Chasing You (Arcs 1-7)

My Dear Emperor (XXIII)

In the dragon chamber, a young boy was sitting wooden bed looking at his hands in longingness. He was waiting for their return, inside he had always been afraid that his father too would leave just like his mother. He was afraid of being alone in the large unknown world. The boy raised his hands and clasped onto the pendant and closed his eyes. He was picturing two sapphire peach blossom eyes looking at him, the imaginary touch that would caress their head, the soundless voice that cooed his name.

The wooden door creaked opened and a tall figure walked in. The young boy's lashes blinked open and his breath hitched. His bottom lips trembled and his eyes watered instantly. His large round dark brown eyes looked at the person in his father's arms and he ran over, "Mommy!"

The bond that they shared was unique. Even if they looked different, he would still be able to tell that they were his mother. Seeing that they hadn't responded, he stopped a couple of steps away. They were sleeping... He peered up at his father, trying to probe what was going on but couldn't gain any knowledge from the look in their eyes. He clenched his tiny fists, he had waiting for this moment for so long and now that he was finally given the moment... He felt afraid. Afraid that they would wake up with no memories of him, that he had been forgotten about.

He hesitated for a second and called out in a cautious voice, "Mommy?"

The person stirred from their slumber from the noise and their eyes slowly opened, meeting the young boy's black pearls with their cloudy grey eyes. They were unfocused and dull, even if he was young... He somehow understood that they could not see him. A look of despondency flickered in his adorable eyes. He was already very scared of them forgetting him... What if they couldn't recognize him from his voice? Another darker thought entered into his mind... What if they despised him for leading them to their death? How will he be able to atone for such a heavy sin? He looked down in dejection at his feet.

Just as he was being pessimistic about his situation, they opened their mouth. What they said next tore off the remaining bandage inside of their fragile heart, "Xiao Jun?"

Lin Jun Kai let out a small sound of acknowledgement as the tears pooled in his eyes, "Mhm... Mommy."

It felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off of his shoulders and he could finally breathe normally without holding his breath. Tu HuaLi kissed the tired person's forehead and whispered into their ear, "Just in front of you."

They smiled gently and with two outstretched arms, Xu XiuLan called out, "Come here."

His voice was as gentle as the spring breeze, like the sun that had long been obscured by the heavy clouds finally casting down it's warm rays of light in the bleak and bitter winter lands. Lin Jun Kai broke out in a run and dashed over to his mother. Tu HuaLi lowered himself so that Xu XiuLan could hug Lin Jun Kai.

Falling into their embrace, he finally relieved himself of the grievances that he had withheld inside of him. Lin Jun Kai had always tried to be strong so that he wouldn't hold back or obstruct his father, he was the one who helped give away his mother. Leaning in their embrace, he showered Xu XiuLan's robes with his tears as he rubbed his head. Lin Jun Kai murmured through his sets of tears, "Mommy.... *sob* Mommy... Xiao Jun missed you *sob* so much."

Xu XiuLan couldn't stop himself from crying either, he rubbed Lin Jun Kai's back, "I'm here now. Mommy is sorry."

Lin Jun Kai could hear the raspiness in their voice and knew that his father had bullied his mother, he ticked a note into his mind to get back his father later. His father had just found his mother after a very long time... Was he trying to make his mother leave again? After nodding on how to punish his father for being so reckless, Lin Jun Kai snivelled and pulled out the pendant around his neck.

His tiny hands placed it on the palm of Xu XiuLan's hands, "Mommy, when Xiao Jun missed you, Xiao Jun would look at this. Now that mommy is back, Xiao Jun will give it back to you"

Xu XiuLan smiled sadly thinking about what he had done to Xiao Jun when he was Kasimir. He placed the necklace back onto Lin Jun Kai's neck and pulled him into his arms once again, "Mommy is sorry for what mommy has done to you, Xiao Jun."

Lin Jun Kai knew what Xu XiuLan was referring to and shook his head, "It's okay, mommy. Daddy already explain everything to Xiao Jun. I don't blame you."

Xu XiuLan chuckled, "Of course he would... But I still have to apologize."

Lin Jun Kai finally let out a laughter filled with happiness, "Hehe, I forgive you, mommy."

Tu HuaLi observed the scene with a profound softness in his eyes. Though the time that he had spent alone with his lover was very small and could not account for the thousands of years they had spent apart... He would have time to make up for the loss time. Tu HuaLi lightly reminded the two, "It is getting late, we should retire for the day."

Hearing Tu HuaLi's words, Lin Jun Kai pulled away and nervously fumbled his hands. He peeked up at his father and mother, "Xiao Jun misses sleeping with mommy and daddy... Can Xiao Jun sleep with you tonight?"

Tu HuaLi had already known that he would ask of this and had the servants prepared everything in advance already. Xu XiuLan rubbed the top of his head, "Of course you can, Xiao Jun."

Lin Jun Kai's eyes sparkled and his cheeks reddened in embarrassment. He would always be shy around his mother. Tu HuaLi brough Xu XiuLan to the bed as they held onto Lin Jun Kai's hand.

They laid in the large bed and talked throughout the night. Lin Jun Kai was eccentric and babbled on about his adventure with Tu HuaLi. He was about to bring out his souvenirs that he made Tu HuaLi hold onto but was shot down because he needed to go to sleep. Xu XiuLan hummed him a tune and he eventually fell asleep in between Xu XiuLan and Tu HuaLi.

Tucking the blanket nicely around him, Xu Xiulan kissed Lin Jun Kai's forehead, "You've kept his name the same."

Tu HuaLi reached over and caressed his cheek, "Because it is his name, something you bestowed to him. There was no need for another name."

Xu XiuLan smiled. For the first time since the fifth world, he felt at peace. Tu HuaLi looked down at him as he was leaning against his hand that was propped up, "Do you want me to fix your eyes?"

Xu XiuLan shook his head, "Not now, in time, Ah Li."