Coffee with love…

INTRODUCTION (March 1, 2013)

She hands the money to the cashier after receiving her coffee. Accidentally the cashier's hand touches the girl's hand which makes the girl blushes. the girl lows down her face and smiles shyly alone. Her heart races fast and she suddenly loses word to say. After composing herself, she raises her head and looks at the cashier. She sees a handsome and tall man standing in front of her. He has black hair with fair complexion. He looks like Chinese. "Is it a love at a first sight?!" she asks herself sheepishly. At that moment the girl vouches to herself that this man is her lover, a person she has a cross on.

After that day, the girl keeps coming to the same coffee shop every day ordering the same kind of coffee from him. The girl orders the same coffee every day, because she wants him to remember her favorite taste of coffee.

On the fifth day when she shows up, the man asks her if she would like to order coffee frappe? As soon as she hears that, she smiles again, 'cos she thinks that he knows what she likes to drink. This makes the girl fells for him deeper and deeper. She pays her bill and leaves the shop and walks toward her school with the smile on her face. She tells herself that it is going to be a good day for her.

Reaching to the iPod in her bag, she turns on her music and listens to "You took my heart away."

Originally, the coffee is bitter. But this time, the girl does not feel the bitterness of the coffee, but the sweetness. "Even the sun is hot, we won't sweat when we are calm inside," the girl thinks to herself.

CHAPTER ONE (March 9, 2013)

Having traveled for several thousands miles from Phnom Penh Capital of Cambodia to Pearl City of Hawaii, Lee wins the scholarship to pursue Television Production program at Pearl City Community College, Hawaii, United States of America.

Lee is a kind and gentle girl in her community. Lee loves kids. She has worked for a community education program on producing educational video clips for young children for several years. During her course of voluntarism, she has traveled throughout the country to explore and document the life of Cambodian children in remote area. She has worked with many poor parents who could not afford their children education.

Cambodia is a small country in Southeast Asia, bordering Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Cambodia has small population of 14 millions. Cambodia has recently reemerged from decades of civil war and on the road to reconstruct her image. Cambodian social structure has been destructed, and it takes years for her to refurnish. Moreover, Cambodia is and has been a patriarchy society for hundred years. Women are supposed to stay at home and raise the children; while, men go to work and earn a living. However, Lee has challenged this norms and be the first girl in her community to study abroad. This achievement makes her family as well as her community proud of her; so does Lee herself.

Lee was a committed student who ranked first or second every semester, and is a discipline staff who is responsible for her work. She looks fierce, but friendly inside. Stranger would not dare look at her if they don't know her at first place. In fact, when people start talking to her, they would feel comfortable talking to her. She has a kind heart.

Lee hopes that with her new knowledge from Pearl City Community College, she could help more children in Cambodia who have little access to education. She believes that education is the key to better life and future.

CHAPTER TWO (March 16, 2013)

Yong has been an actor for more than 10 years, starting his career at the age of 25. Yong earns his degree in Performance Arts from the United States. He became a well-known actor when he casted in a series movie called 'Autumn Love' shown in the state television in Thailand.

Yong was born in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, to a Chinese merchant family. Yong's great grandfather had migrated to Thailand during the World War II. He, penny less, came to Thailand to seek fortune when his livelihood in his motherland could not be secured. He started a job as a laborer to another Chinese merchant who exported dry food from China. Because of hardworking and honesty, Yong's great grandfather was agreed to marry his boss' daughter. Yong's great grandfather was then in charged of his father-in-law's business. After many years of building reputation, Yong's family became one of the wealthiest business family in Thailand.

Though Yong has been raised in business family, he prefers being an actor and writer to businessman. After graduation, he went straight to the United States pursuing his desire despite family's disapproval. In the United States, Yong worked part time job in a coffee shop in order to support his study.

After 10 years in filming industry, Yong decided to retire and went to Hawaii starting his own little coffee shop. He also starts to write book which is his childhood dream.

CHAPTER THREE (March 20, 2013)

Lee loves coffee. Most of the time she spends times in coffee shop doing her homework and reading books.  Lee loves reading romance story. Sometimes she fantasizes about being the girl in the story who fell into the prince's arms.

It is a sunny day. Sitting at the far end of the Gorilla Café, a few block from her school, Lee orders one medium size coffee frappe reviewing various flower books which she has borrowed from the library. Last week Lee received a new assignment from her professor to produce a short video clip about Hawaii's plants and/or flowers in order to educate small children about variety of plants in the area.  

After viewing the books, Lee plans to visit Haleakala National Park, one of the two national parks in Hawaii. The other national park is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Haleakala National Park is located on the island of Maui, covering an area of 134.62 square kilometers. Haleakala National Park is a wilderness area. Haleakala means "house of the sun" in Hawaiian. Haleakala National Park is divided into two distinct sections: the summit area and the coastal Kipahulu area. The summit area is surrounded by volcanoes. The coastal Kipahulu is a forested area which is designated the Kipahulu Valley Biological Reserve.

Lee hopes to visit Kipahulu in order to find some rare spices of flowers or plants for her assignment. Lee is new to the area and rarely makes new friends beside her classmates. Likewise, everyone in the class is in hurry to finish their assigned task. Lee has to depend on herself in order to get to the area.

Accidentally, Yong passes by, seeing Lee reviewing photos of plant and flower. Yong has been in love with plant since he was a young boy. He had his own garden at the back of his house where he grew flowers and plants. He has a great sea of knowledge on tropical flower and plant. He had read many books on tropical plants when he was in the United States doing his Performance Arts. To Yong, reading books on plant was his way of relax. Moreover, Yong thinks that reading books open his eyes to the world. Through books, he learns more about the world, the place where human beings live in, grow up, communicate, and share breath. Everyone depends on one another, just like the car depends on the engine in order to move forward. More or less, relationship cannot be cut off among human beings though they are born ethnically and culturally different.

"You love flowers, don't you?" Yong asks Lee.

"Yes... And I'm... doing... my research on Hawaii's flowers and plants and am going to visit Haleakala National Park," Lee falters the words as her heart pounds very fast.

"Do you mind if I join you to the park? I heard about the park; however, I've never been there myself," Yong gives Lee a smile and pulls a chair towards Lee, "I'm new here. I came here a month ago; yet, I haven't got a chance to get to know this city. I have been busy myself the whole month to set up this coffee shop. Still, many things to do with the shop. However, I think I hope give myself a time to relax."

Lee responds nothing to this when the staff brings Yong a glass of water.  Yong gives the staff a nob, signalling the word "thank you."

