Love Began with the First Meeting

If I ever become a burden to you, I would gladly walk away and support you from the sidelines. Just know that every time you get tired and you need to rest, just turn your back and I'll be there, waiting.

***

Brian froze there and watched them hugging each other in the rain. The heavy rain kept pelting down from above. Raindrops fell down from the edges of his umbrella and formed a curtain of water which blurred his vision.

He slowly turned around, and left quietly as if he had never been there. The sound of the rain pitter-pattering chimed with the sound of his foot steps. Even though he was practically drenched in the rain, he maintained a blank expression on his face.

Brian stopped by the Sasha Music Troupe office. He raised his head and looked towards the cake shop across the street. Green words were written across the billboard which was decorated with an array of sunflowers. The words read, "The Summer Breeze! It's always the summer breeze here."

Brian's gaze deepened as he stared at those words. As he withdrew his gaze, he started walking towards his car. He tilted his head towards the direction of the Sasha Music Troupe office as he sat in his car. He looked downcast now.

He started the car and it sped off in the heavy rain leaving the Sasha Music Troupe office far behind it. Only by driving at such a speed could he finally let out what he was really feeling.

***

"Mol, you should get changed. Let's go to my shop," Spark suggested. He looked concerned when he saw Molly was dripping wet.

Molly gripped the ring tightly in her fist and nodded sluggishly. Spark helped her stand on her feet, as they slowly made their way towards the cake shop.

"Welcome to... Sir?" The waiter stopped at the sight of wet Molly and Spark. His eyes widened, "Sir, what did you do in the rain?"

Spark spared him by ignoring. The waiter pursed his lips and stepped aside to let them in.

Manny, who was just stepping out from the inside, frowned at this sight. Before he could even say anything, Spark ordered, "Nanny, get clothes for Molly to get changed in. Oh, right, her stuff's still in her office. Someone go get it, please."

"Okay," Manny said as he watched them step in a room and sighed. He took his phone and dialed a clothing shop and requested to have clothes sent over now.

Soon, the night fell and thousands of windows lit up with lights. The rain had turned into just a drizzle, and the dim light of the street lamps looked misty in the soft rain.

Molly glanced at the time on her phone screen-eight o'clock. She unlocked the screen when she had missed calls, and found that they were from Myra and Little Cutie. She snapped the screen shut as a hint of disappointment flashed through her eyes. "I need to go back now," she said.

"I'll drive you home," Spark offered.

But Molly shook her head, "No need, I can go home myself."

"Perhaps I can drive you home," Manny suddenly cut in. Both Spark and Molly looked at him and they both nodded in agreement.

Manny drove his car and headed to Brian's villa. The air inside the car was a bit awkward. Their relationship wasn't exactly the easiest. Even though Manny knew very well of Molly's situation and how she really didn't have a choice, he still hadn't forgiven her for hurting Spark.

"Ah-choo!"

Molly covered her mouth with her hand as she sneezed. Sparing a glance at her, Manny turned up the heat a bit and said, "Drink some ginger soup when you get home, and take some medicine. You've been in the rain for a long time, and you might get a cold." Pressing her lips together, Molly nodded in reply.

The car stopped at the gate of the villa. Manny took out a folding umbrella from the glove compartment and handed it to Molly. Molly glanced at it and said, "Thanks but I have my umbrella with me."

After taking out her umbrella from her bag, Molly opened the door and called, "Manny, thank you!"

Manny watched her holding her umbrella and stepping into the gate. With a deep sigh, he put on a resigned look as he turned the car around and drove back.

Brian focused his eyes closely on Molly after she came into the villa. As he stood by the window of his study, Brian stared at that blurry figure in the rain. As she neared the villa, a hint of sadness gradually appeared in his eyes.

He took out his phone from his pocket. Lowering his head, he dialed a number and ordered, "Lisa, please make ginger soup and some light snacks for her."

"Okay, Mr. Brian Long," Lisa replied already knowing that Brian was referring to Molly.

After a while, Molly was finally inside and as soon as she got in, she automatically glanced towards the master's bedroom and then at the study upstairs. She got changed, went upstairs and into her room. Sitting on her bed, she fished out the ring from her bag and pinched it between her thumb and finger. The blue "Soul of K" glimmered mysteriously. Molly observed the drop of blood in it. Gradually, the blood seemed to transform in her eyes. It was shaped as if a tiny red knife was stabbing into a red heart.

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-choo!" Molly sneezed. She quickly drew a tissue and covered it over her mouth. She swallowed hard and she started feeling dizzy. Her vision blurred, and suddenly the ring became misty to her eyes. Someone knocked on the door.

Taken aback, Molly hastily opened the drawer and threw the ring inside. She then said, "Come in."

Lisa opened the door and stepped inside with a tray in hand. On the tray was a bowl of congee, a couple of refreshments and a bowl of ginger soup. She said, "Mrs. Molly Long, it's a cold night and Mr. Brian Long told me to prepare these for you. I hope you can finish them while they're still warm." She put the tray on the table. "I'll tidy up the dishes later," she added.

"Okay. Thank you, Lisa."

Lisa just smiled at her in response and then left.

Molly stared at the array of food in front of her-she felt bittersweet. She thought to herself, 'How could he have known?'

With a mocking smile on her face, she opened the drawer and took out the ring again. She gazed at it for a while before putting it back in the little box it came with and putting it back in the drawer.

She just started getting dizzier and her throat was burning. Molly drank the soup and took a hot bath but she just felt even worse.

Molly didn't feel like eating anymore and she felt so tired that she rolled into bed and soon enough, she was fast asleep.

She heard a knock on the door. She wanted to open her mouth but her throat was too dry for her to speak. She heard someone stepping into the room, sighing heavily beside her bed, and then leaving the room.

Molly's body kept switching from hot to cold-throughout the night she would find herself curling up in her quilt only to kick it off a few minutes later. Either way, she wasn't feeling good at all.

"Ugh..." Molly let out a grunt of pain. She curled up into a ball and knitted her brows.