在一个 bustling 的都市里，她只是一个平凡的上班族，却因一张泛黄的照片，意外地成为了无数人追逐的目标。她本以为自己可以轻松避开那些追求者，却不知道从某个角度看，她的一举一动都逃不过他们的窥探。
她的办公室是个 small 但 functional 的 place， walls covered with photos and decorations. She sat behind a desk that looked like it hadn’t been moved in years, but the files on her laptop were cluttered to distraction. Her boss, a strict but fair man, rarely gave her any real trouble.
Her eyes darted across the room as she typed away at her computer. The hum of the fluorescent lights seemed louder than usual. She glanced up once, seeing the clock ticking down to five more minutes before meeting her next shift. “You’re a bit late today,” her boss said without looking up from his own tasks.
“I’m sorry,” she replied quickly, closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath. “I was just running a bit behind. Everything’s okay.” Her boss nodded slightly, not really listening but keeping a polite distance.
She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, trying to focus on the task at hand. But something inside her felt off. She had met several men in her short time here—each with their own secrets and stories—but none of them could compare to what she was seeing now.
“You seem nervous,” he said after a moment, his tone softening slightly. “What’s wrong?”
She sighed heavily. “I don’t know…” She glanced around the room again, trying to find someplace quiet to hide her thoughts. Finally, she pushed her chair back and let out a deep breath.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” he warned, his voice firm but not unwelcoming. “Not like that.” He turned away from her, leaving her to awkwardly follow suit, her face turning pink as she did so.
She spent the rest of her shift feeling like a prisoner, her hands trembling slightly whenever she caught sight of him through the blinds. But despite her anxiety, she kept on her best behavior, hoping that he would forget about her once the doors closed again.
The next day came and went almost as quickly as the one before it, filled with endless meetings and projects that never seemed to end. She missed her weekend plans with her friends even more than she had expected to miss him.
As the days turned into weeks, something strange started happening. People began approaching her differently, their interest in her… unusual. At first, it was just glances or a shy smile here and there. But slowly, those little changes added up, and she couldn’t help but notice how odd it felt.
“What’s going on?” she asked her boss one day, her voice trembling slightly. “I don’t understand.” Her boss shook his head, trying to assure her that everything was fine. “It’s just… you know what happens sometimes,” he said simply.
“I know what happens sometimes!” she snapped, flinging her files across the room in frustration. “This isn’t normal! People are paying attention to me!”
Her boss sighed deeply and looked at her for a moment before finally speaking. “You’re not acting abnormally,” he said honestly. “But… there’s something else going on, too.” His tone implied that she knew what it was, but she couldn’t seem to catch his drift.
As the weeks turned into months, the pressure began to mount. Her job became a constant source of stress, and even her short breaks felt rushed. She tried to find some solace in her routines—her morning coffee, her commute to work—but nothing could quite match the connection she had always felt with him.
One night, after hours of work, she decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. As she strolled down the street, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of peace. The streets were quiet, and there was something about the evening air that made her feel… calm.
But as she continued walking, she noticed something unusual—something that made her stop dead in her tracks. A single figure stood in the middle of the street, holding out a hand. It wasn’t a reflection; it wasn’t even an illusion. She saw through it—his face. His hair was messy and untidy, his clothes were随意 thrown over his shoulders, and his body language spoke volumes.
She froze. Her heart raced as she realized what he looked like. It wasn’t a compliment she often gave to herself, but this time… she felt something more than just pride or approval.
She backed away slowly, her cheeks burning with a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. She had never felt anything for anyone before—least of all this man. But as she turned back the corner, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen someone else… someone familiar.
As he disappeared into the night, she stared at him one last time, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. She owed him an explanation, and soon enough, she would have the chance to tell him all that had been on her mind. But for now, she just hoped that whatever was going on wouldn’t drive her away from what she loved most of all.
And so, she went back to her job, determined to make the most of the time she had left. The man who had captured her heart (and then released her) would have to wait, if ever he did come back.
The end.