Seeing Lee sitting there still and saying nothing, Yong awkwardly continues, "I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yong. I'm from Thailand. I myself loves flowers and plants. Back home in Thailand, I've got my own tiny garden where I have grown plants and flowers. I like observing the plants and flowers growing and flowering. Every time I was stressed out, I would go to my small garden, giving water to the plants. That's why when seeing you looking at flower book, I asked you. By the way, what is your name?"

"Lee. My name is Lee. I am from Cambodia." Lee says to Yong.

"Cambodia. We are just neighbour--Thailand and Cambodia. I have been once visiting Phnom Penh Capital and Siem Reap Province. I love the Angkor Wat temple very much. I really appreciate your rich culture. Moreover, our culture is very similar. Though there is misunderstanding between the two people, I still love Cambodia myself. How about you? Where do you live in Cambodia?"

Lee thought to herself for a few seconds, "this guy seems to know a lot about Cambodia," before giving Yong the responds. "I was born and grew up in Phnom Penh."

"So, do you mind if I join you to the park?" Yong goes back to his question and waits for Lee's responds.

"I think it should be fine, plus it is public park you can go there anytime, even without my permission," Lee adjusts her language so as to not show Yong how much she wants him to join her.

Yong smiles again and furthers that, "How do you get there? When are you going to the park?"

"This Saturday morning at 9 o'clock. I'm going there by bus. I already check the schedule. There are buses going there every couple hours. Are you sure you can join? You look busy with your shop," Lee asks to make sure the date and time is fine with Yong.

"I think I can join you, since there are not many customers during Saturday. The staff can manage to run it. By the way, I've got a car. I think I can drive you there. What do you think?"

Lee thinks a few minutes and reluctantly gives him a nod as if saying a "Yes." After seeing her response, Yong excuses her back to his work.

She smiles to herself and goes back to her book.

CHAPTER FOUR (September 13, 2013)

Lee and Yong observe the plants together at Haleakala National Park. The Park is very beautiful, particularly in summer when flowers are blossoming. One by one, they view its  colour, flower, height, and fruit, so as to cross check with the book Lee borrowed from the library. Lee would write down and take photos of any new plant she find is not recorded in the book. Lee seems very happy with this trip. It is as if she is not on the research trip, but a date. They smile and talk and discuss and exchange the images of the plants they used to see in each individual homeland. Sometimes, their shoulders press against one another when they try to have a close look over the plant. Lee then blushes and smiles to herself. Yong is the same, smiles and blushes.

Yong is a well-prepared person. He brings every necessary things with him, plastic bag, hoe, gloves, knife, you name it. It looks like he planned everything in advance and expected for the trip.

After hours long walk through the park reviewing every plants, they sit down on a bench next to the valley, enjoying the fresh summer air. Yong hands his coffee and cake to Lee, and apologises Lee that he could not bring coffee frappe since he does not know how long they have to spend on observing the plants and by that time the coffee frappe would melt into water under the summer heat. Lee hurries to cut his apology, for it has been very kind of him to guide her to the park and spend the whole day with her. That is more than enough for Lee. The two are just sitting next to one another while the sun is shyly setting behind their backs.

At night, Lee reviews the activities she and Yong had done today in her little diary. One by one Lee wrote down everything in it, counting flowers and plants, taking photographs, noting the new plants found, to name a few. Since the day Lee arrived at the new land, Lee started to write her diary so that she would not miss any important events happen in her passage of life. At this moment, Lee stops and smiles to herself. Blushed, she asks herself for the second time-the first time was when she first saw him at the coffee shop-if this man is her white horse prince just like the prince in her favorite childhood story of Cinderella. After that, she writes her report to complete her school assignment.

Turning off the bed lamp, Lee takes out her iPod, turns it on, and listens to Inner Voices' "Baby Girl."

CHAPTER FIVE (April 10, 2014)

One Sunday morning, while Lee is sitting at the coffee shop reading her books, a white, tall, and elegant looking young lady walks into the shop. In nice and smooth silk robe, the young lady is about her age. In her right hand, she carries a black purse which matches perfectly to her white silky robe.

The young lady asks the waiter if Yong is around. Not knowing where he is, the waiter tells her that he has gone out. To where, he has no knowledge. The young lady asks the waiter what time Yong would come back? Usually around lunch time, the waiter replies. Looking at her watch, it shows 10.30am. The young lady asks the waiter if she can wait there for him for a bit in case he drops by before lunch? The waiter nods. The young lady walks towards a table at a corner of the shop next to Lee’s table and asks the waiter if he could get her a glass of water.

The waiter comes back with a glass of water in his hand and asks the young lady, “what business is she looking Yong for?”

“He is my boyfriend,” the young lady says without hesitation. “I want to say ‘hi’ to him.”

“I see,” says the waiter, a surprised note is on his face. “But I have never seen you around before.”

“Right,” the lady says, after sipping the water from her glass. “I just got here yesterday evening.”

“Do you want me to give him a call?” the waiter suggests.

“No, thanks,” the young lady interjects. “I did not tell him about my visit because I want to give him a surprise. You don’t need to call him. I’ll see him when he comes.”

“Then I may excuse myself to serve other customers.”

“Go ahead,” the young lady responds.

As the waiter leaves, the young lady stands up and walks towards the news stand and grabs a local newspaper to flip through while waiting for Yong’s return.

Having heard the young lady announced herself earlier as the girlfriend of Yong’s, Lee is in desperate mood. The pen in her hand drops to the floor. Lee could not sit still in her chair. Her mind is not with her at the moment. A lot of memories between Yong and her flash back into her mind.

“How come he did not tell me about having a girlfriend?” Lee asks herself, repeatedly. “No, he doesn’t need to. I have never asked him myself,” Lee murmurs to herself, angrily. Lee steals a look at the young lady and thinks to herself, confused. “What am I to compare with her? She has the whole package, smart, elegant, high-class, and seemed well educated young woman. I am just a normal girl from a poor background.” Unable to stand the atmosphere, Lee stands up and checks her bill at the counter and leaves for her dorm room.

Along the way back to her dorm, Lee is not in her whole self. She feels her sky is becoming grey. She is lost. She could not think things through. She wants Yong to explain and, at the same time, she doesn’t want him to explain. “Do I need him to explain things to me? Is it not clear enough? How can a young decent lady lie to the waiter about her relationship with Yong? What does she get to spoil her image in front of others? I don’t want to hear his heartbreaking answer ‘Yes, the lady in silky robe is his girlfriend back in Thailand.’ I don’t want to hear all of these things and I don’t want to hear his explanation. Maybe he is getting close to me because he doesn’t have anyone here with him. Maybe he just wants to get laid with someone. Fortunately, I discover his secret in time so that I would not fall into his trick.”

