Character: Wu Yifan, Jiang 

Genre: Romance, Angst, Slice of Life

Warning: Curse words.

Setting: Shanghai, China

                    

---

 

“To begin, I want to tell you a story about love. What is your definition of ‘love’? I am sure that every single one of us have our own answer for that question. This young couple, who I will tell you their story, has their definitions for themselves as well.

 The story is set in the busy and sleepless city. In a small apartment, a miserable voice sounded…”

 

 

“No please Yifan, stay here with me, please, please. Don’t go!” The fragile girl hugged the arm of her boyfriend tightly. The tear stains were still on her gorgeous face, but now, it was being pale unhealthily. Her pale skinny fingers held tightly on the man’s arm. She held it too tightly that her knuckles turned white ghostly. Her face expressed the great mournful expression, and looked like she was going to be shattered everywhere.

 

“I have to go now. Let me go, baobei. I promise I will change our life in this time. I promise I will come back to you, and I promise, this time, we will go to somewhere else much better and far away from here. Then, we will have a happy life until the end of time.”

 

The young man kissed the top of his girlfriend’s head lovingly and tried to take her fingers off his arm, which became numb slowly. However, her fingers were not loosened. They held his arm firmly like afraid that he would disappear into the thin air.

 

He looked at her with his sorrowful eyes. He gazed so slowly each of her figure’s line. Her pale skin, her watery eyes, her soft messy hair, her red nose, her sanguine lip, her skinny limbs, her small figure, something in him was shattering. He pulled her into his strong and warm embrace. He hugged her tightly and dearly.

 

He closed his eyes tightly to prevent the warm liquid was filling his dark eyes. He gritted his teeth.

 

Lord, why us?

 

“Yifan, listen to me. We don’t need that. We can try other ways to make money. We can make it all work. Please, don’t do that. I beg you. Stay here with me!” The tears were streaming down her face. “Don’t you love me? Don’t you want to live with me?” Her small figure was shaken uncontrollably by the fear. Her voice was interrupted and hoarse, unlike her normally melodic voice. Her dark brown hair was waving like the waves of the dark ocean.

 

In his warm embrace, she was crying, crying because she was weak, crying because she could not hold back his steps, crying because their fate was so disastrous, crying because she could not stand thinking about she could lose him forever. The poignant weep filled the silence in their small apartment.

 

“Hey, baobei, please listen to me this time. Let me do it. This is the only way we can get what we want. We have to start our life over. This is the last time. Go back to sleep. I will come back soon. I will do it really quick and come back to you. I promise when you wake up, you will see me looking at you lovingly and saying that our life will turn into the new page. Believe me. Now let me go, please.”

 

He still kept his forbearance at the highest level. His heart was ached by seeing his precious girlfriend’s tears covered all her pretty face. He felt the warm liquid bit by bit filled in his dark eyes, but he tried his best to hold it back. He had to succeed this time, then, he would offset everything for his poor girlfriend, who always cared and worried everything to him so much that she even forgot herself.

 

She deserved so much better things than this. He wanted the rest of their life like other normal couples’. They had faced too many things and they had overcome too many tragedies. They were still seeking, still chasing for their happiness. He knew that all this ill-fated things happened because of him. He was too useless in order to give her a happy and simple life as she wanted. This was the only way that he could make her life better.

 

“You, you will come back right? Promise me that you will come back. Promise me that I will see you when my eyes open.” Her tears stopped falling down but her eyes were still blurred by the tears left in her big and innocent eyes. Her face, which used to be bright and cheerful, now, was covered by the dread and the mourning.

 

“Yes, I promise. Now, let me go. It’s late.” Taking her fingers off his arm firmly and kissed her eyes tenderly. With his trenchant movement, her weak fingers couldn’t hold his arm anymore. Then he opened the door and walked away, without turning his head. Because he knew, once he turned his head, he wouldn’t be able to change their life anymore. Biting his lip tightly, his strong figure went in the dim darkness.

 

“God, please, please protect him.”

 

Dully, she looked at the figure of her boyfriend further and further away until his tall and slender shape was swallowed by the dark foggy dawn. She stood there, like a statue, her brain tried to collect as much as possible his image which was too familiar with her. Although when she shut her eyes, she could tell every detail of him. However, at this time, this time was completely different, maybe that would be his last image...

