After half-a-day out and about, he returned to the apartment. Up the creaky stairs and down the shadowy hallway lit up by the only one half-bright dust-wrapped light globe, he sensed somewhat different this instance.

The door was wide opened and he slowly walked up to it. The irritating stench of the apartment from days ago was gone. As he neared the inside, it was as if the whole place has encountered a teeming resurrection of new life. He almost could not believe it so.

Everything was giving off an interestingly sparkling appearance. He stepped further in and glanced around in amazement. Then, questioning inwardly why the huge transformation, without knowing apparently, he instinctively figured that at this very moment, he could well be not the only one present inside this apartment.

There, resting on a chair by a quiet corner, he saw a person whom, at first sight, seemed to be peacefully asleep. It was actually the girl who caused him to wallow in deep thoughts and undue concerns the whole of previous night as he finally recognised her. He drew close quietly towards where she laid, with her eyes closed and still not undisturbed by his approach, she continued to fully indulge in her sound sleep.

He got down and at long last, has the chance of getting a better view of her. Long lush eyelashes under her pair of well-rounded eyes accentuated her delicate babyish face. He could grasp her intense weariness in accomplishing these countless apartment's makeover chores. Noting as well, that even in the midst of overwhelming slumber, her pair of gentle, fair hands were still gripping tightly onto the handle of broom by her side off the edge of the seat. He took a look at her to make sure that she is not distracted by his reaction to her in the least before breaking into a soft chuckle of amusement.

Gazing thoughtfully at her once again, he touched the broom lightly while whispering with a subtle silent smile, "Thank you,...for everything..."

Trying to remove her hands extremely carefully away from rigid hold onto the broom, he hoped dearly that she would not be conscious of as a result.

Yet, contrary to what he predicted, she immediately stirred anxiously upon his first move, and sat up in tense response, knocking her tender forehead against his firm chest right before her.

"Ouch...who's this...?" She wailed and winced in pain.

He wondered how he should reply looking down at her petite form under his chin. Still, he spoke up, "It's...me..."

Catching his voice, Gui Gui pulled back without delay in surprise, beholding him with wide eyes now that she was completely awake. She then hastily got up from the chair without a second thought, dropping the broom, which hit against his arm a slight bit and was about to hurriedly leave the apartment when he interrupted from far back.

He merely stood up and inquired with detectable pleasure, "Why,...are you gonna run away from here another time?"

Gui Gui paused and then resorted to turn about to face him with minor boldness.

Flashback...

Out of the door and not able to see clearly which direction she was particularly heading, she knocked straight into something strong. Almost losing her foothold, a pair of firm, ready hands caught her from falling.

Gui Gui kept sobbing breathlessly as if she still could not feel fortunate from the timely rescue.

"You're...okay?" a mellow voice uttered by her ear.

It finally made her lift up her soaking eyes, to behold a person who appeared more than a mere stranger she could dearly recall at first sight as he looked fervently at her.

Gui Gui stepped back to pull apart, before running down the hallway and stairs. Eventually leaving the building, she wiped her tear-drenched face dry and paced on courageously along the dark, deserted street.

Present...

Now, it all enlightened her. She then asked him, "Why...did you choose this cheapest apartment among all in the whole city?"

He considered her question and then, after giving another look about the modest space they were in, he answered with a heavy sigh, "'Cause...this is all that I can afford...and it's furnished..."

Gui Gui was not satisfied with such a straightforward statement. She reminded him, "This one,...no matter how much you drew the curtains and let those priceless light rays streamed in, would still remain, like...a...twilight zone...This has been a run-down apartment for as long as we live here..."

He turned to regard what she just caringly revealed and nodded. Then, in that split second, Gui Gui thought she had a blurry witness of his faint, elusive smile. Blinking her eyes a number of times to make out if she was imagining things, she was slack in realising that he had paced over to right where she was.