Night deepened.
Inside the mall's movie theater, aside from those there specifically for a film, customers wandered in and out casually. Approaching midnight, the mall was about to close. The only light came from the theater showing the midnight screening, beckoning moviegoers with its red glow, while other customers gradually left, either heading outside or down to the underground parking lot. The flow of people was steady but not overwhelming.
A soft, beautiful melody played, bidding farewell to the customers—
It was likely the eighth piece from Claude Debussy's Preludes, Book I, more commonly known as The Girl with the Flaxen Hair. The piano notes, serene and ethereal, carried a mysterious and romantic mood.
Quietly, gently, a girl sat among blossoming cranberry bushes, jasmine flowers dotting her hair, emitting a faint, elegant fragrance. She gazed into the distance with a calm expression.
The world around her was bustling and chaotic, but encased in the aquarium's soft blue glow, Anson's scattered thoughts began to settle.
It felt like he was the only one truly listening.
His gaze followed the tropical fish gliding through the tank. The movement of their bodies seemed to reveal invisible water currents, silently flowing past his fingertips. He imagined the sound of the water rushing in his ears as his heart slowly sank into the endless blue.
Floating, sinking, drifting.
Then—
In the midst of the deep blue and quiet, the fish suddenly scattered, and Anson saw an eye staring back at him through the glass.
Their gazes unintentionally collided—
They blinked.
Both were startled, their hearts skipping a beat in the lull of the piano's melody.
Anson straightened up.
The other person did the same.
His heart raced, and for a moment, he was nervous—until he looked again and saw her clearly through the aquarium.
It was Annie.
Anson froze. He could see the tropical fish swimming across Annie's flawless face, their movement tracing the contours of her features. Her eyes, dark and indistinguishable in the dim light, gleamed with the aquarium's bluish glow, resembling stars falling into her deep pupils.
They sparkled.
Annie, also startled, saw Anson's damp hair and wet face, his eyes filled with a clear ocean. A colorful tropical fish swam right in front of his face, causing Annie to hold her breath as she anxiously searched for his face again.
The fish moved, and his face reappeared.
Even with a baseball cap on, his handsome features couldn't be hidden. It was enough to make her hold her breath, as the world seemed to freeze in place.
Annie suddenly became aware of her eagerness. Embarrassed and nervous, she lowered her gaze but couldn't resist sneaking another look, her eyes tracing his face cautiously. The soft light created a dreamlike haze, making it hard to distinguish between the movie and reality.
In her daze, she felt like she had been transported back into the film, seeing that carefree young Frank Abagnale once again.
Anson moved forward.
Annie, unconsciously, followed.
In the aquarium's reflection, Anson and Annie walked side by side. But in the distorted reflection, Annie appeared slightly ahead, their positions shifted by the water's distortion. They chased each other, unaware of the closeness, their faces overlapping as if they could feel the warmth of each other through the glass.
Before realizing it, a smile had already spread across their faces.
For a brief moment, as The Girl with the Flaxen Hair played, emotions beyond words fluttered like butterflies, light and electrifying.
They quickly averted their gazes, only to find themselves drawn back together. The chase continued, their steps quickening, creating a breeze that rippled through the air.
Pop.
The air seemed to shatter as they reached the end of the aquarium. The soft blue light disappeared, and Anson and Annie stood face to face. All the illusions and haziness melted away as their eyes locked, their bodies close enough to feel each other's warmth. Their hearts raced, pounding hard enough to echo in their ears.
"...Ugh, what a letdown."
"Yeah, I really wanted to see Anson."
"Didn't he say the event was over? You guys didn't believe him."
A noisy group rushed by, like a storm breaking the peaceful surface of a lake.
Anson and Annie broke eye contact, turning their backs to each other, both lowering their heads as they tried to hide their nervousness, pretending nothing had happened.
Annie, flustered, fumbled with her bag and pulled out a book. She leaned against the aquarium, flipping through the pages as if reading, though none of the words registered.
Luckily, the passing group of people was too absorbed in their own world to notice. They swept through like a storm and disappeared just as quickly.
"Pfft."
Anson's laughter broke the silence. Annie instinctively hid the book, looking up to see his clear eyes, and she relaxed a little.
"So, are we Romeo and Juliet now?"
Annie blinked, confused. "I don't think my parents know your parents."
Anson's grin widened, "No, I'm Leonardo DiCaprio, and you're Claire Danes."
Annie paused, then it clicked—
In the movie starring Leonardo and Claire, Romeo + Juliet, there was a famous scene where the two first met, gazing at each other through a fish tank.
A smile tugged at the corners of Annie's mouth as she teased, "Are you comparing yourself to Leonardo?"
Anson shrugged lightly, "I think you're prettier than Claire."
Annie quickly looked up at him, catching the humor in his eyes. Embarrassed, she hurriedly looked away again, unsure if her flushed face had given her away.
But realizing this, Annie gathered her courage and looked up again, no longer hiding her shyness, trying to meet his gaze confidently—
Though her eyes still darted nervously around his face.
At least she wasn't awkwardly trying to cover it up anymore. "Judging by how smooth you are, I can tell I'm not the first girl you've complimented like this."
Anson nodded lightly, surprisingly agreeing. "True. In fact, you're the 317th girl I've complimented today."
He spoke nonsense with a straight face.
Annie fought to keep a straight face but couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips.
Anson didn't stop there and asked, "So, what brings you here?"
Annie raised an eyebrow, her confusion clear as she looked at him like he was an idiot. "To watch a movie."
Wasn't it obvious?
Anson raised his hands in surrender, admitting it was a dumb question. "Okay, fair. Let me ask a better one: did you like it? The movie, I mean."
Annie tilted her head thoughtfully, putting on a serious expression. "Let me think. I liked Steven's direction, Tom's performance, the music, oh, and the costumes. The outfits were amazing."
Then she looked at Anson with a sincere smile, her lips curling into a perfect arc.