 

Her sanguine lips murmured her prayer over and over like the maniac. She admitted that in her daily life, she didn’t pray often but now, she asked for the power of the Almighty, she begged to protect her soul mate. In this moment, all her heart and her mind were only thinking about him, the one she couldn’t imagine how her life to be without him. Saying that she was too weak, too dependent, too crazy, too obsessed or whatever, she didn’t care. She just needed him, just him only. His existence was the only thing meant to her in this nasty world.

 

The cold wind forced her have to close the door. Her fragile body was shaking slightly, and her lips were trembling. She walked with the tired and heavy steps in the kitchen, and looked for a glass of water to calm her. Holding the glass in her trembling hand, she placed it on the old wooden table. Pouring clear water in her glass by her both hands, then, she went to the medicine cabinet to look for some sedative pills.

 

Holding those small tablets, she swallowed them with the gulp of water. Lying on the old and faded carpet, she hummed the melody of his favorite song while her salty tears were exuding again, slowly. Her consciousness was bit by bit swept away by the sleep. She tried fighting with the sleep by remembering the first time they met each other. In a tender melody, the disjointed pieces of memory came to her slowly…

 

 

 

She was drowned by the noisy music. Today was a screwed day for her. That stupid professor decided to toss all her effort into his trash can with his crafty smirk.

 

Damn that old man!

 

Sitting alone at the bar in the pub, she sipped the honey-colored liquid from her glass with a sense of frustration.

 

“I always know those best pick-up lines but you make me forget them all.” A husky voice sounded.

 

“Nice try.”

 

She glanced at the young man who sat next to her and smirked slightly. She had to admit that his appearance could make all girls’ eyes in this pub burnt. He wore a simple black t-shirt, which fitted perfectly on his fine body, and dark blue jeans which covered all his long legs. So fine, so majestic.

 

He is sure a hottie.

 

“Thank you for the compliment. Can I know your name?” That bass voice sounded again, but this time, with the resonant chuckle.

 

“It isn’t important.” She replied listlessly.

 

“Well, if you can stand the cheesy thing, I will call you ‘beautiful angel’.” He replied to her with his teasing voice and cheeky smile.

 

“Jiang, call me Jiang. That’s enough. I can’t stand those cheesy things like that, sir.” Her chuckle released, she looked at him like he was the most interesting creature in the world. When their eyes met each other, they knew that they felt deeply in love.

 

“Oh, cute name. I’m Yifan, Jiang.” He bit his lips lightly and the enchanting smile was appeared on his lips.

 

This girl, this girl must be mine.

 

 

 

“Why are you so late, kid? Too busy with your kitten girlfriend?” The man with the raffish face derided with his annoyed laugh. His yellow teeth appeared after his red-purple thick dry lips. His eyes were dark like the demon, sinful and cruel.

 

“I go to here to finish this , not play around.” The young man talked back. His voice was under his breath, but the danger burned in his every single word. His stunning eyes showed the dead glare to that guy with his stoic face.

 

“This brat! Do you want to die?” The raffish man came to him like the storm with his red face by the anger. He bragged the young man’s collar but the cold look on the young man’s face was still constant.

 

“Stop! Woo, I don’t want to have the unnecessary ! Take your ing hands off that guy’s collar!” The husky voice sounded, clearly and powerfully.

 

“But, boss, this brat-”

 

“I don’t want to repeat again. Your pugnacious attitude is the huge !” The threat was clear in this time.

 

“You’re very lucky this time, brat, but the next time, I swear I will rip that eyes and throw them to my dogs.” The raffish man said through his yellow teeth. His stinky breath was blown on the gorgeous face like the Greek statue of the young man.

 

“Yifan, you understand the job this time, don’t you?” The man who was known as the boss said.

 

“Yes, I understand. If I succeed this junk business*, I hope you will not forget your words.”

 

Yifan said with his cold expression. His incredulous thought suddenly ran across his mind, but he quickly ignored it. Outside, he didn’t show any expression, but the nervous feeling bit by bit came to him. Every single cell in his body started feeling uncomfortable. No, it was not a gratuitous feeling, it came for a reason. He knew this mission of this time. He understood how dangerous it was. However, for him to leave this gang, he had to do the last mission. The anxiety was the thing he wasn’t able to avoid. The cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His lips parted slightly to exhale his heavy breath. He was scared. Clenching his fist, he looked up. It was a beautiful day. The sky was so blue and flawless. It was too bright, too good for his unfortunate destiny.

