Night Lotus

Dawn

N/A: Adagio. Re minor BWV 974. Piano-Violoncello. And Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068 - 2. Air. J. S. Bach

We decided to move in together after our older siblings got married. I was doing well at music school and had some successful solo presentations. Wanyin, on the other hand, ended cooking school with many awards and was thinking about opening a restaurant or a cafe after his dancing years.

His parents were not pleased when he revealed the truth but somehow managed to support him and go to many of his presentations over the years. After all, the Night Lotus was the best dancer of our generation - the critics claimed.

I went with him on his trips as often as I could. Many theaters and companies wanted him, even if just for some weeks. We had crazy years going from one country to another.

I became the pianist for many of his videos and shows. We also scheduled our presentations in sync to be together as much as possible. We even had a bunch of performances together, which were successful and gratifying.

Whenever we couldn't, I felt the most extraordinary void in my life, a vacuum in my heart that wouldn't subside until Wanyin came back home to me.

Sometime later, I accepted a position in the National Philharmonic and started to give some piano courses at the National Music School. I managed some time off whenever my Lotus had a long trip to be together abroad too.

Wanyin continued dancing for a while until he decided it was enough and his body needed some rest. Then, we opened a small cafe, and he took over the kitchen with his sister. He later decided to accept a position for the National Ballet Company as one of their instructors for just a couple of days.

We decided to get married; I asked for it since Wanyin didn't believe in marriage - Who could blame him? My Lotus accepted because he knew how important it was to me. Later, we got two beautiful boys, Sizhui and Jingyi, after an excruciating adoption process.

From time to time, his older brother would come to our place to hang out with our kids. Wuxian was a free spirit and traveled worldwide, sometimes with Huaisang and sometimes with his band. We managed to get along, but I must confess that a part of me resented him deeply.

I thought we could have done more for Wanyin or at least been there for him when he was struggling with his parents. For Wuxian, it was easy to cast his brother aside whenever he was not fun to be with, and I just couldn't bear it. He may not be mean, but he was oblivious, and somehow, that was even worse to my eyes. Didn't he care at all for Wanyin?

One day, we were at A-Ling's birthday party. My older nephew was the brightest boy I have ever met, and he had a lot to do with the notion of becoming A-Zhui's and A-Yi's parents. Suddenly, Wuxian approached and talked to me with a gloomy face.

- Wangji, is Wanyin doing well lately?

- Mmm.

- I'm glad, and I've been seeing him at his happiest. Thank you for that.

- Mmm.

- I'm leaving soon, and it may take longer to come back this time.

I just gave him a questioning look.

- Please, take care of my brother. There is no one more important to me than him.

I don't know what it was, but something in his voice felt like a slap on my face. I grew angry in seconds and couldn't refrain from bitterly answering him.

- Is that so?

- What do you mean? Of course, I love him with all my heart.

- What a surprise, Wuxian.