The Badboy Got Out Of Wattpad

54. Light up a Lantern

"Erden! It's here, stop!" I scream excitedly as I spot a crowd of people in the far end of the street, surrounded by a radiant orangey glow. The bright light is shedding all over the wasteland, illuminating around like sunlight. Cheering, I look up at the sky. A few lanterns are already floating up, appearing like sparkling stars.

In the bucket list which we made a few days ago, Erden and I planned to go to a lantern festival together. I have always dreamt to light a lantern while making a wish and release it in the sky, let the wind take it, knowing that it will stop somewhere. Somewhere out of the blue. Like life, we live and travel with our wishes while being aware that we will die one day, but not knowing where and when. But Erden is an exception.

After parking the bike, Erden and I excitedly join the clamor group of people who are delighted, guffawing heartily. The luminosity of the lanterns are reflecting in their eyes, which are twinkling and gleaming with happiness. Some people are distributing the lanterns, some are filling them with air, some lighting their lanterns and some are about to release them. My heart fills with happiness at the sight of this marvel.

"Thank you for taking me here." I murmur happily, wrapping my hands around Erden's neck and plant a soft kiss on his cheek.

He looks at me with a pleasured smile. "No thanks, miss writer." The lanterns' orangish hue is shinning in his eyes, making them glitter. "I just want it to be another memorable moment for us."

I smile back at him, the kind which definitely shows that lucky feeling I have in my chest right now.

After taking a lantern from one of the distributors, Erden and I head closer to the edge of the cliff. There, I'm taken aback by the panoramic view of the city at night that it provides. It's enlivened by a sprinkling of colorful lights. From the ground to the highest levels of the towers, each one is illuminated in white light, bringing the nightlife to life. The thrills it gives me, drives me impatient to light up my lantern. But instantly, I'm disappointed on touching the material in my hand. I may have always wanted to light a lantern, but I don't even know how to unfold this thing. I begin stretching it, turning it around in hope to find the proper position.

"Be careful." Erden chuckles on seeing me struggling. "You will break it."

I raise a brow. "And you, you won't break it?"

"See by yourself." He smiles haughtily, taking the lantern from my hand.

He is just bluffing. I fold my arms and watch him act as if he knows everything.

But to my astonishment, he succeeds to open the lantern by ensuring that the hole at the bottom of the balloon is opened, and the material is secured with the frame. The brunet next fills the lantern with air by grabbing the balloon by the bottom of its frame, and gently swing it back and forth till it's ready.

I gape at him. He sure knows how to light a lantern.

Erden looks at me with a proud smirk, which makes me rolls my eyes. "How do you know all this?"

"I was seeing a Chinese girl when we fought." He says with a wink.

My mouth widens. "Serious?"

"Just joking." He sticks his tongue out like a child and taps his index on the side of his forehead. "I just used my brain."

Glaring at him, I slap his arm slightly, which makes him laugh out load. Erden is then quick to remove a lighter from the back pocket of his grey ripped jeans. "Grab it." He orders, lending me the lantern. "Keep the balloon vertical."

I do as he told me while he comes to stand behind me. The beating inside my chest increases every time he is close. His arms hover mine till his left hand come to rest on my left one to adjust the lantern a bit. When he finds the perfect angle, he then lights up the fuel.

Afterwards, he slowly lets go of my hand and commands kindly. "Hold the sides to keep the balloon open and vertical till it gets buoyant."

I obey him and clear my throat as I remember a small detail. "You know that we have to make a wish while releasing it in the sky." I remind him, which makes him giggles.

Straightaway, he places his hands back on mine and guides me to raise the lantern upward. His callous body is brushing against my back, his warm hands on mine to hold the lantern. It feels aesthetic, unbelievably, like in a fairy tale. I got my own Flynn Rider by my side, holding a magical lantern together with me. Looking around, we are encompassed by a whirlwind of lanterns which are beautifully levitating up in the pétillant sky.

Felling so blessed, I smile with all my soul.

"My wish is that..." Erden murmurs into my ear, making me shiver. "If one day you get a son, you name him after me."

There is a knock at my heart on hearing him. I look back a little to get a view of his face. "Erden.. I-

"Just do it for me, please." He pleads, his hands gently rubbing mine.

My eyes shut briefly, nodding slightly. At that moment, I realise that I'm not ready for this. I will probably never be. But deep inside me, I know what I want.

"An-And my wish is that one day I see you again." I blurt out with tears in my eyes. A gasp escapes Erden. It's definitely totally impossible, I know. But that's my dream. A dream that I will hold onto till I die. I don't care if it's unrealistic. Dreams don't need to be realistic. And the proof is Erden. I will write and dream of him again.

"Haz-"

Curiously, we feel a gentle upward tug, which indicates that it's high time.

"I'm keeping the wish." I confirm, certainly and optimistically, knowing what he was about to say. The tip of his lips shape into a profound smile.

And then we both count to three and smoothly release the lantern. It moderately flows upwards, glimmering beautifully. Erden's arms wrap around my waist as we blissfully watch it floats gradually up in the air, in synch with the hundreds other lanterns. It's spectacular to contemplate this enchanted moment with the crowd hurrahing in the background. Exhilarated at the incredible sight, I rest my hand on Erden's arm. All together, the lanterns glisteningly waft up in the sky, projecting a gleaming orangey incandescent. I keep my eyes on ours, sighting it floats on its magical voyage. A lovely, warm, glow flying in the navy-blue sky, carrying Erden and I wishes. Only God knows if they will ever become true.

━━━━━☆ﾟ.*･｡