Lee does not go to her room; instead she walks to the library to see her Cambodian friend. She knows that she can’t be at peace hiding herself in her room. She is in confused mess and she needs someone to talk to.

CHAPTER SIX (April 22, 2014)

"Hey Lee," Sothea stands up and calls out to Lee, as he sees her coming in. Disturbing, the other students who are sitting there in the library turns to Sothea and warns him to be quiet. Apologetically, Sothea nods his head for several times showing that he had no intention to distract their study. Sothea smiles to Lee as if to invite her to his table.

Sothea is another scholarship student who have been accepted to the Television Production Program at Pearl City Community College one year before Lee. Practically speaking, he is Lee's senior and he is Lee's only Cambodian friend in Hawaii. However, not only in Hawaii do they know one another, they have known each other for many years already since they were in Cambodia. In fact, they were once colleague who had been working together in the same organization. Unbelievably, they were once supervisor and volunteer. Small world, isn't it? Surprisingly, Sothea had also chased after Lee for quite awhile; yet, he did not succeed. Lee had rejected his girlfriend proposal, given that they had different perspective on how they view the world. Lee was quite open minded kind of girl, while Sothea was a bit conservative. As an independent young woman, Lee did not like being owned by a man. Though they did not have a chance to be together as boyfriend and girlfriend, they still befriended with one another.

"What are you doing here?" Sothea inquires Lee and invites her to sit down.

"I don't know what I want to do in here," Lee responds as she sits down on a white plastic chair opposite Sothea. "I don't want to go to my room, and so, I am here."

"Yeah, I know you are here," Sothea surprises. "Are you okay?"

Lee does not reply Sothea's question. She places her bag on the other nearby and lies her chin on her hand.

"Are you okay?" Sothea repeats his question, looking straight into Lee's eyes. But Sothea could not tell if Lee is looking at him though her eyes are open. She must be thinking about something else, Sothea says to himself. Sothea lies down on the table and moves close to her and whispers, "Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry. Are you talking to me?" Lee asks Sothea, as if she just woke up from daydream.

"Of course, I am talking to you," Sothea looks at her. "Or else, I talk to somebody? There is nobody around us. Anyway, are you alright? You seem not yourself."

"I'm fine," Lee says apologetically. "Maybe I just feel a bit tired these days."

"I see," Sothea sighs. "Maybe you are working too hard on your study. You should give yourself some times to relax."

"I think so," Lee smiles.

"You should. End of semester is approaching in a few days."

"I know. I should really relax."

"Do you have any end term assignment to turn in?"

"No, I don't think I have any."

"Good."

"Why?"

"Nothing." Sothea is reluctant for a few seconds before he asks Lee, "Talking about school break, do you have any plan or activity?"

"No," Lee says, after recollecting her memory for a few second in order to check if she has planned any activity during the school break. "I don't have any specific plan."

"How about going with me to Thailand on a research trip?" Sothea suggests to Lee. "I am accepted for a small research grant in Thailand to produce a short documentary film about Cambodian child labor there, and I need an assistant. What do you think about this?"

Being desperate about earlier incident, Lee agrees with Sothea to go with him to Thailand.

"That's great," Sothea excites. "I'll inform my professor about that."

"When is it?"

"This Sunday."

"This Sunday? Wait, what day is it today?"

"Today is Thursday. Are you okay about the plan?"

"No. I think I can manage to get things done by then."

"So, is it a 'Yes'?"

"Yes. I'm in."

"Okay, great. Then I'll go to inform my professor now. Be prepared."

Sothea throws everything into his bag and runs off to see his professor, leaving Lee sitting there alone and confused.

CHAPTER EIGHT (September 23, 2014)

It takes Lee and Sothea almost 14 hours in order to get to Suvanna Phumi Airport in Bangkok from Hawaii, with one transit in Taipei, Capital City of Taiwan. Everyone in the plane looks exhausted. They are tired not because of laboring, but of sitting and sleeping for the whole journey. However, Lee does not show the sign of tiresome. She looks fresh and cheerful. She thinks only about planning her trip back home to Cambodia. Every passenger hurries to claim their luggage.

As soon as they get their luggage, Lee goes straight to an airline company counter to find out flight schedule from Bangkok to Phnom Penh, the Capital of Cambodia. Once learning about the timetable and price, Lee and Sothea head the exist and look for a cap to the city centre where dorm rooms for international students have been prepared inside Chulalongkorn University's campus.

"So what is your plan?" Sothea asks as soon as they settle inside the cap.

"About what?" Lee inquires. Lee turns to the cap window and look at the view along the road.

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After discussion with the host faculty about Sothea's research plan, Sothea and Lee say goodbye to the professor and leave the room and go for a sightseeing tour around the school compound. It is a very huge school and peaceful. There are a lot of trees around. Following the guided tour around the campus, both of them take the school's shuttle bus to Siam Paragon, a popular shopping centre in Bangkok. Once they come across a Kinokuniya bookstore, Lee excuses herself to spend some times in the store and tell Sothea to go by himself.

"Are you sure, you can find the way back?" Sothea asks, afraid Lee might get lost.

"Don't worry," Lee assures, raising Bangkok's Map to Sothea. "I'm not a ten-year-old girl. I can find way by myself. Plus I've got your number. I'll call if I am get lost."

"How about dinner?" Sothea asks, out of curiosity.

"I'll have something at this mall," Lee responds. "I'm sure they have a vast choices."

"I bet they do," unable to convince her, Sothea gives up. "Fine. I have to see some friends anyway."

"Have fun," Sothea waves as he's walking towards the gate.

"You too."

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The sky is getting, the mall is filled with more and more people, particularly students from nearby school, judging by different uniform they are wearing. Having viewed almost all bookshelves, Lee leaves the store with a few novels and descend the stairs to ground floor, looking for something to fill her half empty stomach. She doesn't feel very hungry; however, she has to have some.

It is dark now when Lee leaves the mall. She has been captured by the book they bought earlier that she forgets about the flow of the time. She then walks to the bus stop in front of the mall, waiting for a lift to her place. While waiting for the bus, Lee sees a gay couple also there waiting for the bus. Lee has no idea if they were. But their action tells her so. They look young and are in school uniform. Surrounding by other passengers, one is trying to console the other by touching the other’s hand. They look very sweet, Lee could feel the ways they act towards one another. Maybe they just have had minor quarrel over something, or maybe the other one has made his partner upset. Lee starts to feel jealous to witness a sweet couple like that. They do not care about other people’s eyes looking at them. It seems this whole world consists of only the two of them.

Seeing the couple holding each other's hands reminds Lee the day Yong held her hand at Ala Moana Center, a shopper's paradise and the world's largest open-air shopping center in Hawaii, after their trip to Haleakala National Park. There were over 290 stores and restaurants in Ala Moana. Ala Moana in Hawaiian means path to the sea. They went from store to store to check for this and that.

