Assassin

[Extra Part]

Hi!

Just a quick note: so this story has an extra part because back then when I was up to my 13th story, I created a little poll and asked my readers to choose which story they'd like to see with an extra part, and this story got the most votes on, so here it is! And I hope you've enjoyed reading :)

C

*****

“How old is he?” John asked watching Johnathan running around with his new sword in the plaza with some other children. John was sipping on his tea across from me. I could not near my eyes off him; I had missed him so much, and he still looked as good as he was in my memory. He had not changed a bit. I was having a hard time holding back my tears; I could tell I would have a breakdown once I was alone.
“Three,” I stuttered as John gazed at me with his glistering green eyes which reminded me of all the times that I had glanced into them. It was like I was falling in love all over again.
“He’s handsome,” John smiled and raised his cup to his lips. Oh, those lips… I had missed him so much.
“Just like you,” I muttered under my breath, not being able to help myself. And it was weird how he could not see the resemblance between Johnathan and him. They looked so alike! Maybe that thought had never occurred to him – that he had a son actually – and it hurt.
“Huh?” John asked, which thankfully indicated that he did not catch what I had just said.
“Nothing,” I said quickly, “It’s nice talking to you.” More than nice, actually. It was like I was dreaming… I hoped Johnathan would not jump on me and wake me up from this perfect dream.
“Same,” John smiled at me again, and my heart melted.
“Would you like to come over for lunch?” I asked hopefully.
“Wouldn’t your husband mind?” John asked.
“I – he – I – my husband has died,” I lied, and looked away. Oh God, I wanted to cry so badly. I could not possibly say “you are supposed to be my husband”, could I?
“I’m sorry,” John said wholeheartedly, “It must be hard raising a kid on your own.”
“It’s okay,” I smiled at him, “My husband has left me enough money.” Which was partly true.
We finished the remaining of our tea, and I wished it had lasted longer. I hoped John would not just walk away.
“So,” I started again, “About lunch…”
“Sure,” John said happily, “I’d like to come over.”
“Okay!” I said, trying my best not to explode with happiness and jump up to break out into a dance of victory, “Johnathan!” I called, “We’re leaving!”
“Coming Mummy!” Johnathan called and said goodbye to the other kids, and ran to my side clutching his new sword.
We all walked home with Johnathan holding my hand and his sword, and John was walking on the other side of me. Our arms were almost brushing, and I was using all my determination to press down the urge to hold John’s hand.
On the way home, people kept shooting us kind smiles, glancing between John and Johnathan. John still had not noticed how alike they actually looked. Johnathan was basically a mixture of John and I.
“We’re here!” I let go of Johnathan’s hand and stepped forward to unlock the door. I pushed open the door to our cozy little house, and when I stepped aside to let John and my – our – son go inside, I found myself trying hard not to cry again. Johnathan reached for John’s hand and led him inside, pulling John around the house, showing him everything.
“Johnathan, make sure you are nice to Uncle John!” I called before walking into the kitchen to make lunch.
“I will!” I heard Johnathan’s faint voice from his room – he must be showing John his room.
I was busy in the kitchen chopping up food, surrounded by John and Johnathan’s voices as they were playing in the living room. I had never felt this happy, this alive ever since John’s “death” – well, maybe once, when Johnathan was born. I shuddered at the thought of the last time I saw John—
“Need any help?” John was casually leaning against the frame of the kitchen door, startling me. I jumped a mile, spinning around.
“Oops,” John giggled – I had missed that sound, “Sorry!”
“It’s okay,” I chuckled, “You go and play with Johnathan.”
“He told me to leave him alone until he has finished his drawing,” John shook his head, smiling, “He doesn’t want me to see it yet.”
“What is he drawing?”
“No idea,”
“Alright then – maybe you can help me with cutting up the food in the meanwhile,” I gestured to the uncut food next to me and shifted the chopping board so we could share.
We small talked as we did our job, and when John had finished cutting his cucumber, he reached over for the carrot – and his hand brushed against mine, sending electric shocks through my system. I froze in whatever I was doing, and could feel heat creeping up my face. Oh, I really felt like I was falling in love with him again. But the thing was, to him, I was no more than a friend that he had just met today. How could I make him fall in love with me again? I did not think I could stand being around him as a friend for long; I needed him, I needed his touch, his love.
A moment had passed, and I noticed John’s hand was still hovering over mine – he was frozen in his position too. I stole a glance up at him to find him looking at me with burning green eyes.
We stayed in this position for what felt like ages and finally John spoke, “Err, can I use the bathroom?” then he looked away, embarrassed.
“S – sure,” I stuttered, still feeling the aftershock of our contact, “I guess Johnathan’s shown you before.”
John walked away abruptly, and once he was gone, I exhaled noisily. Did he feel that too? The impact of our contact? Or was he just startled by my overreaction? Did he notice that I had frozen and stiffen up once his skin touched mine?
Thousands of questions were racing in my head, and I took a deep breath to calm myself. I did not want to scare him away before I could take things further.
A few moments later, John was back, and he seemed himself again.
“I think Johnathan’s almost done with the picture,” John said, and continued where he had left.
The atmosphere returned to normal, and finally lunch was ready.
“Johnathan!” I called, putting the dishes on the table, “Lunch is ready!”
“Coming!” I heard quick footsteps coming close, and I looked up to see Johnathan holding a piece of paper. His drawing.
“Look, Mummy!” he raised his drawing and I gasped. He had drawn our house in the background, and a tiny Johnathan in the middle, holding what looked like a wooden sword and he had a cape on. Next to him were John and I, on both his sides. I looked normal, but John… He was wearing an assassin outfit, holding another wooden sword, sword-fighting with Johnathan. We all had huge smiles on, and I was looking at them playing.
“Oh Johnathan,” I tried to hold in my tears, “This is nice.”
“Look, Uncle John!” Johnathan grinned at me before turning to John. John pulled his eyebrows together for a moment, studying the drawing, and I could see that he was confused. Did he remember that he used to be an assassin? He had just mentioned that he had no family as they were killed when he was very young and he was in an accident a few years ago; he woke up on the shore and he stumbled his way into this town, and started a new life here. He told me these in the kitchen and it seemed like he did not know that he had lost some of his memory.
“It looks nice, Johnathan,” John finally smiled at Johnathan.
“This is for you, Uncle John,” Johnathan gave John the drawing, and he folded it up and put it into his pocket.
“Thanks Johnathan!” John messed up Johnathan’s hair, causing him to giggle.
We had a nice day, and John even stayed for dinner. Finally it was time to say goodbye to John – Johnathan had gone to bed already.
“I’m really glad that I know you,” I told John at the door, “I was so busy taking care of Johnathan that I didn’t have any friends – until I’ve met you!”
“Believe it or not, I didn’t have any friends too,” John smiled – I loved his smile so much; it still made me melt every time I saw it, “I guess I’m a bit weird.”
“You’re not,” I was tempted to add “you’re basically everything I want”.
“Well, can I come over again tomorrow?” John asked hopefully. So he wanted to stay friends with me! “I really enjoyed you and Johnathan’s company.”
“Of course!” I was grinning from ear to ear – I would totally dance around the room once I was alone!
“Bye, thanks for today,” John hugged me and oh God – I almost died of happiness.
“Bye, thanks for today, too,” I inhaled his scent using this opportunity – he still smelled the same, “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

