whispers from the other side

Beneath The Surface

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You never really know how damaged one is until, you try to love them.
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I strode back to my office, my eyes scanning the room until they landed on a slim folder on my desk. I hadn't noticed it before. I opened it, my heart sinking as I read the contents. It was related to Kade's network and his failed mission, but one sentence caught my attention: "Wang Yibo deceased. Cause of death: accident." I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Deceased? Yibo was dead? But I'd seen him in the morning. I'd talked to him. Laughed with him.

I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Was it a mistake? A cruel joke? I read the sentence again and again, hoping it was an error. But deep down, I knew it was true.

Memories flooded my mind. I remembered the day I'd asked Kade to take care of Ron. I'd been so angry, so consumed by my desire for revenge. And Kade... Kade had been so eager to please. A cold dread crept up my spine as I realized the truth. Kade had killed Yibo, not Ron. He'd done it on purpose to mislead me.

I slumped back in my chair, my head in my hands. What had I done? What had I unleashed? I'd lost Yibo, the only person I loved most. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I thought of Yibo's smile, his laugh, his eyes. I'd never see them again. I'd never hold him again.

I was consumed by grief, anger, and regret. I'd never forgive myself for what I'd done. I sat there, frozen in my pain, as the truth sank in. Yibo was gone, and I was left with nothing but my own guilt and regret.

Suddenly, I saw an address on the file - Yibo's address. A surge of hope coursed through me. Maybe, just maybe, I'd find him there. Maybe he was still alive, maybe this was all just a mistake.

I grabbed my keys and rushed out of the office. I had to go there, I had to see for myself. I couldn't shake off the feeling that Yibo was still out there, waiting for me.

As I drove to the address, my heart was racing with anticipation. What would I find? Would Yibo be there, smiling at me, telling me it was all just a joke?

I pulled up to the building, my eyes scanning the exterior. It was a nondescript apartment complex, nothing special about it. But for me, it was everything.

I took a deep breath and got out of the car. I had to do this. I had to know.

I walked up to the door, my hand hesitating over the bell. What if... What if Yibo didn't answer? What if someone else did?

I took another deep breath and rang the bell. The wait was agonizing. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

And then, the door opened. A young man stood before me. He looked familiar, yet I couldn't quite place him.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I... I'm a friend of Yibo's," I replied, trying to sound calm. "I haven't been able to contact him for a month, and I was worried about him."

The young man's expression changed, and he looked at me with a mixture of sadness and pity.

"You're a friend of Yibo's?" he repeated.

"I'm his brother."

My heart sank.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I said.

Yibo's brother nodded, and his eyes welled up with tears.

"Yibo is... gone," he said, his voice cracking. "He's been missing for a month. The police couldn't find him, and we don't know where he is."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut again.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to process what he was saying.

Yibo's brother took a deep breath.

"Yibo went to meet his friends at the bar that day, but he never showed up. His phone has been off since then, and we haven't heard from him since."

I was stunned.

"But... but I saw him," I said, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Yibo's brother looked at me with a mixture of confusion and sadness.

"That's not possible," he said. "Yibo is gone. We don't know where he is or what happened to him."

I felt like I was living in a nightmare. What was going on? Who was I seeing? Was it really my Yibo?

I turned and ran, leaving Yibo's brother standing in the doorway. I couldn't bear to hear any more. I couldn't bear to think about it.

As I sprinted back to my car, tears streamed down my face. My world was crashing down around me. I had seen Yibo, talked to him, laughed with him. But it couldn't have been him. He was gone. Missing. Maybe even...dead.

I collapsed against my car, sobbing uncontrollably. I'd never felt such a deep sense of loss and confusion. My mind was a jumbled mess. I slid down to the ground, my body wracked with sobs.

Just as I thought I couldn't bear it anymore, I saw him. A figure, sitting in the rain, just a few feet away. My heart skipped a beat.

I slowly got up, my eyes fixed on the figure. It was a man, dressed in a black hoodie, his face obscured by shadows. But there was something familiar about him.

"Yibo?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

The figure slowly stood up, its eyes fixed on mine. And then, I saw his face. It was Yibo. It was really him.

Yibo's eyes met mine, and I saw the depth of his sorrow, the weight of his grief. Without a word, he collapsed into my arms, his body wracked with sobs.

"I remember everything," Yibo cried, his voice breaking. "My life, my family, my friends... everything. I remember how I died, the pain, the fear... everything."

My heart shattered into a million pieces as I held Yibo.

"I'm so sorry, Yibo," I apologized, my voice cracking. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to save you. I'm sorry I didn't know you then. I'm sorry for everything."

Yibo looked up at me, his eyes red and puffy.

"I love you, Yibo," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Yibo's eyes widened in shock. "You still want to be with me, even though I'm not alive?"

"It doesn't matter, baby," I said. "You're alive to me. You're mine forever."

Our lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. Yibo's eyes fluttered closed, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of hope.

"You'll stay with me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Forever, baby. I'll never leave you."

Yibo's face crumpled, and he buried his face in my chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'll find a way to bring you back," I whispered, my voice filled with determination. "I promise."

As we stood there, holding each other, I knew I'd move heaven and earth to make that promise a reality.

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If you embrace the rose, accept its thorns too, beauty is more stunning with imperfections.
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