Luhan loved the road trip with Mei. She was lighter, happier, snobbish. She flipped her hair which she always let fall down on her shoulders now, and generally made things more difficult than they would be, leading them into arguments. It was like she was showing more and more sides of her which she had kept hidden, suppressing them, and although negative sides shouldn’t be a good thing, for her it still was.

Because whenever she was leaning out of the window, her hair blowing in the wind, he could almost see the girl she used to be with her shy shakes of her ponytail off her shoulders and her hyperbolized mapped out routine of her daily life.

Luhan loved Mei for everything she was now (but he was sure, he would have loved the old Mei, too).

And then Luhan imagined what it would have been like when he would have met Mei before his best friend.

He wondered whether Mei would have fallen for him first, whether he would have been courageous enough to approach her, where he would have taken her out for their first date, when he would have kissed her the first time and how long they would have been together now. (Probably years.)

And then for a short moment, Luhan was angry at their fate.

He was angry because despite being her boyfriend’s best friend, they hadn’t been able to meet earlier, despite majoring in the same subject, they hadn’t been able to take the same classes and despite walking around in the same college, they hadn’t been able to cross each other’s paths.

If he hadn’t met Mei under the current circumstances, would he still have fallen for her?

Would he have fallen for her when he asked her whether the seat next to her was free? When he helped her with her university work? When he lent her a law book she needed?

But everything was not worth debating in the end. No matter how much he thought about it, no matter how many different ways he approached, he knew his answer would always be the same…

Yes, he would have still fallen for her. He had figured out by now that his love for her didn’t depend on the time, place or circumstances. He was meant to fall for her the moment they met. His love for her depended on nothing. It just was.

Luhan was glad that they had gotten a second chance.

“Luhan?”

“Hm?” With a warm smile, he turned his head and looked at Mei who had been keeping her sight to the window all the time. Slowly, she shifted her position to face him and for a moment, their gazes met, melting into each other to surround them with a warm and loving atmosphere.

Mei remained silent when Luhan fixated his view on the road again and he gave her time to think over the words she wanted to tell him. Yet, he still shot her a questioning look from the corner of his eyes, mainly because he knew there was something burdening her heart very heavily which she needed to think over first before opening up.

“Do you remember when you asked me what I wanted to be in the future back then?” She then started, lowering her head and playing with the ring on her finger she was treasuring so much. She rotated it around her limb, showing her nervousness with this motion.

Luhan was wondering what Mei was thinking when she now looked at the jewelry. Did she look at it in anticipation or sadness? In bliss or sorrow? In happiness or pain? He wondered, whether she ever doubt the bond the ring was leading her to or whether she wished that somehow, the ring would belong to someone else. (Which it truly did).

“Yes, I do.” Luhan answered solemnly. He remembered every conversation he had been holding with Mei, ever since his words “Uhm… excuse me? I’m Lu Han.” when he stepped through the flower shop.

Mei had used the words ‘back then’, and although the day they first met each other was merely three weeks ago, it felt like it had been months, years, like a lifetime. Too many things had changed – their surroundings and mostly, themselves.

“I’ve been thinking about it.” Mei brushed a strand of her hair which had gotten messed up behind her ear – a gesture Luhan grew to love so much. It was all natural, instinctive and, in his eyes, utterly lovely. Cute as a button.

“About the path you want to take?” He returned, hiding a proud smile behind an interested façade. Luhan had never wanted to force Mei into thinking over it, but he had slightly tried to give her a thought-provoking impulse.

Since their first encounter, he had seen that Mei’s dedication laid somewhere else as in law. It had always been her own decision whether she wanted to continue what would be the most profitable job for her, or to fixate her passion on what would be the most prosperous job for her.

He had always seen her blooming personality when she talked about flowers, the bright sparkles in her eyes and her light nature coming along with it. And maybe it was the colorful blossoms adorning the bright green scapes that had offered them a chance to get closer, to become friends (and maybe a little more) when they were still strangers, heading to different destinations three weeks ago.

“Yes,” Mei answered and paused, shifting her sight to the window. Her eyes laid on the scenery which passed by the window fast, fading into a blur of different shades of green and colorful stains of red, pink, white and yellow. Usually, Mei could keep staring out of the window for hours, but right now, her thoughts were too heavy to keep concentrated on it, always pulling her away to other things which had kept her occupied.

It was the day when they took breakfast at her mother’s flat together, when she began to doubt whether she was studying the right thing. Always pushing the thought aside, it still always caught up on her whenever she remembered of going back to university after the summer.

Mei remembered spending the nights studying and the days helping out in the flower shop right after classes. Day for day she would have awaited the end of the last lesson just to go back home, put on her pink apron and give advises of which flowers were the best for the costumer’s situation. When the work was finished, she would get up to her room and look through books, take notes and do her work. She indeed did her studies – but begrudgingly.

The most awaited time of the day for Mei was always the one where she could fully fixate on her beloved flowers. She recommended boys in love apricot tulips to give to their beloved ones; smitten husbands were advised to get red roses for their wedding anniversary; and little children were counseled to give pink orchids for mother’s day. It was a work that didn’t only make the costumer’s happy, but herself too. Whenever she saw the bright smile of a content, blissful heart, it was like she could feel each little piece of their delight too.

During the breakfast at her mother’s, Mei had to realize that she could never put so much passion into speaking about her major as Luhan, that she would never have the characteristics, courage and interest for law like him. And that she would also never be as content as a lawyer as she was a florist.

It had only taken her grandmother’s, her mother’s and lastly, Luhan’s impulse for her to realize it. Mainly, Luhan and his effective words which had been planted into her.

Probably, everything Mei needed was just time, strength and little bit of courage. Then most of the things would work out by themselves.

“I’m thinking of giving up studying. I’m thinking of working as a florist only.” Getting those words out of her chest, it didn’t sound that scary for Mei anymore. They sounded delightful and alluring, and certainly much more promising.

She didn’t think about her mapped out future plan and particularly not about Ren’s aversion to it. (She didn’t want to be dependent on any of the factors anymore).

Mei thought about following her own feelings and her heart which would bring long-lasting bliss to her life. Mei thought that, if she continued to live like this, it would lead her to the good life she was dreaming of, the life she was living right now (with Luhan).

“Do you want to know what I think about it, Mei?” Luhan asked, witnessing the slight touch of insecurity coming along with her statement. Someone could not make a 180 degree turn and change all of the well mapped out plans in such a short time – but she was on the right way, and Luhan was very proud.

He took a look at her, saw her big brown eyes staring back at him with a certain