a compilation of short stories

5. 嘴巴真甜 • sweet talker

INSPIRATION:
Debussy - Claire de Lune (above)
RM - moonchild
G.E.M. (鄧紫棋) - Mascara (煙燻妝)
A-Lin (黃麗玲) - I Believe We Will Be Better (我相信我們會更好的)
A-Lin (黃麗玲) - The Best Actor (最佳男主角)

~~

in the beginning, it was sweet. sweeter than the flowery taste of honey, sweeter than sugary lollipops.

sweeter than the lies you fed me.

you still held your childish grins and you were always flustered and embarrassed to say the three words 'i love you'.

now they're never said.

although shy, you used to come up behind me and hesitate, for fear of startling or annoying me, but cuddling me nonetheless. every wednesday, we'd go out on our weekly date nights, because both of us loved wednesdays. you would always have a sloppily tied tie, a pressed white shirt, and slightly wilted red roses, and i'd pick out my best clothes to wear.

we'd laugh throughout our dinner, holding hands on the way back, gazing out at the pearly white moon once in a while. and every time without fail, you'd always drop me off at my house, and wait for me to open the front door and enter before you left.

over time, as we grew used to each other, yet fell more and more in love, you took me to the most beautiful place i'd ever seen.

blindfolded with a black sash, i sat in the passenger's seat and let the soft bumps in the road lull my anxiety away.

"we're here, sweetheart," you excitedly said.

"can i take this off?" i asked eagerly, tugging at the knot behind my head already. although close to midnight already, my adrenaline levels were sky-high.

"not yet! not yet! you can't spoil the surprise!" you said hurriedly.

i heard the sound of a trunk opening, and what sounded like you struggling to carry a heavy weight.

feeling the night's cool air against my skin, i realized that you opened my door for me, ready to escort me to whatever place we were going to.

i gripped your hand tightly, not being able to keep my balance particularly well. i stumbled over my own feet, and heard you chuckle under your breath before you held me tighter to your side.

"take the blindfold off, love."

as my eyes adjusted to the sudden moonlight, although faint, i saw you grinning from ear to ear in front of me with a bouquet of cake pops, a picnic basket and blanket, and a corked bottle of rosé.

"i love you," i smiled and pecked you on the cheek, throwing my arms around you.

"i love you more," you said; it had always been your standard reply.

"i love you the most."

"and i love you the mostest," you finished with a soft butterfly kiss to my forehead.

we settled down, unfolding and smoothing out our faded red-white gingham plaid picnic blanket on the dewy green grass. i took the woven basket from you, taking chips, water bottles, wine glasses, and pocky sticks out from it and setting it down on the blanket as you popped open the bottle of rosé.

"what do you think?" you hesitantly asked.

"it's...it's so beautiful out here, hon. i love it so much," i said wondrously, still gazing open-mouthed at the view from outside.