21

“This time, you two are the ones that are going to go grocery shopping.”

Mike stated as he threw Aarons leather jacket over to him before throwing the keys in his direction. Aaron being as slick as he was, caught it with one hand and smirked. Right after the phone call, they noticed that they missed the basic ingredients was needed to make their dinner for the night.

Hebe tightly squeezed Gui’s hand while Gui lips curve into a smile, reassuring her that it was okay.

Gui has always been inside, during the hiding, she has never once said that she wanted to go outside. When they went into hiding 7 years ago, she would constantly look for an escape route but it wasn’t until Uncle Wu came back after getting noticed. He came back home with a wounded arm, it frightened everyone. What would have happen if she stepped outside? She would have forgotten her double identity and be bait. So after struggling to go outside, she found herself staying inside while Hebe courageously went out.  

Hebe has always been the outgoing one. She could go out and remain hidden, she was just that good at being unnoticed. And once again, Gui have always admired her, in every way possible. But can she go through with this? She isn’t like Hebe, Gui was clumsy. Hebe sensed her hesitation so she wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.

“I will be waiting for you to come back safely, I will always be there for you Ying Jie.”

“Fu Chen Jie...”

When they let go, Gui glanced over to Aaron who handed her jacket and a scarf. “We’ll be back.”

She slipped it on and smiled over to Hebe found herself asking if this was the time for Gui to step out of the house. The first time in a long time, when their house caught on fire, it was Gui’s first time in months that she walked out of the house. But this was different, she was going to go grocery shopping with Aaron. They weren’t running away, is she going to be okay?

“Why do you two always look like something’s bothering you?” Mike asked as Aaron opened the door for Gui who walked out with him.

When the wind blow past her, she gasped losing her balance. And in that moment, Aaron caught her, preventing her from falling.

“T–T–Thank y–you.”

She quickly responded, straightening herself before walking over to the car. His lips curve into a smile when  his eyes found themselves glancing at her back, what is real? Wondering if what he saw last night was just an illusion or was it really there?

“Aaron, Aaron, Aar– AARON!”

Gui called out, snapping him out of his thoughts as he walked over to her. When he unlocked the door, she stepped in front of him and placed her hand over his forehead. He froze at the touch of her hand on his forehead, she gave out a sigh of relief. He’s not sick.

“You don’t have to force yourself to go if you don’t want to.”

“No its okay, as long as you are beside me, I’ll be alright.”

“Aaron...”

“Let’s go, Gui!” She faintly smiled over to him as he looked into her eyes. “Compared to me, I am more worried about you.”

“Me? Why?”

“I... I... Nothing. I am just worried about you, that’s all.”

“You’re silly, there’s no need to worry. I feel safe when you’re next to me so stop worrying.” He was about to say something when Gui smiled. “Let’s go Ya Lun.” He nodded as he stepped into the car, starting the engine.

................

After Aaron and Gui left the house, the house became more quiet, leaving Mike and Hebe facing another problem. The room was too quiet, which created an awkward silence between them.

“You haven’t answered my question yet... Why do you two always look like something is bothering you?” Hebe laid on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “We have always been cautious, everything we do must be calculated.”

“So that you guys don’t get caught?”

“Yeah... You should know how important for us to remain in hiding. I am okay with going out because I can adjust myself to the surrounding so that I don’t make myself noticeable, but Gui... She hasn’t went out since the last time we moved.” Mike walked over to her, with his cup of Espresso in his hand. “WHAT? SHE HASN’T BEEN OUT? NOT ONCE?”

“Well, like if we need to change location... other than that, she doesn’t go out.”

“SERIOUSLY?”

“Yes. Why would I lie about that?”

“True... but really? What can be so important that you guys can’t even go out? 7 years has gone by and your whereabouts is starting to die down. No one will know if you–“

“NO! We are never goin– There is nothing for us if we go back to when I was known as Wu Fu Chen, there is nothing there... 7 years ago was the time when we let go off any thought of going back to how we once were. We can’t go back, I can’t do that. Not when there are still people looking for us!”

