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May, 2075

 

 

    "Mom?" Lay calls out softly as he made his way towards his mother.

    She turns at the sound of her son's voice, a smile finding its way to her lips as her eyes crinkled even more. "Yixing. You're home."

    Lay smiles, bending over to hug her. "Yeah... sorry if I can't visit that often anymore. I promise I'll bring the kids over next week, okay? They were itching to get some vacation and I was really planning to bring them here."

    She hummed in acknowledgment. "Don't overwork yourself, okay? You look like you're already seventy."

    "I'm close to that age, mom, it's not surprising." Lay chuckles. 

    There was a slight pause in the pleasantries and she knew that Lay was hiding something. She had always known if her son had something to say that he just can't. 

    "Out with it, Yixing." she says playfully. "What is it you wanted to say?"

    Lay hesitates for a few more moments, giving his mother a look. Then he sighs, squatting down until he was almost kneeling on the floor in front of her. She puts her hands on his face, cupping his cheeks tenderly like she always does. Her hands are wrinkly and dry, old age taking away the once downy softness of her palms; but to him, they were still as they were before, home.

    "He's in the hospital." Lay says quietly. He didn't know if she would understand who the person he was talking about but he knew she did when her fingers trembled a little; he reached out to hold them in his equally unsteady ones. "They told me about it yesterday and I went to visit. He... he asked if he could see you."

    She was silent, and when Lay turned his head to look at her, there was a distant look in her eyes. She might be sitting in front of him but her heart and mind were somewhere else.

    "Mom?"

    "We... in this lifetime... we promised... to never meet again..."

 

~0~0~0~

 

February, 2008

 

 

    "So... where did he ask you to go?"

    Aleni raised a brow. "Who asked me where to go? What do you mean?"

    "Don't play coy with me, Aleni!" Aleni's best friend, Amber, rolled her eyes. "I meant Suho! Where are you going to have your date? Are you going to watch a movie? Or eat on some expensive restaurant? Come on! Spill the details!?"

    It was Aleni's turn to roll her eyes, shoving the other girl, "What nonsense are you talking about? We are not going anywhere because first of all, he did not ask me anything."

    "What?!!"

    "Don't shout! We're in the library for Krisus' sake!" Aleni hissed.

    "Why didn't he ask you?" Amber frowns, trying hard not to shout since the librarian now has her eyes locked on her. "Oh! I know. Maybe it will be a surprise! Maybe he had something romantic planned! A dinner date perhaps? With that sappy live background orchestra persons-thingies playing equally sappy music and all that jazz. Or maybe he's planning on taking you away on a trip somewhere! He's loaded for that!"

    "Amber Liu!" Aleni gritted through her teeth, glaring. "What ridiculousness are you talking about?!"

    "Aleni, tomorrow's Valentine's day and you're telling me Kim Joonmyun haven't asked you out yet? That would be the only thing that is ridiculous here!"

    "It is not because he actually didn't!" Aleni replies. "Why would he even do that?!"

    "Duh! Because you two are like--wait, what word did Henry used for it..? Oh! You're like ideologically compatible or something!"

    "Ideo--what?" Aleni frowns, half of her trying to comprehend where in the world Henry could have ran across those words, or if Amber had eaten something that was messing with her brain cells because as much as she loved her best friend, Amber is not really making any sense right now.

    Amber ignores her (so much for a best friend!) and fished her phone out, dialing a number. "Hey, duizhang!" she says into the receiver, "Can you explain why a certain Kim Joonmyun haven't asked a certain Aleni out yet when Valentine's is all but 9 hours away?"

    Aleni snatched the phone out of Amber's hand and talked to the person on the other end of the line, "Hello, Kris? Yeah, sorry about that! Amber hadn't taken her medications for lunacy yet! Bye! Catch you later, okay?" and then promptly ended the call.

    "What did you do that for?!" Amber protested.

    "Quit interfering with my life, Amber!" Aleni glared. "Suho and I are not ideolo- whatever Henry had said, okay? Stop putting me in an embarassing situation!"

    Amber seemed to sober up, eyes turning thoughtful. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry."

    "Thank you!" Aleni sighs, she pinched Amber's nose to tell her that she wasn't really mad or anything, laughing silently when the other girl frowned and rubbed at her nose.

    "But you know, I really expected for him to ask you out. I mean, it's not a secret that he likes you and you like him--"

    "Whoever told you that?" Aleni is taken aback to say the least, ears going red in embarassment as she looked around as if people are going to hear them even if Amber's voice was not even above a whisper.

    "Duh! I am your best friend since we were in diapers, Aleni. I was bound to know even if you told me nothing!"

    "Lies!"

    Amber just rolled her eyes, her favorite expression when Aleni starts denying things. "Yeah, and I'm a guy."

    "Amber Liu!"

    "All I'm saying is that he obviously like you for a very long time now and the two of you get along well. You even act as if you're already in an established relationship! Why do you think Suho's not with someone when he's got tons of girls following him around?"