 

“Please, forgive me.” He murmured. He had sold his soul for devil.

 

“Of course. Now, take those necessary stuffs over there. We’ve already prepared everything for you. I know that Lao Feng is not an easy target to take down, but I believe in your ability, so, good luck.”

 

The man said with the husky voice.

 

You should know why I call you to do it. Goodbye, young man.

 

 

 

“Wow, are you an artist?” He looked at those paintings in the small studio flat with the amazed shone in his fascinate eyes.

 

“No, I just paint for fun.” She smiled lightly and poured the apple juice into two glasses on the table.

 

“You have a potential, really.” He still looked at the paintings with his ecstasy. He trailed his slender fingers lightly on the picture in front of him.

 

“Thank you, sir.” She handed the glass to him and smiled.

 

“What major are you studying?” He asked and took a mouthful gulf of apple juice.

 

“English Literature.” She played with the glass in her hands.

 

“Why? To become a teacher?” He looked at her lovingly.

 

“Yeah, maybe. How about you? What are you doing?” She smiled listlessly and turned to look at his handsome face.

 

“You don’t want to know.” He smiled, but his smile wasn’t genuine, it was bitter.

 

“Hmm, okay, whatever, it doesn’t matter.” She raised her eyebrows a bit, then, she shrugged. She didn’t have a habit to force people telling what they didn’t want to tell.

 

“That picture is really nice. Where is it?” He pointed the picture was hung on the wall. The sunset on the tender river in the picture was so warm and peaceful. Everything in that picture was so dreamy and whimsical like the scene in the fairy tale.

 

“Prague.” She looked at the picture he pointed at.

 

“Very beautiful. You visited it, didn’t you?” His eyes were completely attracted to the picture. It was too beautiful, too perfect that he almost forgot to breathe.

 

“Yeah, I visited once time when I was about 9 or 10 years old.” Her voice was soft like the feather.

 

“You still remember the scene, really?-” he was impressed. He turned his head to her with his raised eyebrows, “-so impressive.”

 

“Yes, I still. You should be very surprised. I’m even surprised myself. That place contained so many beautiful memories to me. Maybe that’s the reason why I’ve remembered it for that long time. I want to go there one more time. And if it’s possible, I want to live there. Therefore, I can live with my beautiful memories forever.”

Her voice was soft and somehow dreamy. Her eyes were looking at the picture but it didn’t seem like her really looking at it. It seemed like her getting lost in her sweet memories. She was playing a glass in her hand, rolling, rolling and rolling.

 

“Believe or not, I will make your dream come true like a superman.” He broke the silence by his husky voice. The humor was under his words

 

“How can a superman make my dream come true?” she chuckled a bit and stuck out her tongue to him.

 

“Of course it can happen! I know it because I was a superman in my past life!”

 

 

 

 

Groaning softly, she slowly opened her heavy eyes.

 

Aa, it’s just a dream, no, it’s my memory about him, not a dream, that’s the promise he made for me. He and I will live happy ever after in Prague.

 

Wiping her eyes slightly by her soft and lean fingers, she stared at the yellow stains on the ceiling.

 

How long did I sleep? An hour? A day? A week? A month?

 

It was not important for her. No, it was not important because the one she wanted to see wasn't here for her. She wanted to see him. Not the damn ugly yellow stains on the ceiling, which made her feel so sick.

 

Where is he? Didn’t he promise when I woke up, I would see him? He wants to play hide and seek? No, he doesn’t like that game much. He went out to buy some groceries? Maybe, he loves cooking which I ing hate to do but because of him, I stormed in the kitchen. I can’t resist his charm. it!

 

 

 

 

“Love, I want to eat your famous dishes.” No one could imagine the childish voice came from the adult man who was sitting beside her with a pity face because of his hunger. He even didn’t understand himself. Whenever he was with her, his puerile character came out for no reason.

 

“You’ve already known how much I hate to do it!” She repudiated and snuggled in the large soft blanket. She didn’t want to give up like that. She wanted to sleep! For God’s sake, she would die because of the exhaustion. She hadn’t really slept those days.

 

“Aww, please, you want me being starved to death?” He tried to pull the blanket from her. His naughty hands wandered under her blanket and rubbed her stomach.

 

“You know how to cook! Cook by yourself! I want to sleep.” She mumbled and laid on her stomach.