Though it has been a while that Yong held her hand, when looking at the very right hand that was held, an unintentional smile appears on Lee's face. It was the first time that a grown up man Lee had a crush on held her hand in public place. His touch retains on her hand. The memory of the holding remains vividly in her mind. It has been permanently stored in her head and unable to omit. But when recalling about the sudden appearance of his girlfriend in the coffee shop, Lee's face changes its colour.

The bus has arrived. Lee asks the bus attendant if it goes to Chula; nodded the bus attendant. Lee get in the bus, leaving the cute gay couple behind at the bus stop.

CHAPTER NINE (September 23, 2014)

The next evening, Lee is sitting on her desk next to the window, continuing her novel about Jingqiu and Old Third in Under the Hawthorn Tree. But, her mind is not with the book. Her mind is flying outside the window to somewhere faraway. She think about the guy she accidentally hit this morning when she was jogging in the National Stadium near Chulalongkorn. He was Cambodian national, the same as her. He said he worked for an environmental organisation in Phnom Penh and that he had been in Bangkok for a week for an environmental conference at Princess Hotel near the stadium. And today was the last day of his stay. He would leave for Phnom Penh this evening. His name was Ratha, he told Lee. Who is he? Lee murmurs to herself.

Suddenly, an unexpected rain starts pouring down from the grey sky. The heavy traffic is still moving on, slowly. There are more than ten million people residing, studying, and working in Bangkok, a pretty big number of people. They are almost the total population of the whole Cambodian peoples.

Lee looks outside the window at the pouring rain and thinks hard about that guy. He is very similar to someone I have known; yet, whom he is and where we have met, I could not tell. His smile and his voice is very familiar, Lee tells herself. But why can't I recall my memory? Why does my brain become this weak? She argues with herself. Narrowing her eyes, Lee struggles to call back her memory. Right, I remember now. He was the first person I had a crush on. She then blushes. It was a heavily rainy evening that I have met him. The story went like this...

It was a rainy evening. Lee was in grade 11 at that time. The rain heavily fell from the sky. It was time to leave her extra English language class. Yet, having no umbrella, Lee decided to stay on until the rain stopped. Lee had waited for almost half an hour, the rain didn’t stopped. Lee finally decided to walk back home under the rain. It was hard to walk under the heavy downpours without an umbrella. She had no choice. If Lee did not get home as soon as possible, her mother would worry sick. It was freezing cold. Her whole boy was soaking wet. Her hands were shaking as she walked. Once in a while she saw a passerby. There was no street lamp. Cambodia was not very developed at that time. If there was not the light of the houses lining along the road, everything would be pitch black. Lee felt very helpless and lonely and hungry. Her bag and the books inside were all wet. She had to reach home, no matter how cold or hungry she was.

A moment went by, another passerby went past her, riding Cambodian made bicycle. It was red. After passing by, the biker turned around and stopped just in front of Lee. She almost hit the bike. She stopped. Her hands were still shaking. The guy asked her if she’d like a ride home. She asked him if he knew her house. He said they were living in the same street. His house was on the south end and hers on the north end of the same street. He told her their street number in order to gain her trust. It was correct, and she believed him. No further consideration, Lee climbed on the back seat and left with him. By the look of his, Lee thought that he was in early 20s, tall, athletic, dark, gentle charming face, and broad smile. However, Lee could not tell if his hair was straight or curly because it was wet. His white shirt was also wet, reflecting his body. Lee told him that she wanted to get home as soon as possible because she did not want her parents to worry about her late going. He rode his bike with all his energy that he could collect. The bike started to fly through the rain, very fast. Fearing of falling off the bike, Lee held him tightly at his waist. Her head hit his back, occasionally. Inexplicably, her heart raced. She did not know why. Lee grabbed him tighter, as the bike went faster. Her hands were completely around his waist. He laughed, seeing Lee grabbed him hard. He told Lee not to worry. He assured her that she would not fell off the bike. Lee nodded, and her hands were still around his waist. His sweats mixed with rain drops. She smelled his body. It was strange. It was her first time to ride a bike with a total stranger and feel this way. She could not explain herself. Her heart raced against the speed of the bike. Once in awhile, her heart almost jumped out of her chest. Her face turned red. Beware of this, Lee tried to take long breath in order to calm herself down.

Not belong, the guy pressed the brakes and stopped, just in front of her house. In haste and shy, Lee got off the bike and ran into the house. Lee even forgot to say thank you or goodbye to the biker. After changing her clothes, Lee dried her hairs with a towel and sat down in a chair near her bed. She thought, was it a love at first sight? Why did I think like that? That guy and I had no connection or contact before, how come? It was just a hallucination. Yet, for the whole night Lee could not get her mind off him. She wanted to touch his athletic body and meet him again to say "thank you" that she had forgotten. Sadly, after that evening, Lee had never seen him again. She knew neither his name nor his house. The south end of the road was where his house located, he said; but, it was like the south end of the world that Lee would never touch upon. Lee had visited there for many times and no him to be found. They had never met each other again, not even once. Or was he a ghost? Lee was afraid. No. He was not. He was normal person. Maybe he had moved to somewhere else after the incident for some reasons. Lee comforted herself. After a while, Lee lost hope in seeing him, and with the passing time, he became part of her memory, the first person she had a crush on, she concluded.

Lee smiles, recalling back her memory. I knew it. He was that guy, the first guy I had a crush on when I was young. Lee feels nostalgic when she talks about him. The rain outside the window stops. Yet, the slow movement of the heavy traffic goes on. The cars barely move forward. Lee thinks for a time being. What if five years ago Cambodian people were selfish and unreasonable like today, would I become the victim of rape as what frequently appears in the morning news?! Lee sighs. Fortunately, five years ago, most Cambodian people were honest and helpful; unlike today's individualist and benefit-driven, and that guy was trustworthy, Lee tells herself.

CHAPTER TEN: Yong (March 1, 2015)

For all of sudden, Lee disappears, leaving no track of where she is going to. Yong is in a confused mess. He could not figure out, why out of blue and without saying goodbye Lee has to leave the United States. Yong has asked himself for million times now about what he has done wrong. Unfortunately, he could not find the answer. The question remains a question. The answer seems impossible for Yong to reach.

Right now, in the middle of the night, the pitch black outside brings Yong's heart to a standstill. Sitting by the window, Yong looks far into the cool night sky. How far? Who knows? Because everything is amazingly black. It's like a blind who can't see anything that kind of black. The only thing you can do is feeling and touching. Annoyingly, Yong stands up and walks back and forth inside the room. The room is also black. He does not turn on the light. The only source of light is shone through the window from the half moon, which is hanging in the night sky. Without any stars, the half moon is exclusively lonely and incomplete. Just like the moon, Yong feels incomplete. No conclusion, no new startup.

