(DAYU)
I woke up sweating and thrashing on the bed.
"Wu La Jiejie!" I cried out as I pushed away the cover. I cannot breathe.
"Dayu!" My mother and father burst into the room. My mother hugged me. "What happened?" She asked worriedly.
I took deep breaths to calm myself. I think I am not blinking as my heart raced and my mind still foggy about that dream.
"A dream. A bad dream..." I gasped as I answer.
"I will get water..." my father said as he ran out of my room.
My mother rub my back to calm me down. I concentrated on breathing. My father came back with a glass of water. He helped me to drink.
But even with water, it still took me minutes to finally calm down.
"Are you okay now?" My mother caressed my cheek when she noticed that I am not sweating and gasping for breath anymore.
I nodded as I sniffed. "I dreamed of how Wu La died. It was an accident but Great GrandPa Wu Hai, who saw the whole thing, blamed Han Fei. Han Fei is the ancestor of the Wangs." I explained the dream to them.
My father nodded after my story, "I see. So that's why ancestor Wu Hai cursed the Wangs. Because of his grief."
"Yes,"
"What a sad story," my mother sat beside me. "All because of an accident and a misunderstanding. Generations of Fengs and Wangs suffered because of that."
My father pat my mother's shoulder. "But at least now we know the truth. Maybe we can talk to the Wangs and tell them the whole story. But for now, let's let Dayu rest some more."
My mother agreed to my father's suggestion. They made sure I am okay before my mother kiss and hug me. I smiled at her to assure her that I am fine.
When the door closed and I am alone again, I carefully lay down on my bed.
"Wu La?" I called her name.
"Yes?" She is sniffing.
"I'm sorry...I know that it's a hard memory for you..."
"You saw my brother's memory and not mine..."
I disagree, I think some of her thought mixed on that dream. I just look at it in Wu Hai's perspective.
"Maybe because I am directly related to him. His daughter, your niece, is my Great GrandMa. His blood directly coursing through mine." I just said. Too tired to explain my theory to her.
"Maybe. Please don't hate my brother..."
"No," I shook my head. "I don't hate him. I feel sad for him. To witness your death. The death of someone important to him must have really hurt him. No wonder he cursed Han Fei. And make the curses so difficult to break. His grief for you knows no bound."
"He cursed her on the day of her wedding to Wang Bao. My brother rushed inside the temple where she is getting married to curse her and her blood. Then he ran away to start over somewhere else. He just came back when Han Fei left with her husband. But the curse were uttered and Wu Hai already sacrificed our own family. I love him but he is stupid sometimes. But I still love him so much..."
I noddef my understanding. Wu Hai and Wu La are so lucky to have each other.
"Dayu ah. I have to go now. You already know the truth. You can do what you want to do with it. You can do what you want to do with the curses too. I will not tell you what to do but I hope you will listen to your heart. Always. Like my brother. He just listened to his heart that's why he curse...you know what, don't follow my stupid brother's footstep. Make your own path Dayu. Live happily. That is my wish for you..."
"Where are you going?"
"To Wu Hai and Han Fei."
"Wu La..." I sniffed.
"Don't cry..."
But like Wu Hai, I didn't listen to her. My tears fell and I bit my lips so I won't make sounds while I cry.
"Dayu. Thank you..."
I didn't felt her presence leaving my mind. Like I never felt her coming in the first time. But I felt it in my heart. Before, a year ago, when Wu La came to my thoughts, I felt in my heart that I am not alone.
But now, I feel alone. She had moved on. To be with Wu Hai and Han Fei. The people she loves.
I am alone.
And I miss her already.
-------@-------
(QING)
Dayu avoided me for a whole week.
He won't take my calls or agree to meet me. He won't even let me catch a glimpse of him. He hides in their home or at the car shop's office.
He is punishing me.
And I miss him so much.
Unrequited love sucks. If you are the only one in love, it really sucks.
Yes, I am in love with Dayu. Doesn't even take one day for me to fall for him.
He is perfect. He loves sunset. He likes history. He enjoys street food. He reads poetry. He eats with gusto. He can cook. He can kiss.
Damn how he can kiss.
And his scent is intoxicating. I want to bottle his scent to take it with me so I can smell him all day. He is my new drug.
I miss him.
