The One Who Listens

Step 14: Keep On Moving

"Alright." Hua Cheng nodded, diligently doing as advised.

His piece of work did seem like a dream.

The end of terms was already here, now that a few months had passed. The ache of separation did not dull at all. It still stabs when he thinks of Xie Lian, so there are little episodes of moodiness and pricking eyes. Missing someone who means a lot to you was painful - Hua Cheng had realised. But he knew better than to sit and sulk. He did everything with utmost care, and he enjoyed doing so. Though he could not remove Xie Lian from his mind, not like he wanted to. He will never forget the way Xie Lian made him feel.

So, he will just wait patiently.

He could be really patient when he wanted to.

Hua Cheng indulged himself at times, and made a sketchbook, solely filled with sketches of Xie Lian - his smile, his frown, his laughter, his pout, his sadness, his confidence. Hua Cheng tried to capture everything about Xie Lian, from every angle possible, from all aspects of his wild fantasies. However, he was convinced the sketches looked nothing like his beautiful gege at all.

One fine afternoon after college classes, Hua Cheng returned home to pick E-Ming out. The caracal acted like a puppy these days, running and pouncing excitedly whenever he heard the word 'Walk.' or saw Hua Cheng bring out the harness. Hua Cheng had a plan today, about which he was quite excited himself. He would be meeting his art club teacher, from high school, Yushi Huang at the cafe on the hilltop, where Xie Lian had taken him on his first session.

Hua Cheng fastened the harness around E-Ming's shoulders and kept the huge egg-shaped astronaut capsule bag for E-Ming to slowly enter through the peephole. He checked the file he was supposed to show his teacher. It had the draft of his portfolio. He wanted it to be approved by her first before he finalised the structure.

"Take a jacket along. It gets really chilly after sundown." Yin Yu poked his head in through the ajar door.

Hua Cheng straightened up and gave Yin Yu an unimpressed look. He already had a black leather jacket on, finished off with riding gloves. His hair was down, the neatly combed raven locks reaching the nape of his neck. His skin was moisturised with the baby cream he refused to stop using, the early autumn was dry. His nails were trimmed and filed, finished off with black polish, his wide wrist watch was on as well, on the same hand as his red ring.

"Oh." Yin Yu laughed. It seemed that he worried for naught. Hua Cheng was able to take good care of himself even after his sessions ceased. Not for once he did look like someone who used to struggle with his life just a couple of months ago. Rather he was calmer, happier and more confident.

The therapy was really a success.

The red and black KTM RC 390 was standing proud in the parking area of their apartment complex. Hua Cheng with EMing in that capsule bag in a little helmet of his own, and the folder (which was tucked under the compartment under the seat), settled on the vehicle. He strapped his helmet on and off they went. Whooshing through the city with his helmet visor and lens down, Hua Cheng and E-Ming, both enjoyed riding this new bike Hua Cheng bought on a whim. Hua Cheng liked speeding up but he never drove recklessly as that could traumatise E-Ming. The caracal had his head out onto Hua Cheng's shoulder through the peephole, stealing people's attention.