"Is it because of the holding hands the other day that I push her away?" Yong murmured to himself. "Am I going too fast and she feels not ready to move along?" "What should I do?" "How can I track her whereabouts?" "This world is so big to find a missing person. No amount of efforts I may have put would bring her back when she intentionally hides herself from me." Questions keep popping up in front of Yong, on and on. His brain is going to bloat out in anytime. Sweat has gathered up and rolled from his face. Now his armpit. Yong feels wet under his armpits and his whole body. Taking off his pyjamas, Yong walks to the kitchen, naked.

Yong takes out a bottle of brand new brandy from the shelf, pours some into the glass, puts some ice cubes, and gulps down every drop with just one breath. The brandy makes its way into Yong's stomach through his dry mouth. Every part it passes the brandy brings warmth to it. Standing there next to the dinning table, Yong pours another glass of brandy and gulps it down. He wants to be drunk so that he can stop his brain from thinking and falls asleep. Yet, the amount of brandy he has swallowed is still little, far from enough to send him to sleep.

"Is it the holding hands?" This question floats into Yong's head again. "We were so sweet the other day. Why do you have to leave me so sudden?" Without knowing it, tears drop from his dim eyes. Lee appears in front of him. Yong reaches his hand to Lee. But his hand can never reach her. It is hallucination. Or the brandy plays trick on him. A second later, Lee disappears in front of him. Yong gulps another mouthful of brandy. Another one. The fifth one. The sixth. The seven. And now the brandy is finished. And now Yong fells on the floor, naked and asleep. Like a child who plays too hard and falls asleep right at the playground.

The excessively lonely half noon still hangs there in the cool night sky. Outside the room, there is barely any traffic. The whole night is completely deserted. "Where are you now? Where are you now?…" Yong murmurs in his dream.

"Do you see the lonely half moon like I do? I can see it from America…"

Chapter Eleven: April Snow (April 20, 2015)

Early morning breeze which flew in throw tiny hole of Yong's window made his naked body freeze. Not being able to stand the coldness, Yong woke up even he was still slightly drunk. Hangover hadn't attacked him as yet. Not when he was fully awake. With his hands as support, Yong tried to stand up and walked toward the window to stop the chilly morning breeze coming in. Step by step, unsteadily, here and there, he got to the window, still with his eyes closed. Left hand on window sill, Yong directed his right hand to shut his glass-framed window.

"It is not supposed to be that cold, not in this particular place and in particular month," Yong told himself when his hand felt the coldness of the breeze. "It is truly bone-chilling cold. It is like in the winter. What the hell is that!" Yong tried to open his eyes to observe what was really going on right now. What changed that made the weather this cold. Yong blinked his eyes for a few times so as to signal his brain that he was about to look at something. With both of his hands on the window sill and still naked, Yong looked through the window to see a field of white snow covering on top of everything. Cars in the parking lots. Buildings. Houses. Kid's playgrounds. Trees. The bridge. The far-reached mountains. And every single object.

"It is unbelievable," Yong exclaimed. "I don't believe it's snow outside. At least not in this tropical and volcanic area, and not in April. Hawaii has no winter to begin with. Hawaii's weather is mild all year round, though there are rains, but not snow." Yong shook his hand several times, and opened his eyes again to make sure he was not tricked. Again, the field of snow appeared in front of him remained unchanged. The sun was nowhere to be seen. The thick cloud kept the sun away, which made the snowy ice pleasant from not being melted away by the sun. A flock of Hawaiian goose, about 13 of them, flew pass Yong to somewhere he did not know to get away from this madness. This 360 degree change of weather.

Still there was no traffic outside. Neither cars nor buses. It seemed this place had been abandoned the night earlier before the snow came. And only Yong did remain in this town. Hands around his freezing body, Yong turned back to his closet to look for a warm clothes.

"This is unacceptable," Yong whispered to himself when he was scanning through his closet's items to seek for something warm that fitted this cold weather. "This isn't real. Totally an illusion. April snow! Who is going to believe it? If I tell someone in my home country about it, they would laugh their teeth out." Searching back and forth, there was no warm clothes to be found. There were only short pants, light weight trousers, summer shirts, t-shirts, flip-flops, suits, boots, hats and summer scarves in the closet. That's all of what he possessed. In this nice and warm place, how could anyone store warm and heavy clothes in their closet. This idea had never come to everyone's mind. Plus it was a waste of money to have spent on those items when they were not necessary. No gloves, no winter jacket, no heat wears, no hat, no winter boots.

Leaving no choice, Yong put on two trousers, one grey one black, one t-shirt, one long sleeve shirt, and one light weight sweater. After having himself stocked and warm enough, Yong walked toward the sofa and took the air-conditioning remote control on the table to adjust the temperature in the room up to 77 degree Fahrenheit (25 degree Celsius). After a moment of thought, Yong took another remote control on the table to turn on his Samsung LED Flat Screen television to check if there was news about this changing weather. No weather record news on this. Not in CNN nor BCC. Giving up, Yong turned off the telly and walked to the kitchen to make himself a cup of hot and bitter black coffee. He turned on the heat to boil water, placed a Gorilla coffee cup on the kitchen table, put three spoonful of coffee into the cup, and stood there waiting the water to boil.

As if awake, Yong thought about what he did last night that made him so miserable. The whisky bottle and the glass were on the floor. He asked himself if he had to drink so much alcohol? What made him do this? Sudden headache attacked him. There was like something inside his head was jumping. The more he concentrated on the jump the more it hit him hard in his head. At this point, he decided to quit thinking for a bit. He told himself he would think about what bothered him again when his head was clear.

The water was boiling in the kettle. The steam flew the spout, hot and burnt. Yong pored the bubbling water into his coffee cup, stirred his coffee, and sipped it. The warmth of the coffee made its way through his mouth to his throat and onto his stomach, which warmed him up a bit. And now, he felt hungry when the phone on the floor was ringing…

"Hello," Yong reaches out to his phone and answers.

"Good morning, son!" Yong mother's voice is on the other line, normal and pleasant. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," Yong opens his eyes.

"Is it a sunny day over there?" his mother inquires.

"Y…," Yong hesitates a few second, only after he see the eastern sun outside of his window. "Yes…! Oh--"

"What is it?" His mother demands an answer to his exclamation.

"No. That was nothing."

"Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine, at most."

"Look, let me get you straight to the point then," Yong mother suddenly changes her tone of voice.

"Alright, fire it out then," Yong interrupted.

