A faded noise plays at the back of my head and crucnh up my nose, realising it's my ringtone.
I snuggle into the blanket, clutching it below my chin, and lazily reach out for my phone by the lampshade on the cupboard beside the bed. My heavy eyelids lift as I move the pgone closer to my face, and the call ends.
I yawn as I switch on my blacked put screen, and my eyes widen at the time.  i jolt upright, and I run my hand through my messy hair. The cold weather is really witchcraft, which makes humans controlled by its spell. The cold air, the snow or the rain warns us to stay on bed, under a warm quilt, have a cup of coffee or tea nearby and company yourself with a book—damn, it's not being lazy,  the weather is casting a strong spell. I look down at my pyjamas and a cheerful smile makes its way onto my lips– the grey t-shirt and pants, the words, 'shh, the queen is sleeping' printed on the tshirt I couldn't help myself but chuckle like an idiot at the thought of the pyjamas. It's a couple of pjs, and 'shh my queen is sleeping' printed on his t-shirt. 
I asked him how he managed to get something like that at night, and there weren't any shopping malls nearby. I was surprised to know that he had already bought it and had it in his car boot for a while. 
"I wanna sleep more—" I moarn, and my lips part for another yawn.
Stretching myself, I stare up at the ceiling, the thought of last night imprinted in my mind. I kissed him, and the sensations I felt were pure bliss. The way his fingers travelled behind my neck and through my hair, and his breath on my skin, my hand buried inside his warm hand—Ahhh—I'm going crazy. I hang my head low and slide my legs aside, hanging them over the bed. Grabbing my phone, I checked the missed call, two missed calls from Bray, and four missed calls from Mr. Han. My body straightens at the knock at the door, and my feet fi ally lands on the floor immediately. 
I hop ahead to the mirror and eun my fingers through my hair, brushing the messy strands. Licking my lips, I inhale a deep breath in with pursed lips. Nodding at my image, I step back and scurry to the door. 
"Yes," i say, pulling the door open and raising my chin high.
A soft chuckle escapes his lips, and he takes a step forward and bends. "Had a good sleep?" He asks, titling his head.
I nod.
"Oh—" he stands straight, his eyes fixed on me. Lofting his hand, he places his palm on the keft side of his chest and tilts his head. "Am I the only one who couldn't fall asleep soon because—" he raises his brows, "—my girl kissed me." 
This tone– when he does this – blurting something that makes you blush so bluntly– flirting— How did i even think he was joking around when he sounded like this? 
"Oh ny god, Anna," he sighs, rubbing his hand against his head. He looks away, shakes his head, bits his lower lip, and bends again, meeting his height. Ny brows meet as he moves his head forward and clicks his tongue. "Do you know how crazy I was last night?" He says, almost like explaining with heavy breaths. "I couldn't believe that finally, I could hold you in my arms, close to my heart and claim that I am yours." 
I stay still in silence, staring into these eyes. Words never formed in my head, my mind was blank , and I couldn't think of any words in english to replu him. I stay there, rooted in front of him, gawking at him. I see him, only him, and the whole environment seems blurred.
He draws a large amount of oxygen in and stands upright—that's when I blink. He hides his hands inside his pants' pockets and shrugs. "Your brother is waiting for us." He says.
My lashes flutter as I look away, gulping my saliva. I nod. I nod again. I look up at him, and I nod again. Stepping back, I closed the door. My heart pounds loud enough to reach my ears, I cup my face, feel the heat of my skin, and my lungs work faster. I shake my head to bring my mind back to normal, and I saunter to the washroom. My skin itches for the warm bath.
After a short shower ,  change back into my clothes, do my hair, put on my heels , and dump the pyjamas into the shopping bag. Taking Mr. Han's blazer ,  head to the door. My lips slread to a spontaneous when the door opens wide and to see Mr. Han standing in front, from his face my gaze moves down tp his hand. He is holding the other shopping bag, i can see his pyjamas folded in , and his tie neatly rolled inside. I look back at him, the upper few buttons of his shirt, his undone, and his sleeves rolled up. He straightens the collar of his shirt, ensuring it lies perfectly against his neck and slips his hand into the depths of his pant pocket.
"Are we checking out?" I ask, passing him his blazer. He takes it and holds it on his forearm and inserts his hand i to the pocket.
