Yokubo

CHAPTER 3: WATER

Fabian drives home in silence. Pondering his conversation with Daisy. 

"What do you think we're talking about?" he remembers her saying. 

"I don't know," he replied. He continues driving as he remembers. 

"Love, Fabian. Love," she said with a chuckle. 

"Love?" he replied. 

"Yes, love. If not what else? There's nothing else we live for." she said. 

"So we paying for love is bad?" he asked. 

"No silly, paying more than you should for love is bad. It's a real problem. An epidemic, really." she explained. 

"Isn't getting hurt a part of love?" Fabian asked. 

"But is it really worth getting hurt over and over just for one "great" love?" replied Daisy.

 "What even is a great love anyways?" Fabian retorted. Daisy chuckles. 

"It's the kind of love that gives life meaning. Purpose." Fabian signals as he watches his house gate open. 

"Isn't that kind of love worth all the hurt?" he asked. Daisy sighed. Fabian drives into the house and shifts the gear to 'P'. He stares into the rearview mirror as he watches the gates close behind him. 

" The wounds of love are like drawing don't you think? With every love lost you sink deeper and deeper," said Daisy. Fabian walks out of his car and stops by the fish pond on the way in. He stares at the fountain in the pond. Watching as the water gushed out and into the pond. 

"And the only way to not drown is for this "great love" to pull you above water. But what if they never come? What if they're saving somebody else?" she continued. 

"What happens if no one saves you?" Fabian asked. Fabian walked over to his spot by the pond and knelt down, leaning against that wooden railing as he did earlier. Staring up at the evening sky.

 "You hold your breath, so hard that you lose yourself and when that happens... you're dead in the water. Floating lifelessly to the surface. You see with love, it really is, do or die." Daisy said. Fabian's eyelids began to get heavy as he blinked slowly. He started to drift as he lay his head back on the railing and slipped into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he was at a bus stop. It was evening but the sky was blue and the whole dream felt, lonely. He stood at the empty bus stop for what felt like ages. He then turned to walk along the side of the road as the bus didn't seem to want to show up. He turned the corner and found a clearing. Not all grass but mixed with tar from the road. It looked like an empty parking lot with some weeds. He stared at the trees illuminated by the now reddish evening glow. An angry golden hour, if you will. He stood there, basking at the moment with a smile on his face. He felt a hand grip him and when he turned to see who it was he saw Daisy. Holding his hand and rested her chin on his shoulder like they were together. 

"Hey baby," she said with a smile on her face. This didn't phase him one bit as he replied without delay. 

"Hey, babe. Look at this," he said gesturing to the scenery. Daisy chuckled lightly. 

"It's beautiful". Fabian looks at her when she says this. Capturing her beauty with one glance, the red evening glow shone brightly. Then sudden darkness fell on the dream. The sound of a phone ringing and ringing filled his dreamscape as he jolted awake, leaning against the railing of the pond.

He cracked his neck uncomfortably as the shrill sound of his phone continued. He sighed and picked it up. 

"Hello?". 

"Hey babe Ana and I are at this bar. We couldn't get a Grab so Ana's friend Tim picked us up. He's joining us too. You hungry?". Fabian scanned his surroundings. And sighed.

 "Yeah can also." he replied. "Ok! I'll text you the address!" replied Hailey cheerfully. Fabian sighs leaning his head back against the wooden railing.

The bar was a small, claustrophobic joint with only three barstools with Tim serving as the guest bartender for the night. He was a thin-looking guy with some muscle but well dressed and wore a nice metal watch. He had this aura of confidence- no, more like a "polite arrogance" which he covered with his smile and jokes as Hailey and Ana sat opposite him laughing their heads off when Fabian walked in. There was a brief moment of awkwardness as the background music continued. Time resumed when Tim approached Fabian from behind the bar with his hand outstretched. 

"Ah, you must be Fabian. Hailey was just telling me all about you. " Tim said politely. Fabian noticed he had a slight American twang to his accent. It was the kind of accent that most Malaysians would consider arrogant and annoying. Speaking that way as if he was too good for the Malaysian dialect. Fabian felt a strong urge to mimic his accent but restrained himself. "I am. Nice to meet you," said Fabian eager to go see Hailey who was smiling at him as she sat, perched on one of the barstools with Ana on the middle one in between them. He walked over to Hailey and held her in his arm gently pecking her head with his lips. He then addressed the more downcast Ana who was busy gulping down her whiskey. 

"Hey Ana I just wanted to say..." he began. 

"No! Not another word about that fucker! He's dead to me! Okay?!" she drunkenly yelled. Fabian immediately replied, 

"O-oh, yeah yeah of course. Fuck him". He said nervously. Swear words just sound wrong coming out of his mouth. He knew it. Hailey knew it and Ana found it hilarious. Tim just pursed his lips being polite enough not to laugh as Ana burst into a hysterical torrent. 

"Hahahaha! Oh my god! Hails did you hear what your boyfriend said?! He said 'fuck'! Ahahah oh god you sound so funny when you swear Fabe I can't!" she exclaimed through bursts of laughter. Fabian just bit his tongue, smiling. Hailey let go of his hand and gently shrugged his hand from her shoulder as she turned to take a sip of her drink. Fabian noticed this and shuffled to the adjacent seat as they were separated by the drunk Ana between them. 

"Can I get you anything there Fabian?" Tim asked. 

"Oh just a Coke is fine," he replied. Tim, clearly and silently judging him nodded and opened the fridge behind him pulling out a Coke can. He placed the can on the bar along with a crystal glass that look more expensive than 50 cartons of Coke cans, next to it and dropped a few ice cubes into it. Fabian stared as Tim cracked open the can with a fizz and poured the dark liquid into the glass. 

" Here you go. Enjoy." Tim chimed, still in his faux American accent.

Ana then burst into tears as she sobbed inconsolably as Hailey stood up and hugged her as she screamed 

"fuck him!! asshole!!". Hailey pointed with her eyes for the two men to wait outside. Tim came round from behind the bar putting his hand on Fabian's shoulder. He gestured with his head for Fabian to follow him. The two of them stood roadside, drinks in hand under a lamppost. Tim sipped on his whiskey and Fabian on his Coke as his eyes ran up and down Tim, sizing him up. Tim, oblivious or not of Fabian's stares looked straight ahead at the dark horizon of the night sky in thought as he talked. 

"Don't you think that's interesting?" he asked. Fabian turned to him. 

"What?". Tim sighed happily as he smirked to himself subtly. 

"People, crying. I find that more interesting than I can even explain," he said sipping his drink. 

"Why?" he asked. 

"Because in 24 years on this Earth, I've never shed a single tear," Tim replied smiling politely at Fabian who stared back blankly. 

"Tears are the waters in which we drown with nothing but hope for salvation." he thought to himself