]

Selina walked over to her shelves touching every item she had placed on it. Selina paused in front of the snow globe. Inside was a little girl reaching up to the little boy in the tree. She grabbed the snow globe and shook it. She watched as the flakes swirled around inside, set it back down and walked over to her bed.

“Hurry back Jiro,” Selina said, “I might not be able to wait forever anymore.”

Selina stared at her room noticing how empty she was feeling. Her cell phone at the corner of her desk began ringing, but Selina didn’t bother to pick it up.

-_-

[Taipei University]

Aaron found Hebe waiting for him at the usual place.

“You didn’t call yesterday,” Hebe said, “business again?”

“Um…I have something serious to tell you,” Aaron told.

“If it doesn’t have anything to do with me we can talk about it later,” Hebe said, “lets go.”

Aaron smiled nervously as he let Hebe drag him off.

Selina slung her back pack over her shoulder as she made her way up the steps. Danson was already waiting for her at the top.

“How come you didn’t answer my calls yesterday?” asked Danson.

“Oh…that,” Selina said, “something happened yesterday.”

“Is that so? Is it the issue?” Danson asked.

Selina looked up at Danson, “I’m getting married.”

“That’s the issue?” Danson asked. “Do you know him? Have you seen him?”

Selina smacked herself on the forehead, “What’s even worse is he’s younger than me! I feel…feel like an idiot! How can I marry someone younger than me? Do I look that low? Do I Danson?”

Danson stared Selina, “Of course you aren’t…but I thought you’d never agree to such a thing.”

Selina made a face and looked away, “I don’t want to either…but my sister…the company will die if I don’t do it! How can I allow that to happen, Danson?”

“You should just say no,” Danson told, “marrying with no love is…that’s just not right Selina.”

“I’m not stupid Danson,” Selina snapped, “and you’re not helping. No is an impossible to me. I was never able to refuse anything my parents wanted. I’m like…a vacuum you can use whenever you need.”

“How can you agree Selina? You should have said no. You don’t need to do this,” Danson said sounding upset.

Selina put her hand on Danson’s arm and smiled, “I can do it Danson. It’s a have to for now, not a want to. I can wait until Jiro returns.”

Danson looked down at Selina, “Can I try saving you once?”

“Huh?” Selina questioned.

“I was just joking. C’mon lets go,” Danson told.

It was after lunch when Aaron and Hebe walked into their business class. Aaron glanced around wondering if he would be able to sight Selina. In the front row he found her sitting with someone else. He pressed his lips together and followed Hebe to the back. He felt guilty for not being able to say anything to her throughout the time they had spent together. As class started Aaron found himself not concentrating on anything. He glanced over at Hebe who was taking notes. What was he supposed to say to her? Either way she’d just get angry and sad. He knew well that she disliked it when he always did things according to his dad’s business. He knew he would have to marry Selina…but how did he feel about it?

“Get with your partner today’s the only work day I’m giving you,” the professor said breaking Aaron away from his thoughts.

As the rest of the students shuffled around Aaron remained in his seat. He stared at Selina’s back and got up from his seat.

Selina turned to look at Aaron as he set his books down on Danson’s desk.

“How are you today?” Aaron questioned.

“Our topic is company sales,” Selina ignored Aaron’s question.

“Oh…” Aaron nodded his head and looked at Selina again. “Is it just me or is the air kind of stuffy in here?”

“I think it’s just you,” Selina mused moodily.

“Yea…probably,” Aaron replied admitting his defeat in trying to start a conversation.

Selina grinded her teeth and put her pencil down.

“You probably didn’t say anything to your girlfriend right? Is that why you’re being annoying?” Selina asked.

“No…it’s not like that,” Aaron began, “but yes…I couldn’t tell her. I…it doesn’t feel right telling her. Just think about it…it feels weird.”

Selina managed a sarcastic chuckle, “It’s your problem don’t link it to me.”

Aaron bit the inside of his cheek accidentally and let out a shout. Selina turned to him quickly with a frown.

“What are you doing?” Selina asked.

