3 Chapter 2

We met at the airport as scheduled and took off for China, with the Great Wall as our main destination. After arriving in Beijing, we spent nearly a week exploring the city and indulging in various types of Chinese cuisine. Most of the dishes were new to Andrew, which surprised me. "Haven't you ever visited a Chinese restaurant during your time in Japan?" I asked. He shrugged and replied, "Mostly noodles, but I try to make them balanced by adding eggs, lettuce, and other stuff." When I asked what he usually ate for breakfast, he casually said, "My real shit and normal gin." I shook my head in pity. "What a stupid life you're living," I muttered. "Leave me alone," he shot back.

A week later, we took a train to the Great Wall. The tickets were pricey, but the experience was worth it. We met our tour guide, who led us up the stairs. Andrew, however, wasn't as energetic as usual. He kept stopping to catch his breath. "Can't you walk?" he gasped. "Don't tell me you want to walk through everything. It's going to take years to finish this!" I ignored his complaints and took in the breathtaking view. From the towering height, I could see people scattered across the landscape. The guide explained that the wall was built by an ancient Chinese king for protection, though I couldn't remember the king's long name. After two or three hours, we descended, and Andrew immediately rushed to a nearby shop for shaved ice. I followed, but keeping up with him wasn't easy. He'd buy something and quickly walk away, leaving me to pay the seller. As I chatted with the guide, we suddenly heard Andrew's voice loud and clear: "Damn!!!! Baby girl, she looks good enough to eat! F*** me, I'm not Chinese." He looked disappointed, then added, "Innocent, pretty face… I wonder what kind of music she'd play in bed." The tour guide burst into laughter.

Later, we visited the Tower of Heaven and learned a lot about Chinese history. Nearby, we stopped at a temple. I went in to pray, but Andrew refused to join me. As an atheist, he often dismissed religion. Back in college, I'd tried to convince him to believe in some form of God, but he'd always say, "If God exists, why do people still suffer even when they worship Him? Seeing is believing. As a scientist, an accountant like you wouldn't understand." I'd usually retort, "Well, that's your problem." After praying, I couldn't find Andrew outside. Describing his appearance to people around, I finally found him sitting on a brick, smoking. "Can you please stop stressing me out?" I snapped. He apologized, then asked, "By the way, did you bring your drugs?" Confused, I replied, "No, there are evangelists everywhere." He chuckled. "Evangelists? I saw one along this road—probably a drug dealer. What a weird name for them."

We checked into a hotel for the night since we were leaving Beijing the next day. Exhausted, I took a bath and lay on the bed. We shared a room with twin beds, and I was scrolling through reels on my phone when Andrew grabbed his wallet and phone. "Where are you going?" I asked. "Oh, sorry. That evangelist mentioned a party nearby. I wanna check it out. Pretty girls are gonna be there," he said, grinning. "When did you two become friends?" I asked, annoyed. "I bought him some stuff," he replied. I laughed sarcastically. "You couldn't even pay for the shaved ice earlier." He shrugged. "Sorry, I thought it was your treat." "My treat? Don't worry, I'll make you pay someday."

The next morning, I found him passed out on the floor. I decided to let him sleep for two hours before waking him. Surprisingly, he woke up just 15 minutes later. "Pack your things. We need to check out," I said. We left the hotel and boarded a bullet train to Shenzhen. The journey felt endless. Andrew sat with his arms folded, deep in thought. "What are you worried about?" I asked. "You know, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people kind of look alike," he mused. "You just noticed?" I replied, slightly surprised. "Hmm, your beauty is in the face," he said. "And what's your idea of beauty?" I asked. "Balloons and peaches—that's real beauty. You guys lack that." I rolled my eyes and focused on my phone. He leaned closer, peering at my back. "You got peaches, Natsu?" he asked. "What?!" I was flustered. "What kind of question is that?" He smirked. "I think I saw you naked once, but I can't remember clearly. Maybe I'm already in cloud nine." He looked disappointed. "What's that look? Let me see your peaches, girl." I glared at him, and he fell asleep three minutes later. I smiled faintly, remembering the day he'd accidentally walked in on me after a shower. I'd forgotten to lock the door, and he'd seen me without a towel. He'd turned away immediately, picked up his phone, and left. At the time, I'd felt offended—was I that unappealing? Couldn't he have at least looked for a second?

We arrived in Shenzhen at night. The city was brightly lit, and Andrew wandered around with one eye closed, mimicking Zoro from *One Piece*. We're both anime and gaming enthusiasts, so I took pictures of the vibrant scenes around us. Suddenly, I felt lightheaded and fainted before I could react.

I woke up in the hospital the next day. Andrew was talking to the doctor. When he noticed I was awake, he walked over and asked, "Are you okay? You passed out yesterday. I had no choice but to bring you here." He handed me my phone, which had a few cracks on the screen. After being discharged, we took a taxi to a nearby hostel. Andrew booked a room for over a week. "Why such a long stay?" I asked. "I still want to visit Shanghai and other places," he replied. "But Natsu, you need rest. That's what the doctor said." I sat on the bed, tears streaming down my face. "F*** it, f*** it," I repeated. "Passing out in the very first country… Can my body even handle this? I've finally conquered my dream, and now this…" Andrew sat beside me and hugged me tightly. "Don't worry. I'm here for you. Your body will keep up." His words encouraged me, and after a few minutes, I managed to cheer myself up.