Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Persimmons and Camellias

"Man. That is scary," I scratch my head trying to digest it. "I would be scared too."

"I know right," Lexin shakes his head. "More tea?"

We're in the patio again for tea and desserts.

"Yes, please," I sip the rest of my cup and offer it to him to pour some more.

Lexin fixes his eyes on me, "Prince Maeve, what would you do if you're in my situation? Am I a bad person for wanting her out of my body?"

"I don't know," I give my honest thought. "I think in a situation like this, you need to be selfish, and it is whoever selfishness is greater..."

I allow him to finish the thought for himself. Caria who sits beside me offers, "If I may speak... I don't think Master Lexin is a bad person for wanting his body for himself, and he is not obligated to share his body with someone else if he feels uncomfortable."

Lexin and I listen in on Caria's reasonings.

"It's one thing to want to steal glances of this world like Prince-urh, Lord Maeve said, and it's another to use another person's body to your command carelessly; and with that, Master Lexin has the right to say no."

Caria licks her lips and shys away. I grab a dessert on a self, "Here. You deserve a treat."

Lexin chuckles, and Caria and I couldn't help but chuckle alongside him. Then he looks at me with seriousness again, "About meeting the new Master Leire, I have prepared everything to leave tomorrow."

"Yes. I'm ready to leave whenever, I'm not difficult," I offer a smile.

Then something else catches my eye.

About twenty feet away, a group of ladies carry baskets of fruits in a line. One of the lady is carrying a basket of persimmons-the same fruit I dreamed about last night.

Now let me tell you of my dream.

I was sitting by the Cliff of Resolves again waiting for something. Then a group of four love birds were flying in the distant acting very lovely like a double date.

Suddenly I have shade. I look up to see a persimmon tree without its fruits. So I ask it, "Why don't you bear fruits?" And somehow I understand the tree language because it said to me, "I am bearing fruit. If you look pass these leaves of mine, you'll see one."

So I lift leaf by leaf and see the golden orange fruit hanging from a very strong branch. I used my left hand to reach for it, but the stem seemed to be stuck onto the branch.

I used a little more force and was able to pull the persimmon. The tree cry out to me, "Why? Why did you pick it when I only told you where it is?"

After saying that, the tree withered and disintegrated. I didn't have the chance to apologize. The four birds from before transformed into crows or ravens, saw the persimmon in my hands, and flew in trying to snatch it out of my hands.

I hid the fruit in my chest as I curled up in a ball and the birds scratched and pecked my back.

"Those are persimmons," I say loudly.

"Yes. Yes, they are," Lexin waves a hand and a lady with the persimmons walks to the patio.

She places the basket before her and bows.

Lexin turns to me, "Prince Maeve, how many would you like?"

"Oh no. It's fine. It's just I dreamed about them last night and now seeing some," I fake a laugh. "What a coincident."

"Then, we will like three, miss," Lexin says it in a very gentle tone-almost flirtatious.

We thank her and she returns to the others.

"Is it already autumn?" Caria asks and I roll my shoulders, "It's so hot here, I forgot the season already changed."

"Me too," I choke on my own thought.

"Sorry?" Lexin rolls his eyes, "How about we try them?"

"Allow me to peel them for us," I offer and do so. My first bite makes me feel like I'll puke out everything I ate this morning if I take another bit.

So I continue to peel and slice the fruits for Lexin and Caria. Then I think about how the blossoms of persimmon aren't as pretty as camellias with their geometrical petals.

I wonder how will the petals taste like? Maybe bitter, but what if it's sweet?

Boy. I'm so dumb, of course it doesn't taste bitter or sweet. I never had it before!

But then again, what is the harm of trying just a petal or two?

"Do camellias bloom this time of the year?" I ask abruptly. "I want to taste their petals."

"Are you already having your pregnancy cravings?" Caria is taken aback.

"No!" I defend myself.

Lexin and Caria begin counting their fingers while mumbling some stuff, "A month and a half... Six weeks? Seems logical."

Six weeks already? I feel my stomach. I have yet come to terms with this being that is growing inside me.

And the biggest term is giving birth. I don't know how I'm going to tell anyone that I don't want to give birth to the child that is getting bigger everyday inside me.

"What's with that long face?"

"It's nothing-" Then I give into temptation, "I want to eat camellia blossoms soaked in lemon juice."

I can feel my mouth already watering just thinking about it.

They look at me dumbfounded, so I decide to say, "I'm kidding. Camellias are not blooming this time of the year."

Lexin bursts out laughing until we attract the attention of Griflet, Borscht, and Kay who are walking by.

"What jokes are being told here? We want to laugh too, don't we?" Griflet gestures to Borscht and Kay who are salty as well.

I sip on my ginger cup of tea before saying, "There wasn't a joke. Master Lexin just started laughing after I said that camellias don't bloom during this time of the year."

Then they laugh too and I'm just sincerely confused as to what was funny. I'll bet the author doesn't even know.