Lay and OC One-Shot

Title: Strange yet Familiar

I was walking through the long aisle of bookshelves in the public library, looking for a good one to read over the weekend. I just love reading books. When I reached the farthest end, I saw a familiar figure of a man, seated on the floor while reading an old and dusty-looking book. I stepped forward to where he is and saw him stare at me for a couple of seconds or so.

Have I met him before? Do I know him? I asked myself. He had this curly hair and was wearing glasses. He was dressed in a grey V-neck shirt with a purple headphone hanging around his head. I can't remember if I did meet him somewhere prior to that day, or why I find him so familiar.

"Excuse me?", he snapped in front of me as he stood up. His dimples showed as he spoke. I was unconsciously staring at him for so long. How much awkward can I be? "Need help?"

"Huh? Ah... Err.." I did not know what to say. I was sure I looked like a fool right then and there.

"Need help?", he repeated.

"U-Uhh.. No." I shook my head.

As soon as I replied, he immediately went off to the next aisle's direction, still bringing the book with him.

That one strange instance never left my head throught the whole weekend. Why did I find him so familiar, anyway? I know I'm forgetful, but he did not seem to recognize me so we must be total strangers. I tried directing my thoughts to something else, but I failed. My mind was dominated by that one instance.

The weekend passed and it was time for me to go to school again. I quickly stormed through school today. I was too frantic for my first day at work. I needed to work for extra pennies, so I decided to work after school. Luckily, I was accepted to work as a cashier at a nearby cafe. It was cozy and neat in there. It was the usual hang-out of students from the universities surrounding it and of workers in nearby offices and companies.

First day for my job came, and I was freaking nervous. Stay calm, I repeatedly told myself. The door opened, signalling me for my first customer. "Good eveni-" , I was cutt off when I saw his face. It was him again - the strange guy I found to be so familiar back in the public library.

"Cappuccino.", he ordered. A man of few words, I thought. I entered his order immediately and as soon as he saw the price, he handed me the exact amount. His hands were fair and it seemed so soft and smooth.

"Thank you. Your order will be ready in a few minutes, sir.", I said, tagging the usual line.

He did not say anything and no expression in his face changed. In fact, he was expressionless. He went into the seat by the window and stared outside. Sometimes - Well, most of the time actually, I found myself staring at him. Once or twice he would catch my stare and we would both avoid glances. The same routine happened everyday in three weeks. Exactly the same - he ordered the same Cappuccino, sat on the same spot and looked outside blankly.

One night, before going home, the cafe's manager commented about the overloading photos in the bulletin board by the entrance. The cafe has this style of allowing customers to snap a photo of them in the cafe and pin it in the bulletin board. Some would even write messages at the back of their photos.

"This is too overloaded already. Well, maybe because the photos aren't aranged properly. Can you arrange these before leaving?" the manager asked me. Being a newbie worker, I had to obey even though I am tired so I agreed.

Picking out the photos one after the other, I can see a whole bunch of different stories and scenes. There were photos of families together, groups of friends, couples - almost all kinds of people I usually see.

I was up to the last few photos when I saw a blurry old one. It was a photo of a couple. The man had his arms around the girl, so that he was backhugging her. Though it was blurr, they were obviously happily smiling. I had this strange feeling again.

I turned the photo upside down to see if something was written at the back and I was right.

February 14, 2010. From this day on, we will be sharing our favorite Cappuccinos together. Love, Zhang YiXing.

Zhang YiXing. I repeated the familiar name on my head over a hundred times. I turned the photo upside down again, staring at the couple for a few minutes. Snap! 

I hurriedly went home without finishing the bulletin board. I stormed to my bedroom as soon as I arrived and looked through my drawer. inside a red envelope was the same photo. For a year, I have been wondering about the photo, but my family and friends never answered me directly and changed the topic every time. I then decided not to bother myself anymore. For a year already, I thought I forgot about the photo.

It was the same photo - exactly the same, except that the one I have inside the envelope was a clearer shot. It was clearly me - and... him. Snap! I did not know why but I started to tear up. I cannot hold my tears, as if I was in pain. It was him, the strange guy.

A year back, I lost my memory - partial amnesia, they say. I remembered my childhood, my family and a few friends, but I was too confused. I was assisted by my family, so I decided to live life normally. I never thought they would keep something from me.

-FLASHBACK-

"Your parents. They don't like me, right?" he asked me.

"Don't say that. They're just a bit.. hesitant. I'm the only child, remember?", I tried making him feel better.

He nodded and tried to smile. I can very well tell that he was just forcing that smile.

"Don't think too much, okay?" I told him as I poked his dimples, earning a smirk from him.

"We'll never leave each other. Can you promise me that?" he asked, extending his pinky for a promise.

I linked my pinky with his and kissed him on the cheeks.

-END OF FLASHBACK-

The next day, I skipped school after feeling extreme headache from all the crying the night before. I went to work, though. I was expecting to see him. I waited for hours - long nerve-wrecking hours, but he did not come. Not a single trace from him was seen. I continued to wait until the last thirty minutes before the cafe closes.

I was about to give up when the door opened. It was him. He was looking the same - expressionless.

"Cappuccino?" I asked. I saw an unexplainable reaction from his face for a while, but it immediately turned expressionless once again.

"Yes. Take home.", he replied. Everything was the same. He handed me the same exact amount.

Just as he was about to get to his seat to wait for his order, I said, "Change, sir."

"What?" he said, still expressionless. "I gave the exact amount."

Then, I handed him the photo - both snapshots.

He stared at it for a while. I locked my eyes on him all the while and saw how he grew pale.

After what it seemed like forever of silence, I went to him and held his hand. By that time, he was facing me, but was still unable to look at me in the eyes. Instead, he was looking at our hands, gripping it tighter.

"I'm sorry I forgot about you.", I uttered in a shaky tone, preventing myself from crying.

It took that moment to mend us. He immediately hugged me tight and whispered the words I longed to hear "I love you." It was only in him that I find those words calm my emotions. No matter how often or soft or short those words were, if those words were from him, it's always strange yet familiar.

ORIGINALLY POSTED IN: http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/374079/2

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