“AND WHY NOT? EVERYTHING MUST BE A MISUNDERSTANDING! NOT EVERYONE SEE YOU GUYS AS CRIMINALS, SO COME OUT AND BE NORMAL AGAIN!”

“NORMAL? WE ARE NORMAL! WE JUST LIVE IN TWO SEPERATE WORLDS, SO OF COURSE YOU WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND. No... You can’t understand.” Mike placed his cup on the counter and sat down beside Hebe who got up in response. “Then make me understand! Don’t tell me to forget and move on when its clearly an stupid excuse. I want to know why and... How you guys turned out like this.” Hebe glanced over at him, locking her gaze with his. She could feel her strength decrease because of him, so she got up, walking away so that she has some distance between them. “So you’re going to keep those lips of yours shut tight?”

“This is none of your business. You can’t be involved in my business, there is a thin line between being a friend and someone who wants to pry, you are crossing that line Mike.”

“ME?” He walked over as one of his hand touched her shoulder, forcing her to face him, while his other hand caressed her cheek. She was always strong, a strong girl who wasn’t afraid to express how she is feeling and what was bothering her. How is it possible that 7 years passed and she still look amazingly beautiful? She hasn’t changed, she still expresses her feelings but in a different way.

“M–M–Mike...What are y–“ Mike stopped her when he leaned in to give her a kiss, the kiss wasn’t soft, he was kissing her roughly that made her state of mind lose focus but the only thing she could hear was the sound of her beating heart, loudly. Pounding against her skin that made her erase all thoughts and soon enough, she could feel nothing but the lips of a man who she wanted to kill. Badly. She wanted to kill him... for making her like this. She could feel her heartbeat beating out of rhythm, racing against time as it made her mind blur. She could no longer think anymore, her mind and heart were not in sync. And that’s when she knew it, her heart has always been like this. It was just her mind that forced herself to reject the signals he was sending. She knew his feelings, from the start, she knew them but she never acknowledge them... until now.

She can only acknowledge his heart, but his body and soul cannot be hers nor will she allow it.

When they pulled away, she kept her eyes closed, wondering what just happened. The warmth of his lips was still lingering on hers, now it was the art of temptations that ceased all her thoughts. Because of him, she could feel her heart burning with passion. She wanted to kiss him more, feel his embrace as he wrap his strong muscular arms around her, making her feel secure.

Mike was a man who she always found herself arguing with. Matters that were either small or big to them, they would always pick arguments with one another.

She can’t find the strength in her to argue with him... because she lost her voice to speak. She can’t think, because he made her train of thought stop. She can’t even pull away... because she has no strength left to do so. But how? Because of him, her heart was no longer in sync with her mind. It was him, he controlled them. Her mind, body and soul belonged to him.

When he pulled away, leaving space for them to catch their breaths, he stared at her while she closed her eyes tightly. Wishing for this to be a dream, a dream she can only dream off.

“I will make it my business to know.” Hebe forced herself to keep her eyes closed, preventing them from opening because if she did, she wouldn’t be able to let go. “Why? Because Fu Chen... I am in love with you. I have always been and I will always be so you can push me away. But no matter how much you try, I will be close to you, I will be somewhere close to you so that when the times comes, you can reach out to me.”

Hebe eyes widen as she saw his lips curve into a smile before closing the gap between them. She could feel his strong arms wrap around her, securing her in his embrace as he closed his eyes.

Imprinting this moment that will forever be his strength to carry on.

“I... I have always been... in love... with–“

“Mike...” She lightly whispered as she lost her legs lost all the will to stand, so she fell to the floor. Clenching onto the hem of her skirt, feeling him knelt in front of her.

She has no idea what she was capable of, she never thought that these feelings of love and longing would be so deep. She could feel herself suffocating under her wishes to relinquish the endearments and love. Because such thoughts of an happy ending should never be there, it shouldn’t, it couldn’t, it can’t. It was impossible for her to submerge herself in it because of the risks it comes with.

So Hebe summoned all her remaining strength and pushed Mike away and walked to her room. Closing the door loudly so that Mike could hear. And when she did that, Mike ruffled his hair in disbelief as his eyes looked at the steam which was no longer coming out. An indication that his coffee has gone cold.