Earlier in the morning there was no sign of downpour but out of nowhere it started raining heavily. Xīn found a place for himself to stay there for a while, a few meters away there was an old bus stand. The bus stand was quite gloomy and yet it had a very distinguished look, there were no people in there, the bus stand was covered with green leaves on its hut and a beautiful yellowish flower blooming on the side of the pillar. It was like a parasitic flower that looked annoyingly beautiful.
Xīn grasped for a moment to take a breath after running a few certain distances, and took a seat on the side.
Drip,drip
The sound of the dripping water that feels like a mixture of slime came from the corner. Xīn, who just got time to rest and take a seat, heard this weird sound and jumped out from his seat.
A dripping sound, some kind of like water coming from the side of an up hole on the bus stand and falling like slime to the ground slowly, Xīn turned around and looked down on the side. It was something like clear crystal colour and yet it was in liquid slimy form, seeing it makes Xīn feel like it's an amoeba-like little creature. And maybe living also?
The slimy thing then gathers, forming a little creature with a head round and has marble eyes and mouth but not limbs just like octopus tail squished flat in the ground.
There was movement inside the little body that was clearly seen by Xīn's eye,
Wha… What kind of thing is it?
Xin thought while monitoring this little creature that just moved now, the little creature moved and looked towards Xīn with his marbles eyes.
The little creature's body was truly crystal clear and looked like jelly from outside. It was like someone just took those DNA of amoeba and genes of jelly fish, at last in the process of life creation they added crystallisation and slime creation in a chamber where not even air can enter. Giving that creature a pure crystal body like those translucent cute jelly fish. But who knows the truth?
Xīn kept an eye on that little creature and was keen to know about it, this little creature was quiet and didn't seem so harmful at all. He made forth to touch that little creature which was looking at him.
"…..!" Xīn feels the sensation of its body texture is squeezy and gives a relaxed mind.
After touching this little creature he was eager to know more about this creature and amazed by its structure and its quite innocent look, he took this little creature in its hands. And started cuddling it, like a lost puppy coming back into its master's arm and enjoying those cuddles after a long time of waiting.
Thud!
Just as Xīn was cuddling and playing with that little creature, a foot step approached and stopped behind Xīn. The person was standing in front of the bus stand. As those footsteps appeared behind Xīn the rain disappeared slowly somehow and steadily without a word. Soon the gloomy dark sky started turning into a bright blue sky with fresh nature fragments and tiny droplets falling from tips of leaves reflected through the atmosphere.
"It's been a long time, isn't it?" a man with a familiar fragrance behind him said calmly, slowly closing the transparent umbrella that he held in his hands.
".....?" Xīn was a little confused at first, about who he really was as he couldn't see his face, and he wasn't going to look at that person behind him, as he was busy and immersed himself into this little creature.
Xīn was in a daze thinking who it could be, but as soon as he thought he could only think of one person's name in his mind, rather it seems like he gave up hope on that name. But what if he isn't the one who he was thinking of, then who could it be ?. Xīn wasn't even looking up; he was still in a daze of abyss thoughts that were in his mind can trust out suddenly. Then gaining his composure from his endless thoughts he decided to ask something first.
"Who are you?" Xīn asked in doubt and to clarify things without looking up, like a blind man.
"Too bad, I thought you remembered me.." the person continued, by calling Xīn's surname that someone used to call him earlier years , " 'my dear' Bēi , you still don't recognize me." But the word 'my' wasn't even included.
Was it?
Xīn was also thinking that he misheard the words.
As time stood still, Xīn froze there for a brief moment of time, it was long like he never, ever felt this kind of sensation in his life, the feeling that all things, happiness are all comin' back to him again. All the memories that had been harboured were going over his mind, the time when truly enjoyed 'worshiping friendship' and swearing in the name of 'friendship'.
After a minute he looked back again. Like a blind guy who had never seen the world he saw a guy with white hair with brown eyes, wearing a white t-shirt and a black trouser standing calmly, "...Cloud!!"
"Now you recognise me, huh?" Cloud gave a crescent smile.
"Yes," Xīn said, giving a back and forth smile. Approaching near him to get a better look at Cloud clearly while his hands were still like holding something.
