The Psychology of Love

Chapter 13 A Journey

And YU starts eating too, swallowing his lump in his throat with each bite.

He feels Sam looking deeply at him meanwhile, but doesn't want to get involved with his depth right now.

Hot tears still burn behind YU's eyes and he doesn't want to give them the escape.

YU reaches for the big jug, pours them both sake and lifts his cup.

Finally, he looks into Sam's questioning eyes again

"To the homeland. To everything we left behind. To everything we've found here now.", YU calls out in a toast.

"Here's to us!", Sam retorts and toasts with YU.

They drink the sake and smile at each other.

"You're very healing to me, too.", Sam says casually as they continue to eat, "I'm very glad we met. Here, in a foreign country. In Berlin. Back home, I'm sure we wouldn't have crossed paths."

YU devours a piece of meat and says, "Who knows. My mother is Taiwanese and lives back home. My father often went to Taiwan with us. We used to spend his short vacations there." YU grins and continues, "He always went to great lengths to fulfill his great love's every wish."

"Oh, really? Well, that's a surprise. So you're a half-breed. And certainly one of your mother's greatest wishes that he granted her," Sam says.

And YU chokes on the soup. His wheezing cough is accompanied by his loud laugh.

He coughs and laughs until he can barely fill his lungs with oxygen.

Sam anxiously stands up and pats him on the back.

"Calm down. Cough for now. What's so funny?" he asks, astonished.

He goes to the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle of water.

"Where are your glasses?" he asks, looking around the kitchen.

"I don't need water," YU says, eyes red and clearing his throat several times.

He reaches for the pitcher and fills his cup with sake. In one swig, he drinks down the pain-relieving potion of his homeland.

"Hey, what about me?" exclaims Sam, reaching for the jug waiting in YU's hand to be used again.

He takes the pitcher from YU and sits back down.

YU sits in his chair with his eyes closed and takes several deep breaths. He seeks his inner balance and feels the alcohol inside him doing its numbing work.

He smiles, opens his eyes and holds his empty cup up to Sam.

Sam understands the gesture, refills both their cups and says:

"Today we'll go through everything together. You won't drink any more sake without me."

They toast and down the sake.

YU muses silently for a moment and then begins to eat again.

"YU, I perceive that a pain is raging inside you right now. Please share it with me. We were supposed to embark on the journey home together. Don't leave me out," Sam's mild, deep voice rang out.

"I wanted to accompany you on your journey. I wanted to let you taste our roots again. Satisfy the hunger of your longing. I won't leave you out. All I want is for us to be carefree today. We have enough time in the sessions. Tonight, let Sam Lin enjoy YU Teng's ramen soup," YU replies.

"And drink his homemade sake handed down according to ancient rites.", Sam smirks and fills their cups again.

"Sam, the sake is bought, I just wanted to shock you for a minute.", YU embarrassingly explains himself.

"Sure, YU, you truly shocked me.", Sam grins, "I don't really drink alcohol, don't like to lose control. But I guess I'm powerless against YU Teng."

YU blushes at Sam's deep gaze and words.

He turns his eyes to the table and starts biting his lower lip.

Sam sees YU's lower lip disappear between his teeth and feels the urge to gobble.

He can't explain it if the alcohol is slowly starting to take effect, but he feels a hot tide burning in his body. A deep hunger wants to devour and be satisfied.

He shakes himself briefly and pounces on his bowl. Devours each bite with relish and accompanied by murmurs and sighs.

In between, he pours them both sake and feels the cold potion flowing down his throat, causing a refreshing stir in his heated body.

YU's cheeks, slightly flushed from the alcohol, smile at the sight of Sam's indulgent feasting.

Both sit across from each other, silently enjoying the meal.

A slurp, a splash, a bump, a giggle can be heard in YU's kitchen.

The increased heartbeat, the fluttering of butterflies and the intoxicated thoughts can only be heard by both of them themselves inside.