Shadow

👂Eavesdropping👀

'You made me so full that I am feeling sleepy.'

We were still sitting on the deck watching over the fish pond and trees.

My heart is at ease. Tay agreed to be the guardian of Boo and I don't need to worry about them anymore so I ate all the fruits he cut for me.

'Then let's go inside and you take a nap. I'll wake you up later.'

After I stopped taking the bitter 2nd medicine sometimes I feel really tired. My heartrate slowed down and my vision became blurry. Earth told me it's one of the side effects of Setacoline.

Right now I am feeling the same. So I want to be alone until the situation gets better. It usually takes half an hour max.

'Then let me sleep for a while.' I agreed to his proposal readily.

He took me to a big room with a huge bed. The window was closed so the room was a bit shadowy.

'Thanks. I know it's rude of me to feel sleepy right now but I....'

'Go to bed and take some rest. I know you need it.'

'Mn.' My head was really dizzy.

He left the room after I lied down. He even closed the door to prevent the light coming from outside.

I started the breathing exercise to regulate my heartbeat. I need to subdue the symptoms quickly.

After doing this for more than 15 minutes I felt at ease again. I wasn't sleepy at all so after rolling around a few times in this empty big bed I got up lazily and went outside.

The house was eerily silent and Tay was nowhere.

'Tay?' I called out a few times but no one replied.

Where are you?

I walked around the house but couldn't find him anywhere. I was about to take out my new phone and give him a call when I saw a open laptop.

Hmmm. A cctv monitor.

I could use it to find him.

I enthusiastically sit down at the desk and voila! There he is!

Wait! Where is he going?

I saw him walking towards the main gate so I switched to that camera.

Oh! Off is here. But why is he waiting outside? I unmute the sound. Wow! This is some state of the art security system! The picture and sound quality both are great.

Tay opened the big door and asked angrily,

'What are you doing here?'

'Peng! How's it going? What did he say? Did he get angry?' Off was eager to know.

What are they talking about?

'You should have called me. Go back right now.' Tay almost shoved him into the car.

'Why are you in a bad mood? Did he say something hurtful? Peng, you know he doesn't remember a thing.....' Off easily evaded the attack.

'I really don't want to talk to you right now. Just leave.' Tay was irritated.

'Where is he? Oh no! He left already?' He made a big O with his mouth.

'He is sleeping.' Tay was looking straight.

'What? Sleeping? What do you mean? Oh! Oh! Did you two.....?' Off was over excited.

What! You....!

'God Peng! He is sleeping because he didn't get any in the past few days. I can see the bags under his eyes. He used to look like that when preparing for the exam when we were in Uni.' Tay was exasperated.

He remembered! Really, he knows me too well.

'So what you are saying is that he came here with you and fell asleep?' Off was bewildered.

'No. We had lunch together.'

Oh Tay is being a bit shy! Cute!

'Oh good! You were dying to feed him.' He patted him on the back.

'It's oddly satisfying to see him eat so contentedly.' This time a genuine smile bloomed on his face. I like this smile so much.

'So........ Did you tell him about his past? Did you try to make him remember everything? You said you won't let him live with Earth anymore..... What's his take on the matter?'

'I........I.....couldn't do it.'

'Oh.'

'I was about to but he started to talk about Earth.'

'What about Earth?'

'Off......... He said he loves him.'

'Oh Tay!'

Shit! Am I that good at acting that he easily believed it!

'He said he wanted to travel abroad with Earth to treat his PTSD.'

'What PTSD? That guy is a psycho. He doesn't have anything curable.'

So true Off. Hat's off to your intelligence.

'But New seems to really in love with him. He even ready to leave Troy behind for a few months.'

Tay........ I am desperate.

'Huh!'

'And I know how much he loves his boy. If he is willing to part with him then he really is serious about Earth.'

'But Tay........... They are living a lie. We now both know the full story after his accident. I am damn sure that Earth told him some elaborated lie about his past and made him believe that. New had his accident the day he was scheduled to fly to America. He was in a coma for six months. Then when they got married? When they adopted Troy? That Earth is really something! He trapped New in an imaginary world where they are couple for many years. But you know that's a lie. We both know the story Tay.'

So you guys guessed it from the beginning!

'Yes I know. But I can't do anything that makes New unhappy. I know Earth is bad news. I know New is living a lie but still........ I can't force him to leave everything behind. If he is happy.......... Then I......am happy too.'

'Stop saying nonsense. You are not happy. Your whole world revolves around him from the day you first met him at the toilet when he saves your ass from freezing. Hell you even met him here after two years at the hotel washroom deliberately just to give him a start. From then on you're continuously trying to recreate as much situation as possible to bring his memory back. You used to make conjee for him whenever he fell ill , you did that here again. You quarreled with him to remind your old days. You are doing everything the doctor said which can bring his memory back. Even I feel sorry for you Peng. When as a last resort the doctor adviced you to get vanished from his sight you did that too. You lied to him about Austria and went to Bangkok. You only came when I asked you to. Aren't you tired?'

Tay! Oh God! Tay........

'But he don't remember me.'

No Tay......... I remember you.

'Tay...'

'He is so in love with Earth that he even forgave his wrong doings. He is happy Off.'

I am not happy....

I don't love Earth....

I love you. Only you.

'Then what about that drug he asked Leo to analyze in a lab?'

'I didn't ask him but I will.'

'And what do you mean he is going aboard with that psycho? What if that fucker does something to New there? What if this all a facade and he is gonna kill him there?'

'OFF!'

Tay was really angry.