197 Had Them

Long Yishin sat beside the hospital bed as she wrote on the patient chart. She is currently letting the patient watch some news on the television to help him gain new memories and to check later if he could retain them.

After a report segment on supplies price hike, next came business news.

Long Yishin saw a flicker on the hazel eyes she was observing. She knitted her brows and swiftly turned her head to look at the television.

The news featured the traditional Shinto wedding with the headline, 'Igarashi group's Young Mistress tied the knot' and was showing the unique lips of Midori Xiu painted in red as she donned a shiromuku during the ceremony. Clips from the wedding videos followed, with changes into modern wedding attire for the bride and groom.

Verdan Zhou's brows are together, but he looked confused.

"What's the matter?" The clear voice of Dr. Long rang in his ears and snapped him out of his thoughts. Long Yishin pretended not to know the woman they were seeing on the television getting married.

"That woman...she appeared before me when I was still in Sta. Teresa. She...I...I don't really remember her, but..."

"But what? What about her?"

"She...her lips...it's as if I've had them..."

"What?!" Long Yishin exaggerated her response a little bit.

"I...I think we have kissed before...that woman...is she my ex?"

"She will be if you continue being like this..." she mumbled, barely audibly.

"What did you say?" Verdan Zhou believed that what she mumbled was important.

"Mr. Zhou, I do not keep track of your social life, so please don't ask me randomly if a woman you saa is your ex." She managed to escape from questioning in such a witty manner.

"Oh..." he looked at the smiling woman on the television again.

"How do you feel that she is now married to someone else?"

He pondered hard on it. "I...I think something hurts inside of me..."

"Why is that?"

"I feel like I don't like that woman to be with someone else. Back in Sta. Teresa, she hugged me when she saw me, but I rejected the touch since I believe that I'm married."

Long Yishin scribbled some notes on his chart. She sighed. "Then, what are you planning to do now?"

"I need to know who she really is..."

____________________

"Rest assured that I will treat him as my own." Takagi Ryuuji bowed to the older Xiu couple.

Masaichi Xiu was still frowning on his sister's wedding. His parents had already explained the circumstances to him, but he still believes that the idea is stupid. He was even annoyed that the press caught wind of it.

Agatha Yang snapped him out of his thoughts. "Anata, you should smile. It's a happy occasion." She flashed her white teeth as her dimples sank deeper.

"She is just fooling herself." Masaichi Xiu had a stern face. He never approved of this. Even though he does not particularly like Verdan Zhou, he had already recognized him as his brother-in-law. His pride prevents him from tolerating this act.

"Well, she can legally do this, after all, Verdan Zhou's 'death' had been registered even before his 'funeral' and besides, marriage is territorial." Agatha Yang reasoned out with a gentle smile.

Masaichi Xiu frowned. "You have been overseas for quite some time. Did you have another husband there?"

She chuckled. "Who knows..."

"Why you..!" He finally laughed.

"Anata, we should laugh this off, for now...besides, maybe this could make your real brother-in-law to realize who his wife really is."

He looked at the couple who were greeting the guests. "I do hope so."

It was quite ironic that his sister's real wedding was too intimate and was kept hidden, while the null one was even broadcasted by several news channels. It would be a shame if his brother-in-law would just remain 'dead' to his sister.