❇ Yuanfen ❇

3. Charmolypi

Charmolypi- A mixed feeling of happiness while being sad.

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Your giggles fill the air, loud, filled with joy. It makes me so happy, I laugh too, and even though we're too old to play this game, I still play with you. It was embarrassing at first, two adults playing a children's game, but hearing you laugh, all my awkwardness dissipates into the clear autumn air.

The seesaw moves again, and this time I'm down and you rise up. Your eyes sparkle with delight even though it's just a little high, till the level of your shoulder when you're standing. It moves again, your weight pulling it down and hoisting me up. I laugh, enjoying this small game just like you are.

We play for a little while more, until the sky gets tinged with hues of purple and dark crimson. I get off first and you try to convince me to stay a little longer. But I pull you up as well, and with a small sigh, you get up. You look towards the seesaw with longing eyes, a small smile tugging at your lips. A light, chilly breeze suddenly drifts by.

I pull your scarf tighter around you and you turn to face me, smiling. Thin wisps of golden hair escape from your navy blue beret, framing your face. The setting sun paints your face a light pink and highlights the sharp contours of your features. I smile softly at you, mentally taking a picture of your beauty to stay with me forever.

You loosely wrap your arms around me, brushing your hair behind your ear.

"Len" you whisper, placing your head over my chest, "Can we come here again tomorrow?"

You look up with hopeful eyes.

I sigh. My fingers caress your pale cheek as I frown.

"Rin, you know we can't."

"Please, Len, one last time. Please?" you plead again, clutching my sweater tightly.

Looking at you, I can't will myself to say no. but, I'm worried about you. I'd do anything for you, but I'm scared.

"Rin, we came today only because you really, really wanted to see this place. We took a risk today, but-"

You suddenly cut me off by placing your palm over my mouth. "I want to come for one last time, Len..."

You smile sadly before continuing, "Who knows if I'll ever be able to come back again."

I glare at you, feeling something inside of me snap, forming a lump in my throat. But I resign to your wish.

"Rin, don't say that... Okay, we'll come for one last time."

I watch your face break into a wide smile; your sparkling cerulean eyes disappear into crescents behind the apples of your cheeks. I feel myself smiling too.

"Thank you so much, Len" you mumble excitedly into my sweater. I lean down and press a kiss on your forehead.

"It's okay, love. Now, let's go home."

I feel your even breathing under the covers. Your warm breath fans my shoulder as you sleep peacefully, painlessly, for the first time in a few days now. Your hair is spread out on the pillow, projected around you like a halo of gold in the moonlight seeping through the creak in the curtains. I'm not able to sleep yet again. Your face is towards me, and mine is towards yours. I can see your cheekbones, protruding from your face sharply. The wrinkles near your eyes which you always had have become more prominent and your once rosy face is now pale and thin. Your hair has thinned out as well, nowhere near as thick as it used to be.