We Are Not Perfect Pt.3
The Third Wheel
Lu Han sat on the balcony chair, facing the open night sea, but mutely. The Hawaiian night breeze was on its best, carrying the sea scent and slightly tinge of coconuts. There was a full out party going on at the beach and from the suite, he could see people laughing and toasting each other.
In the background with the comfort of the luxurious living room, Ann was talking to her mom on the phone. They had been going on for almost an hour now and honestly, Lu Han didn’t understand why women have so much to talk about. And they wouldn’t even let him be part of the conversation.
He turned to cast another glance at his new bride. She was now talking in loud excited voice about all the wedding presents back at home and was admiring this set of diamond earrings and necklace that his parents got her. It was a matching pair to the diamond ring he gave her and she has been wearing it thorough the whole week they are here.
Sighing, he turned back to stare out to nowhere in particular. He carefully extracted a bracelet from his jeans pocket. The two crystals ducks bounced against each other as he raised it to examine it, like how he always does for the past week. With the number of times he had took it out to look at it, he had beginning to notice things; like how this piece of jewelry was actually lackluster compared to all the pretty trinkets he bought for Ann all these years; or that the clasps had actually broke even when he first took it out in the hotel room.
Deep inside Lu Han, he knew he shouldn’t even be keeping this. Or any of the things he now buried deep inside his closet. Those seemed like the only things he had left of her, besides his memories. He was shocked when he rushed to the Lee household the day he heard the news to see that they had all so hastily removed everything of her. Not even a picture.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Xiao Shan.” Lu Han gripped onto the bracelet tight in his palm. The edges bit into his flesh but he welcomed the pain. It sort of reminded him of the reality.
“Lu Han, can you come here? Mom wants to talk to you!” Ann’s sweet voice called from behind him.
He guiltily slipped his entire fist into his pocket thus hiding the bracelet. Quickly plastering a smile onto his face, he got to his feet and returned to the room.
Mrs. Lee was on speaker phone when Lu Han easily slid onto the plush carpeted floor and Ann snuggled up to him. Putting his one arm around her shoulder, he spoke into the phone.
“Hi, mom, how’s everything back at home?”
“It’s great without the spoilt princess around,” Mrs. Lee replied jovially, earning laughs from both Lu Han and Ann. “So how’s the honeymoon? Ann said it’s beautiful there so I’m thinking of a second honeymoon there next time.”
Lu Han looked down at Ann’s bright and glowing face. She has gotten a light tan, courtesy of the amount of time she spent at the beach, but she’s still beautiful. The tan made her looked healthier and she has recently been sporting braids with orchids woven into her hair. He liked the new look.
“I don’t think she’s planning to leave anytime soon,” he answered truthfully. Ann playfully hit him on the chest.
“Well, you should enjoy the honeymoon to the fullest. And make me a grandchild too.”
Ann got up from her position and whined to the phone, “Mom…” A blush crept onto her face. “Please don’t embarrass me…”
Mrs. Lee laughed again but this time it was short and sounded kind of strained to him. “I want a little grandchild to play with. I’m sure the in-laws want too.”
Lu Han, coming from a family with him as the only son, was very sure that his parents would want a grandson soon to continue the family line. But he didn’t want to put pressure on Ann.
He opened his mouth to say something when Ann quickly retorted into the phone, “We don’t plan to have any children so soon, mom.”
He turned to look at her, surprised written all over his face. But it was Mrs. Lee who questioned the decision. “What? Why?”
‘Yeah, why…’ he thought to himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t want children. He loves them actually. It was because this decision was not theirs; they had never discussed it before.
“We’re still young, mom,” Ann said, leaning back to cuddle with Lu Han. “We just want to spend some time just the two of us for now.”
“I thought you love kids, Ann.” Mrs. Lee asked. There it was again, the hint of desperation and disappointment. “You know, they say you should have kids when you’re still young.”
This time, Ann laughed it off, “Mom, we’re only twenty-two! There’s still time.”
“But…” Mrs. Lee spluttered. “But we all love kids. Lu Han, don’t you love kids?”
Ann turned to him expectedly. Raising her eyebrows, she nudged over the phone and sighed softly so that only he could hear it. Catching her hint, he finally replied, “I do, mom. But Ann is right. We’re still young. There’s plenty of time in the future. Plus we’re still in our final year so I don’t think it’s a good idea to have kids now.”
Now it was Mrs. Lee’s turn to sigh. “It might be too late if you keep delaying it.”
Ann launched into another long detailed explanation of her plans in the near future, trying to convince her mom as Lu Han turned to look out the balcony again. Outside party was still ongoing. But this nagging feeling was beginning to creep up on him. He looked back at Ann, still talking.
There’s nothing wrong in waiting, maybe five years, to have a child. They are still young after all.
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I'm pretty sure by now, some readers would be tired of reading about Lu Han & Ann, and would to read only Kris & Xiao Shan. *apologies to all* This chapter in a way is a deciding chapter for their relationships in the future. That's already a BIG HINT!! ^^
Nevertheless... Any form of love will be appreciated from everyone~
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