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

Love is Love

"Zǎoshang hǎo, wǒ jīntiān hé měitiān dū ài nǐ," was Yu Shi Gu's greeting to Hao Ting after he opened his eyes.

"No fair, I wanted to be the one to wake up first," replied Hao Ting as his eyes focused on Yu Shi Gu.

The two lovers had been in an unspoken competition with each other since Hao Ting moved back into the apartment of being the first one to wake up, watch the other sleep, and then being the first one to say "Good morning.  I love you today and every day."

"At least, I get to be the first to do this," as Hao Ting leaned in and placed a good morning kiss on Yu Shi Gu's lips.  "Zǎoshang hǎo, wǒ jīntiān hé měitiān dū ài nǐ."

Yu Shi Gu and Hao Ting were surprised at how easily they were able to adjust to their new life together.  Time had matured them both. Most of the first week of living together had been spent having marathon sessions staying up late talking about anything and everything.  After each session they found themselves sleeping late the next day.  Once they woke up, Yu Shi Gu would straighten up the apartment while Hao Ting would cook what should have been breakfast but was actually lunch.  Then they would shower and go out, sometimes with no destination in mind, but often to the market to pick something they could cook together for dinner.  Cooking dinner together was usually the catalyst to their conversations.  It did not matter who was taking the lead on dinner, the other was there to help by washing the vegetables, chopping the vegetables, or setting the table.  Inevitably some topic would come up that would spur a memory and just like that a conversation would start that would usually last through dinner.  That conversation would then spur another conversation and so on and so on until the duo usually found it was early morning before they fell asleep cuddled together in each other's arms.

It seemed it was easier for them to talk once the sun went down and everything around them naturally slowed down.  They shared everything about themselves over the last 6 years, or at least as much as they each could remember.  There were some surprises, they realized, as they got to know the current versions of themselves.  One of which was the similarity between the mottos they each adopted to use as the guiding principle for living their lives.  The new Yu Shi Gu was dedicated to being more laidback and carefree than his younger version.  Yu Shi Gu's selected the saying of the Buddha, "Each morning we are born again.  What we do today is what matters most."

As he had strived to become more dedicated and dependable, Hao Ting selected the Buddha's quote, "Ardently do today what must be done.  Who knows? – tomorrow, death comes."  In different ways, Yu Shi Gu and Hao Ting both came to understood the importance and impermanence of time.  Given a second chance to be with the one they loved, they were both committed to making the most of each moment.

During this time Yu Shi Gu introduced Hao Ting to his aunt and her husband.  Yu Shi Gu's aunt finally had the opportunity to apologize to Hao Ting for the events from 6 years ago and Hao Ting had taken the opportunity to forgive her.  Hao Ting had come to understand that she and his father were acting out of concern and love and while the results were not ideal, it was not an ideal or easy time for any of them then.  She let Yu Shi Gu and Hao Ting know that whatever they decided to do with their lives from here on, she would be there to support them unconditionally.

"What is it?" asked Hao Ting.  He could already see Yu Shi Gu had put on his serious face.

"Will you be okay today?" asked Yu Shi Gu.

It had been a little more than a month since the incident at Hao Ting's parent's condo.  Since that time Hao Ting and Yu Shi Gu had not been back to Hao Ting's parent's home nor have Hao Ting and his father spoken a word to each other.  Thankfully, the relationship between the couple and the rest of Hao Ting's family, his mom and sister, was different.  Cai Zhu and Yong Xing took the open invitation they were given to heart and had been to the apartment on multiple occasions.  Cai Zhu and Hao Ting even had a mother-son lunch date, while Yong Xing and Yu Shi Gu had their own getting to know you date.  Cai Zhu and Yong Xing wanted Yu Shi Gu to know that if he was Hao Ting's family, then Yu Shi Gu was their family.  Yong Xing has even taken to calling Yu Shi Gu, Shi Gu ge (brother) and asking to borrow money like any little sister would do to her big brother.  Cai Zhu was just happy to see Hao Ting's wide smile and the light return to Hao Ting's eyes.