 

“Please, for me, please baobei.” He continued using his charms and lent down to whisper in her eyes with his low voice. His warm breath touched her ear and suddenly, she felt something wet touching her helix. Her eyes shot widely.

 

No, he didn’t!

 

She glared at him, who was lying next to her with his playful smile.

 

“Did you just my ear?” She said under her breath. She was annoyed. She was upset. No one ever dared to wake her up!

 

“Yes, I did. I told you that I was really hungry. Because I’m hungry so I will eat you instead-” his eyes were sparkled and the mischievous look was on his face, “- I’m so hungry. Hurry or I’ll eat you,” he started whining. It was so ridiculous when he had a deepest voice ever. He never suited for acting cute, never.

 

“Aaa, stop that! You’re so… fine, I will cook.” After staring at him, she gave up. She was frustrated but not with him, it was more with her. She never won when they had those battles like that, never. Although he knew she was completely annoyed, he still grinned like the kid who won a game. The victory celebration melody was being whistled.

 

 

 

Her head felt like it contained the ton of rocks. She walked slowly into the living room, the beep sounds from the phone made her annoyed. Many voice messages were sent to her. Pressing the button on the out-of-fashion (or whatever you call it) phone listlessly, she messed her dark hair and walked tiredly to the kitchen. was burning and drying like hell!

 

*beep*

 

“Jiang, this is Songyi. Are you okay? Why did you not answer my messages and my calls? I really worry about you! Call me as soon as possible!”

 

What? Did she send me messages? , I didn’t check my email box neither my phone.

 

She thought and walked in the bathroom. Slapping the cold water on her pale face, she looked at herself in the mirror. The girl with the pallid skin and the red bloody lips was staring at her. Touching her lips, the warmness of his lips was like still remaining on her soft lips. He used to say to her that he was addicted to her lips. Her lips were like the finest cherry, too red, too delicious and too addictive.

 

 

 

 

“Yah, why do you always bite my lips? It’s hurt!” The girl pouted and rubbed her sanguine lips to ease the small pain that her boyfriend gave.

 

“Sorry baobei. Are you hurt much? Your lips should be a sin.” Yifan touched lightly on her lips and caressed them lovingly. A small chuckle was released from him.

 

“Awesome. After biting my lips, now you say it was a sin.” She glared and frowned at him.

 

“Yes, the sweetest sin that I want to taste forever. Your lips are the drug and I’m the addictive.” He pecked on her lips.

 

“Mr. Cheesy, I got the goose-bumps.” She shivered and hit him lightly.

 

His melodic laugh was filled in the air.

 

 

 

 

*beep*

 

“Jiang, what the hell are you doing? You weren’t kidnapped, right? God, call me or I will call police!”

 

Nah, she won't do it for real.

 

That though ran across her mind. She wiped the white mist on the mirror. Her image was clearer on the mirror. Combing her hair, her dark brown hair like the silk laid quietly on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she ran her fingers in her hair.

 

 

 

 

“Let me comb your hair, baobei.” Yifan grinned like the little kid while holding a comb in his hand. His pearl teeth gleamed in the pallid moonlight.

 

“What? No, I can comb my hair by myself, thank you.” She took a comb away from his hand.

 

“No, I want to comb your hair.” He hugged her and rubbed his face on her hair.

 

“Yah! Don’t do that! Why is it so sudden?” She pushed him lightly and tried to understand what was going on in his mind.

 

“… Because… Last night, I heard you said something like you missed your father, and combed your hair or something like that if I'm not wrong, while you were sleeping. So… I want to comb your hair…” His voice was caring and sincere.

 

“So, you want to become my father?” She asked him with the serious tone but the warmness and tender were showed on her face clearly.

 

“No… Not like that… I want… Urm… I’m not your father but… I want to… uhm… comfort your nostalgia…” He said awkwardly.

 

“Okay, Just this time.” She couldn’t help but smiling.

 

His long and slender fingers ran in her hair. He combed her hair gently and carefully like he was holding the most precious thing in the world. Her silky hair moved like the tender waves in his hands. Every movement was so slow, so careful. Moonlight was the only light source they had now. A tender white light poured on them, created the quizzical images on the wall.

 

“You want to comb my hair all day, don’t you?” She said to him. Her eyes still shut. She wanted to feel completely that feeling, the comfortable feeling his fingers ran on her scalp gently. His long fingers moved gently through her hair.