"Yes," he nods.
"Give me a sec," i rush back in and grab my bag.
I escorted out, and Mr. Han takes the bag from my hands. Han kindly takes the bag from my hands. He transfers it to his other hand, which is already occupied, and secures his blazer onto his arm as well. Just as I'm about to take a step, I stop. 
"My phone." I mumble under my breath, turning around, I unlock the door and euah in.
"What's wrong?" Mr. Han asks, following me inside.
"My phone. I forgot it." I scurry closer to the bed to check on it, and to my astonishment, it wasn't on the bed of the cupboard either.
I pass a glance at Mr. Han, who puts the bags on the couch and walks closer. With my toes, I remove my heels and crasl over the mattress to the other side of the bed, checking it underdeath the soft pillows and duvet. I'm sure I left it on the bed.
My ringtone plays and I freeze. Curling my lips, I turn to look over my shoulders, and my eyes squuze shut. 
"Mr. Weirdo? Is that how you've saved my contact?" He exclaims, raising his brows at me.
Straightening my posture, I inhale a deep breath, and I get off the bed in front of him. In a flash, I jump forward to reach my ohone, but he raises his hand high, to a point I'm unable to make it. 
"Don't you owe an explanation, Ms. Anna." He sneers, eyeing down at me with his arm raised high.
"Weird! Why do you find me weird?" He scowls.
"Ain't we late already?" I jump high, my fingers brush the edge of the phone. However, the next second, he stands on his toes, making it impossible to reach.
"Explain!" He scowls, arching a brow.
Alright, I give up—I definitely can't reach that.
I step back and cross my arms. "Aren't you weird?" I exhale.
"Why am I weird?" He flips the phone to a tight grip and bends, meeting my height. "Am I weird?"
I nod.
He studymies me for a while and watches the right corner of his lips slightly twitching. He tosses the phone to me and grasps it soon.
"If you say so—" he stands upright. "—then yes." He shrugs.
"What?" The word litterally rolled down my tongues without my realisation.
"I mean—" he takes a step closer, gazing down at me. "Whatever you say is right." He winks, and a soft chuckle escapes his lips as he walks past me. I stand still, frozen , my brows knitted, and my lips formed in an uneven smile. 
Can anyone be happy to be called a weird? Damn, this person is really weird— He is indeed a weirdo.
I shake my head and spin around. Mr. Han picks the bags and walks to the door, I follow him, escorting out. 
................................................
"Where to?," I ask, staring at the windscreen, avoiding his gaze.
"You will know soon," he starts the car.
"You told me that Bray wanted to have breakfast together,"
"Yes, I did," he drives his eyes fixed to the road and mine too. "But it's cancelled, and I'm taking you somewhere else,"
Moving my gaze to him, I glare, looking at his side features with a smile on "You lied," I growl.
"No," he shrugs and looks at me. "The breakfast is just postponed to lunch because I knew we wouldn't show up at time in the morning."
"What made you think that?"
"Because,  someone kissed me last night and runined my sleep." He scowls dramatically.
I look away straight to the windshield, heat creeps up my cheeks, and chew my ionner cheeks waiting till he removes his haze from. After eternity, the engine starts, and he drives to my anonymous destination.
My eyes widened when the car came to a halt. I hop out enthusiastically, smiling ear to ear. The strong wind as loid as a howling wolf brushes over me, the skirt of my frock stretches to the west. I inhale the smell of salt, the sound of waves playing in the air. I walk ahead and stop in my tracks to remove my heels. Mr. Han jumps beside me and puts his blazer on my shoulder, my smile widens, eating up my face. He takes the heels from my grip with one hand and holds my hand with the other. Our fingers intertwine, and we walk one the sand, closer to the shore.
"This is going to be an unforgettable day." he blurts, and I look up at him, gawking at his side profile. 
He gazes down at me, and i look away, tucking the strays of strands, which kisses my cheeks. His fingers unwrap, and I hug myself, holding the blazer tight to warm up as the steong wind is chilly.
"Wait here. I'll be back." Mr. Han takes a step forward and puts my heels in place.
