HIM . 𝐥𝐮𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐚

iv. oolong tea

Y/N

A cup of oolong tea is his request for our meeting, and a purchase from the fragrance let us meet once more.

He stopped by the fragrance store, to which my coworker Seet Yan hurried me over to greet. It took almost an hour for me to pick the perfect for him; his preferred ones were more of the floral/woody scented.

"How about cinnamon?"

He tapped his chin in wonder, a hum could be heard from him. "Cinnamon feels warm, though I do like it I think I prefer vanilla."

Yep, an hour for a vanilla scented fragrance. I was thinking more of flowers like Jasmine or roses, but I guess everyone has a preferred smell of their own. For Luocha, its vanilla (though I still gifted him a Jasmine scent despite how much he refused to accept).

Currently, we're at the same teahouse I brought him before; this time with oolong tea beside us.

"Do you follow a Path?" he asked curiously.

"Well, not really... I have other things to prioritise than selecting a path." I told him, tapping on the cup of tea. "Maybe soon, but definitely not now."

"I see... That's very interesting," he piqued, sipping from his cup of tea.

"I heard you're an Abundance? How can you roam about so freely here at the Luofu?" The question is one of the first I thought of once I learned of his path. I couldn't help but ask, though it might be something he wouldn't want to answer.

"I have my reasons here, though I do assure it is not to cause any type of harm," he assured, adding. "Though I can't say the same for others on this path."

I nodded, somehow the subject felt a bit too heavy to continue. I'm sure he felt the same, since he's been quiet after the reply.

Feeling as if it was all my fault, I could feel the tension around me rising. As a way to say something to break the ice (yet again) I tried to say something out of my mind without any thought being put into it."...I'm always curious about something—"

"oh?"

"The... coffin, I mean I respect what you're doing but I'm just curious and— well..." my words jumbled up and I eventually quiet down, looking down at the cup of tea. what a blunder, Every time we meet I always end up making the situation... weird.

"Oh, that." his voice light as a feather, I could hear him smiling even as I try to avoid eye contact.

"It's not mine, just something I have to deliver," he replied nonchalantly as he picked up his cup.

"deliver?" I asked, raising my head to look at him.

"Well... I'd consider this a final farewell to my past, holding on to it isn't so good if you thrive for a better future." his words were smooth and homey, there's a nostalgic feeling to the way he describe his.. past? I think. "Don't you agree? You can't hold onto it forever."

The question threw me off guard. Well, how was I supposed to react? My past is quite indifferent. Though there were ups and downs as my childhood were linked to a strict set of parents, I think it wasn't so bad. The past is the past, and the present is the present. No one should stay linked with their past forever... I agree on that.

"I think so too," I answered curtly, taking a sip of tea to calm myself down. The tension around me wasn't as bad as before, thankfully.

"I'm glad... though sometimes, I do wonder if I ever really let go of the past. Actions are better messages than words after all."