 

“If you allow, baobei.” He smiled tenderly.

 

 

 

*beep*

 

“Honey, how are you? Do you still remember this mother or not? Call me.”

 

Mom, I still remember you.

 

The message pulled her back from her sweet memory. Her mother always worried for her. Yeah, it was right because she was her mother’s only daughter. After the death of her father, everything was placed on her mother’s shoulder. Her mother sacrificed so many things to grow her daughter up. All her hope and her love, she placed into her daughter. That was the reason why she disagreed fierily about the relationship of her daughter. Although Jiang said and comforted her anxiety, it didn’t really help much. She still had some of the hatred to Yifan. She didn’t think that guy could give her daughter the bright future. She thought that Yifan hypnotized her daughter by his look. However honestly, her mother didn’t hate him because of that kind of inane reason, she just felt so insecure about this guy. He was the way too good, too gentle, too nice, too mysterious and too everything! She thought everything should have its balance. Too much in something was not good. It was like unreal or something like that so she didn’t want her daughter jump into the person who was like too perfect and too different from this world. His career was the thing she was confused most. He opened himself about everything: his family, his life, his thoughts etc but his career. Every time she asked him about his job, he always tried to ignore it and that thing did made her worried. Effy understood her mother’s anxiety, she tried to convince her mother that he was the love of her life and no one could replace him. Actually, it was the truth.

 

 

 

“What if one day, you didn’t see me again?” His bass voice sounded, caught her attention.

 

“What? Are you trying to break up with me?” She stopped typing her work and looked at him.

 

“No, silly. I just want to know what you would do in that situation.” His chuckle was released.

 

“I will wait for you. If I can’t have you in this life, I will catch you in the afterlife.” She said.

 

“No, it’s not good. You should say that you would find someone much better than me.” He shook his head slowly and patted the top of her head. The bitter was flashed in his eyes.

 

So silly, so silly.

 

“No one can replace you. No one in this world can replace you. My life is not complete without you and I don’t allow you leave me, understand?” She left her seat, leaned to him, grabbed his collar and whispered.

 

“Okay, I got it.” He looked at her lovingly and smiled with the morose feeling floated in his heart.

 

What if…

 

 

 

 

*beep*

 

“Yah! Where the hell are you? You even didn’t attend my wedding. How nice friend you are!”

 

What? Which wedding? Oh right, I didn’t check my mail box.

 

She wiped the water dripping on her face by the soft tower while her brain was trying to figure out the voice in the voice mail. Since she was in the relationship with Yifan, her communication with her friend had been less than before. No, she didn’t obsess him… Okay, maybe a little, but she also had to face the other problems, not just friendship. So many things happened with her life every day. They just ate almost all of her time. She had to fight for her dream, to make her life much better. So her peaceful time was not much after a day, and finally, she’d prefer to be beside her man to calm and relax rather than to hang out with her friends. She was just too tired and she needed the peace, not the crowd. He was, maybe not really the only one but one of the best people knew how to make her comfortable when she had to overcome those bad days.

 

 

 

 

“Urg, stupid day! Why aren’t they just hit by the damn truck? it!” She said in the frustration and threw her jacket on the sofa.

 

“Love, what happened? You look upset” From the kitchen, Yifan walked calmly to her with the glass of water in his hand.

 

“Just some stupid people at my work place. Thank you.” She held the glass of water and drank it all to cool down the fire was burning in her head. She was always the calm person but the thing happened was just too much for her to handle. He sat beside her and was taciturn. Suddenly, she turned to him and hugged him tightly.

 

“Hah, what are you doing, baobei? I know you’re upset but why do you try to kill me by your tight deadly hug? I believe that I’m innocent!” He chuckled and kissed her head.

 

“I want to steal some of your calmness. So shut up and let me hug you.” She mumbled and snugged her head on his chest.

 

“You’re welcome, baobei.” His fascinated voice swept her upset bit by bit.

 

“Thanks for loving me.” She murmured.

 

It came from the bottom of her heart. No one could stand her spontaneous personality even herself. However, for some strange reasons, he could stand it perfectly with his comfortable smile. She couldn’t understand why he could stand it for that long time. He just received all her erratic ideas with the ease. Everyone got mad by her but he had the special ability, maybe it was his super power, to smile and to adapt with her. His great stamina and power changed her flaws into the cute things. He was the only one who accepted who she was. She played several roles in her-every- ing- day just to please the others. But in front of him, she was completely herself. No mask, no role, no fakeness. She was truly herself. All her mind and her soul were to him and just only him.

