HIStory 3.5: Make Our Days Count: Love's Sacrifice

The Aftermath

The incessant ringing of Hao Ting's cell phone finally stirred Hao Ting and Yu Shi Gu awake. It seemed it only had been a couple hours since they had fallen asleep after their marathon overnight conversation. It actually was a little past 10:00 am, a little over six hours since they finally crashed together on the bed. Still not fully awake or aware Hao Ting answered the phone.

"Ni hao," he groggily answered into the phone.

"Ni hao. Hao Ting, are you okay? Where are you?" Hao Ting's mother could be heard asking in an excited tone on the other end of the phone.

"Ma, why are you calling so early?" responded Hao Ting.

"Early. 8 o'clock is early. 9 o'clock is early. It past 10 o'clock for someone who did not call or come home last night," Hao Ting's mother answered.

"I'm at Yu Shi Gu's. We'll stop by later. I'm going back to sleep," replied Hao Ting as he ended the call, rolled over and cuddled with Yu Shi Gu as they both went back to sleep.

"So where is he at," asked Yong Xing, "Did he spend the night at Sun Bo's apartment?"

"No," Cai Zhu responded looking thoroughly confused, "He said he was at Yu Shi Gu's and they'll be by later."

Hearing the news, Ching Chang, spit out the orange juice that he was drinking. "What, what did you just say?"

"Hao Ting said that he's at Yu Shi Gu's and they will be by later," repeated Cai Zhu still just as confused as she was the first time, she said it.

Two hours later when Hao Ting woke up, he found Yu Shi Gu sitting cross-legged on the bed holding Hao Ting's hand and staring at Hao Ting's face.

"How long have you been up?" Hao Ting asked. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"About 30 minutes," Yu Shi Gu replied. "I just wanted to watch you sleep."

Sitting up in the bed, Hao Ting hugged Yu Shi Gu to his chest. Yu Shi Gu noticed that since yesterday, Hao Ting has needed to maintain some type of touch with Yu Shi Gu, something that Yu Shi Gu did not mind and actually craved. The pair were unaware that even when they were sleeping, Hao Ting's body would automatically reposition itself whenever Yu Shi Gu moved during the night.

"Have you showered," asked Hao Ting.

"No," replied Yu Shi Gu shyly. "I was waiting on you." While Hao Ting needed to maintain touch, Yu Shi Gu needed to keep Hao Ting within his sight. Although they both had dreamed of being back with the other for years, they both were a little fearful that it would be taken away in an instant like before. Yu Shi Gu did not want to appear too clingy, while Hao Ting did not want to seem overbearing or demanding as neither wanted to be away from the other.

Simultaneously, they both said, "We need to talk." Then they did the minute of the obligatory, "You go first. No, you go first. No, you go first." Eventually, it was Yu Shi Gu who went first once the stubborn Hao Ting stopped talking and just stared at Yu Shi Gu waiting for him to talk. Yu Shi Gu was reminded of how stubborn Hao Ting could be a times.

Embarrassed, but sincere, Yu Shi Gu shared his honest feelings with Hao Ting, "The reason why I keep staring at you is because I'm afraid. I am scared that if something happens like before, I won't be able to see your smile. I'm also afraid that because I'm fearful of losing you again, I will act too clingy and that might annoy you."

Hao Ting listened and then said, "You're not the only one scared. I am afraid that you will think I'm too demanding or overbearing because I don't want to go anywhere without you and I don't want you to go anywhere without me. I think considering what we have been through, the fact that we don't want to be apart from each other is natural. We will get there, in time."