WAITING FOR THE BEGINNING

4. On the Edge of Romance

Usually, right after the newlyweds appear for the banquet, Ping Ping tires of the event - the speeches, the first dance and then more dancing, drinking. She looks forward to going home with her mother, and dive into her father's arms. A warm bath and a simple home-cooked meal.

However, as it is often the case, De Ai convinces her to do something outside her comfort zone; and this is how she finds herself on the dance floor, dancing to some strange American music. Catchy rhythm. Making everyone doing sensual moves with their bodies. Presently, an exuberant group of dancers, among them De Ai and De Yi, have crowded Ping Ping to the edge of the dance floor.

Just as she could be pushed no further without landing onto the lap of one of the elders, Ping Ping feels a strong arm pulling her into the pulsating group. De Yi flashes something akin to an annoyance or a mischievous smile and shields her from being further pushed off the dance floor.

Strange. He's known Ping Ping since elementary school - the quiet and odd friend of his sister. It has always baffled him why his outgoing sister would be best friend with Ping Ping. Yet, through the years, he has seen that Ping Ping listens while De Ai speaks; Ping Ping follows De Ai and supports all of his sister's crazy antics.

Not only are they different in personality - but so different in their beauty. De Ai has inherited the classic good looks of their mother. Even at sixteen, she is a stunning girl with no shortage of male attention. As usual, multiple boys and young men a few years older than what's appropriate for her vie for her attention on the dance floor - much like a swarm of bees.

In contrast, Ping Ping looks plain and too young for her age; her face resembles more of a child than a woman and her body devoid of any well-defined topography. Without him fully realizing, his arms encircle her and he smells her scent - of innocence and of mystery and familiarity.

De Yi studies Ping Ping more closely. Wondering how he's come to settle for debutantes who care too much about his family background, bank account balance and whether or not he will inherit the family business.

"Do you always look away when they kiss?" De Yi asks. "Is it because you've never been kissed?"

Ping Ping tilts her face towards him - her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and a bit of anger. "Yes to the first question. And none of your business to the second."

Judging by the way she looks away defiantly, he guesses she has never been kissed. Why that should make his heart happy surprises De Yi. And the desire to be her first surprises him even more. Plus a sudden un-explainable rage should someone else claimed that. So much so, he stops just long enough for both of them to realize that he's holding her in his arms.

In her eyes, he sees confusion and surprise - but none of the other feminine seduction he's seen before on the few handfuls of girlfriends he's kissed. Then her countenance is lit up by a subtle smile - transforming her face into an angelic expression. This is the moment. He says to himself. When he confesses to her later, he'll tell her this is the moment she slew him.