One fateful meeting on a lone raining day will change Yezun's life completely. Not only he meet with his long-lost brother, but also finds out a secret running through their family. There, in between white roses and blood, he finds answers to his lo...
The raindrops were drumming on the tinny roofs, starting a concert of eldritch sounds and ripple. The sky was overcast, a flash crossed the vast gray space once in a while. And even though the clock announced a midday one could easily misinterpret the gloomy weather as evening. The empty streets welcomed only wind, annoyingly turning over the tags on doors to bars and restaurants announcing the business was opened. No wonder this day did not lure more people to go out. Only a lonesome young man was walking down the main street. He was covering his slim body in a dark coat, trying his best to avoid the rain.
The man crossed one street, then another, not looking left or right. He wanted to hurry home. Lost in the image of a warm place he stumbled and nudged a passer-by on the next crossing. Both tottered, but none fell. Our lonely man glanced to the stranger who quickly crossed the street to join a small crowd hidden underneath black umbrellas. Soon, everyone got into their cars, leaving that one poor guy outside.
There was something very familiar behind the way this man slouched his shoulders and hold the umbrella. There was even something mundane in the way he knelt and picked a flower from the grass-plot. And when a white wrist flashed out of the dark sleeve, our man gasped for air upon realizing whom he just met.
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"Shen Wei, it is time," a gentleman in light brown coat approached the older man who was bending over a flowerbed. "We should go." It seemed his words did not pass the rain, so he pulled his umbrella to shut and hid under the umbrella of the other man, squatting next to him.
"It is time," he put his hand on the latter's shoulder and realized Shen was silently crying. In those tears, Da Qing could see his whole past. The day he joined the department. The moment his boss told him he was going to be a new partner of the renowned Shen Wei. And the mixed feelings Da Qing had when he introduced himself to Shen Wei. Da Qing was proud to start working with him. He was determined to be as good as Shen's previous partner. But soon he learnt that even doing his best will not be enough. He will never ever replace him in Shen's heart... A short sentence dragged him out of his thoughts.
"These are so beautiful," Shen showed him one white flower. "His favorite flower. He said he loves them because they are so simple."
Da Qing was not sure how to react. He patted Shen on his shoulder and took the flower from his hand, placing it onto the lapel of Shen's coat. "It will be fine if we arrive later," Da Qing thought, stood up and opened his umbrella again. He knew Shen needed a bit more of his alone time to put himself together before facing everyone.
"We are leaving in five minutes." Da Qing walked to the only remaining car. Everyone else already left. He quickly jumped in to shelter himself from the rain and to talk to the driver to delay their departure. Looking out of the small window, he felt pity towards the man outside. Not because of the weather, but because Da Qing knew. He knew what a huge lost it was for Shen and how hard the past few days have been for him. And he suddenly recalled a quote he read during his trainee years.
"When someone loses someone dear to them, it is as if that person lost a part of himself. Even when searching thoroughly, nothing is found, and it makes one go crazy."
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Author's note:
Yes, I know. Yet another gloomy story. But I could not help it to not publish this one :) For the first time, I put Yezun as the main character. It was refreshing, it was new. And I hope you will like it.