 

“So silly, why did you say thanks to me?” He hugged her in his embrace.

 

“Shut up. And accept it.” She replied.

 

“Yes, ma’am.” Again, a smile was rose on his face.

 

 

 

*beep*

 

“Jiang, Jiang, this is Songyi… Please call me, I have something to say to you.”

 

“Okay, later.” She mumbled and walked out of the bathroom.

 

Songyi, Songyi, Songyi, she was the most awesome friend in this world. Not over-reacting. She was the one who supported and excited about Jiang and Yifan relationship at the very first time. She was the one who understood what the best for her friend. For Jiang, she was not just the friend, she was like her sister. Between them having the strange bond, really strange, even they couldn’t explain it, and they didn’t care to spend time finding it out. It was the enigma that they never tried to understand or figure out. They just knew a thing that they could understand anything in the other’s mind without saying anything. It was enough.

 

*beep*

 

“Jiang, this is Songyi. I don’t know where the hell you were but you have to know this. Yifan is in Shanghai International hospital on XX Street. You have to go there right now. I can’t come because I am being stuck in a ing traffic jam. I will come there as soon as possible.”

 

Everything was falling apart.

 

What is happening to my eyes?

 

She can’t see clear anything. Leaning on the wall to handle her body, she sat on the dirty floor with her wide opened eyes. The thing that she least wanted to happen, now was happening.

 

No, it can’t be. He promised. He always keeps his promise.

 

The uncomfortable feeling came to her and tortured her stomach. She wanted to throw up. Her stomach wad cramped tightly. The wave of pain hit her badly. Her body was shaking uncontrollably. Her mind was blurred by the thick mist. Her limbs were trembling and didn’t obey her brain anymore. She crawl to the restroom and threw up everything. Her tears were falling uncontrollably.

 

Too hurt, too hurt.

 

She sat near the bathtub and panted. Tears were streaming down her ghostly face. Her eyes opened widely and they looked wild.

 

“Jiang, for God’s sake! Open the door! Open the door!”

 

The loud voice mixed with the loud bang sound. She used all her strength to walk to the door and opened it.

 

“Oh my God! What happened? You look like the dead meat! What happened with both of you?” Songyi supported Jiang, and helped her walked back in the living room.

 

“Why… Why did you come here, Songyi?” Jiang lay on the sofa and mumbled tiredly. She looked like she was dead.

 

“How the hell did you ask me that question? Imagining you send the large amount of messages that can kill your phone but receiving nothing, how can I stand like that?” Songyi said angrily and raised her voice but quickly held back when she looked at Jiang’s face.

 

“It isn’t true, right?” a trembled voice sounded.

 

“Jiang… it’s tru-”

 

“No! I don’t want to hear any lies! Liar! He said to me that he would come back! He never broke any promises before!” Jiang exclaimed, almost like losing her mind. She could not accept it!

 

“Listen to me! It is the truth! He is in the hospital!” Songyi said with the clear voice.

 

“No, no, it can’t be. No, no. He said he would be fine. No,” her voice was hoarse and she kept murmured it over and over. She lost her self –control and her breath was starting to race.

 

“You should take a sleep to calm yourself.” Songyi came closer to her friend.

 

“Sleep? Are you ing kidding, Songyi? No, I don’t need the ing sleep! I want to go to the hospital right now! Right now!” Jiang stormed into her bedroom and changed her clothes.

 

“No, you can’t go with this condition!” Songyi ran after her.

 

“I want to go to the hospital right now. If you don’t give me a drive, I can go by myself!” Jiang said and wore her black jacket.

 

“Okay, I will take you there,” Songyi sighed quietly. She knew how stubborn her friend was. And how tenuous her friend was.

 

 

 

4 years later

 

“Fanfan, how are you? I have a really crazy day. Everyone around us is super crazy. Luckily, you don’t have to face it every day. I know that you don’t like those stupid stuffs like that. You feel it so annoyed and troublesome, right? I know it. I just fixed some parts of our house. It looks so much better than before. And my pocket is crying but that’s okay, it’s worth because that’s our house so I have to look after it carefully. It has been 4 years, honey. Time flies so fast right? You are like the sleeping beauty, and I am the prince. When will you wake up, Yifan?”

