A Place to Belong

Fussa City is located in the western part of Tokyo, Japan. It was a quiet place that got famous for having an American air force base. The city is also located near two famous mountains where a cable car transport system had been built.

"Absolutely not." Lily shook her head. "I don't want to ride a bicycle," she firmly said when Zhuo Jingren told her that they were going to ride a bicycle around the resort. As the resort was huge, guests usually rely on bicycles to travel around the area.

"Then you can ride on my bike." Zhuo Jingren smiled, patting the passenger seat at the back of his dark blue bicycle. There was also a light white attached at the front part of the bicycle. Sharing a bike? Did this man get this idea from Korean dramas? Suddenly Lily felt like they were the lead characters in their own Korean romance drama. 

Even though Lily was a little wary, she was also too lazy to ride a bicycle on her own. "Alright" Lily nodded at Zhuo Jingren's suggestion. Without a second to waste, Zhuo Jingren quickly mounted on his bicycle and waited for Lily to sit on the passenger seat. After making sure that she was seated comfortably, Zhuo Jingren placed his right foot on the pedal and kicked off the ground with his left foot. Soon, they were moving along steadily. Despite this being the first time that Zhuo Jingren had taken a passenger on his bicycle, he was doing great. 

While Zhuo Jingren was feeling a little giddy inside, Lily was feeling a little conflicted. A while ago, she seemed to have lost control of her emotions and even snapped at someone, a person she had just met. She furrowed her brows in contemplation and unconsciously wrapped her arms around Zhuo Jingren's waist. Her action was smooth and precise, as if she had done it many times before. Lily who was too engrossed in her own thoughts didn't think too much about her actions. As the road was bumpy, she had instinctively held onto Zhuo Jingren to ensure her safety.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Jingren had a wide smile on his face. If Secretary Go was to see his Boss right now, he would surely faint from shock. His heart was in chaos. He tried to calm his wildly beating heart chanting 'eyes on the road' over and over again in his head. Of course, this did not stop him from beaming still. This was the first time that Lily actually touched him voluntarily. This should call for a celebration!

As they were riding along, Zhuo Jingren kept the conversation going by telling Lily all about the resort that they were staying in. From its landscape to the different plants and trees that were planted in this resort. He also brought Lily to a butterfly and bird sanctuary that he had specially designed with Lily in mind.

All throughout the ride, Lily kept her arms around his waist and she honestly didn't really that there was anything to it. She rationalized that it was only natural for a rear passenger hold onto the driver. 

"Alright, let's take a break." Zhuo Jingren stopped the bicycle and waited for Lily to get down from the bicycle first. At this point, they were already out of the resort and had been travelling towards the temple that Zhuo Jingren used to frequent when he visited this place.

Lily immediately got down from the bicycle and noticed a small shed at the side of the road. The shed had a grass roof and was furnished with a long bamboo bench underneath. Next to the shed was a big tree that provided some extra shade. She then watched as Zhuo Jingren park the bicycle and gestured for them to go into the shed.

"This place is near Tokyo, but why does it have sheds like this?" she asked when she saw Zhuo Jingren taking out some sandwiches and canned drinks. Now that she was near the shed, she noticed that it was overlooking a certain Japanese style house.

"I had someone made this," Zhuo Jingren said as he gestured for Lily to sit beside him. She slowly sat down and opened one of the sandwiches. "Look." Lily turned her head to look at where Zhuo Jingren was pointing. To her surprise, she saw a group of kids playing just below them.

"Orphanage," he said, opening a can of juice and passing it to Lily.

A tinge of understanding flashed before Lily's eyes before she nodded. Zhuo Jingren must have sponsored another orphanage in this area. "You look like a creep watching the children from this spot. Like a pedophile watching his prey."

To her surprise, Zhuo Jingren burst into laughter. His boisterous laughter caused Lily to stare at him. Zhuo Jingren had a deep laugh sending ripples inside her heart. Lily was surprised to see Zhuo Jingren so unrestrained for the first time, the mirth in his eyes was apparent. Lily instantly felt some complicated emotions inside.

"That was the most honest thing that anyone has ever said to me," he said. Then the laughter disappeared as he looked at the children frolicking below. "My adoptive father have enemies Lily. The children will be safer if I support them while remaining in the shadows. That's why I never showed my face to them."

"You seemed to love children a lot," Lily noted as she lowered her head. "I heard about your sponsorships for various orphanages. I also heard that you have been helping those who left the orphanages in their adulthood to find jobs."

"I grew up without a family. I just wanted them to have a place to belong. Something that I never had while growing up," he said. "As for having children… Hmm… I guess I would only love them if they are from you."

Lily swallowed her saliva when she heard Zhuo Jingren's words. She then lifted her head and turned to look at him. "What if I can't have children?"

…

Editor: Swaning