My Mute Crush

The Past and the Present

In the morning that came, Wang Yibo was the first one to wake up. His morning wood was tightly held in a warm cavern. When he saw the person in his arms, he almost couldn't believe his eyes. He smiled thinking that he is still dreaming. Maybe because he saw Xiao Zhan twice after years, his brain was supplying fantasies again. Or maybe the alcohol has numbed his mind again. Either way, embracing his biggest fantasies in the early morning was a bliss which couldn't be defined in terms of words. A part of him knew that this was just an illusion, that the lady hired last night may have returned long back.

Yesterday was too much for him to bear. Like every other year, despite the rain of sorrows he went to meet the soul he had promised to meet. He went to that regular shop to buy flowers. Standing outside the shop, he waited for that figure to show. He waited for so long that the florist stepped out to greet him in person, "Sir, would you like to buy something?" the kind lady asked. And Wang Yibo didn't know what to answer. Every year, it was the figure of his love that guided him in selecting the bouquet. But now that figure is nowhere to be seen, he didn't know which one to choose.

"Give me the prettiest bouquet you have." He replied instead. That should work, he thought.

"Sir is going to propose to your lady today?" she asked while picking the freshly delivered flowers to make a fresh bouquet for this patron. Wang Yibo stood there, without answering for a while.

A while later, he finally answered, "I am going to visit someone who left this world long back."

Hearing that, she stopped her hands that were going to pick bright red roses. She kept the bouquet she was making, and ambled towards the already prepared bouquets. "Take a look at this. They all are the same. Which one would you like to buy?" She asked, showing him the bouquet which normally has a variety of white flowers.

With a dejection in his heart, he simply laid his finger on a bouquet, "I'll buy two of them" he said and the lady smiled sadly as she unhooked the displayed bouquet before passing them over to her patron. After paying, he quietly got into his car. To be honest, he is really missing the illusion of the person that accompanies him every year on this day and on this path to that place. For the past 6 years, that phantom Xiao Zhan has followed him right from that florist to that grave. And every year, this is what Wang Yibo was looking forward to. But sadly, the figure didn't show. And he didn't know why that figure didn't turn up today.

When he reached, he followed his usual act. He ambled towards the sentry. He greets the person guarding the resting souls. And as usual, he asked again, "Anyone from their family came to visit?"

Sentry replied, "Not yet. I think they have long since forgotten about the soul resting here."

"Like every year, it will rain heavily. Please uncle take shelter. I had brought a cup of warm coffee. But reaching here, it's already cold. Please pardon me for not being thoughtful." Wang Yibo respectfully said. Every other year, it used to be that phantom who used to guide him in buying food for the sentry. On the cold rainy day, the poor soul stays there to look after resting souls. Giving him something to eat or drink was all they could do.

The sentry smiled knowingly. "You are not the usual person today. Please do not bother about this old one. Go and meet them. They have been waiting too long." The Sentry replied and Wang Yibo's eyes moved towards the tombstones of people. But the person he came to meet doesn't even have a mushi. How sad that their family forgot the resting soul here so soon. If he meets someone from their family, he really wants to ask the reason.

"I came alone today." He replied before moving in the direction of Xiao Zhan's parents' grave. Behind him, the sentry didn't understand what he meant by coming alone. He saw him coming here alone every time, sitting there in the rain to talk with the soul for hours.