    "Uh, because he's got priorities? Just like everybody else?"
    
    Amber gave Aleni a baleful look, "I can't believe you go that lengths to make yourself believe that he doesn't like you that's why he's staying single."

    "But he doesn't--"

    "Uh, Aleni?"

    The two of them turned towards the person who called. Speaking of the devil (not that he is because everyone knows he's practically an angel in disguise) it's Kim Joonmyhun, or more likely known as Suho.

    "Uh... I think it's time for me  to make my exit." Amber says, a wry smile appearing on her lips as she gathered her things, "Ciao, lovebirds!"

    "Amber!" Aleni hissed but her best friend was already sprinting away, cackling silently (library, remember?). She narrowed her eyes when she saw two familiar figures of the Chinese-Canadian students who apparently were Amber's two other best friends, Kris and Henry.

    "Uh... is it a bad time?" Suho asked, brows furrowed into a slight frown. "I... I can go if--"

    "No, no, it's fine. Amber was just being... Amber." Aleni wished she's not as red as a friggin' tomato because every word Amber had said earlier were playing inside her head on an endless loop. "Uhm, did you want something?"

    Suho's cheeks turned a little red and and he can't seem to look at Aleni in the eyes.

    "Uh... yeah... well..." he turned towards the library entrance.
    
    Aleni tilted her head furtively to look where Suho was looking; she wished she didn't. Amber and Henry were peering at them through the door, and Kris' gold tuft of hair was visible just on top of Henry's. Aleni thought for a second if it was a Chinese thing but then again Amber, Henry and Kris were three of kind and maybe it was just them.

    "If Amber had pressure you or anything, you don't have to do it." Aleni sighed, gathering her things and walking towards the exit. She scoffed a little when Amber and the other two went scrambling away.

    "She didn't!" Suho managed to say, following Aleni out of the library. "They didn't pressure me to do anything, you know they can't."

    Aleni grins playfully at Suho, "I don't know. Kris's brows can scare the daylights out of anyone. Amber can be as persuasive as the devil, and Henry and his cheeks can make anyone do anything."
    
    "I live with Sehun. He might not be as lethal as those three but I got enough practice from him to be somewhat immune to most type of persuasions." 

    Aleni laughs, thankful that she was out of the library because she can finally laugh as hard as she can without the librarian breathing down her neck. "Fine, fine. But what did you need? What can a senior student probably want from his junior?"

    She was being playful; Suho might be one of the popular figures at school but he had always been humble and kind and Aleni had never been intimidated even with him being her senior and all. They were friends, and even if she can feel a little uncomfortable because of the suggestive looks other students give her and Suho when they were together, she still tries to act as normal as she can when he's around, because she doesn't want to make him uncomfortable. That would mean him staying away and even if she is confused between running away and sidling up to him when  he's there, she just want him to be around.

    Suho, ever the gentleman, took Aleni's books from her arms and carried them himself, practically escorting her towards her destination; which was nowhere really because it's Friday and school is practically out for the day.

    "I was just wondering if..." he hesitated, feet faltering a little as he walked beside Aleni. 

    "If?"

    "If... I can... invite you... to have lunch? With me?"

    Aleni's heart started galloping in a frenzy and it took her a lot to concentrate on not spazzing because for what's it worth, Kim Joonmyun had just asked her out!!!

    "Uh... lunch? It's like... 5 in the afternoon already. Isn't it a little too late for lunch?"

    "Oh for heaven's sake! He's asking you to a lunch date on Valentine's day! Which is tomorrow! Quit trolling around, Aleni!" Amber's voice came out of nowhere which was cut abruptly.

    Aleni and Suho turned around only to see Amber being dragged away by an exasperated Kris, Henry clamping a hand on the girl's mouth. Yep, it's not a Chinese-Candian-American thing, it's just the three of them.

    Silence ensued. Suho's cheeks were visibly red under the afternoon sun streaming through the glass windows of the hallways and Aleni decided that the fulstered look on his face suits him, it's so cute.

    "So..." she says carefully, trying hard not to grin.

    "So... uh... yeah... about that..." Suho peered at her through the fringes covering his eyes, "Well? What do you say? I mean, you don't have to! If you're busy, I'd understand completely if you wouldn't come! I was just hoping that you could-- (sighs), I'm sorry for babbling."

    Aleni giggles, seeing Suho blabber for the first time; he had always been confident on his own skin; humble but not overly shy. She liked that about him.

    She likes him... well, that's true.

    "We can meet up at the bus stop, if it's okay? I don't want my sister asking me questions for forever; she can be a prick." Aleni says, promptly picking her books from Suho's arms and walking away.

    She waited for Suho to finally got out of his daze; she was about to turn on the corner when he did, which made her laugh inwardly.

    "So... it's a yes?" Suho asked, eyes twinkling in mix of disbelief and exhiliration.

    Aleni laughs, pausing a little and giving Suho a wink, "Sure did. Unless you changed your mind."