"How is 'my dear' Xīn?" Cloud asked, seeing the friend beside him.
"U…u-uh, I am fine" Xīn was a little disillusioned by the word, 'my' because Cloud had sometimes only called him that way when they were kids. But now they were adults somehow.
So it might not be the same I guess.
"What about you?" Xīn asked back.
Cloud gave him a smile and said, "Doing somehow well…was just missing my old friend. But here you are."
"...oh!" Xīn said simply.
"Wanna have evening tea together?" he asked with a gentle smile.
Xīn said, "Okay" without even thinking for a second.
"Well, let's keep going then," As the sun drew near to dusk, Cloud started moving ahead.
"Wait, wait!" Xīn quickly said, and continued "I forgot about this –––" Xīn was going to talk about that little creature in his hand but when he looked at it again in his arms.
It wasn't there in his arm, he was frightened and thought, 'where could it have gone, maybe my imagination'? He didn't say anything about this little creature, if it was his imagination then how could the feeling of touching that creature be so real and that creature was like adhering to him, like a lost puppy.
Cloud looked back and gave a side-long glance and asked, "What did Xīn forget?"
"Ohh nothing, wait for me."
It's better not to think about it much.
"Mm," it's been so long since they haven't walked together and Xīn felt very refreshed about this.
The road looks clear and rain muds in the ground, the rain drops in the leaves of trees look like clear shining pearls outside the bus stand, what a best moment.
Near the bus stand a few miles away there was an old market which was, pretty much, larger than he thought. The way which they came through doesn't have any modern roads but historical paths of ancient times.
Soon they walked to an old market, which seemed to exist for a long period. Even though it would be logically best for new youngsters to go to town for tea, it seems they just adjusted to everywhere.
"Hurry up Mann." The old men nagged some youngsters to keep ahead of their work, which seemed like some kind of decoration that would bring auspicious things.
The roads were lively and people were going to and fro busy with their work. As they were walking together Xīn decided to get a full view of it, but it felt like something caught his eye when he was in the market and saw someone doing something lantern works even though these days it was his first time seeing it, "What are they doing?" Xīn asked the Cloud in confusion while squinting his eyes.
"Don't you know?" Cloud asked in amusement, "There is going to be an Autumn lantern festival tomorrow but somehow it suddenly started raining, but I guess nothing can stop the Autumn lantern festival though."
"Ohh, I forgot about that, one of my classmates also asked me if I can join their literature club." Xīn said, and started walking backward while facing Cloud without looking back.
The trees, and flower petals fall at this moment the man before Cloud gives an exaggerated smile, as Cloud asks him "And what you said?"
Giving a chuckle, he began "I said, I can't but before I could tell he already went somewhere and—"
Cloud stopped ahead, and cutted between Xīn's words, "Really? …..we are here btw, 'Purple Café'."
"Huh?" Xīn looked back.
Xīn was in a daze thinking how fast time went by and they traveled so much that he didn't even notice it, when Could mentioned to him that they had reached the Café then he only noticed how fast time went by.
The Café from outside looked classic style and a banner written "Purple Café" inside was also pretty good, unique paintings hung on the walls, some wooden chairs and tables and ancestral things writings were kept on the side of the places that you can see vividly, and lastly there was a window seat of café where curtains were putted on the side making someone to see beauty of nature and the September month where most leaves become yellow falling down and whereas some remain same somehow.
Xīn and Cloud took that window seat.
To more surprise to Xīn there was a river flowing there slowly steadily freshening the minds of the listeners.
"Welcome sir, what do you both like to have?" The waiter came soon too, who was wearing light green hanfu and asked for their orders.
"Two cup of teas pls"
"Okay..and anything like dessert, sir?"
"What do you like to have Xīn?" Cloud be said glancing towards Xīn.
Xīn was too busy staring at those scenarios outside the window so he just said, "Umm, anything would be okay to me."
"Okay then, bring some nice sweets you have," Cloud said.
"Okay sir your order will be ready in a min." Taking their order the waiter left while having her face blush somehow that Cloud noticed.
Xīn kept looking outside and Cloud at him, he couldn't take his eyes off him, perhaps something was going on in his mind.
"Mm....btw what was that group that you were asked to join in?"
"Didn't you hear what I said earlier?" Xīn asked in confusion.
