In the spring of the 22nd year of the Republic of China, I met a dangerous and charming woman on a cruise ship. The black hat brim covered half of her face, but I still felt her gaze firmly locked on me.
On the rocking deck, she held an unlit cigarette between her fingers. She came up to me and said she wanted to borrow my candle: "In exchange, I will give you a birthday gift, a story, a hug... Or a kiss."
The salty wind from the Pacific climbed on my body, and I saw in the wind that her bright red lips were exactly the same as mine.
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"I swam through the coldness of the ocean, passed by the square box of wind, and experienced one cold wave after another in my life. I am a floating fish in the ocean, and I want to swim to my lover."
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"Later, I finally swam in front of her. I saw the strong wind passing through her and the birds passing by her. She stood on the swaying deck and lit the candle, with the vastness of the Pacific Ocean and the freedom of the sunfish hidden in her eyes. I stared at her lips, like a distant red sun. At that moment, I finally learned that my lover is myself."
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A Narcissus Essay from the Republic of China (Open Ending)
*The third person of the text
Intention: Self-love is eternal love