"What did you say to Monica that made her really upset?"

"That was nothing." And he drops the line.

Yong is now sitting on his sofa, and still, naked. He shakes his head for realising that it was just a dream. The dream that seems almost true. Yet, it is just a dream, which is good. Thanks to his mom who woke him from dreaming. If it was not her, maybe he would fall deep into the dream and being lost.

He is thinking about getting a hot shower to shake of the headache left by hangover. In the shower room, Yong tries to recall what he said to Monika. He told her to stop messing around with him and telling everyone that she was his girlfriend. Of course, she was, but it was a few years ago. He also told her to go back and find her other half that is not him because he is eyeing on someone else now at the moment. Monika asked him who, he did not answer, but told her to accept the truth. The truth is he has no affection for her, and even the truth is hard to accept she has to take it no matter what. She has to move on and start a new and happy life.

Getting out of the restroom, Yong looks at the mirror to see his face pale and dead. The face doesn't look like his face. He touches his face over and over again to make sure he feels its shape. True, it is his face though it was not very fresh. He looks deep into the mirror now, and the scene in his dream appears in front of him. The white snow outside his window. The April snow that come out of nowhere. The April snow that should not be here at all in warm tropical place like Hawaii. But who cares! Who can direct the dream the way it wanted? People dream of anything all the time, strange and indigestible. People even dream of somebody they have never seen before, and in fact, that person does really exist on human earth. Anything can happen in the dream one can't expect.

"Where are you now?" Yong asks the other him in the mirror. "Are you there in the April snow?"

Headache attacks him as he leaves the restroom for the kitchen for a cup of hot coffee to freshen himself. He quits thinking by now. No matter how hard he keeps thinking about her whereabouts, he still can't get the answer to it. She is so mysterious. She shows up when she wants to show up, and disappears up in the air in no time when she sets her mind into it.

Chapter Twelve: Masquerade Ball (June 25, 2015)

In a sleeveless silver gown and a glittering silver mask which covers most of her face, Lee was standing next to a corner sipping her first-time-ever alcohol drink, Dry Martini, gin and vermouth garnished with an olive. Fancy drink by the look of it, Lee told herself. But the taste is not bad. Would I drink it again, I have no idea. Alcohol drink is not my thing. Only a class of it could send me to sleep until tomorrow noon, Lee continued to murmur to herself, while she was looking around for Sothea, who had invited her to join this charitable masquerade ball in order to support children with disabilities, who are in need for support to go to school.

Sothea told her that he did not want to come alone to this event and would be glad if Lee could join him; and yet, she would not need to worry if someone would recognize her because everyone would be wearing costume and mask. So no one would ever notice the other person if they did not come together. It would be fund, Sothea whispered into her ear, plus it is about a good cause.

Lee thought that it was not a bad idea. Finally, she decided to come per Sothea’s constant request. And here she was in a gown and mask borrowing from a friend of Sothea’s. Lee was still looking for Sothea. But how could I ever find him? Lee gave up searching. We did not come together. We each made our own separate way to this event because we wanted to see if we could really spot one another in this crow of people with all-time favorite movie costumes. Sothea did not tell me what he would be wearing, how can I ever find him.

Looking around, Lee spotted a familiar face of a guy standing next to the stairs. He was in the Princess Pride’s Dread Pirate Roberts with a sword on his waist. She recognized his costume right away because the Princess Pride is her most favorite childhood’s novel. The Dread Pirate Roberts was talking to a girl with a glass of champagne in her right hand in Cinderella’s dress, except she wore a mask. How beautiful she is! Lee uttered to herself. I would love to wear that Cinderella’s dress and experience Cinderella’s fate, dancing with her prince; even it would last a very short time.

Suddenly, Lee thought about Yong. Is he Yong? Lee asked herself. No, he can’t be him. How can he be here? There is no way he is Yong. Who is he with that familiar face then? Lee continued asking herself. Maybe I am drunk now, by the power of this mixed alcohol drink that they call Martini. Anyhow, what is Yong doing now? Will he be looking for me all the time I am gone?

For no reason, Lee continued to stare at the Dread Pirate Roberts guy until finally he noticed that she was looking at him. Lee turned away to avoid his eye contact. However she was too late. Before she knew it, their eyes had already met one another, which made unexpected lightning effect across the ballroom, and the Dread Pirate Roberts started to walk through the crow of people in masks.

Lee started to feel nervous. She wished he were not walking towards her. What should I do now? She blamed herself for looking at him too hard, too long. No wonder people would catch your glare. Her hands shoke and got sweat. Her heart beat faster as if it was going to burst out of her chest. She tried to stay calm and breathe as normal as she was when the Dread Pirate Roberts was step-by-step nearing her. His step was handsome. Every girl stole a look at him when he walked pass them. He kept walking, straight and steady, as if he had only one goal—to reach the girl who was looking at him from a corner of the room.

Being unable to control herself, her legs started shaking, giving her body a hot-summer-sweaty steam. With her handkerchief, she wiped the sweat off her redden face, of shyness, of embarrassment, of anxiety, of confusion. She could not walk away, though she wanted very much to escape to get some air, which she felt suffocating, and to hide herself from this awkward situation.  Yet, her legs were no longer hers. They were strongly stuck onto this sparkling marble floor.

Would you like to dance with me? The Dread Pirate Roberts inquired.

Lee looked around to check if he were really talking to her, asking her to dance with him. When she found out that no other women were around, she hesitated a Yes, but… She wanted to continue to tell him that she by no means knew how to dance, he already grabbed her hand, and now they were at the middle of the dance floor under the blinking light.

An arm around her waist, Lee leaned forward and whispered that she could not dance. Follow my steps and you would be fine, the Dread Pirate Roberts smiled at her as they moved along the music. Before she realized it, her sweat had all gone. Lee danced along with him freely and happily. You’re a good dancer, she told him. So are you, princess, he answered. Who said you cannot dance?

You called me Princess? I am flattered by your words, Lee blushed. No one ever called me Princess before, except my father, Lee thought to herself. Yes, the Dread Pirate Roberts responded, because you’re beautiful even with a mask on. What else can I say or comment?

Whatever, thanks, Lee politely replied to his compliment. Tears almost welled up in her eyes. She tried to fight it back. She did not want this stranger she had never met before saw her weakness—easy to drop tears or anything. She had to stay strong and fierce and independent and that was what she was made of.

By the way, why were you looking at me? The Dread Pirate Roberts enquired out of blue.

No, no, I did not, Lee declined, I was looking for my friend who was supposed to be here.

Are you serious?

No. No. I mean, yes, i am. Wait! As if suddenly remembered Lee asked, are you saying “you’re beautiful” to every woman you met? Did you say the same things to that Cinderrella woman?

