You Are Still Here

Chapter 22

"Don't write this off as another misinterpretation. Because even if it were, this time I'm never letting you go." Back in the apartment, Cheng Zheng still held onto Yun Jin tightly as though if his grip laxed, she would disappear again. The pain she inflicted when she bade him farewell after the sudden kiss was not something he wanted to experience again. He thought that if he held onto her tightly, she would never be able to leave even if she wanted to.

Yun Jin couldn't help but feel touched on seeing him like this. She sighed "Cheng Zheng, what's so good about me? I'm not worthy of you treating me this well." This was the question that had been gnawing at her for a long time.

Cheng Zheng pouted "Su Yun Jin, you sure think highly of yourself. When have I ever said you're good? Your looks are just average and you have a difficult character. When you're stubborn, I always have this strong desire to shake you. I cannot see what's so good about you myself ... But I just love you regardless."

Yun Jin gave a faint smile. Cheng Zheng reached over and clasped her hand on his cheek "Don't pity this fool, I don't want your pity ..." Having said that, he seemed to regret it "No, wait. If it takes you to pity me to stay by my side then pitying me is alright!"

What else could Yun Jin do other than hug him tightly? After all, lovers speak volumes with their action rather than with words.

Alright, let's be together! Let's cast aside all our reservations and fear of the future. Come what may, we'll leave any regrets till tomorrow. Yun Jin was not ignorant of the irony – she had always been set on escaping, she couldn't believe that there would be such a day.

It was just as Eileen Chang had written in her novel, it took the fall of Hong Kong to the Japanese Occupation for Bai Liu Su and Fan Liu Yuan to be reunited. Could the SARS epidemic be the catalyst for their relationship developing?

Don't think me silly for giving in to self-deception for who can resist such sincerity forever? And don't ask me why after holding back for so long, all my defences have crumbled. I just want to give myself a chance.

As they embraced, time seemed to fade from their consciousness. Yun Jin did not know how much time had passed; she could only see that darkness had descended outside the window. Cheng Zheng phoned for dinner takeaway. It was simple fast-food fare but both of them dug in heartily.

Suddenly, she sensed that it was rather late but Cheng Zheng's watch reflected a time just past eight in the evening. She took it at face value but couldn't shake her doubt so she forced Cheng Zheng to hand his handphone over. When she saw the time, she exploded in rage! It was actually 10:05pm.

Yun Jin was as stunned as she was furious. She leapt to her feet and tossed the phone angrily back at him "Would you care to explain this?"

He picked it up and looked at it intently "Oh my, how did it get so late? But this has nothing to do with me! My watch is slow. I was in the dark as well!"

"Reallyyyy?" Yun Jin stemmed her rising rage but still felt like slapping that ridiculously exaggerated innocent face. "Do you even comprehend the gravity of the matter? If I'm caught sneaking back to campus after 10, I would be punished severely!"

"Well in that case, why don't you return tomorrow?" While he tried to sympathize with her plight, he couldn't fully conceal the delight in his eyes.

Yun Jin wagged her finger at him in warning and couldn't be bothered to interrogate him any further as she headed for the exit. He didn't attempt to stop her this time but merely said coldly "So you'd rather go back and face certain punishment than stay with me for the night? You're always so guarded around me. I'm not the monster you make me out to be."