The Tale of the Lotus Heart

Chapter 4

Yong and I gave each other official titles that day. He was right, I was oddly pulled to him by some unknown force. I felt comfortable with him. We dated for six months. Every day, the butterflies tickled my stomach with him just like the first day. We didn't grow tired of each other or even argue. Yong mentioned that he was willing to give me the world, and he stuck by that promise. Even though the hospital kept him busy, he always made time to come see me or call me everyday. He treated me like I was a precious rare gem, and I was eating it up. We held hands and hugged often, but we hadn't kissed yet. Call me a prude if you must, but I still hadn't had my first kiss. Plus, I had other things to worry about. My 24th birthday was one day away and it made me nervous. As much as I told myself that the old lady's words were ramblings of a madwoman, the threat of me losing my life at 24 still nagged in the back of my brain. Yong suggested we have a private birthday party with just the two of us at his condo. My recent paranoia made me immediately agree. I was less likely to die of an accident if I stayed in one place.

On my birthday, Yong picked me up from work and drove us to his condo for my birthday party. I was shocked when I walked inside, besides the large space and modern furniture, the room was lit by led twinkle lights that were strung to the ceiling. On the coffee table in the living room, there was a two layered, expensive looking birthday cake and a 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon set next to an expensive looking crystal decanter.

"Yong," I said in amazement as I walked towards the cake. He sang happy birthday to me as he lit the candle on the cake. I sat cross cross on the floor in front of the table as he finished the song.

"Make a wish," he smiled at me. I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes tightly with a sigh.

"I don't want to die yet," I pleaded with the invisible gods. As I unclasped my hands, Yong held my hand in his.

"I promise, I'll protect you," he swore. I smiled lightly before blowing out the candle. Yong poured the wine for us and held his glass up to me.

"To many more birthdays," he toasted. I clinked my glass against his before taking a sip of the wine. It was exquisite with a sour spice flavor and sweet aftertaste. We simply talked and ate cake, keeping the wine for company. I admit, I was getting slightly buzzed, but I was also having a good time.

"I also have a present for you," he said quickly. He stood and went to a different room as I waited. Alone, I felt a pain start in my chest. It aggressively got worse as my hand clutched my heart. I gasped as I tried to crawl away from the table. I wanted to tell for Yong but the pain left me unable to talk. I felt an unbearable heat spread through my body as a pink light filled the room from somewhere. When Yong came back, he dropped the present quickly and came to my side.

"Aivi! Aivi, hang on," he said as he cradled me and took me into a bedroom. The pink light followed. I expected him to take me to the hospital or call 911, but instead, he sat me on his bed, sat behind me, and pressed his hands against my back. I felt two different energies fighting for power in my body. One was calming, while the other was chaotic. The pain was a little more bearable, but it hadn't gone away. Several minutes passed before the chaotic energy finally subsided. The pink light faded away completely, and the only light now came from a bedside lamp. Yong let out a breath before pulling me gently to lay down in his lap.

"What was that?" I asked hoarsely. Yong looked conflicted before he sighed.

"I won't keep it from you. The lotus birthmark on your back isn't just a curse. It's the marking of the lotus heart. Your body holds an ancient power that many beings, human and not, will eventually come for. The lotus heart was dormant, but it's been awakened, which means others will soon be able to sense it. That old lady's words were partially true. Now that it's been activated, your life is in danger. When activated, you'll feel pain because you're only human, but I did my best to ease the pain in the meantime. I couldn't stop it," he explained. I used my weak body to push myself up. Yong helped me until I was finally back in a sitting position as I faced him.

"Lotus heart? A lot of... things want it?" I asked, trying to process what he said. Yong nodded.

"Yes, but I promised to protect you, no matter what. Even if you die on Earth, I won't let you disappear," he promised.

"What does that mean?" I asked confused. His hand touched my face gently as his thumb rubbed over my cheek gently.

"It means that I'll protect you. I love you, and I refuse to lose you,"  he simplified. I saw the determination in his eyes. I leaned forward and kissed him gently. Even after knowing what trouble I'll inadvertently bring, Yong still cared about me. He said he loved me. Yong deepened the kiss as he pulled me closer. The longer I kissed him, the more energized I felt. My arms went around his neck as he moved to lay me down and hover over me. His kisses slowed before he pulled away just enough to stare at me.

"I love you too, Yong," I said gently.

"You finally kissed me," he smiled lightly. I blushed as I looked away from him.

"You're my first kiss," I admitted.

"I want to be all of your firsts," he said coyly before he kissed me again.