Spring 2025

FOR a moment, everything felt like it belonged to one universe.

She walked ever so slowly, looking straight at his eyes filled with tears. She tried to reach out her hand, but it no longer felt like hers. She was just there, trapped in time and space, with her thoughts and emotions circling in a raging whirlpool inside her body.

She was just there. And there was just him.

“It’s been so long,” he whispered, smiling like he used to seven years ago.

“Didi…” she murmured.

Shen Yue closed her eyes, recalling everything that has happened in the last seven years without him. Without the boy that had enriched the colors of her life. Without him, everything was dull and lifeless. Her mind transported her back to fall of 2018, the last day she saw the world in Technicolor. The day it turned grey.

Fall 2018

“GUYS, let’s sing happy birthday for Jia!” Shen Yue shouted, in the midst of a chaotic crowd.

It was Meteor Garden 2018’s victory party. The series ended last week, and was well-received not only in China but all over the world as well. This did not come as a shock to all of them, seeing as their target audience was the same crowd who watched its predecessor, Meteor Garden, in 2001. But what they didn’t expect was that it also reached North America and other parts of Europe because of its simultaneous airing in Netflix. In return, all five of them attained international stardom overnight, which was more than what they could process.

This alone was enough reason to celebrate tonight, but aside from Meteor Garden’s success, they all gathered once again to celebrate Jia Qi’s birthday, the last of the F6 to celebrate their birthday.

“Okay, let’s sing!” Xize, who was holding up a camera, began singing.

Yueyue smiled and sang along with everyone. She ran her eyes around the room, and took a good look at her workmates. Jia, the birthday girl, was sitting on a red armchair beside the fire place. Beside her is Sun Qian and Dong Xin, clapping and filming with their phones. On her other side is Kuan Hong and Liang Jing Kang, both holding cakes that bear her name. And on the couch opposite hers are Dee Hsu and Wang He Di, singing merrily with a glasses of champagne at hand.

It was good to see them again like this, like how they used to since the start of winter 2017. After filming Meteor Garden, Yueyue rarely saw her co-workers from the drama. She would often receive chats and text messages from them, but she couldn’t respond on time because of her hectic schedule for her new series. She was so nearly drowned in her work that she couldn’t even watch her own drama at night.

So this night felt more like a vacation than a required party. She wouldn’t admit it, but her cast mates from Meteor Garden are her favorite. They felt more like family than workmates. They helped each other even outside work. They talk and bond a lot during their filming. And she knew they’d be friends for a very long time.

She was so immersed with the merriment around her that she missed Dee Hsu switching seats with Xize. She was now smiling at her, and Xize was talking with Didi on the other couch.

Yueyue smiled at Dee. She was a very lovely woman, with insane wits and upfront personality. And Yueyue admired her a lot. Dee Hsu was everyone’s jiejie on set, and she took care of them by providing them baked goodies weekly.

“What is it, jie?” Yueyue beamed unsurely. Dee jie looked so earnest when she smiles, but right now, she was smiling at Yueyue with almost teary eyes.

“Oh, s’nothing.” she smiled, then touched Yueyue’s hair. “I just think I’ll miss you so much.”

Yueyue stared at her, dumbfounded. She wasn’t thinking of it much. In fact, the thought never occurred to her until Dee jie said those words.

Then all of sudden, Yue felt like a two-ton block had dropped from the sky and landed straight on her chest. This is the night. They will say goodbye tonight.

“Aw, Yueyue. Don’t cry! You’re gonna make me cry!” Dee Hsu said, pulling Yueyue in a hug.

Yueyue circled her arms around Dee. She wasn’t even aware that tears were starting to flow from her eyes. She tried to speak, but only sobs came out. She clutched , and just resigned to closing her eyes.

“What, why are you guys suddenly crying?” Xize demanded, somewhere in front of her.

“Eh, don’t cry! It will make me cry too.” she heard Sun Qian grumble.

Dee let go of the hug and wiped her own tears. But Yueyue wasn’t even near from being done crying. She looked at her cast mates who were all smiling with teary eyes. She must’ve looked so messy right now, with red eyes and hot tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. But she didn’t care. She will miss them so much, and she’s going to miss them for a very long time.

“I’ll miss you, guys.” She croaked, then buried her face into her palms.

A warm pair of arms reached her first, and held her on a tight embrace. Then she heard the others sob and scuffle towards her. In just seconds, she felt the embrace of ten people, all muttering emotional goodbyes and well-wishes.

It was hard saying goodbye to home, but Yueyue felt a wet kiss on her forehead and a voice that soothed her heartaches.

“Please stop crying, buddy.” Didi said in a distressed tone, caressing her back.

SHEN Yue have zero idea where Wang He Di is taking her. The victory party wasn’t even finished yet when Didi announced to the crowd that the two of them were leaving, earning suggestive looks and leering hoots from their friends.

Dee Hsu even handed Didi some calling cards of trusted hotels. “In case things get fiery.” she said. Yueyue blushed and quickly declined the calling cards.

They are currently inside Didi’s car. It was a black Audi, and it was what Didi bought from his first paycheck for Meteor Garden 2018.

“I still don’t know what to name her.” Didi told Yueyue.

“Why not Mary Celeste?” Yueyue commented, silently hoping Didi would remember the reference.

“And then what, I disappear out of nowhere?” he spat, looking at her ludicrously.

