That sun that same busy sun goes on

Birds peck aimlessly at this green apple, 

Now slowly turning red, early in autumn;

In early autumn sunshine, I find this great land

Sauntering towards ripeness,

And I discover myself, and many friends too...

Half-rippened apples hanging on the boughs,

What is it that's ripening in my heart?

That song, that same singing voice goes on,

It flows on like sunrays and moonbeams

Flowing through my heart- your bright eyes

That once lit happiness in my sad days,

Let them melt the sadness in your happy moments

My heart joins other hearts, hand reaching for hands-

My hand waves, waves towards friends

Life, friends, please dont let me down again!

I still have favours to repay, haven't yet loved enough!

In the sky, let's fly while we sing! Yes, sing!

On earth ,let's run completely free! Yes, free!

This was the fifth time Luhan had read the poem after Yanchen had showed him, it has been a while since Luhan went through his beloved Book of Odes.

He should really read it again, and rediscover the literary treasures it held. Though this poem could do nothing to ease his pain and worries, it did give him some hope. Not all was lost! In a way Luhan was given a second chance!

Luhan felt that same surge of urgency when the first news of the Japanese invasion hit their shores. That strong feeling to do something, to fight back, to protect their homeland, to protect everything he loved.

He remembered roping in his buddies and starting the student campaign, distributing flyers,spreading words of patriotism and encouraging his fellow countrymen to fight back. They raised funds by organizing plays and operas at the university's grand hall with their fellow student campaigners. Luhan had helped with the scripts and even acted in the plays himself. That was also when he had first met her, Qiaorong.

That memory of her left him sad again, if only he had more time... Now it could only be a regret.

Luhan also remembered that fateful night, where he had argued with his father. He had felt that all is efforts in spreading the word and raising funds still weren't enough! He felt he needed to do more as news of the Japanese atrocities increased, as a son of China he had to serve his mother- land, he had to fight in the war!

           ********************

      Luhan's mind was in a turmoil as he figured how he should break it to his father... how he wanted to enlist into the army to fight against the Japanese.

He wasn't close to his Father since his Mother died when he was ten, but that was almost ten years ago...Making it all the more complicated for him to tell his father. Before, when they had the rare conversation, Luhan and his Father would only exchange a few words, and now Luhan had to do way more than just talk, he had to convince his Father...

                    He figured he would tell Father during dinner where everyone was around.

Luhan was the last to come to dinner, fortunately Father seemed to be in a good mood. That woman was fawning over him as usual, just the sight of her made Luhan's insides churn. She certainly wasn't a mother figure to him. Luhan was greatly skeptical whether the woman would still do the same if his family didn't have the money to feed her desires.

The three of them started off the dinner quietly, with the occasional cooing from his step-mother whom would pick food for his father. Normally Luhan would gag and roll his eyes at the sight of her siding up to his Father, but not today. Today he had something important to do.        

  Luhan prepared himself, and finally spoke out

      " Father, I have something to ask of you." 

     At this,Father raised his brow.

         "What is it, Luhan?"

                   "I-I want to enlist into the army..."

                    To this Father and step-mother looked up, shock written all over their faces. Father placed his bowl of rice and chopsticks down.

                                             "What is this all about? You're still in university. Besides you're not suited for war,Luhan."

  "Father, day by day I sit here comfortably as I hear news of my fellow countrymen dying and the Japanese continuing their damn rampage on our soil. Wouldn't you want to do something about it too?!" Luhan's voice shoke as he spoke, never before had he felt so determined about doing something.

"Well, my stance is no. You dont know what you're getting yourself into at all! You'll change your mind once you have seen the horrors of war. Finish your dinner, this conversation is over."

" NO! " Luhan stood up as he continued...

"No, Father, you don't understand! Never have I been so passionate, so determined, about anything! Maybe you can put it aside of you to see our countrymen suffer but I can't! I won't just sit back and watch! I have to do something about it!"

In all his twenty years of existence Luhan had never talked back to his Father like now. Even step-mother's jaw hung ajar.

" You think you're a hero by going to war and fighting the Japanese? Do you really think I would want to sit by and watch the people die and suffer? It's because I know where my responsibilities lie!!! As the head of this family, I can't just put down everything and and drag my old body to the war fields! You're the only son of this family, have you thought about what's to happen to us, if anything happens to you?!"

Father was almost breathless as he continued on.

"It's time you knew your place too... I won't allow you to go to war." Father said softly.

"You can't stop me from joining the army." Luhan said firmly, both fists clenched.

This time Father slowly stood up, shaking with emotions.

Without a word, Father landed a slap on Luhan's cheek.

" Things would have been different if Mother was around."

With that Luhan ran out of the dining hall, and out of the manor...

************************

That was all Luhan could remember before his death. He could remember everything from before when he was alive,but not how he died.