MAFIA BOY and MASK MAN: Live to Love

CHAPTER #24

Their group purchased tickets and then got on the cable car.  Normally it would hold eight passengers, but because they were early and a group of six, the car operator didn't have anyone ride with them.  As the car moved off, Yìhán got a little nervous and Zan held her hand. When nothing happened as they moved over the tree tops she relaxed. They were all in summer clothes; light shirts, shorts and sun glasses. The twins as usual both wore black masks.

Qihe pointed, "that's the waterfall at the bottom, where we will meet."

"It's so beautiful and I'm happy the weather is nice," Tao said while taking pictures on her camera.

Lu He noticed that Jiayi had slipped her hand into Qihe's. The twins shared a look and without saying anything, Lu He knew that his twin and Jiayi would be okay.

Yìhán asked shyly, "Tao when we get to the top, can Zan and I come with you and Lu He for a portion of the hike?  I'd like for you to take our picture with that camera of yours."

"Definitely.  We'll take a group picture once we get off the cable car too."

Qihe handed out the site and trail maps he'd bought at the ticket office earlier. "Just so we don't get lost or miss any beautiful places."

"Thanks Qihe, I never even thought of getting a map," Zan admitted.

At the summit they got off the cable car together.  Since it wasn't busy, the operator took the group picture for them, using Tao's camera.  They rode the bus up to Moxing summit as a group, before beginning their walk down the mountain. They loved how fresh the air was, all inhaling deeply a few times. They could see all of Guangzhou and captured the view on their cellphones. The Pagoda made for some pretty pictures too.

Jiayi announced, "Qihe and I will go off on our own now, enjoy the walk down everyone." She pointed to one of the lesser travelled paths, that Qihe had selected.

Zan asked, "will anyone else be stopping at the monument with all the locks?"

"We'll get there eventually," Jiayi confirmed.

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As they came down the mountain, Jiayi and Qihe passed the toll gate and came to an area designated as the Lucky Tree and Lucky Bridge. They took each other's picture, added their love charms to the tree and then continued onwards, still hand in hand. Qihe was waiting for Jiayi to talk about their fight.

Suddenly she admitted, "everyone thinks I'm so strong, but I'm not."

"Everyone?"

"Tao, Zan, people at school, Lu He and you too. But I'm the weakest one from all of you."

Qihe understood, "because you care and feel everything through your heart? That doesn't make you weak.  It does for some people, but they let negativity rule their lives. They give up on themselves and make the person they love be responsible for everything. That's not love.  Real love, like what you and I have, is mutual, it's a partnership. Trusting each other, will always have its trials and tribulations, but that's part of growth and longevity."

"I'm crazy, you're calm and we balance each other.  Is that what you're saying in the end?"

He stopped by a monument and hugged her to him. "Yes we do balance each other, that's what a partnership is all about. This relationship of ours is new, for both of us. We know we can rely on each other and yet each day we question that trust.  But that's okay too."

"I've learned so much from you and about myself. Thank you for being patient with me," Jiayi pulled his mask off one ear and kissed him deeply, before refastening the mask. "But next time I mess up, don't go fighting everyone.  Find something less harmful to vent your frustration."

"I love that you praise me and then scold me." Qihe chuckled and added, "shall we continue down the mountain now?"

"Yes, let's go down the path that takes us to the Buddha statues."

"We should come to a beautiful garden on the way there, according to this map," he explained.

She slapped her bare arm hard, "damn these mosquitoes!"

Qihe stopped, took off his backpack and dug through it. "I brought repellant lotion, it's somewhere in here... found it!"

"This is one time I love your high IQ," Jiayi praised and let him put the mosquito lotion on her. She did the same for him. "We'll probably have to reapply this again, because of sweating."

"Want to go to the bird park for our first rest stop?" Qihe asked.

"Good idea, but I'm not hungry enough to open the lunch bentos."

He let her peak in his backpack as he stashed the lotion in another area. "I brought snacks; apples, granola bars, energy drinks and nuts."

"Awesome... is that a picnic blanket too?"

"In case we want to stop and just relax a while or if we sit on a grassy section and not in a pagoda."

"I love you Qihe."

He winked at her. "I love you even more."

"We won't get to see everything here today, but I want us to come back another day.  Maybe I'll find the courage to even ride the zip line."

"I like that plan."

They were walking over the bridge from one of the many rivers, Jiayi stopped and looked out over the water.  She waited for Qihe to stand beside her. "I like myself more when I'm with you. You've seen me at my worst and it has made me want to give you my best.  Your love, like no other, has given me courage to face myself and the future.  In you I have found a love, that I didn't believe was real."

Qihe turned her to face him. "Making you happy is essential to my happiness.  Life use to be just Lu He and I, against the world and yet we were always alone.  You give me strength and have shown me that miracles do exist.  I live to love you.  I only have a future, if you're always in it.  I promise to show you my love, every day and in all ways."

Jiayi couldn't help the tears of joy. "Thank you for accepting my madness and being patient with me, always.  I promise not to hide my thoughts and feelings from you.  I pledge my loyalty and trust to you.  I will try to be better at communication too."

He kissed away her tears, "I don't know if it was this mountain that blessed us or what, but I feel like my soul is connected to yours now and forever."

They continued through the forest and down the mountain, walking hand in hand. Qihe and Jiayi had overcome just one of the many obstacles that life would throw at them.  Whatever the future would be, they were committed to creating it together.

THE END