Something Different

Chapter 4: No Promises

Both of them were staring at each other without a blink. Ten-second has passed without a sound until Beatrice finally got back her sense. 

"What déjà vu you bring today? Don't tell me you're going to crash at this wedding." Afraid that he might do the same thing just like two months ago, Beatrice suddenly questioned his motive to be inside her client's wedding.

"Chill out, Miss Paranoid. I was invited here as a guest. Jessica is my office mate and she's an urban designer at the firm I work with." Bryan said, defending himself from a nasty thought in Beatrice's mind. Perhaps the title of wedding crasher would be haunting him wherever he goes just like now.

"Okay, that's odd that we are meeting here again as I thought our last farewell would be in the airport but beyond thousands of Chinese-American in San Francisco, we meet here today once again. Anyway, thank you for transferring a lot of money to my bank account last time." She said, trying to ease her nervousness when their eyes meet for the first since the last encounter in San Francisco Airport two months ago.

"You're welcome. Happy to help the wedding planner who already planned the lavish wedding of my sister's ex-boyfriend. Well, don't take it seriously as that jerk and that bitch really belong with one another." He smirked, then continued the conservation deeper with other topics regarding their personal life.

Their night ended late but it was the best day of their life where for the first time they were able to set their differences apart and have a blast conversation until the clock struck midnight. And both of them promised to meet again on the next day when Beatrice would be extending her stay in San Francisco since the Chinese man that she met in Fiji two months ago willingly accompanied her for a stroll inside the city that was famous for Golden Gate Bridge – a suspension bridge that became the city designated landmark.

On the next day, Beatrice woke up early in the morning as she did not want to be late for her first date since she and William officially broke up a couple of weeks ago. She wore something simple yet casual with blue denim and a sleeveless white tunic blouse while her hair has been tied in a ponytail. 

Bryan waited for her outside of the hotel building and both of them were strolling down San Francisco for the first time as the new friends. Firstly, the urban planner brought his tourist friend to Coit Tower – a 64 metres tower that was built in 1933 and became a historic place in the city itself. Besides that, the 1.7 acres tower was also dedicated to the volunteer fireman who had died in San Francisco's major fires in the past. 

Later on, they went to the Fisherman's Wharf on the northern waterfront where it became one of the busiest tourist areas. Beatrice did not let the opportunity slip away by buying a lot of souvenirs for her family and friends back in Los Angeles as most of the shops around the waterfront were selling really good mementoes. 

Apart from being the centre of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf, the waterfront also got plenty of restaurants that sell fresh seafood notably a Dungeness Crab and clam chowder, but they did not stop there for lunch instead Bryan brought her somewhere special for them to dine in.

"Where do you want to bring me for lunch? My stomach is growling and I am really hungry now." Beatrice asked him annoyingly. She thought they would be eating at the floating restaurant but he kept on insisting to bring her somewhere in the heart of San Francisco.

"Just wait and see." He winked at her flirtatiously as he felt she looked beautiful when she winced at him. Still, he did not know why but honestly, Beatrice and he got undeniable chemistry where they easily connected with each despite their differences.

After walking down, the street for almost half an hour, they arrived at Yank Sing restaurant – a Chinese contemporary eatery specialising in dim sum. As someone who never really cares about other cultures, especially about Asian people, Beatrice was taken by surprise to see the decoration of the restaurant and honestly, she never had Chinese food throughout her life.