Failed Resolves

Mei tossed and turned during the night as a stampede of thoughts passed through her mind. Shun knew about her illness, but now what? Did he see her as an obligation? And would he insist on getting back together so that he could simply take responsibility for his mistakes?

No. She wouldn't let that happen, no matter how much Shun insisted, there was no future for them together. As a Li, he would always be duty bound to his family and position and there was no way Mei could see herself as being Mrs. Li again. A status that trapped her like a bird inside a gilded cage.

Frustrated, Mei sat up in her bed and undid the top three buttons on the white shirt she was wearing. It was one of Shun's she had found in the wardrobe and since this stay was unplanned, she decided to borrow it without asking.

The room felt stuffy and she was hot, her throat parched. She debated weather to go to the kitchen for some water, which was downstairs. But she was afraid of running into Shun. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

Shun sat quietly on the couch and stared at nothing in particular in the darkness. It was two in the morning and sleep had completely abandoned him as he thought about Mei. He had poured himself a glass of strong whiskey earlier as a salve to his aching heart. But it remained untouched as he pondered on how to convince Mei to forgive him.

A soft sound suddenly caught his attention and distracted him from his thoughts as a white figure descended the stairs into the living room. A momentary beam of light from the city outside illuminated her body in one of Shun's white shirts and he swallowed hard as Mei fumbled her way to the kitchen half naked in the darkness.

Shun clenched his fist in a bid to maintain his self-control. After all he had already kissed her once while she was asleep and the desire to kiss her again now hammered hard at his soul like waves crashing against a rock.

"F***!" Mei swore as she walked into something pointy. It was difficult getting around the penthouse in the dark, especially when she didn't know where anything was. Still, she refused to turn on the lights for the fear of running into Shun. She just needed to find the fridge and grab a bottle of water before sneaking back upstairs.

Hands stretched out in front of her to feel for any more obstacles, she felt the floor under her feet change from carpeting to tiles, an indication that she was in the right place. The fridge was easy to find from there, as a small light illuminated its door and Mei's eyes adjusted to the limited light it provided in the kitchen.

She opened the door and stared in surprise as boxes of half-eaten takeaway boxes cluttered its shelves. Surely Shun wasn't eating like this every night? She thought as she opened the lids of a few to take a look. Placing the lids back on the boxes she grabbed a bottle of water from the door shelf and leaned back against the island counter behind her. Shun really didn't allow anyone else here she realised. Not even his secretary or the family cook.

Closing the fridge door, Mei began to retrace her way back to the bedroom. Her eyes had adjusted somewhat to the darkness now, but it was still a perilous journey. She managed to find her way back to the staircase and began climbing. But after three or four steps, she suddenly misplaced her footing and before she could grab onto the railing she reeled back into a pair of strong arms.

"Careful", Shun said softly as he looked down at Mei in the beam of light coming in from the city outside. "You'll hurt yourself".

Mei's heart thumped hard as Shun held her there suspended in mid-fall. She recognised the look of hunger in his eyes as he gazed down at her. And she was very much aware at how vulnerable she was at that moment. But she also knew that he wouldn't do anything she didn't want him to.

But she did want him to. She may not want to be Mrs. Li again. And there may not be a future for them together. But in this moment, she wanted him very much.

Finding all the courage she could muster inside Mei reached up slowly and cradled the back of Shun's neck and planted a kiss on his lips. In the back of her mind she knew this was a mistake and she might regret it later, but right now she needed him.

The kiss took Shun completely off-guard, but he didn't protest. Because despite having held himself back earlier, the minute Mei landed in his arms all his resolve had melted away. If she hadn't kissed him, he would have. And now, lifting her up and carrying Mei to the bedroom, he would do more.

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