Short Stories: Love

Sunbeams and Moonlight

I woke up to the bright light of day and the sound of bells. The blue sky greeted me and above my head I can hear the cry of a bird. My eyes adjust to the bright light quickly. The moon is still in the sky, full and lingering at the edges as if afraid it will be burned by the light of the sun.

I don't know where I am, all I know is my name. I don't have anything with me save for the clothes on my back. As I stand up, I realize that I'm in an open field with only a few flowers here and there.

"Hou...Yi..."

Why do I hear my name?

I walked around the field in search of answers but found nothing. The sun is getting hotter and hotter but I didn't feel tired at all, strange. Still, I need to find some sort of tree to rest under, being out in an open field asleep sounds like a death sentence.

The search ends when I stumble upon a tree with a bow and an arrow at the end. Beside it is a rabbit sleeping without a care in the world.

I take the arrow and use the rabbit for lunch. The rabbit did not struggle and I absently did the work, my mind never leaving the bow and arrow. After all, the bow seems as if it was recently crafted and the arrows are razor sharp. Above him, the sky had long turned to gold bathing the world the glow of the sunset.

"-Yi!"

I glanced up and noticed the sun had set and the moon's glow had taken over.

The fire has already grown big and the rabbit cooked perfectly.

"Hou Yi, my love..."

I'm not sure who's calling my name but I feel as if I know that voice. It's light and gentle like a bell. My mind flashed to the image of a woman, her eyes bright and her hair is up in a bun. Beside her is a plate of a strange, circular pastries. She's laughing and I can't help but recall the way my heart beats faster.

My mouth opens and all I say is, "Chang'e..."

Chang'e... Is that her name?

"...Love..."

I don't know why but my heart clenched and I looked around for her. In my mind's eye, memories of this woman rushed like a raging river. Her smiling, her laughing, her crying... All of them hit me at once.

"Chang'e! Chang'e! Where are you?"

Silence.

I looked up at the moonlight and squinted. "Please, tell me where you are."

"... I love you."

I sighed and went to sleep.

In the heavens, the Jade Emperor took pity on him. He knew that Hou Yi had lost his memory due to the actions of his apprentice. Feng Meng had been greedy and the poor archer suffered from a head injury that ruined his memories. However, it seems that the words of his wife triggered some sort of memory influx seeing as he only remembers his wife but not the other details.

How can he help the man who had suffered? Perhaps, the Jade Emperor thought, he could make him immortal as well. Yes, that might work. He bade a servant to bring the immortal elixir with them and they obeyed.

It will take three days in order to reach him but it will work.

I sighed as I walked another day, this time my feet had carried me to a little home near the mountains. Curious, I stepped inside finding it empty and bare besides the simple household items.

On the counter, I found a plate full of the pastries and I knew that we used to live here.

That's when I'm assaulted by more memories.

It was a cold spring morning when I brought a young man with me. Chang'e and I have settled into mortal life well. She figured out how to work a needle the mortal way. I had done what I did best and hunted game for food. She made clothes for us and I aided in the farm.

Together, we would make it through.

The name of the man is Feng Meng and we treated him like our own. He is intelligent and brave. I thought of him as my own son. Chang'e did as well, giving advice on matters such as finding a good wife.

It's summer time and Chang'e has made Feng Meng new clothes that fit him better while beaming at him proudly over how much he had learned. I stood and watched with a smile on my face as I told him how he's ready to make his own bow. The bow is made of maple and the string made from the strongest material.

It's night time. The autumn breeze carries the biting cold that told of winter. We discuss whether or not we should simply throw the potion away. Chang'e pushed to at least bury it somewhere deeper than the closet, fearing that it could be found by a robber. I decided not and reassured her that she would be safe thanks to Feng Meng.

Chang'e agreed.

I left on a hunt when I encounter Feng Meng. Confused, I asked him why he is there instead of helping Chang'e.

He doesn't smile and merely shots me down. His bow comes down and hits my head. All I see is darkness.

I look around, heading to the place we had hidden the potion. Did Feng Meng drink it? I don't think I could bear it if Feng Meng became immortal and my wife but a corpse.

Empty...

The door creeks and behind me I see Feng Meng. He is worn and his eyes held a tiredness.

"I... Master... I apologize for my irrationality."

I scowled. "You were greedy." He looked away in shame.

"Your greed has separated me from my wife and now I must cast you away. If you go now, I will allow you to keep your life as you did me."

Feng Meng left but instead of leaving for good, he dropped the plate of pastries.

"Chang'e is immortal now and so, to ensure she is strong enough to continue staying on the moon to watch over us, she must have sacrifices and prayers. I've been praying ever since she ascended."

Feng Meng left.

I stood there and sighed. If it must, then so it must be.

I stayed home for three days, listening to Chang'e who lived on the moon. My memories are recovered now but I can't help but stay and watch the moon with a longing gaze.

The next morning I woke up to see Moksha, a familiar face I daren't forget.

"Hello, Hou Yi. It is nice to see you." I know Moksha isn't here for pleasantries.

"Please, go straight to the point," Moksha took out a small vial filled with a familiar elixir and smiled at me.

"Here you go,"

I took it and with excitement, downed it in one go, as if I was thirsting for years.

I began my ascension and I found myself on the sun.

So we're still apart. I frowned.

"Do not worry, you and Chang'e are in the heavens. You will be able to visit each other whenever the sun and the moon are together in the sky."

I nodded and decided to wait. On earth, Feng Meng spread the tradition of sacrifices to Chang'e.

It will be fine, we will see each other and I know, our love is greater than any distance between us.