Chapter 31: Luckily, There's Still You
Today was Mr Aunt's birthday. I had already knitted a scarf for him but lacked the courage to give it. I stuffed it into my crossbody bag. Falling flowers have feelings, but the flowing water is indifferent. Whatever, I might as well toss it into a river and let the fish nibble on it. That way, I could lighten my heart. Holding on only led to more pain, and worse, it might even make things awkward for him.
Just as I opened my laptop and got halfway through the first episode of a show, my phone rang. It was "WC." Yeah, I had saved Golden Prize's number as "WC." He enthusiastically said:
— Let's go out.
Weird. He had a whole lineup of cute girls vying for his attention, so why was he bothering with me on a night like this? Whatever, I was bored anyway. I slipped on my shoes, put on some decent clothes, and went out with him.
I wore a red wool coat, black leggings, and black boots. Hanging out with this kid didn't require anything fancy—just looking decent was enough. I looked warm, bright, and cute. Not exactly stunning, but definitely eye-catching. He pulled up on an SH motorbike and told me to hop on. I hesitated. A college student riding an SH? Who's he trying to impress? He grinned:
— I won a big cash prize, so I bought an SH just to try it out.
I got on, holding onto the back of the seat. He rode cautiously and smoothly.
We went to the Grand Cathedral, but it was so crowded that I nearly got squashed despite Golden Prize clearing the way for me. Seeing my discomfort, he grabbed my hand and pulled me out.
— Let's go grab a coffee instead.
Ugh, I don't even like coffee. But he hyped up the café, saying it had live music. Fine, I could go along with that.
Standing outside the cathedral, I waited while he fetched his bike. A cold wind blew, tossing my hair. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmingly lonely. I pulled out my phone, put on my headphones, and played Melancholy, humming along:
"The first drops of rain bring back old memories,
Things kept hidden deep in pain…
Love, no matter how deep, fades away,
Regret, no matter how strong, passes by.
No storms, no gales, yet we drift apart…"
Without thinking, I clutched my crossbody bag—the one holding the scarf I had knitted for Mr Aunt. A figure passed by, looking so much like him. That quiet, solitary presence was all too familiar. I ran after him, grabbing his arm.
— Mr. Chung.
He turned around.
Disappointment hit me as I quickly let go. It wasn't him. The face was all wrong. Just the posture was similar. I bowed my head and apologized. The man smiled before hurrying away. Ugh. His teeth were so yellow—they practically screamed "chain smoker." My habit of overanalyzing kicked in, even in this situation. How could someone like that have the same aura as Mr Aunt?
"From afar, she seemed like a goddess…
Up close, she was Chí Phèo's lover."
My Mr Aunt—the real one—was solitary yet proud. When he smiled, it was mesmerizing.
I stood there, lost in thought, surrounded by the bustling crowd yet feeling like I was stranded on a deserted island. So lonely... If only he were here…
Just then, someone gently placed a helmet on my head and fastened the strap. I looked up, startled. Golden Prize's focused expression made me feel a little flustered. I reached up to fasten it myself, but he had already finished.
Climbing onto the bike, I heard him say:
— Hold on tight. I'm going fast this time.
Before I could react, he sped off. I had no choice but to grab onto his waist, and when he made sharp turns, I instinctively held on even tighter.
Riding at high speed was exhilarating. For a moment, I forgot all my worries. No wonder Vy loved racing so much.
When we finally stopped, I got off and scolded him:
— You trying to take advantage of me, kid? I'll let it slide this time, but next time, you better watch out.
He grinned widely, flashing all his teeth.
The café wasn't too crowded. The first thing I did upon entering was observe my surroundings—I had a habit of scrutinizing everything. One girl in particular caught my eye. She wore a striking red dress adorned with shimmering sequins along the neckline. Sitting alone, she looked beautiful yet somewhat haughty. A high schooler with a Note phone? Must be a rich kid. I smirked and challenged my little bro.
"I dare you to get her phone number."
He glanced at the girl and then back at me.
"For what? I'm not that free," he scoffed.