Who is Cinderrella woman? The Dread Pirate Roberts confused.

The woman you talked to earlier? Lee sounded jealous.

Wait a minute! You just said that you did not look at me, how did you know i was talking to a woman?

Guilty charged. Lee had no word to respond.

Awkward silence fell between them.

Seeing things were not going anywhere, the Dread Pirate Roberts continued, that's ok. You dont need to answer me for now, and maybe you were looking for your friend whom I do not know. But if you did not look at me, I would not have notice that there is such a beautiful girl like you in this boring ball.

Thanks again for your nice compliment, Lee smiled.

Now, let’s go back to your previous question about that beautiful Cinderrella woman. She is my sister, the Dread Pirate Roberts revealed.

Oh, your sister. I thought she was... Lee paused and managed to swallow back what she was going to spill.

She was...what? The Dread Pirate Roberts inquired.

Nothing, Lee said.

Seriously, I am glad that I found you, the Dread Pirate Roberts exclaimed. This charitable masquerade ball is damn boring. Why don’t they just make it a normal event that has no costume or mask or anything?

You think it is boring, Lee repeated as if to make sure.

The Dread Pirate Roberts nodded, somehow yes, but not anymore. You don’t think so, do you?

I don’t think like you do. I think it is fun because we won’t know whom we are dancing with or talking to with our mask on. We can talk whatever we want to another person behind their mask and we won’t worry that the other would find out about us.

You think so? The Dread Pirate Roberts asked.

Yes, Lee confirmed.

Now the music stopped. Both of Lee and the Dread Pirate Roberts stood in front of one another in the center of the hall. They looked at one another straight into each other eyes.

Do you want to see my face? The Dread Pirate Roberts offerred.

Lee reluctantly nodded a Yes.

Slowly, the Dread Pirate Roberts took off his mask. It was YONG, Lee exclaimed…

"Wake up," someone is knocking on the door of Lee's room.

Awaken by the noise, Lee opens her eyes and walks towards the door. Before she opens it, she looks through the peephole to make sure the person knocking is someone she knows. It is Sothea.

I hate you, Lee tells herself when she realizes that what she was experiencing was a mere dream—a dream of her being Cinderella and Yong a prince. Why do you have to interrup my dream? Why do you have to show up at this time? Lee murmurs alone.

“I have something to tell you”, Sothea announces.

“What urgent news that you have to tell me now?” Lee slips him a smile.

“There is a charitable masquerade ball this evening at the school, do you want to join with me?” Sothea requests.

“Wait a minute,” Lee stops him, “you’re asking me to join a charitable masquerade ball this evening?”

“Yes,” sothea says, “is there something wrong?”

“No,” Lee answers, “it is just coincident”, Lee tells herself.

“What coincidence? Is there anybody else asking you to this event?” Sothea looks suspected.

“No,” Lee hurries to correct what she just said. “How come? I know no one here.”

“So?”

“So what?”

“Are you coming then?” Sothea repeats his question.

“Yes, I would love too,” Lee says, “but I have no dress.”

“Don't worry about that. My friend has. She can borrow you.”

“That’s awesome. I will go.”

“That's great, I will see you then.”                               

“But... are you…?” Before she manages to finish her question, Sothea has already left.

Chapter Thirteen: Another Lee (July 13, 2015)

…out of over 7 billion people in the world, can there be two people that have an identical face?...

Yong is on his way to Honolulu International Airport, used to be Jonh Rodgers Airport, which was named after a World War I naval officer in 1927. This airport project was funded by the territorial legislature and the Chamber of Commerce, and was the first full airpot in Hawaii back then. In 1947, this airport was renamed Honolulu Airport, and the word “International” was added in 1951. Honolulu International Airport once had the longest runway in the world of 3,992 meters in 1953. Nowadays, Honolulu International Aiport is one of the busiest airports in the United States, which receives more than 21 million passengers a year.

Why on earth this airport named after a World War I naval officer, Yong wonders; and yet he has no any intention to find out the reason behind. Asking people could be an easy way to get the answer; however, whom should he ask? Just like him, a random person or passenger might not know the answer. An airport officer may and may not know the answer. Who cares about the previous name of the airport anyway! And there are many things and places named after a person’s name, and the simplest reason maybe to remember the person who maybe had done something for his country.

The weather is exceptionally hot today, despite the cold morning breeze from the Pacific Ocean. Yong is in line, waiting to check in Hawaiian Airlines for his flight back to Thailand. The decision to go back home is very rush, which is beyond his expectation. He does not plan that he has to visit home so soon, given his newly opened business. However, since his mother’s constant callings and the disappearance of Lee, Yong gave in and started to pack his belongings for a short visit if at all he anticipated.

Yong thinks to himself, if by chance Lee were at this moment in this airport. If she were, he would have to find out where she were going to so that he could at once get another ticket to where she were heading. But, this is impossible. Yong shakes his head to clear his daydream. Lee has disappeared from this town a few days already, how could she show up here at this airport? Yong convinces himself. How daydreamer I am! Yong sighs.

“Next please,” a blonde and sea-blue eyed check-in officer calls as Yong approaches forward. She is in her late twenty with slender built given her narrow shoulder. She is single. There is no ring visible on her finger.

“Good morning, sir,” the officer greets. “How are you today?”

“Good,” Yong nods.

“May I see your passport and reservation, please?”

Yong hands her his passport and ticket as requested.

“You don’t have any luggage needed to check in, do you?” The officer inquires.

“No,” Yong shakes his head. “Only this carry-on luggage.”

“I see.” The officer is busy typing something into her computer before she looks at Yong again. “Here you go, sir,” the officer returns Yong passport back to him. “You’re ready to go. Please go to Main Overseas Terminal and look for Gate 7. The gate will be closed 15 minutes before depature time. Do you have any further question?”

“No. Thank you,” Yong picks up his passport and walks toward the immigration sign.

After getting through immigration procedure, Yong finds the Diamond Head Concourse in Main Overseas Terminal, which contains 6 gates from Gate 6 to Gate 11. Yong stops by a coffee counter to get an iced latte to cold off the heat. While Yong is waiting for his coffee, he sees a young lady in cream-colored shirt sitting in front of Gate 10, waiting to board. Next to her sits a young man. They look like friends, and the young lady looks like Lee.

“Your coffee, sir,” a staff calls out.

“Thank you,” Yong says and reaches out his hand to touch the coffee without looking at the staff.

“Sugar and napkin are over there,” the staff directs his index finger.

“Thanks,” Yong hurries to pick up his carry-on luggage and moves toward the young lady. When Yong lifts his head and almost walks toward her direction, she disappears.