    "Of course not!" Suho asnwered immediately, an eager look on his face. "I'll pick you up at the bus stop tomorrow!"

    Aleni couldn't help but to reciprocate the bright smile Suho gave her.

 

~0~0~0~

 

    The date was the best Aleni had ever had, not that she had been into many dates before. She had her fair share of suitors but she had always prioritized her eduation above all so romance had to take the back burner.

    "Thank you, for a really good date." she tells Suho as he walked her home.
    
    They could have easily took a ride on Suho's car, or at least took a taxi or something, but both wanted to spend a longer time with the other and taking a ride would not permit them that, thus walking home even if it meant scaling at least three blocks after taking a short bus ride home.

    It's a little funny though since they had practically spent the whole afternoon together, watching a movie right after lunch, walkiing around the mall, then spending the rest of thier time talking about everything and anything as they enjoyed the early nightlights in a park, yet it seemed that the time they spent together was not enough.

    "No." Suho smiles softly, "Thank you for letting me take you out on a date."

    "Well, I know Amber would be hounding you if I hadn't. I didn't want you to be bothered. I'm such a good person, aren't I?"

    Suho just smiles even wider, knowing that she was just bluffing. The two of them were close enough that their hands were brushing. 

    Aleni stumbles a little when Suho slipped his fingers into hers, their hands fitting perfectly. Heat crept up onto her cheeks and she's pretty sure she's resembling a cherry at the moment; she dared not look at Suho.

    "Is... is this okay?" Suho asked hesitantly. 

    Aleni didn't trust her voice in the meantime so she settled to a shy nod. She couldn't help but smile though when Suho gave her hand a gentle squeeze, the two of them walking towards her doorstep in a companionable silence.

    Once they were just a few metres away, Suho pulled them to a stop.

    "Uh... is there something wrong?" Aleni asked, frowning a little in confusion before letting out a sly grin. "Are you afraid of my dad being on the front porch and see us like..." she held out their linked hands. "This?"

    Suho laughs, "No, of course not. I mean, it's a small price to pay for wanting to be with you. Besides, I asked him first if I could take you out on a date before I asked you so--"

    "You did what?!"

    Suho just chuckles, pinching her cheeks playfully. "Don't worry. I bribed your sister into silence about her questions too."

    Aleni is still groaning inwardly; no wonder her dad was giving her the looks earlier that day and her sister was grinning at her like a Cheshire cat all throughout breakfast. Her mom had that knowing smile but it was nothing out of her usual demeanor Aleni didn't take it as someting else.

    Suho took both of her hands in his and he looked at her thoughtfully. "I'm leaving after graduation."

    "Huh?"

    "My parents are going to send me abroad to attend college. You know how they want me to learn everything I can before taking over the company."

    There was a certain melancholic look on Suho's eyes that makes Aleni want to hug him, but since he was holding her hands, and she didn't really know if hugging him would be stepping out of the bounds of dating (they just had their very first date and gosh, she's not even sure to what extent they could take this thing), she settled on squeezing his hands comfortingly.

    "Your parents wants the best for you. Don't look too glum." she smiles.

    "I know... but the thing is..." Suho sighs, "I'll be gone for at least five years and..."

    "It's not as if you're not going to come back." Aleni chuckles, "You are coming back, right?"

    "Of course I am."    

    "Then why are you fretting?" Aleni smiles, it's a little hollow, just a tad bit fake, but she hopes it's enough. Enouhg to reassure Suho, and her self.

    Suho was silent for a minute, "I'm scared to come back only to find you gone."

    Wait... what?

    Aleni's smile turned into a confused one. But she had no time to ponder Suho's words because he was already enveloping her into a tight hug, too tight as if he doesn't ever want to let go.

    "J-joonmyun..."

    "I'm too scared to leave. Because I don't know if you're going to wait five years for me. You don't have to. I'm not telling you to. But I can't help but want you to be here when I come back. It's too much to ask and you don't have to wait but..."

    Something tugs at Aleni's heart, tears pricking the back of her eyes but she held them. It's so unfair, she realizes, how circumstance separates them before they even get started.
    
    But then again, woulnd't it be harder if they were already in too deep only to be forced into an unwanted separation?

    "Joonmyun..." she says, winding her arms around his waist, "I won't promise anything... but... the future is still far away to see. Until the day you leave, we can... we can just enjoy everything until then, right? Whatever the future will bring, it's of lesser importance than to what we have now at the present."

    They stayed like that for a little while longer, and even though Aleni is still a little skeptic if they should be hugging in the middle of the street in her neighborhood where practically everyone knows her, heaven knows how much trouble it can cause her come morning, but being in Suho's arms like this is comfortable, and the warmth inside his arms is just a little too good that she can't think of anything else past how perfect it feels to just be there with him.

    "Que sera, sera, huh?" he hums into her hair.

    "Yeah, que sera, sera." she agrees.

    Still, it didn't hurt less for Aleni to watch as the plane Suho was in take off, bringing with him the memories and warmth of his embrace.

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