Yueyue smiled to herself. He remembered Mary Celeste, the ship that lost all its passengers in 1872. She was the one who forced him to watch the documentary about the ship, one night during their filming in London. It was also the same night they shared their first kiss, not as Daoming Si and Shan Cai, but as Yueyue and Didi.

The car ride was silent after that. Yueyue peered outside, enjoying Shanghai from this point of view. She didn’t know where Didi would take her, and what’s more ridiculous is that she didn’t want to know. She had decided that she would take this night recklessly and without any expectations. It was their last night, and she wants to remember it as a night she won’t regret.

The black Audi pulled up 15 minutes after in front of Didi’s flat. Yueyue was too stunned to move at first, but she took a deep breath and followed Didi who was waiting on her side of the car.

“Buddy, why exactly are we here?” Yueyue cautioned. It was already 10 in the evening, and Shanghai fall is colder than she could imagine. She was wearing a black sundress, and she’s regretting the fact that didn’t bring her coat.

“You’ll see.” Didi smiled, taking her by the hand.

The both of them entered Didi’s flat. Yueyue welcomed herself by sitting on his couch, she had been here numerous thrice. First with Kankan and Xize, then the other two by herself. Didi, clearly with different plans, went straight to the kitchen and started rummaging through his cupboard and fridge.

After ten minutes of rummaging, Yueyue followed Didi to the kitchen.

“What the hell are you doing, Didi!?” Yueyue shouted, horrified.

There were five bags of sausages on top of the counter, some of which on languages she couldn’t understand. There were at least ten bags of marshmallow and other sweet treats. And cans and cans of soda and beer. Didi was trying to fit them all in a picnic basket, and over his shoulders is a cloth that seemed to be an orange picnic blanket.

Didi stared back, with a look on his face that Yueyue could only qualify as a deer caught in headlights. He placed a bag of sausage inside the picnic basket, then smiled sheepishly.

“Surprise! We’re having a picnic!” he raised his arms to feign a surprise. Then he scratched his head. “Is it okay if we have a picnic.” he pouted.

“Why are we having a picnic? And where? It’s cold outside, and we can’t cook that much sausage, your flat will get stinky.”

Didi shook his head hurriedly. Then he proceeded on packing the sausages, this time with a confident smile. “No, Yue. I have this all planned out. My rooftop has a pavilion. I already contacted my landlord, she said we can use it along with her grill.”

In the end, Didi convinced her that it would be great to have a night time picnic on his rooftop. They packed utensils and blankets and pillows. Didi even lent her a coat so she wouldn’t be too cold outside.

They made two rounds up and down the flat elevator before they got all the things ready.

“I’ll start cutting up these sausages, you start the fire.” Yueyue commanded.

Didi happily lifted the grill, but stopped midway and banged it shut. “Oh no.” he said.

“What?”

“We don’t have any coal.”

Yueyue looked at him for a few seconds, before disintegrating into fits of laughter.

“Oh my god, Didi.” She said, before getting to her knees to laugh at him once more.

Didi looked at her with an ashamed look on his face. But after a while, he joined her as she sat down on the floor, giggling the last few bouts of her laughter.

“We should order take away.” he suggested.

“We’re running out of time, Di.”

They both went silent. Didi pulled her to his lap and hugged her back. Yueyue laid and rested her head on his chest. She took a sharp breath, and silently thanked Didi for the warmth he had provided. She thought about how much she would miss this, how he would miss Didi and everything after this night.

“I don’t want it to end, love.” he whispered to hear ear.

“I don’t want it to end either.” she placed her hands on top of his.

“I don’t want us to part.” he kissed her ear. “I will miss you so much.”

He took a sharp breath on the crevice of her neck, before breaking down to tears. “I don’t want to be without you.” He shook his head, tightening his embrace. Hot tears fell from his eyes to Yueyue’s shoulder, making their way slowly to her chest. “I hate that we had to do this. I don’t want to be without you, Yueyue. I just can’t.”

She pulled away from his embrace, instantly regretting the absence of his warm body against hers. She pulled his chin to look straight to his grieving eyes. “Di, we both know that it has to be like this, right?”

He nodded. Then he pulled her to a tight embrace.

“I’m so thankful that you came to me, Yueyue. I’m so thankful it’s you.” Didi whispered. “I’m thankful that I loved you in this little time we had. I’m so thankful, Yueyue. I’m so thankful it’s you.”

He looked at her, then planted a chaste kiss on her lips.

“I love you, Didi. I will always love you.” She smiled, wiping his tears with her thumb.

“I’ll wait for you, Yueyue. I’ll wait for you, in all my life times. I will wait for you.”

They looked at each other. With eyes full of unfathomed promise. And in that moment, they both agreed to wait for each other.

Spring 2025

Yueyue looked at him. The boy she loved in the little heaven they shared when they were younger. He was nothing like he had been seven years ago. His features were sharper. His body had grown to have more flesh. But his eyes that had been weathered by years still looked at her the same.

“I’ve waited for so long, love.” he said, touching her cheek as if checking if she was real.

“The wait is over, Didi. We met again, and I’m so thankful that it’s in this lifetime.”

She hugged him like he was the last piece of her jigsaw puzzle life. In that moment, she felt the restless ache inside her subside. She’s finally gained all her colors back. She’s finally home.

She was never a stranger in his embrace.