“I’m sorry but could I have this one?” I beg to the man who reached for the cab door at the same time as me. I don’t know who the cabby saw first, me, the foreigner, or the giant behind me but I don’t care enough to ask. I’m having a terrible nigh and want nothing more than to go home as soon as possible and I doubt I will be able to hail another cab this early in the morning.

The tall man stares down at me, he takes in my disheveled appearance before suggesting, “It’s cold, how about we share, my treat.”

“Thank you!” I beam at him, I could almost hug the giant but I don’t want to push my luck. He opens the door for me before sliding in beside me.

“Where to? The drive questions.

“Ladies first,” My new friend looks to me.

I tell the driver the name of a café near my apartments, he nods and pulls away from the curb. I relax into the seat, taking in the expensive cologne my companion is wearing, he smells so good. I glance over at him to find him staring back, only his eyes visible between his hat and face mask.

“Again, thank you so much,” I tell him.

“What kind of person would I be to leave you standing out in the snow dressed like that,” His eyes can my short dress and bare legs, but he isn’t checking me out like a creep. Concern is obvious in his eyes as I begin to shiver, even in the nicely heated car. “Would you like my coat? It’s a twenty minute drive to that side of town.”

I am going to decline his offer but he is already pulling his long trench coat off and lying it across my lap. The warm material stops my shivering quickly, I pull it up to cover my arms too, the idea of telling him no is out of my head the minute the warmth touches me. I thank him once again.

“My pleasure,” He tells me, adjusting himself in his seat, looking surprisingly dashing in some jeans and a t-shirt after a night of partying. “So, I take it you had a rough night?”

“You could say that,” I sigh.

“Would you like to share?”

I shake my head, “I don’t need to bother you with my problems.”

“I wouldn’t find it a bother. In fact, I welcome it, I’m having some issues of my own. I would like something to get my mind off of that, if you don’t mind. What harm is there sharing stories among strangers?”

“I saw my boyfriend cheating on me at the club we went to together,” I blurt out.

The man snickers, “Really?”

I nod.

A kind hand comes up and rests on top of my head, “I’m sorry Beautiful, you don’t deserve that.”

“I’m just mad at myself for not throwing a drink at him or something. I had one in my hand and everything.”

“Good to see you are taking it well though, many girls would be in tears after something like that.”

I nod, staring down at my fingers that are clutching onto the wool coat draped over me, “I honestly wanted to cry but I held it back. Why cry for someone who doesn’t want you. I would much rather spend my time hating him.”

“Very wise words. I couldn’t agree more.”

It feels good to have that off my chest. I look at my companion, “What stories do you have to share?”

He hums, “I have a few of me getting screwed over by people. Though as terrible as that was I got to where I am now and I wouldn’t want it any other way.” As proud he sounds I hear the sadness behind it. I place a hand on his and give him a reassuring smile. “Fate has strange ways of getting you where it wants you.”

I nod in agreement. We sit in a comfortable silence for a few moments, our hands still resting on top of each other until the stranger tangles his fingers with my own.

“Do you believe in fate?” He wonders.

“I couldn’t say that don’t. What about you mister?”

“Zitao,” He corrects, “And yes, I really do.”

“Hannah.”

His lips form a smile around my name, “Hannah, are you happy with where fate has brought you?”

“I don’t think I have any complaints at the moment. I mean sure, my boyfriend cheated on me on valentines day but I’m not upset at where that got me just yet.”

“Just yet?” He echoes back with an eyebrow raised.

“I don’t know you very well Zitao, you could be an axe murder for all I know.”

“Oh no, you figured it out,” He chuckles.

I can’t hold myself back from gulping at the sudden killer look in his eyes.

“I’m kidding!” The man quickly tries to get rid of my worries.

“I don’t know if I believe that. Your face is covered with a mask, you could be hiding your identity from the driver.”

His eyes crinkle, “If I take off the mask and the hat would you find my more trustworthy?”

I shrug, “It would be a start.”

I watch with absolute focus as the man removes his hat, revealing mused black hair that he quickly tries to fix but it’s a bit difficult with only one hand since his other refused to release mine. His hat is in his lap as he slowly takes off the mask, a nervous smile on his handsome face. The handsome face that belongs to Huang Zitao. My jaw drops.

“You are kidding me.”

“What?”

“You are not the Zitao.”

He laughs, “I would say that I am but that might sound a bit cocky.”

I stare down at our tangled fingers and just chuckle, “My morning just got way better.”

“I am happy I could help with that.”

His smile is a god sent that spreads across his face and makes my heart flutter. But as amazed as I am by that smile his words finally sink in, all his troubles come into my mind. His latest update that my friend had shown me mentioned that he was extremely stressed. I can’t hid the concern on my face.

“What’s wrong?” His smile falters.

“How are you feeling?” I wonder.

He is taken back, “What?”

“I saw your post,” I mumble awkwardly, trying not to sound like a fan girl, “I saw that you aren’t feeling the greatest.”

“Ah, I was hoping you hadn’t heard about that.”

I nod, “I know we aren’t strangers anymore technically but what’s the harm of a few stories between friends?”

“That’s a whole bucket of worms you don’t want to open Love. I’m sure there are a million other things you would like to do with your Valentines day.”

“I would like to talk actually, sitting in a corner of a café spilling my heart out to a person and that person doing the same sounds like a perfect way to spend my morning if I’m being honest.”

“Are you sure?”

“100%”

That smile of his returns just as the driver pulls to a stop, the older man looks over his shoulder, “This is the lady’s stop, where are you headed Sir?”

I look at Tao hopefully, his smile is still fully intact when he answers, “I’m with the pretty little lady, you have a good morning sir.”

The man nods and accepts the fare from Tao, “You two lovebirds have a good morning,” He teases glancing at our intertwined hands.

“We will.”