Golden Thread

Her Love

The moment I realised my feelings for him, I knew why I was shaking so much. It wasn't out of fear, as he thought, gently whispering to me, his concerned eyes drifting over my face. 

It was excitement, joy. 

I was happy to finally be able to see him, with my own eyes, feel him, with my own hands. I could touch him, not over a cold sheet of paper, but over his warm skin. I sometimes imagined what his voice would sound like. It would be deep one day, slightly higher the next. Out of all the made-out voices, his real one beat them all. It was a low, rich baritone that flowed through the words like a leaf carried by a river. 

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that, I thought you were someone working for my brother..." He stopped talking,  noticing I wasn't listening at all. Then, he gasped. "How are we understanding each other ?" The question brought me out of my thoughts and I blinked in confusion. 

In the same way as for the letters, I couldn't hear him speak an unknown language, yet I could understand their meaning the moment the words registered in my head. As I realised how my head was automatically conveying another language's meaning to English, a sudden pang of headache assaulted me. I flinched and crumbled to my knees, my breath ragged and short as I grabbed my head with my hands, squeezing my eyes shut at the pain. 

Warmth enveloped me as Ming Lei hugged me to his chest, smoothing my hair with a gentle hand. His lips brushed the top of my head and I blushed, all pain caused by the headache brushed away by my bursting heart. 

"Oh no, you're all red !" He said above my head. My sight was suddenly full of him, his orbs staring straight into mine, our foreheads bumping. "You don't have a fever though..." I jumped back, forgetting I was already leaning against the wall. My head hit something soft and warm, and I jerked back. Ming Lei had raised his hand just in time to cushion my head hitting the wall. With a sullen look, he stood up and walked a few steps away from me, his back turned. "I don't want you to be afraid of me, Leah." He sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration. " If I scare you, I'll stay at a fixed distance away from you." He paused, hesitant, his back hunched. " I just wish we could be friends." The meaning under his words was clear to me. 

He was afraid I would leave him too. 

I jumped to my feet and wrapped my arms around his waist, my cheek pressed against his back. Words were fighting to slip out but I clenched my jaw stubbornly. How could I, for even a fraction of a second, feel fear for this vulnerable man ? 

He was much taller than me and, as he turned to face me, I could barely reach his chin. I looked up into his clear, pure eyes, feeling an uncontrollable smile blooming over my lips when it struck me again. 

... died in a tragic hunting accident ...

I raised my head, hitting his chin. He yelled out in pain and then laughed. "Your head is a danger to society, Leah." I could feel the burst of laughter erupting from deep within me but forced myself to keep a straight face. 

"Ming Lei, you have to believe me. You're in grave danger. How old are you right now ?" He looked surprised at my question at first but answered it nonetheless. 

"I will be 22 in a few months. Why the question ?" 

"What would you say if I told you I know your future ?" My gaze was unwavering. I wanted him to see how serious I was.

He blinked and smiled, patting my head. "Well, taking into account you're here, I think I would believe anything you say." 

I wasn't sure if he was just saying it to please me, but I had to tell him, no matter whether he believed me or not. "You're going to-" Suddenly, it was as if I couldn't control my mouth anymore. No sound was coming out, even if I felt like I was yelling. 

Then, I remembered some old novel about time travel. 

You can't tell people of the past their future.