◦•●◉✿ The Days We Have ✿◉●•◦

✩four

"June?" Chen said, snapping June out of her daze.

"Hm? Yeah," she said.

"Do you want me to show you something?" June stared at him blankly for a brief moment, not making things any less awkward, but finally came to her senses.

"Yeah, yes, let's go," she said a little too enthusiastically. Chen looked at her for a second and June caught her breath. But then the second was over and Chen burst out in a laugh. June wasn't sure whether to be stunned that Chen was actually laughing or that she was so stupid to have her heart racing at a time like this.

"What?" June demanded to know what Chen found so amusing. He shook his head, still grinning.

"Nothing," he said. "Come on, let's get going. It's in the forest."

"What's in the forest?" June looked at him dumbly.

"The thing I want to show you." Chen sighed and shook his head, then started to climb down the rocks, not waiting for June's brain to catch up. June smacked her head lightly, then followed him, trying to get a hold of her sense... and sensibility. Chen was moving quickly. June was unable to detect if it was because he was excited to show her this "thing" or because he wanted to avoid needing to conversate with her. Either way, she was fine with it. She needed to collect herself and her stupid teenage girl hormones. Just then, June emerged from her self-absorbed thoughts and stopped to listen. She thought she heard water running nearby.

"Chen? Is there a river here of something" she called. As expected, he didn't turn back to reply.

"Shh, just follow me," he said in his grumpy voice, but he tried too hard to cover up his excitement. June rolled her eyes but grinned and hurried after him. They walked out of the density of the trees and into the most beautiful sight June had experienced. Not only was she correct in there being a nearby river, but her eyes followed it upstream and led her to a small waterfall. It was nothing grand, but it did its job in stunning June. She had never seen a waterfall before, besides the Niagara Falls but that didn't count because it was so big, right? Nevertheless, June was completely in love and she didn't think anything could tear her away from the scene.

"Do you want to wade in the river? The current isn't that strong since it's small," Chen suggested. June didn't have extra clothes in case she got soaked, but she had sat through the rain before so this couldn't be any worse.

"Yes! Let's go." The two kicked off their shoes and slipped off their socks. June made sure to keep all of their belongings together in a spot where she could keep an eye on them. She was okay with getting wet, but she didn't feel like being robbed any time soon. Not that there was anyone around to rob them. But still. June turned around and saw Chen already walking in the river with a big dopey grin on his face. It was contagious because she soon found herself beside him. Chen kicked up some water and it splashed June's legged. June cackled because he had no idea what was in for him. She bent down and started to splash him back. He yelped and this made June laugh even more. Before it turned into a splashing war, June felt her foot lose its grip on a slippery rock. She screamed a cringe-worthy girly scream but didn't fall. Instead, she felt an two arms wrap around her and help her stand back up. June froze and looked at Chen. He was still holding her, looking at her with a blank expression that seemed to say nothing yet everything at the same time. It seemed like it was Chen's turn to be lost in a daze because June cleared her throat to signal that she was okay and he could let go of her. This only startled him and caused him to release her back too quickly, making her lose her balance. June would have fallen back again if Chen didn't panic and grab her quickly once again, then released her in a less sudden motion. The two were blushing profusely, but neither looked at the other.

"Why don't we-" Chen started.

"Let's just go back to the riverbank," June finished. Chen nodded and they waded out of the water. There was a small boulder where June had laid their things at the foot of, so they climbed to the top and dangled their feet off the edge, watching the little waterfall tumble into the river. It seemed that Chen couldn't stand the silence, so he made up his mind and confessed to June. He didn't have that much time anyway.

"I have two years left," he said, giving no context. June quickly drifted out of her analyzation of what had just happened, startled by his words.

"What do you mean?" At that moment, Chen looked into her eyes and knew he could trust her.

"I have to tell you something," he said. June realized he was finally opening up to her. She didn't want her next words to scare him off, so she gave him an encouraging nod, showing him that she was there to listen. Chen inhaled then exhaled slowly. He had never told anyone this before. Except for that girl. She had laughed at him. She had also probably forgotten about him. It was her that made him decide never to trust another person again. But June was different. In a way, she seemed just as lost as he was, even if it wasn't in the same way.

"My parents were both archaeologists," Chen began, looking over to June, checking if she was paying attention. She was focussing on him intently and he finally felt at ease. Chen looked over to the waterfall and continued his story.

"When my mother was first pregnant with me, they had been excavating an old temple. My father didn't want to bring her along, but my mother insisted that she continue to work until she was no longer able to. However, in this process, they had disturbed the old spirits who lived there," Chen paused, unsure if he should continue. He didn't think June would take him seriously after he mentioned the spirits, but she hadn't said a word and was still listening.

"Naturally, the spirits were angry that they had been so rudely awakened for no reason at all, especially with no offerings at hand. From that day, they cursed the child in my mother's womb, me, to return to the land of the dead when he turns eighteen years old, based on the lunar cycles. Ever since I was born, my parents always endured such bad luck. It wasn't until they were killed in a flood that my grandmother finally told me of my fate.

Today, I am still sixteen, but in two years, during the Lunar New Year, I have no idea what will happen to me. I used to imagine what it would be like to die. Or maybe I wouldn't be dead. Maybe I would still be alive and become a servant to the underworld. I-" at that moment Chen found himself unable to speak. His breathing quickened and he covered his face with his hands, not wanting June to see him breaking down. But then he felt a something small and warm rest on his right shoulder. He looked up and saw June with a tear-stained face. Her reaction was nothing like he expected. He expected her to laugh, to call him stupid, to yell at him for making up such a story. But here she was, doing her best to comfort him in her own way.

"June," he started to say, but then she cut him off.

"Sh," she hushed him. "You don't have to say anything else. We're here, right now, and that's all that matters." She released her hand from his shoulder and reached into her backpack. When her hand emerged she was holding two tiny green packages.

"Here, take one, its guava candy," she said. "Oh, and its hard, so just suck on it and don't try to bite it or you'll break your teeth," she added as Chen took one from her. He looked at her, then laughed weakly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the mood. I just, felt like I could tell you, but it wasn't my decision to make for you to handle that."

"Chen, you have nothing to apologize for. Out of anything, I'm just glad that you could trust me with something that was so difficult for you to say." June gave Chen a small smile and reached out to pat his hand. "Let's just spend these two years that we have well. When we get there, we should get there with no regrets."

Chen nodded and turned his hand to hold hers. June moved over to rest her head on his shoulder; a gesture to let him know that she was there for him. She started to hum an American song that she knew Chen wouldn't have known.

Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I can't help, falling in love with you. Shall I stay? Would it be a sin, if I can't help, falling in love with you?

June meant for this to comfort him since the melody was calming, but she didn't see the small smile that crept on his face as they sat there in the moment they both wished would last forever.