I nod, and he walks past me. Wandering ahead, I burry my feet into the wet sand, tsaring down at it as the waves hit against my ankles, wasking the sand away. The sound of waves, the smell of sea, and the cold wind feel tranquil. The corners of my lips twitch to a spontaneous grin on its own at the thought of Mr. Han.
"Excuse me," the unknown voice takes my attention. I spin around, and my lips spread to a polite smile to meet a young girl, who seems to be in mid teens. She extends her arm, and my gaze shifts to the object, waving in the air. A red heart-shaped balloon.
"Here," she says, gesturing me to take it.
"For me?" I ask, pointing at myself with furrowed brows, curios.
She nods. I take the thread of the balloon and run away, I turn, looking at her jumping away in joy. 
Who was she? Why would she give it to me? 
With a sift chuckle, I gaze up at the balloon and my brows knot, noticing the written words on it. I grasps the balloon and moves it to my view, to have a look at the word marked by a black marker. My eyes widen in surpise.
Walk to your right
I spin around examining my surroundings to see a few people afar. It's not summer for the beach side to be crowded. It's autumn. Washing my feet clean, I oick ny heels and walk to the right. My feet stop in its track as I notice another person with the same balloon. A little boy walking towards me, she passes me a wide smile of glee in distance, and I snile back politely. He extends her arm, and I read the words written on the balloon.
I thank Destiny for bringing you to me again.
As I take the balloon, the boy walks away. This scene, the balloon, seems familiar. Standing in place, I track my brain looking around, tsk, it's the proposal scene in the book, the beach, and balloons are the same. The book which he bought me, the book that we tore in the store.
Damn, it's Mr. Han. How does he know it? Did he read the book before giving it to me, but he doesn't like fiction. He preferred non-fiction instead, and whenever he bought me a book back then he scowls at me, asking what's so good in it. 
Before I take a step, a woman runs in my direction, the balloon waving in the air. She stops in front of me, panting and extends her hand with a gigantic grin.
I drop my heels, taking the ballon I ask, knowing the answer. "Who gave this?" 
"Your boyfriend is sweet." She squeaks and walks past me.
My boyfriend? Is that how he'd been telling everyone. 
My cheeks loft below my eyes as I read the text on the third balloon. You're special.
I squint ny eyes noricng a small note tied at the end of the thread. Burst me.
I did as wrotten, and a small rolled paper falls on the sand, I squat immediately before the wind carries it away, and I unroll the paper.
I desperately missed you once and I don't want to miss you again, my girl.
A soft hasp escapes my lips, and my grip on the other balloon's thread loosens, letting it fly high as the pair of ahows comes to my view. I gaze up, and I stand slowly, with my eyes dixed on those deep eyes looking down at me. Mr. Han inhales and takes a step closer to me. 
"Anna," his voice came out soft and low. "Can I be yours exclusively?" He asks.
What does that mean? To be exclusively mine? 
My brows meet when he extends his arm, the rustle of the wrapper takes my attention, I gaze down at his hand, to se a boquet, of books, few red tulips struck in between along with a little leaves. 
I take it and move ut up to ny check, I look uo at him. My lips part when he slips his arm around my waist and pulls me to him. I stumble forward, our eyes fixed.
"You read that book?" I ask.
He nods.
"But, i thought you didn't like reading stories."
"I don't, but I have read every book you've read and will read everything you will read." Hw moves his head closer, "Whatever you like, I like, and whatever you do, I'll join you." He says, his voice maintaining the low, soft tone. "Can I be your other half, Ms. Anna?" 
My throat goes, try, and my heart thunders in ny chest, i feel my skin heat up, and the pit of my stomach twists. I lick my lips staring at him, looking into these deep orbs, which await my answer. I don't hesitate. I didn't want to give a thought, or even think of the amswer for second. When Dylan propsed, I wanted everything to be a joke, but now it's different.  It was as if like I was waiting for this moment,  for him to ask me to be his girlfriend. I've already fallen for him, for my boss Mr. Han, for my childhood friend Jackie.
I urge to smile, but muscles feel stiff, my cheeks burning up. "Yes," the word came out as a nete qhisper and nod deliberately watching him beam.
I stand on my tippy toes when he bends low, placing my hand over his shoulder. I move closer, and we kiss. 
As we pull back, Mr. Han says, "Let's go to meet your brother now." 
Red Tulips symbolises: Deep Love