Cloud was taken aback when Xīn said that so he replied making a regretful sound, "Oh sorry I wasn't paying attention."
"Oh, no it's not your fault." Xīn continued, "it's called literature club btw.
Could was shocked a little before replying, "Ohh, I am in that club you can join in"
"Really?" Xīn jerked, sounding a little excited.
"Yea" Cloud said, placing his one left hand on his face and staring at Xīn, while giving a smile and those smiles were damn good and looked passionate for someone to fall in love with easily. Just as Xīn can also be one.
"Here's your order sir, please enjoy" The waiter came back placing their order one by one, and left after placing it on the table.
The tea smelled very good and fresh. Xīn took a sip of tea 'it's really good'. His one hand reached out to eat one sweet cookie on the table before a right hand stopped his hand from in front.
Cloud said, with his hand still on his cheek, "Don't eat for now, otherwise tea will become tasteless later on."
"Really? Okay thanks, I guess." Xīn gave an awkward smile back to Cloud, while feeling better and yet awkward. He clenched his cup.
He still remembers why he came here. Because he had a deep resentment towards Cloud when he had left him alone.
Although he wanted to ask him…
Even though we're best friends through our childhood. But why can't I have courage to ask him. Why this feeling of bitterness…..I hate it,those bitterness are awful.
Xīn zoned out, and drank all the tea in his cup. And even went up ahead drinking an empty cup. Until a voice makes him come back into his senses.
"Xīn…Xīn." A voice rang and he looked towards Cloud.
"Sorry, I zone out for a second."
Cloud took Xīn cup and gave him his tea and forwarded cookie to him, gazing him he said, " It's okay"
Xīn didn't hesitate to drink tea again as it was sweet and he liked it. That he actually forgot and grabbed the cookies and ate some before drinking tea. And now after drinking tea his mouth didn't feel the taste of the tea. Making him bring quite dissatisfaction over his face.
Cloud noticed, and he asked with a different invitation, "I was asking if you wanna come tomorrow to the Autumn festival at night?"
"Me.mh..I.?" Xin stammered thinking in hesitation and yet like dreaming.
"Yes," Cloud said in seriousness.
"... okay" Xīn said, putting down the cup in his hand.
Xīn was about to say no, but Cloud could not hear his inner thoughts, as Cloud said "Okay then it's settled come at four thirty pm, in this market."
Xīn hesitated and said,"Huh.. oh, okay."
Cloud reached out his hand and grabbed the tea cup and slowly began to drink all the tea inside the cup. Xīn, who was a bit flustered at first by the scene, but he started getting a bit better somehow. But he doesn't know why. Before putting his cup down on the table Cloud gave a side warm glance at Xīn.
"Give me your phone, I will type out my number." Cloud said.
Xīn said, "Mmm" taking out his phone from his pocket and handing it over to Cloud, where he saw his best friend typing his contact number.
"...." Xīn stayed silent watching Cloud move his finger on his phone.
Xīn and Cloud walked outside the Café. It was evening by now and soon it would start getting dark a bit. Xīn insisted on sharing bills with Cloud but he paid the bill all by himself, so Xín decided to pay him back later. Seeing the beautiful sight of this new place. Xīn was very happy and pleased by today's encounter even though there were some awkward moments but both were grown up now. So it's fine.
By the time they reached home it was dark, Cloud walked Xīn to his home being stubborn and went home by himself alone, saying he would take a taxi on the way.
The moon in the night glows, the star twinkling in sky, the cold wind blows at night. Xīn was in his bed and he kept opening the balcony. He was in a deep thought, maybe something was going on in his mind.
It was Xīn uncle's house. Xīn uncle and his aunt are always busy with their personal business matters, so Xīn had free time to do anything in their house. And they never had a child before so he was free to do anything in their house.
Ding
A notification came
It was Cloud who messaged him asking if he enjoyed today or not? In response Xīn replied saying it was very great, and thanked him for taking him to the Café and paying for him, promising he will pay back.
"It's okay you don't have to, bye for now see ya tomorrow then" Cloud said in response.
"Bye see ya tomorrow." Xīn replied in a message.
Xīn was very happy; he was just waiting for tomorrow's dawn to meet his old friend again.