“I bit my cheek,” Aaron moaned.

Selina quickly looked at the other students around them and cleared .

“As long as you’re not bleeding…” Selina said.

“I am bleeding,” Aaron told.

Selina made an ‘I can’t believe this’ kind of expression.  

“Can you not act like a kid?” Selina asked in a quiet whisper.

“I have a fear of blood,” Aaron told.

Selina squeezed her eyes shot and turned back to Aaron, “Do you want me to take you to the bathroom or what?”

“Maybe?” Aaron replied and he wasn't being sarcastic.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Selina complained, “just…stay here. I’ll be back.”

“Hey, Hebe isn’t that your boyfriend?” asked Cyndi, Hebe’s partner.

Hebe raised her eyebrows and looked at the front of the class. A girl had walked back in class with a bottle of water. She watched as the girl talked to Aaron and opened the water bottle handing it to him.

“You’re spilling water on me!” Aaron raised his voice.

“If you could just swallow the water or something then it wouldn’t spill,” Selina told as she reached into her backpack and took out her handkerchief. “Can you wipe it yourself?”

Aaron reached for the handkerchief and dried himself with it. After finishing the whole water bottle he handed Selina’s handkerchief back to her.

“Thanks,” Aaron thanked.

Selina did not reply, but glanced at her watch.

“Is something wrong?” Aaron questioned.

“Class is going to end. I’ll finish up the report,” Selina told.

“But that’s not fair…I can do it too,” Aaron tried.

“You don’t look like you can even touch the computer,” Selina commented.

Aaron bit his lip, “I’ll finish the whole report.”

“If you say so.” Selina said and grabbed her back pack walking away with a sneaky smile.

Actually she had not wanted to do the report at all.

“Hey Aaron,” Hebe said walking toward him, “you know her?”

“Know who?” asked Aaron.

“Your partner,” Hebe clarified.

“Oh Selina?” Aaron asked then turned to look at Hebe remembering that she was his girlfriend. “Oh! We’re business partners!”

Aaron laughed.

“Why do you ask?” Aaron wondered.

Hebe frowned, “Nothing…just you two seemed kind of close…”

“Really?” Aaron asked.

“Do you like her?” asked Hebe.

“No! Why would I?” asked Aaron.

Hebe grabbed Aaron’s hand, “Lets just go. Of course if you ever start liking her then I’m going to beat you to a pulp and flush you down the toilet!”

-_-

[Ren Enterprise]

Selina wiped her face with her hands as she sat in the meeting room after everyone else had left. All the ideas everyone had thought up of seemed boring and not interesting. Her father had given her a new project and ideas for it were due by the end of the week. “A gift for someone special.”

Selina placed all of the ideas presented to her in front of her, “Soap, skincare, make up, a special shirt, collectibles? How am I going to do this? None of these ideas are unique enough.”

There was a knock on the door interrupting her thoughts.

“How’d it go?” Mrs. Ren asked.

“It’s going along well,” Selina lied.

“We’re going to be eating with the Yan's again tonight. Be ready in an hour,” Mrs. Ren told and left.

“Again? Oh c’mon,” Selina said as she slammed her hand on the papers. “Father purposely assigned me this useless topic because he knows I don’t harbor such feelings. I feel so angry!”

-_-

[Yan household]

Aaron stood in front of the mirror staring at himself. He was clearly repeating to himself that he wouldn’t be able to run away from this marriage. He was repeating to himself that he’d slowly accept it. Aaron turned around as the front door opened and his father walked into his room.

“Are you ready Aaron?” asked Mr. Yan.

“Yes dad,” Aaron replied.

“Lets go,” his father said.

-_-

[A restaurant]

Aaron stepped out of the car and toward the restaurant. The maroon walls led him over to a round table covered in a gold table cloth.

“What would you like to eat?” the waiter questioned handing them two menus.

“We’re meeting some other people.” Mr. Yan told.

“Would you like anything drink while you wait?” the waiter asked.

“Aaron?” Mr. Yan said.

“A cup of water thanks,” Aaron told.