真心 和 命好 和 俊辉
一起 永遠
it's already midnight and chenhsin is still crying in wen junhui's arms, with her face nuzzled in his chest. he pets her hair and rubs circles on her back, kissing the top of her head. this is the only consolation that anyone could've given her and it's not working.
he smells like smoke and the hospital, but it doesn't bother her. she just won't stop crying in his embrace, even as he whispers and mutters sweet nothings to calm her down. they barely have an effect on her but it, in itself, is enough.
why is he still so kind to her, even though it was her fault that she was the cause to his mess? he'd only been trying to be protect her but it was still her fault for being in harm's way. why did she always have to be in need of help? she promises she's not. she's not.
"i'm back, and i'm here. the cops are going to forget about the whole thing. don't be sad, hsin." he hums almost.
"it's okay, it's all okay, little fei fan," he kisses her head again. "you're so fragile in my arms, but i'm here. don't cry anymore."
the crickets chirp dimly and the grass drips with dew, oh why is the moon so small tonight?
finally, her breathing shallows and she rests her cheek on him, quieting down. little sniffles resound every now and then.
"are you done?" junhui asks, with the gentlest voice he could manage, yet he stifles a laugh once she takes his shirt by fistfuls.
he snickers as she leans in more, letting her knees unlock. chenhsin lets out a tiny whine, burying her face even more into him.
"you don't have to act so strong for me, chenhsin." he whispers, but the vibrations of his words still resonate from him to her. what's that in his voice? is it sadness?
junhui pulls away, though he struggles as she is clutching to him for dear life, and he just gazes down at her, taking in all that she is. he doesn't think he'll ever forget her.
"do you want to tell me why you're like this? huh? why the sad face, sunshine?" wen touches her cheek, holding her face, and she places her hand over his, almost smiling.
"your mom is going to kill me if we stay out here too long, chenhsin." he looks down at his other hand, moving his feet around.
"junhui," chenhsin manages and he looks up at her, finally meeting the child eyes of his friend. they say nothing at all, but scan each other's bruises and cuts. they're beautiful.
she's still shaking weakly as he leans in, careening his head down to touch lips with her. they lace fingers with one hand and with the other, they touch their hair. then, their neck, then, their shoulder, then, their face, then, their hair, then, their shirt. chenhsin doesn't know how to kiss him but there's something swelling in her chest. she feels something wet on her shirt and stops.
junhui weeps, slightly panting, as he moves his eyes away.
"hey, what..." chenhsin rubs his knuckles with her thumb and he laughs a little.
"junhui, you're scaring me. i-i feel like you're going to leave." she squeezes his hand and he looks down, stoically pursing his lips, yet a suggestive smile still tries for his golden face. she frowns as her eyes water again.
"so, you're leaving? tell me, please," she persists and he sighs. "i can't have someone else leave me and not explain anything."
junhui takes her hand and sits her down on the weathered cobblestone, standing before her to kick through the dirt.
"my parents are sending me to shanghai," he meets her eyes, which reflect the lamppost right above them. "my grandparents are sick and like i've told you, i'm studying medicine. they need me." chenhsin nods, listening with a sad expression.
"not to mention that they think i've humiliated them enough here with all the stuff i've done. you know?" he chuckles, shaking his head.
"now, that i was away from you, you graduated. it'll be better if i go." junhui tries a beam with his grin but she doesn't do it back. after a while, he sits beside her and takes her hand, an invitation to chenhsin so she lays her head on his shoulder.
"i'm kind of happy for you. i know you'll do great. you've been great, but i also know that i'm going to miss you. so much. you know that, right?" he nods in response.
"this will be the last time you see me. for now," he gets up and chenhsin follows quickly, still stuck on him. they turn to each other. "but i promise you'll be happier when i leave. i know it. we'll meet again, chenhsin fei fan."
junhui places a long kiss on her forehead as she clings to him but he pulls away. she blinks some more at him, trying to savor his image. his impeccable, golden image.
"what do you always say to girls when you leave them?" she pipes up as he begins walking away, backwards, into the shadow of the night. chenhsin can still see his face as he giggles.
"i love you." junhui says, grinning before vanishing into the dark.
they should've cut the tree down so she could see his back or figure at least, but now, alone, she sees nothing.
chenhsin sniffles, trying to control her unstable heart, and her breathing. balling her hands into fists and scrunching her nose up, she feels an immense tear in her heart.
"do you need your inhaler, chenhsin-ah?" a soft voice resonates from beneath the wood of her tree and she shakes her head, looking at her toes.
"no, i'm alright, really－" chenhsin answers, almost firmly, and blinks the tears away quickly, before turning to the owner of the voice.
minghao emerges from the dark and smiles. she freezes, gazing at him in all his beauty and wonder, before punching him in the face.
