Light Against Shadows

Chapter 23

There was an awkward moment when the more embarrassed of them all seemed to be the journalist. Wei was full of questions inside, but he also felt bad for him because Yunlan wasn't even acknowledging his presence now.

From the way the guy looked at Yunlan Wei could tell that he still liked him, but Yunlan's expression was neither angry or sad or resentful, it was the perfect depiction of indifference.

Yunlan helped Hong to her feet, and when he turned he found the man still staring at him.

"You're here for the latest disappearance, I assume. Chu here will give you what he can, we need to take Hong back, she's not feeling well."

With those words Yunlan walked Hong to his car, without even a last glance back, followed by Wei who wasn't sure if he ought to go with them but since he didn't have his own car here he reasoned he had no other choice.

Chu and the journalist watched them walk away until they were left alone on the sidewalk.

Chu grinned. "No comment."

The man sighed in resignation.

Wei and Hong sat on the backseats together while Yunlan drove them to the station. Wei had so many questions he wanted to ask, but her presence held him back.

She didn't have the same problem though.
"Who is that guy?"

Wei said nothing as if it wasn't his concern, but he listened very carefully.

"Li Chang is a journalist, I thought you knew them all."

She caught the meaning behind his words and his sharp tone, but she ignored it. She knew many journalists indeed, but Li Chang was not the one that had printed Wei's story, and his job was not what she was interested in now.

"I meant: who is he to you? Did you go out with him?"

"Yeah. We were together for five months." No anger or sadness transpired from his voice. He simply stated a fact.

Wei was conflicted; on one hand, knowing that he had dated a guy left the door open for him, but on the other hand, his indifference sounded weird, rather cruel actually.

"What happened, did you cheat on him? Or was it him who cheated on you?"

"I'm a faithful guy, I don't cheat. But he didn't either, as far as I know. Things simply didn't work out. What's with all the questions, Hong? Why do you care?"

"I care because I like you, but I see now I never stood a chance."

She said those last words in a low voice. It felt strange to confess it now, but she never had the courage to do it before. It all seemed so silly, all her hopes and all her bitterness, for nothing.

There was an awkward silence for the rest of the ride, broken only by three simple words: "No, you didn't."

They arrived and together the men helped Hong inside. After she assured them that she was feeling fine now, they eventually left.

Actually, she was still a little flustered. Physically she felt fine, but inside she hadn't yet fully recovered. She told them they could go though, that she was alright because she wanted some time alone to think about how silly she had been and also to push away the horrible sensation of feeling estranged from her own body.

So they went, and Yunlan drove Wei home.

Wei's mind was full of the latest discovery, so after a few seconds of silence he approached the subject again.

"May I ask you what happened between you and that journalist? Why it didn't work? He still cares about you." Yunlan had said since you dumped me, meaning that Li Chang was the one to break it off, but why would he do that? It was obvious that he still liked him.