Chapter One: First Comes Love

Clarissa had heard of the Wonder Child Project, but she never actually expected to be involved in it. When she received notification that she was selected to participate she was filled with both anxiety and happiness. This was something that she had wanted, right? 

Déshì always dreamed of being a father and having a traditional family, but with the population control regulations that had passed when he was a boy, he had pushed that dream aside and put his energy into focusing on his career. Receiving notice that he had been selected for the project meant it could come true, well sort of.  

Clarissa walked up the stairs and locked eyes with a man around her same age. She smiled awkwardly wondering what was going through his head this second.

“Déshì,” he said smiling widely.

“Déshì,” Clarissa said back trying to match his pronunciation. “I’m Clarissa, Clarissa Clark.”

Meeting someone new was one thing, but knowing that this would be the person you were to spend the rest of your life together with was another.

“Nice to meet you...Let’s take a look at our new home,” Déshì replied opening the front door for her. 

“Oh, I thought it would be finished,” He said slightly disappointed.

“I think that we are expected to remodel it…to our own tastes,” Clarissa said with a big smile.

Déshì didn’t know her, but he could already tell that she was a person who always found the silver lining.

“Unfortunately, most of our stipend went to the house.”

“We’ll be alright,” she said still smiling. “We have all of the necessities, and I work so that should not be an issue.”

“Ah, where do you work?”

“I’m a programmer in the technology wing.”

“Ah,” he said with a chuckle, “of course we both work at the same place. I’m in operations.” He knew that neither could really go much further into their specific duties. 

...

Over the next few days the two became acquainted with their new neighborhood.

Clarissa preferred spending time alone, and would split her free time jogging or practicing her programming skills.

Whereas, Déshì became acquaintances with several neighbors. He knew that they were also part of the same project. He really wondered how they could all seem so comfortable where he felt so out of place. If it wouldn't mean termination of his place in the program, he would have definitely asked.

The first night, Déshì and Clarissa discovered there was only one bed.

The two took turns sharing it and the couch.

After their first week was up, they both wondered how they were going to make this work. The only word that currently fit their situation was awkward. 

Next Chapter