 

Tracing her fingers on his smooth arm, then his slender fingers, she held his hand and rubbed it on her face while talking to him. She kissed his hand and looked at his peaceful face.

 

He still lay on the white bed. Some stains of sunlight lay on his milky skin. He looked like the angel more than the real person. The doctors said he was in the coma. They said he had the serious damages on his head. She remembered she had just stood like the statue and had tried to understand what they had been saying. It had been more like the dream than the reality for her. Yes, it sounded cliché but it was true. And when she had seen his face, she had felt hurt and sort of upset. Weird, right? She had felt upset because he had looked so peaceful on the hospital bed while her heart had been stabbing by the thousand knives. But he had been like sleeping. Normally, he had to comfort her, he had to rub her head and say some words to calm her pain. Not just closing his eyes like that. She remembered she had walked straightly to his bed and had cried out like the wounded animal.

 

 

 

“Yah! Wake the up! Don’t pretend like that, stupid head! How can you sleep while let me hurt like this? Didn’t you promise me before? Yah, wake up!”

 

Her tears were streaming down uncontrollably. Her friend came and hugged her while the others around her just looked at her with a pity on their face. Some of them gossiped with each other with the low voice. Her body was tremulous.

 

“Stupid, stupid, you’re selfish! Why do you let me live alone? Stupid jerk! I said that you were not allowed to leave me! Why did you not remember? you! coma! You are just sleeping, right? Wake the up!” Her tired face was covered by the tears. She became wild and uncontrollable. She didn’t have any strength to stand by herself. Her knees were weak and trembling. She wished he could get up and say something to her. He could even laugh at her if he wanted. But not staying quiet with the medical equipment stuck on his body.

He didn’t need it! He was strong enough not to use them!

 

 

 

 

 

Time flew by, it didn't wait anyone. It had been 4 years. Now she was an English teacher and she had a small house in Prague. Her dreams were fulfilled without him. She didn’t know what had happened in that day, the day Yifan had almost died. “Game over” had been the last words she heard from some scary strangers. They threw to her a suitcase full of money and gone away after few days she had come back from the hospital. With that money, she began chasing her dream again.

 

“Yifan, darling, please, open your eyes. I’m dying to wait for you, love. But I’m still keeping waiting, waiting for you forever. Even when I die, I still wait for you. I want to live with you forever. If I am born again, it’ll still be only you, even as time goes by. I want to be with you always, always.” She caressed his face and murmured. Her lips curved the satisfied smile. Then, she leaned her head on his hand and sank into the sleep. A soft melody was humming in the silent and peaceful air.

 

 

 

 

 

“Her condition is still like that. Nothing is changed. I think this patient will never wake up from her delusion.” The old doctor sighed and shook his head slowly while looking at the girl who was sitting beside the empty bed and leaning her head on the invisible thing that she was holding. The melody from her lips was too peaceful, too happy but why her fate was so heart-wrenching. His pity for the poor girl was written all his old face. Although this was not the first time he received those case like this, his heart was still heavy by the sadness.

 

“She can’t overcome the death of her boyfriend. She always believes that he are just in the coma and she is a teac-“ a young doctor said with the sadness.

 

“English teacher, actually.” The female doctor who stood next to him fixed to him.

 

“Ashii, whatever. Stop fixing me! She is a really beautiful girl. But her mental is too weak. Poor her. love ,sometimes, is too dangerous.” He looked at the girl who was sleeping peacefully.

 

“You two should stop arguing to each other. We will go to the next room. Close the door really carefully. I don’t want you wake her up.” The old doctor cleared his throat and said to two young doctors.

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

The door was closed quietly. The rays of sunlight danced on Jiang’s peaceful face and her soft long hair. Slowly, her lips rose a smile, an angelic smile…

 

 

And, that is the ending of our first story. It has happened for 8 years. According to the person, who I would like to keep his identity, he said that her condition still didn’t improve. Now, she still lived in her imagination world but at least, she was happy forever. Love, to the young man, is sacrifice and kindness. Love, to the young lady, is unconditional love and faithfulness. What is your definition of love?”

 

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The reason why I chose this spice for the story:

fenugreek: fenugreek is an annual herb with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor often described as a cross between celery and maple. Start out with a small amount- too much will cause a bitter taste.

(cre: www.tasteofhome.com)