That night, I went to bed with a huge smile on my face. I had never slept this well in years, ever since I had to sleep alone after John… Well, never mind.

“Mummy! Someone’s knocking on the door!” Johnathan shouted from the living room where he was playing with his toys – I was on my bed, staring and fumbling with the gold locket which John had left behind. I found it in his pillow – the one thing of John that I brought here – he had hid this locket with a tiny painting of him and his parents when he was small inside.
“Coming!” I called, and quickly put the locket down, rushing out to answer the door – I was so happy John was visiting again!
And after the night where the incident which forced John and I apart, I checked before opening the door – and sure enough, it was John outside, looking fresh and gorgeous as ever.
“John,” I grinned as we hugged.
“(Yn),” he kissed my cheek, sending tingles all over my body. I felt like the teenage girl who first met John Grimes again.
“Uncle John!” Johnathan yelled happily as he saw John. He leaped up from the floor and hugged John’s leg, making John laughed. He messed up Johnathan’s hair, which looked so much like his own hair, again.
“Uncle John,” Johnathan pulled away and jumped up and down excitedly, “I’ve drawn something else again, come!”
“Okay,” John chuckled and followed Johnathan down the short hallway after giving me a brief smile. I went into the kitchen to make tea.
When they emerged into the living room again, I was surprised to see John with a confused expression, while Johnathan still looked happy like before. What was wrong?
John stayed with us for the whole day again, but he had been quiet all day, which was very unlike of his usual behavior, and also his behavior yesterday. I did not dare to ask anyway, and Johnathan was always there chatting.
At last the day had come to an end and I had put Johnathan to bed. I came out to the living room and sat down on the sofa next to John. He was staring into space.
“John,” I put a hand on his knee, “Is something wrong? You’ve been very quiet today.”
“I – you – this,” John wanted to say something, but he could not form a sentence. Instead he reached into his back pocket and produced the locket which I had been looking at this morning. Oh God, I had forgotten to put it away! He must have noticed it on the way to Johnathan’s room.
“Why do you have this?” John asked me, his expression serious, “I – I don’t know what’s happening, but, I feel like I’ve known you forever, while the fact is that I’ve just met you yesterday. And don’t be frightened – I think I’ve fallen in love with you already—” oh my God, did he just say that? I had succeeded already without even trying?
He continued, ignoring my shock expression, “And Johnathan looks strangely like me—” so he did notice! “—and I think I’ve missed something in my memory, although I’m not sure. You know, after the accident – I just remember that I – I’ve been an assassin all my life—” so that explained his reaction to Johnathan’s drawing! “—and that’s all I know. The last memory I have is me walking around the market in another town, tracking down this gang with so many horses…” oh God – that happened right before our first encounter!
“John,” I was speechless – how did I begin?
“Who am I?” John whispered, staring at the locket like a lost boy, “What exactly has happened after that?”
And that was it. I could not restrain myself anymore. I grabbed John’s shoulders and kissed him hard, pouring out all my longing for him – my passion, the feelings I got when he was not around, everything I had saved in the past three and a half years – with tears streaming down my face.
John was shocked at first, but then I felt him relax. He rested his hands hesitantly on my waist and kissed back. It felt so good to be able to kiss him again. I had missed him so, so, so much.
“I love you too,” I grasped John’s face firmly in my palms and whispered against his lips, “You have no idea. Ever since that day in the market.” I was referring to the very first time when we met, but I guessed he would get it as yesterday…
Then suddenly John’s eyes widened, “Oh. My. God,” he gasped, and a spilt second later, he attached his lips to mine again, this time with so much force and passion—
“Oh God (Yn),” I could feel water droplets falling onto my cheeks, and they were not mine – was John crying? Why?
Finally we pulled away and gasped for air, “(Yn),” John’s eyes were not just filled with tears now – but also with passion and love.
“I remember everything now,” he whispered.