Chapter 80：At The Roof Top

Seen from 300 meters above the ground, Taipei at night is so beautiful. While hugging her self to avoid the cold and moist night wind, Xiao Ping looks away to the set of light points below. She has lost count of how many minutes she has left alone by the man called Hiroshi Hayashi, but she feels it has been there for centuries. Many thoughts and feelings attack her. She thought about what greeting she should give to Takeshi, what they would talks, then suddenly worry haunted her when she realized her English is not so fluent. But as fast as the worry came, it was gone when the overwhelmed joy came and sinked in Xiao Ping's body. Her dream is about to come true.

A wide smile is plastered on her face voluntarily. Stars on the sky blink as if they are also happy for her. The wind blow forces Xiao Ping to rub her hands against her arms to seek for warmth. The warmth comes though it is not from the skin-to-skin rubbing. Someone has attached jacket on her shoulder.

For so many times tonight, Xiao Ping's heart almost pops out. As if she is not ready for the next surprise, Xiao Ping turns around in a very slow motion. A warm smile and a gentle sight greet her with no voice.

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"ごめんね (Gomen ne - Sorry)," Hiroshi regretfully whispers behind Yu Jin's back. Since talked to him at the lobby until the trip to the roof top, Yu Jin's body language has told a lot about his love to the girl that becomes Hiroshi's friend's cyber lover.

Hearing Hiroshi's whisper, Yu Jin turns around and smiles, "だいじょうぶ (Daijoubu - It's okay)." Be happy, Xiao Ping, he says it with his stare accompanies with a sincere smile. After that Yu Jin turns his body around. Hiroshi nods and leads Yu Jin to leave the couple alone.

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When they finally releasing their hug, Takeshi finds Xiao Ping's face has been wet of tears.

"Don't cry," Takeshi gently asks while drying off the tears. The girl shakes her head then smiles. "I'm fine," Xiao Ping says though her tears are still flowing. "It's because ... I'm too happy," she adds.

Takeshi widely smiles then bows his head to stares at Xiao Ping's eyes. "I'm very happy, too. No word can describe how I'm feeling now," he says. Xiao Ping wraps her arms around Takeshi's belly. Takeshi reaches Xiao Ping and strokes her hair, "I finally meet you, Shiawase."

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When the elevator doors in front of him is opened, Yu Jin doesn't immediately step out. Instead, he only stares outside to the peach wall of his apartment building's aisle. His empty heart makes him reluctant to move. When the door is about to close, he finally pushes a button to reopen the elevator door.

With a helmet on the right hand and a pack of beer on the left hand, Yu Jin walks toward his apartment. He is stunned to see someone is sitting down in front of his apartment door with head low and knees tightly closed to chest. "A Lin ?" he calls in curiosity. A Lin raises her head. Some hair covers his face. Apparently she hasn't fully awaken.

"What are you doing here ?" Yu Jin asks. "Eh, I...," A Lin inches up and tidies her clothe. "I.. hmm.. I want to take.. the lunch box," A Lin answers then drops down hear face deeply in shyness. "I'm the one who put the lunch," she admits then closes her eyes as if it can reduce her shyness. "I hope you don't mind," she continues.

Yu Jin grows a smile al though A Lin can't see it. "I knew it since the beginning," Yu Jin says calm. A Lin raises her face with an open mouth, "You ... knew ?"

Yu Jin opens his apartment door. "Come in," Yu Jin asks after he enters to his apartment himself. A Lin follows him. After turned on the light Yu Jin puts his helmet and beers on the small sideboard. "Sorry, I haven't cleaned it," Yu Jin says while taking out the pale green lunch box from his back pack. "It's okay," A Lin replies to accept it. "I haven't said it: Thank you," Yu Jin sincerely says it follows with a smile. A blush grows on A Lin's face again.

