-11- Only one day to love
All Zhan could do for Yibo was to sit there, hold his hand and listen. But at least he could do that well and without having to torture himself with his own feelings. Even if the two of them skipped school today for this. But Zhan just had to do that, because he didn't want Yibo to have to go to school in this condition and he himself probably couldn't have concentrated on school if Yibo was in a bad mood.
They sat in the park by the lake for quite a while and just looked at the waves of the water, not speaking a word. And because they were alone in the park at that time, Zhan could put his hand on Yibo's hand without fear.
After half an hour, Zhan suggested that they go somewhere else. But where to, was the question? They couldn't go to him because his stepmother is usually at home all day and Zhan doesn't want to risk adding another item to the long list of Zhan's alleged constant misbehavior. But they couldn't go home to Yibo either, because his stepmother is still in the house and that's exactly who he doesn't want to see now.
So Zhan decided it must be the bakery. There it is warm, they are protected and the baker would certainly not mind. Only on foot it is too far and he has no money for the bus. And because Yibo was driven to school in the morning by his brother, he didn't have a bicycle there either. Anyway, classes have already started and if the security guard at the gate saw them, they would be in trouble.
And as they were walking through the park and Zhan was thinking about what he should do now, he saw a white dove and this white dove was holding something in its claws. When the dove started to flap its wings and rose into the air, it flew over Zhan, paused briefly and let dropp its prey from its claws. It was an Acorn. Laughing, Zhan jokingly shouted, "Hey it's actually three hazelnuts and not a single acorn." But somehow he found it strange. Had the dove waited especially to be able to do this?
Zhan turned around to pick up the acorn as a little reminder and looked under a park bench and saw a 200 yuan banknote lying there. And right next to this banknote was the acorn. That was really strange, Zhan thought, picked up the banknote and looked around for the owner. But there was no one there except him and Yibo.
Slowly, Zhan picked up the banknote, looked around at the dove, which was still watching him, and thanked it with a nod of his head. Then the dove flew away. "Almost like Cinderella." Mumbled Zhan.
"What do you say?" Yibo asked confused.
"Oh, nothing. I just thought it was almost like Cinderella. In her greatest need, she was given three hazelnuts I got an acorn and 200 yuan."
"Of course, you are a boy. So you'll get what you need. Because a dress would probably be too much of a good thing and you wouldn't want to go to your prince with a pumpkin cart and two horses." Yibo replied with a grin.
"Ha ha. Do I look like a male Cinderella?"
"You kind of do. Your face is beautiful and your body... Ouch, Zhan, don't hit me." Yibo laughed as Zhan lightly slapped him on the upper arm.
Now that Zhan had money, he and Yibo could take the bus. And, they even had money for the return trip if they ate something at the bakery. He could also have asked Yibo for money, because he knows that Yibo always has enough with him. But that is not Zhan's way and he would never ask anyone for money, not even someone for whom his heart beats faster.
They took the next bus, and then went to the bakery where the baker welcomed them as if it was completely normal that two students were not at school at this time of day. She asked Zhan, "So, who did you bring with you?"
And Zhan smiled shyly and said, "This, um, this is Wang Yibo. My, my classmate and friend."
"Ah, I see. Well, both of you come over here, sit down and have some food first." She said, and when she brought two sandwiches and milk to the table, her eyes sparkled and she said, "That reminds me of your mother."
Yibo looked at Zhan questioningly, but he quickly looked embarrassed and with red cheeks to the side. It would be too early to tell Yibo the story he had just learned from the baker less than two hours ago.
They spent two hours at the baker's, during which Yibo calmly told what had happened at home.
"I came home in the evening yesterday and my parents said they wanted to talk to my brother and me. We were sitting in the living room, when my mother said that she and Dad wanted to get a divorce and that they had actually been planning to do so for a while. My mother said they wanted to wait until my brother finished his studies and we moved. And I asked, what about me? I haven't finished school yet, I haven't studied. Why did they want to wait until Hai Kuan was ready, but they didn't care about me? My dad said it's because they know that I'm strong and smart and I'll be okay anyway. But she had always been my mother. I will still miss her. Especially because she will leave China and move to Norway. Because she has relatives there and they have a job for her. And they're getting divorced, although they love each other."
The baker put Zhan's hand on Yibo's and she said, "Sometimes love is not enough. Sometimes there are things that we can't see and that make it impossible for the couple to stay together. I think your parents did not make this decision easy. Not when they waited a long time to make it. And maybe they needed that time for themselves and just said it was because of your brother. There are some things parents can't say."
Yibo looked at the hand of Zhan, turned his hand around and intertwined their fingers. Then he nodded and said, "True, love is not always easy." And he looked deep into Zhan's eyes.
The baker sent Zhan briefly to the back of the bakery so that he could check the oven to see how far the fresh bread was. But Zhan had the impression that she only wanted to talk to Yibo alone for a short time. And when he came back from the bakehouse, the baker stroked Yibo's head and said quietly, "You'll be fine. Don't give up, even if it takes longer." And Yibo nodded.
Shortly afterwards, they left the bakery and simply got on the next bus without a specific destination and drove to the last stop. Their journey ended near an old disused industrial area. Nature had already begun to reclaim the place years ago. A tree protruded from the roof of an old factory building, tall bushes grew on the site and the wire fence disappeared more and more under a hedge of thorny branches.
Through a hole in the fence, they entered the grounds. In fact, there was a sign in front of the gate that this area is being monitored. But from the looks of it, neither Zhan nor Yibo believed that anyone had been here in the past years.
They went to one of the small halls and sat down on a bench that stood in front of one of the halls. The rotten planks of the bench and its rusty backs did not look trustworthy, but still held the weight of the two boys. Whereby Zhan rather calls himself a young man.
Since Zhan is very curious by nature, he asked Yibo, "What did the baker talk to you about?".
And Yibo looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "About you and our feelings for each other. She told me that I have to give you time to accept yourself as who and what you are. And she told me, if I really like you, I should be patient and maybe someday you would be willing to be my boyfriend. Not just a friend."
"Somehow I suspected it."
"But you know what, Zhan?"
"No, what?"
"I wish I could spend at least one day with you. Like today, like right now, just you and me. Please Zhan. Give me one day to love. Let me love you for one day, hold your hand, kiss you, and at least pretend that you and I are a couple. That's all I want. All I want is this one day."
"You really wish that?" Zhan asked nervously.
"Mmm. I don't know how long I will have to wait for you, and I am ready. Still, I want to feel for at least one day what it will be like when we can maybe really be a real couple. I don't want to hide my feelings on this day and I also want you to allow your feelings at least once, even if only for a few hours. And after that, I'll wait as long as you want."
Zhan thought about it, one minute, a second and a third minute. Then he looked Yibo in the eyes and nodded. "Just one day. And after that you give me time, okay?"
Yibo nodded and asked Zhan, "Can I hug you? I am so happy right now, so can I hug you?" And Zhan hugged him.
As they headed back, they agreed to do this one day, this Saturday. And already Zhan is very nervous. But he is ready to give Yibo this one day. But, is he really doing this just for Yibo?