How come they disappear like flash light? Yong asks himself. This can’t be hallucination. I saw her with my own eyes sitting next to a young man. I can’t daydream two people at the same time with sober mind. Of course, I can imagine Lee, yet not a man I have never seen before. My eyes and mind can’t trick me, but how?

“The Hawaiian Airlines Flight 345 from Hawaii to Seoul, South Korea, is now ready for boarding at Gate 7,” an announcement alerts.

Damn it! Yong sounds angry. Why it has to board now? If I go now and find out that that girl is not Lee I would miss the flight. But what if she were Lee then I would miss the chance to find out why she is avoiding me. Yong stands still when the announcement alerts for second time. At last, Yong decides against his thought of going to find out about that lady and walks toward the gate.

If both of us are destined to be together, fate will bring us to one another! Yong comforts himself.

Coffee with Love (Chapter fourteen: Direction Changed) by Jet

"Welcome on board Hawaiian Airlines. Safety check. For safety reason, please put on your seat bell," says cabin crew through the announcement speaker. "We are now heading to Seoul, South Korea. It's about ten hours and fifteen minutes nonstop flight…"

"Hi Son! Where are you heading to?" Says an old lady.

"Hi, but I'm not your son!" Yong reluctantly replies, forcing a smile on his lips. Why does she call me, son? Yong asks himself.

"You're good at joking," responds the lady. "You know what I meant, son!"

"I know," Yong fakes another smile, "but I'm not your son? Just to be sure."

"Of course, you're not!" the lady returns Yong her smiles.

"What did you just ask me by the way?" Yong recalls that the lady has asked him question.

"Oh, right!" the lady recollects her memory, "Where are you heading to?"

"I'm heading to Thailand," Yong says politely.

"Are you Thai?" The lady continues.

"Yes, I am."

"What are you doing here?"

"Why?" Yong asks the lady.

"Nothing why? I'm just making conversation and asking out of curiosity."

"What do you mean here? Hawaii or Thailand?" Yong clarifies.

"Here, I refer to Hawaii."

"I am here for business."

"Have you completed your business?"

"Why do you ask me so many questions?" Yong sounds annoyed.

"I'm just making conversation, why?" The lady resonates, "You don't want me asking questions, do you?"

"No, I don't mean that," Yong explains. "But we are just stranger!"

"I know, son," the lady stares at Yong. "But doesn't friend start from stranger!"

She makes quite a point! Yong says to himself.

"What?" The lady looks at Yong hard as if he were her prey, "Did you just say something?"

"No, yes," Yong confuses, "I meant 'Yes.' You're quite right."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So, have you completed your business here?" The lady repeats here question.

"Yes and No," Yong hesitates the answer. Why 'yes' and 'no'? What do I mean? Yong silently asks himself.

"What do you mean 'yes' and 'no'? You make this old lady like me confuses, son!"

"I'm sorry," Yong apologises. "What I wanted to say is that I have partially finished some of my business and left partially unfinished."

"Hope you don't mind if I ask why you leave if your business is partially incomplete?"

"Hmmm," Yong pauses, trying to debate with himself whether or not he should answer this lady's question.

"So?"

"It's personal," Yong speaks, after a moment of silence.

"I know it's personal, that's why I asked you 'if you don't mind?'"

"Right!"

"So, do you mind?"

"What do you want to drink, sir?" A female flight attendant interrupts.

"Can I have a glass of water, please?" Yong says.

"How about you madam?"

"I may have a glass of orange juice, please. Thanks," the old lady, who is sitting next to Yong, says.

"Here is your water, sir."

"Thank you."

"And, here is your orange juice, madam."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Enjoy your flight."

"Thanks."

Yong sips the water from his glass and takes deep breath. The old lady does the same thing. She sips her juice, but doesn't take any deep breath. The lady has her grey cardigan over her black knitwear and black skirt. Her hair is mostly grey, which makes her whole body almost covers in grey except her knitwear and skirt.

She is not American or European, judging from her look. Yong loses in thought, trying to identify the roo of the lady. She is from Asia for sure, according to her look, and she doesn't look like a bad person. By the ways she dresses, she is well bred, either from an educated family or wealthy family.

"Are you okay?" The lady touches Yong's right hand softly, trying to wake Yong up from his daydream.

"Yes?" Yong regains his consciousness.

"Are you okay, young man?" The lady asks as if she is worried about Yong.

"I'm good."

"Did you ask me something?"

"No," the lady says, waving her hand. "But, you haven't answered my previous question. So?"

Yong looks stoned-deaf, not hearing what she asked. He looks outside the window, trying to recall her question. It is very bright outside the window, a field of dazzling space without track of cloud. Yong turns back to the lady and asks her to re-ask her question.

"Do you mind sharing me your partially incomplete business with this stranger?"

"Ah, about that," Yong says. "It's just. It's just. How can I put it! I'm not sure if it is incomplete."

"Why not sure?"

"Because I am not sure."

"Tell me why you think you're not sure?"

"Okay," Yong gives in. "Let me tell you from the start."

"Okay."

"I met a girl in my shop..."

"You own a shop?" The lady interrupts.

"Yes, I do. But do you want to hear the rest of the story?" Yong replies as if starting to get annoyed.

"I'm sorry. Let continue."

"She is sweet, smart, and beautiful. She has beautiful eyes, which captured my heart the moment I saw her. She is a bit shy and stubborn, though. She doesn't talk much. She is not a local here. She is from Cambodia. She comes here to pursue her dream of getting higher education, taking Master's Degree in Television Production Program at Pearl City Community College. She wants to direct and produce documentary films to impact the society and make changes--good changes. We have been out for quite awhile now. I feel something for her. Something inside me is calling for her. But, I don't know if she feels the same way. The strange thing is that she suddenly disappeared. I don't know what has happened or what I have done wrong. I tried to contact her, but no response. I think she is avoiding me…"

"Then why do you leave the town if you haven't done your business?"

"I don't know. I can't find her. She's lost. It's hard to find someone you think they are avoiding you. Small place can become very huge place. Small world can become very huge world."

"Do you give up on her now?"

"I don't know. Even though I don't want to give up on her, but I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want."

"Did she tell you that she doesn't want?"

"No."

"Then, don't predict her answer. Your prediction might be wrong, and thus, makes your feeling worse."

"What should I do?"

"Don't ask me what you should do? Ask your heart what you should do. Follow what your heart is telling you to do, so you won't regret it later."

"Thank you," Yong feels grateful talking to her. He turns to the window again, looking at the bright space outside the window. What should I do? What does my heart tell me to do? Yong asks himself.

Eleven hours later…

"Can I have a ticket to Cambodia, please?"

When your brain stops working and don't know what you should do, then follow your heart.