"Then.. I shall take my leave," she awkwardly says goodbye. Doesn't have courage to reply Yu Jin's stare, A Lin throws her gaze to the right and glances at the beer cans on the sideboard. "Don't drink too much," she advises before turns around.

Yu Jin stares at A Lin's back, suddenly utters, "Do you mind to accompany me tonight ?" A Lin turns around to face him. Yu Jin's stare is right into A Lin's eyes but not stopping there, instead looking at something way behind A Lin as if she is a see through wall. "I don't want to be alone tonight," Yu Jin continues. His flat and tired tone makes it sound even heart breaking.

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Hugging each other, Xiao Ping and Takeshi are sitting side by side on a carpet provided by the hotel. While staring at the star, Takeshi is the one who dominant the talking. At first he apologized for not making plan for them to meet. Because of he still kept their relationship a secret from his assistant, and it is only a short yet full schedule, he thought it would be impossible for them to meet without getting his assistant suspicious. But now his assistant is already know and fortunately backing him up. Takeshi then told Xiao Ping about his mother, including why he is quite fluent in English although he is only a high school graduate. His mother is a big fan of The Beatles thus he had been used to heard the songs of the legendary band from he was small and also becomes a fan. He knew every lyric of their songs and that makes him good in English.

"And you're also good at write a song," Xiao Ping replies. Takeshi subtly laugh. "Well, not exactly. I like to write a song, but I'm not sure whether it's good enough to be recorded or not," he says in humble. He remembers something then takes a guitar that also has been prepared by the hotel. "I wrote you a song. I've told you, right ?" Takeshi reminds her. Xiao Ping nods. "I'll sing it for you," Takeshi says then puts the guitar on his lap. Soon after Japanese sentences with a beautiful melody flowing from Takeshi's lips.

Tesaguri de nanika o sagashiteta [Searching blindly with both of my hands]

Kanashimi ga kokoro o afureteta [Sadness was pouring down on my heart]

Sonna toki mayotta te o totte [At such time you took this lost hand of mine]

Shiawase hanasono e michibitte [And lead the way to the garden of happiness]

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At first A Lin was hesitate when Yu Jin took her into his bedroom. But he actually invited her to go to the small balcony outside his room. Now Yu Jin is sitting stupefied in the middle of the balcony, ignoring A Lin, who sits behind him on the frame of the window that bounds the balcony and his room, also the cigarette between his two fingers that has been half burn without once being smoked.

Trying to less the cold, A Lin opens a can of beer and takes a few gulps. "Apparently you're a drinker," Yu Jin suddenly makes comment that surprise A Lin. "N..Not really. I don't drink too much, but tonight is very cold," A Lin makes reason. Yu Jin smiles to understand then smokes his cigarette before opens another beer can. Third one, A Lin counts inwardly. Should I ask his problem ? A Lin asks to her self.

"I didn't expect it to be this hurtful," Yu Jin speaks as if he can read A Lin's mind. Yu Jin turns 90 degrees to the right so he can see A Lin with his eyes corner. He then sadly smiles before turns his head back to front. "I was uniting her with her boyfriend," Yu Jin tells her. A Lin holds her self for not making any comment to see Yu Jin laughing at himself. "Uff.. I knew she has a boyfriend already. I knew that someday this would happen. I thought I was ready, you know..," Yu Jin babbles, makes a sighs then continues, "I thought I was strong enough. But turned out ..." Yu Jin turns his head to the left, doesn't want A Lin to see his tears that suddenly drop without giving him a chance to hold.

"Do you regret to unite them ?" A Lin asks. Still turning to the left, Yu Jin shakes his head hard. "No. I'm happy to see her happy. I am sincerely happy. I just ... I just didn't expect it would be this painful."

Yu Jin then bites his lower lip hard, trying to hold his sob. The sob is unheard but Yu Jin's body is trembling hard. A Lin is stunned for a while, doesn't know what to do. Then she shifts toward him. Her hand is raised, hesitate for a moment but then decides to embrace Yu Jin.