The Bamboo Forest

Nineteen.

"I can't believe my daughter's all grown up and has a boyfriend!" The girl's father strokes his beard. "Ah, I feel so old now." He sighs.

The girl slaps his arm playfully. "Oh, dad, I'm only nineteen!"

"Can't I exaggerate sometimes?" She shakes her head. "A little?" he pleads. She shakes her head again. "You're no fun." He pouts childishly.

"Don't be so childish, dad. That pout doesn't look good on your face with wrinkles."

"Whatever. Go get dressed and meet your boyfriend. Leave your poor lil' dad here by himself." He turned away from her, arms crossed.

"Dad, don't be ridiculous. It's not like I'll elope with my boyfriend and leave you here."

"Fine, fine. Whatever you say." 

The girl, shaking her head, went into her room. She changed into a yellow sundress and a pair of cream flats, before grabbing her satchel bag and green cardigan and heading out of the door. "Bye dad," she called out to the man sitting by the fireplace. He raised a hand in response.

Stepping out into the cool air, she sucked in the fresh air. Treading lightly on the fallen leaves, she made her way to the bamboo forest. The leaves had already turned into warm colours, from rust red to robust orange to mahogany brown. She stretched out her hand, and a pretty purple butterfly came to rest on her wide palm. She looked at the sky and there the sun was, half hidden by the white fluffy clouds which formed a beautiful pattern against the blue background. Autumn was indeed beautiful. 

And there she sat, on that lonely bench in the middle of the forest, waiting for her boyfriend to come.

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The clouds started to shift as the wind picked up, exposing the sun with its bright rays shining down on Earth. It was unbearably hot. She started to take off her cardigan. Then, a strong gust of wind came along, and sent shivers down her spine. She put it back on again. She tapped her feet impatiently, looking at her watch every ten seconds. Then, she would stand up, and glance around, hoping to see a silhouette of a young man, no older than twenty-two. But everytime, she would sit back down again, hopes crushed a little. And her hope slowly diminished. And diminished. Until it was finally gone. She accepted that he wasn't coming and stood up.

Throwing one more hopeful glance at the other end of the road, where the city was, she sighed, defeated, turned around and started to walk home. She shuffled her feet as her shoes crushed the fallen leaves under her weight. Her hands holding on tightly to the strap of her satchel, like it was a lifeline. Her corners of her mouth, which were once turned up, now turned down. Her eyes, their sparkle lost, looked down at the floor. She knew he wouldn't have come. How would he be interested in a village girl like her? But she had hoped anyway. See what that got her? Disappointment and sadness. She had made a wish, and it didn't come true.

Or did it?

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"Please, I know you're in there," he sang, just like Anna did in the movie Frozen. Then he switched to a speaking tone. "Please don't shut me out again. Please open the door. Please, let me explain."

No response. He tried again. "Please, I didn't mean to blow you off. I had family matters to settle. Please. Just let me in."

The door opened just the slightest bit. He pushed it open and closed it behind him. The room was dark, and as he reached out to switch on the lights, a muffled voice stopped him. "No. Leave them off." It was so soft, he barely caught it. He walked over to the huddled figure on the bed, the curtains closed behind her, still and unmoving. He stood there awkwardly, before deciding to sit on the floor. 

"Look, I...I promised I would look after my siblings, and my sister was playing with her cat, and my brother was being a brat and I just couldn't get them to sleep. Plus my mother-" His next words became muffled as she clapped a hand over his mouth. "I know. I understand," she said, using the same soft tone as before.

He was confused. "How did you-?"

She gave a soft chuckle. "Your mother told me. She called up earlier."

"Oh." He blinked. She looked out of the window. "You should stay the night. Dad says there's a storm coming. It's not safe for you."

"Where do I sleep?" he said bluntly, the words tumbling out of him.

"The couch, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't." He stood up and walked to the door, before walking back to her. His soft, warm lips pressed onto her forehead and he said, "Thank you. Sweet dreams." And he walked out, leaving the girl staring at his back dazedly. This boy will always be an unsolvable puzzle to her.