And his witty comebacks. Even his complaining.
Dayu is perfect. Nobody should blame me if I fell for him.
But I am cursed. To fall in love with the man who won't love me back.
He is straight and he hates me.
They think my sister is cursed but I beg to disagree. I think I am the cursed one.
Forget about the true love's kiss. I will settle for seeing Dayu again. I think I am dying without him.
"You are so dramatic," my sister said as she lounged beside me.
I glare at her, "This is your fault, I hope you know that." I want to kick her off my sofa.
She smiled, "Ah, it's so nice to see you finally understood what it feels like to love and long for someone. How does it feel?"
"Like I could kill the person who is asking me about my feelings," I retorted back.
"Tsk tsk...too violent. I love it," she is infuriating. She took her phone out, "Give me his number,"
"Why?" I frowned at her in suspicion. "Why will you call him?"
"Give me his number or I will go to his house. Choose. Hint: If I go to his house, I will meet his parents. That will not be advantageous for you,"
She is right. If I want to impress my soon to be in laws (because I am already planning my wedding with Dayu) she is the last person I would want to introduce to them.
She is crazy.
I reluctantly gave Dayu's number to her. She called him up.
"Hello? Hi! Yeah, uhm, I don't know if you remember me but I am Wang Ying. Wang Qing's twin sister." She listened as Dayu answers on the other line. I slid closer to her to try and listen in to their conversation.
"Yes, that's me. I got your number by tinkering on my brother's phone." She laughed, "No, Qing never hold my phone. I am the only nosy one between us. I always meddle in my brother's life. He tolerates me because I am bound to have a bitter single life. Anyways, I called because I want to apologize about my antics last week. I hope you are okay..."
She listened to Dayu answer again and nod her head. "Oh yes. I totally agree with you. My brother can be stupid. And no, he doesn't asked me to call you. I am older than him, by ten minutes, so I never let my brother order me around. And he cannot do that even if he wanted to because well...you see...my brother is dying..."
I mouthed a "WHAT" to her.
"Oh yes, he is very sick. He cannot even get out of his bed. Yeah. Oh no, he doesn't want to eat. He is dying. Have I said that already? Yeah? Okay. Sure...okay..." the call ended.
"Why. Would. You. Say. That?!" I stood up and gazed annoyedly at her.
"Because you just said you are dying. Is that not the truth?" She acted like she is innocent. I want to strangle her. Why is she so meddlesome? And why does she loves meddling in my life?!
"And what did Dayu said when you told him I am dying? I bet he is so happy..."
"He said he is coming over..."
"You see...he is glad...WHAT? He is coming over?"
"Yes," my siste gave me a superior smile. "You're welcome, by the way..."
"He is coming here? Here?!"
"Yes here! Where would he go to see you? In Mars?"
She is...
"Well what should I do?" I started pacing in panic. Dayu is coming over and I haven't showered yet.
"Act like you are dying," my sister suggested. "That's what I said, don't make a liar out of me."
I cannot take her anymore. "Get out! Get out before Dayu sees you again. Out!" I pulled her to stand up and push her to the door of my condo.
"Fine! I am going. Bye!" She left but not before smirking and winking at me.
She is...my sister and I love her but sometimes I really wish she is adopted so I can disown her.
After she left I started tidying up my condo. Throwing the trash away. The takeout containers (I lived in takeouts for a week) and open the window to let the fresh air came. I even sprayed air freshener.
Then I race to the bathroom to take a bath and have a quick shave. I almost nick my chin in my haste.
While dressing up, I remembered that I have to look like someone who is dying so I opted to wear sweats and worn shirt with small holes in them. Good thing I look pale because I didn't go out for a week aside from driving at night to look into Dayu's window in their home. And I let my hair be mussed and unstyled.
If I look good, I cannot do anything about it anymore. This is the best "I am dying" look that I can do. It is not my fault if I still look good while I am dying.
Right?
The bell in my door rang and I ran to open the door. Dayu is standing outside. Looking pale and nervous.
He stared at me and pouted. "You don't look like you are dying. You have a look of someone who just got out of the shower and..."
I pulled him inside my condo. Hug him to my body and I lean down to kiss his unsmiling mouth.
I don't care about anything anymore. Dayu is here.
He is all that matters.