(Lei)

A week has passed since the time we met at our sanctuary. These few days I tried to call her many times but it's always unreachable, I wonder if she ever turn on the phone and read my messages. It seems that she suddenly lose contact with everyone around her. And I know for sure that she's hiding herself again just like in the old time, running away from the troubles. Ironically I know that this is going to happen since I saw that look on her face, maybe even before herself being aware of it. Her retreat … sooner or later is only a matter of time. I still remember her sitting on the ledge and looking out into the space with those dull eyes.

**Flashback**

I opened the door to the rooftop slowly, as expected a petite figure sat on the ledge facing toward the breathtaking scenery ahead. I stared at her back for a while. And as if sensing my presence, she turned around and greeted me with a small smile that not really reached her eyes.

"Hua Zhe Lei" she mumbled under her breath.

I moved from the spot and plopped down on the ledge beside her, letting our shoulder touched to share her burden and give her some comfort. We sat there in our silence companion as usual for quite some time before a loud sigh was heard.

"I guessed that my life is such a mess that I forgot summer is almost over. The beach… will soon become very lonely", she said softly.

Smiling, I said "Sounds like our hard working ShanCai want to go on a vacation?"

"Maybe that's what I need", she said with depressed tone.

Looking intensely at her sad face, I couldn't help the urge to brighten her mood. Reaching hand into my pocket, I dug out a pen and a paper and start drawing something on the paper. After a while, she leaned in and taken a look at the paper. Seeing the wavy line, dimmed sunset and a beach, her grin finally appeared on her face and became bigger.

"Don't forget to sign your name too", she teased.

When I finished the drawing and held the paper up for ShanCai to see, she smiled happily at it.

Holding it at arms length and continuing to look at it, she said gratefully "Thank you."

I felt a bit relieve seeing her smiling again. This is the ShanCai I known; nothing can beat off her lively spirit and determination to stay strong. After that we went for dinner together. ShanCai's smiling face and waving goodbye to me when I sent her back home that night was the last time I saw her.

**End of Flashback**

Yesterday I decided to drop by ShanCai's home and ask for her, her mother told me that she left few days ago saying she decided to visit a friend in the countryside and will take a few days off after all the hard work she had recently. I was deep in thought with what I heard; she had already resigned from Dao Ming Corporation and now went missing. Just thinking that she went away on her own like that, I knew that I have to find her no matter what how hard it would be. With no hesitation, I started calling one of private detectives that serves my family for long time…

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(Scene move to Ah Mei's shop)

After a long ride, I finally reach the place that my detective had informed me earlier. According to him, ShanCai is now staying with Lin Xiao Mei, the ice shop owner. I look for ShanCai but she is not around so I decided to wait for her return. After a while, I see her and another girl approaching my way. I study ShanCai for a while and see that she is quite all right, except those dark circles under her eyes. When she sees me, her round eyes almost bulge out.

Still stunning, she cries out: "Hua Zhe Lei! Why are you here?"

How I wish I could tell her that I'm here because I miss and worry sick about her absence.

Instead, I answer nonchalantly: "I'm here to eat ice."

ShanCai stares at me in awe for a few seconds, then giving out a whole-hearty smile.

I get up from the table and walk over to ShanCai, telling her to go and grab her stuff so that we can go to the house nearby that I have already rent. She agrees and quickly walks away and back with a happy smile on her face. We bid farewell to Ah Mei and her brother and together we slowly walk up a small road of some sort with lots of trees lining up; it brings us to a nicely built wooden hut at the end of the stone road. ShanCai stops walking and admires the well-decorated house. I walk up behind her and ask if she like it.

ShanCai smiles and say excitedly: "It's really beautiful, just like in paintings ... especially the white veranda with pink rose bushes".

I can't help but smile at her childish comment. Then she turns to look at me, demanding how I can find her. I reach in my pant's pocket for a wallet, take out a piece of paper and show it to her. It's the picture of sea and sunset that I draw for her at the rooftop that day.

ShanCai looks at it in surprise. "That's my wallet! Where did you find it", she cried.

I told her that someone found it on a train and she mumbles something about how wrong she misunderstands Ah De. Then ShanCai sighs and says that she only want to secretly leave Taipei and find a place where no one knows her.

I pat her hair softly: "The ShanCai that I know is the one who scolded F4 at the top of Ying De's rooftop. Also no matter how many difficulties she faces, she always stays strong like a weed. Never dies, not yields to anything fate brought upon her. Even though this ShanCai is hiding herself temporarily, but I know she's still here. And I believe that I would be able to find her soon"

At this, she slowly looks up at me with glittering tear in her brown eyes. Not wanting to push the subject any further at this time, I tell her that we should go in the house now. ShanCai look at the ground for a while, then nodding her head and following me into the house. I show her the room and tell that I need to take a nap and later we'll have dinner together. She nods her head and retreats back into her room.

As soon as I reach my room, I lie on the bed and fall into deep slumber almost immediately. It's really hard for me to stay awaked even few more minutes for I hardly sleep these past two days and the riding thorough the night really wearies me out. Now that I found her, I have no intention to leave her alone again. Fate has played enough tricks with her life. At least having me by her side, I could cheer her up even just a bit and she won't be much lonely anymore. With this thought in mind, I can let myself sleep peacefully again.