"Yes it is." He had to admit. "Speaking of magical, have you heard of the well of love in this park? It is said to be magical." He asked.

"No… there's such a thing as magical wells? I mean, I didn't know people actually believed in them." She was surprised that a man like him would even think about it.

"There's nothing real or fake in this world, my love. It all depends on whether or not one has seen it." He challenged.

"Fair enough. Tell me about it." She looked up at him, interested to hear about the said magical well.

"It is said that when a couple makes a wish and drops a coin in the well together, their wish will come true." He explained the belief he had passed off as nonsense in the past. "It is also said that if you make a wish about the person you love, it will come true as long as you have an honest heart, the wish will come true."

She frowned. "What if your heart is honest and you wished that I died?" She pointed out the loophole.

He burst into laughter at her imagination. "I guess it would come true. But I don't think there is anyone who would wish death upon the love of their life." Unless the person they loved was under so much suffering that death would be a relief to them, he thought.

"Do you want to try it out?" He asked excitedly.

"Is there something you would like to wish for?" She was curious, and she would probably do it merely to satisfy her curiosity.

"Of course!" He stood up and pulled her hand, running through the park.

"It should be here." He searched around, but all she could see was a tall hedge.

"The wishing well isn't big?" She asked curiously. Otherwise, why was he looking for it through a hedge?

"Not the well. The gate leading to it. Right here." He found what looked like a metallic pole covered in overgrown weeds. She was only able to realize that it was a gate when he pushed some of the weeds to one side.

"Careful. You sure don't want to wake the inhabitants of such thick bushes." She warned and grabbed her hand to pull him away from the gate.

"I guess you're right. That would be rude of us." He carefully pulled the gate open and pulled her behind him, then looked around.

"It's safe. Let's go." He led the way.

She looked around in awe. Although the gate looked like it was built half a millennium ago, the garden was colorful and beautiful.

"Not many people come here. No one ever believes in such things as wishing wells anyways." He chuckled.

"That explains why it is so beautiful." The flowers were in full bloom and even the weeds looked beautiful with the fireflies buzzing around them. It was more dim inside the hidden part of the garden because the only source of light was the city lights, but that was enough for them to spot the well.

There were flowers and weeds grown around it as well, and it looked ancient.

"How did you find out about the well?" She was curious.

"Natalie told me about it." He smiled. "She said that her grandfather wished that the woman he married be the love of his life, and he fell in love with her grandmother even though they met through an arranged marriage."

"That's so sweet." Zaria admitted. It was not easy to fall in love with one's arranged marriage partner, as they may resent each other thanks to the nature of their relationship.

"They are the cutest." Desmond smiled. "Ten years ago, Natalie and Devonte wished to stick together forever." He added.

"Ten years?!" Zaria was shocked. Those two had been together for that long?!

"They have been together for twelve years, actually." He corrected her, knowing what she was thinking. "It's awesome, isn't it? They have fought every battle together and didn't quit no matter how insane their circumstances were."

She blinked in surprise. She had to admit that it was indeed remarkable for them to still be so madly in love after more than a decade.

"It could be a coincidence but I still want to try." He pulled her to the well.

"Whether it's a coincidence, fate or the well actually works, there's nothing to lose, right?" She smiled, feeling the thrill of doing something that had never crossed her mind.

"Do you have a coin?" She asked, recalling that she had not carried any money out.

"I guess so." He took out his wallet and to her shock, he took out one dollar.

"What would you do with that anyway?" She laughed, since it was the most shocking thing she would ever expect him to possess.

"You gave this to me. Don't you remember?" He asked with a tease.

"Remind me." She laughed. There was no way she would forget giving him such a thing.

He laughed at the fact that she had really forgotten about it. "It was the first time we met. You hated me so much for suing Preston and Fort Group that you threw compensation fee at my feet. This was the compensation fee." He laughed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She gave an embarrassed chuckle. Who would have thought that he would remember her silly actions even months later?

He pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry. I don't hold it against you. It was just entertaining that the feisty woman who wanted to bite my head off is the same one who faked an identity to get close to me—and the very one I fell in love with."

"Why did you keep the coin anyway?" She was surprised that he even picked it up, expecting him to step on it on his way back to his car.

"It's not every day someone estimates my value and thinks my mental damage is worth one dollar. What a valuable amount." He laughed.

"It's indeed valuable." She smiled seriously. It was valuable, considering that he had kept it all this time.

"Let's make a wish, okay? I'm wishing of us to be together forever. What would you like to wish?" She asked as he placed one side of the coin between her thumb and forefinger as he held the other side.

"Wait. This is a valuable coin." She grabbed it and kissed it, leaving behind a pink lipstick stain before giving it back. He held his side carefully not to erase the 'love mark'.

"I wish for you to love me more." She whispered.

"I'd have to disappoint you on behalf of the well. I already love you with my entire life. What more could there be?" He gazed at her seriously, not knowing that her wish would actually come true. Years later, he would realize that what he thought was loving her enough was actually the tip of the iceberg.

"I wish that no amount of trouble and temptations can break us apart. Or anything for that matter." He added seriously, making her look up at him in surprise.

"You didn't strike me as the type to be so seriously in love." She remarked.

"I didn't know either, until I met you." He confessed.

"Then I wish for it to remain this way forever." She whispered.

"Wait." She paused before they threw the coin into the well. "I wish for my parents to reconcile. Does this count?"

She dropped in the coin, only to feel him pull her into a hug.

"Are you trying to console me?" She laughed through the sadness she was feeling deep down.

He nodded. He knew what she felt. She knew what it was like to have a loving father, and her mother was getting close to her too. However, having both parents dote on her was something she had never felt her entire life, and she must desire to know what it felt like.

"Zaria, if we ever have kids and you decide to leave, I will not let you go." He promised seriously.

"If I'm going to abandon my kids in future, I would rather not have any." She meant it. It was usually the kids who suffered thanks to their parents' decisions, and the parents weren't to blame for the fact that they fell out of love either.

"Let's not talk about such sad things. We have made our wish and I hope the well actually works." He patted her head. "Even if it doesn't work, I will not let you go no matter what." He kissed her lips, pulling her into his embrace.

"I will not let you go either, Desmond." She leaned against his chest.

___

Music recommendation: Stuck with you—Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande

AN

Does anyone believe in magic and wishing wells?

I wish there was one near me so I try to make a wish and see if it actually works T_T