a quiet mind | huang renjun

Chapter 23

The three walked along the shiny mall floor, the boys skipping hand in front whilst Xinyi stood at the back with her hands in her pocket, slowly strolling towards the shop they were going to go to. To others, it was a family of three. The son, the mother, and the father. Father and son hand in hand as they cheerfully laughed and played childishly with each other. The mother walking behind them to make sure they don't hurt themselves. Like a normal family

Though, in reality, they weren't any bit close to it.

A leader of a mafia gang, an Angel sent down to steal evil souls and the son of two murdered child traffickers.

They entered the dashing shoe shop. Neon lights strung along the ceiling and spotlights assigned to each shoe. Palettes of the random colours splattered across the shoes of all shapes and sizes. Mireu ran inside with his arms flailing and smile that lit up the room, eyes curved into a cute crescent moon and cheeks rosy with excitement.

"Pick any one you like" Renjun patted Mireu on the back, dragging his finger along rows and rows of shoes. He glanced at Mireu's worn sneakers that had patches and holes sewn into it. He spread a smile— it was time Mireu left his past behind.

"He's cute, isn't he" Renjun sighed, standing next to Xinyi "Thank you for you know, letting him buy shoes"

"That piece of trash just stunk too much" She remained hostile. It was only a matter of time that the nickname 'piece of trash' was going to wear off. Xinyi flickered her eyes to Renjun.

He wore a smile that crinkled his eyes and bore a row of white teeth. Much like Mireu's. Both Renjun and Mireu had a smile that welcomed the spring home. Their soul was buried under the dirty muck of their past, though still, had the most beautiful smile; their smile was the stretch of an arm and the soft touch of an embrace.

In some parallel universe,  she could care for someone the way Renjun did.  A world where she could express her words through her eyes. A world where the Grim Reaper went to sleep and all was well.

Renjun watched as Mireu jumped up and down in an attempt to get the shoes on the higher rack. Renjun walked towards him, helping him get the shoes and handing it gently over to the boy.

The shoe in Mireu's hand was pure white, with little indentations and small outlines of ruby red. The shoe was quite a couple sizes too big and in comparison to the other shoes, the materials are nowhere near as good. The price was cheap for a shoe in that shop; it even had a 8% discount. But he liked it. His eyes were purely locked on it.

"I want this one"

"Are you sure? There are-" Renjun began until Mireu shoved the shoe into his clasp

"I want this one, dad"

--

"Renjun" Xinyi called from the kitchen, a glass of water in hand. She had watched Renjun un-package the shoes Mireu chose.

Renjun glanced in Xinyi's direction, patting Mireu on the head and advancing Xinyi with his forever gentle smile.

"Yeah?" Renjun took a seat next to her.

"How did you die?" She asked, bluntly. Renjun flashed his eyes down, his hands automatically went to peel the stray dry skin on his thumbs.

"That's...straightforward" He chuckled nervously, seemingly trying to mask the tremble.

"I don't sugarcoat"

"Things happened"

"Answer the question"

"School" Renjun cleared his throat "You were sneezing a bit before. Let me make something to warm you up". The topic was dismissed just like that

Xinyi blinked. She watched his actions silently. Clumsy and a little bit all-over-the-place. His hands went from the bag of rice to the stove; there was not a second where he didn't stumble. He was persistent, though, succeeding in turning on the stove after a good 10 minutes.

"My mum use to make really good pumpkin congee" Renjun explained, scooping a cup of rice and dunking it into a pot of boiling water

"You don't seem so good at making it" Her eyes followed Renjun to the pantry, where he carried out a pumpkin.

"Are you sure you know how to cut it" Xinyi asked,  She wasn't quite emotionally ready for him to burn the kitchen down.

"Yes" Renjun's fingers said otherwise. They were trembling, holding the massive kitchen knife towards the pumpkin and creating an incision on the top. He looked deathly terrified, as if he hadn't touched such item for a good while. Renjun squeezed his eyes, and sent the knife down to slice through the pumpkin. Renjun opened his eyes. There was a long ribbon of blood that twined from his finger to lace down the side of the sink.

Xinyi shot up, taking long quick strides towards him. She held his finger, the crimson ribbons of blood now intertwining with hers.

"No one in their right mind would decide to use a knife eyes-closed" She scolded, taking a paper towel and pressing it against the cut. Renjun didn't say anything as Xinyi layered another piece of paper upon his bleeding finger.

"I'll go get the first aid kit" Xinyi uttered. Two steps away from him, his had clasped over her wrist, lying on top of the bracelet. Xinyi looked back at him. Silence. No words were shared yet they understood each other entirely.They never needed their mouths to speak heavy words. Perhaps just a gaze and a small cock of a lip.

"Wait" He stammered. Xinyi trailed her eyes from him to his finger. Renjun clicked his finger, instantaneously, the ribbons from his fingers burned and disappeared just like that, white specks of dust replacing the fine ribbon.

"I dont think we'll need the first aid kit" His volume still barely disturbing the silent ambience of the atmosphere.

"Ah" She nodded, switching her expression back to her resting one "That's right"

She slid her wrist out of his grip, concurrently, he took a step forward, gripping her finger to allow no escape.

"Um" He held it tighter. He glimpsed at her "Can you help me make the congee?"

Again, they remained paralysed. She nodded slowly, taking her hand out of his wrist and walking towards the pumpkin.

"You cut it like this" Fluently, she sliced it down the middle, carving a line around the orange vegetable.

"And then in half" She explained as Renjun leant closely to watch. She sliced it in half and begun peeling off the skin with the knife.

"And then you just cut it into decent sized pieces" She cut it into little orange pieces, sliding it into the pot as it roamed in the water. She placed the lid on and stood back, slowly watching the steam frost the close-by window.

"The rest you can do by yourself" She stood back and Renjun took her position. Just as she was about to leave, Renjun stopped her again.

"Are you just going to leave?" Renjun's words were broken, eyes round with anticipation "You know, you could help make something for Mireu"

He just wanted an excuse for her to stay. Any excuse.

Just for her.