Main Story Ch. 4-03 - A Miraculous Journey (爱德华之旅) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Previously on 4-01... (Read it Here)

Mya: Y/N--

I subconsciously closed my eyes.

Mya: Mentored by Sariel.

You: !

...

Mya: The grand show's theme have been decided as 'Spring'. As Warson's 120th Anniversary Grand Show, besides displaying the usual, it will also exhibit the symbol of Warson in the finale for the very first time, so it is too, a priceless treasure in the fashion industry. This is a very rare chance, and perhaps it'll be the one and only chance in your entire career, I hope all of you can grab this chance well.

...

You: ... Need to look for more references. Right! There should be something over there!

During lunch break, I took the opportunity to make a trip to granny's little shop. I remembered that her memo book has recorded various useful shoemaking tips.

The curtains sway as the afternoon breeze brushes over, allowing the warm lights to deliberately pour in.

You: Found it!

I sat onto the floor, opening the thick Kraft paper notebook with full of excitement, but suddenly heard a surprised voice from behind.

??: Aren't you the girl from next door?

Turning around, there is a healthy old lady with full of white hair standing outside the opened door, holding onto her walking stick as she smiles at me.

You: Are you... Granny Zheng?

I stood up in disbelief, and searched for the memories in my mind.

??: Ay, you still remember me, little girl.

You: It's really you!

The unbelievable reunion made me unable to help myself but to run towards her with no qualms and hugged her, just like when I was little.

You: Didn't you go overseas?

When I was little, Granny Zheng lived beside my house, and because her children are all overseas, she has always lived alone, so granny always invited her for a meal at our place. After some time, her son fetched her away, and back then I was even upset for a few days.

Granny Zheng: After one turns old, there's always a need to return to their roots. After giving it much thought, I still ended up returning here, it's more comfortable. After so many years of not seeing you, you've gotten prettier.

You: Granny Zheng, I've missed you so much~

Granny Zheng: How about the little guy that has always been sticking around you? He's probably grown up to a young lad now, right?

You: What little guy?

Granny Zheng: I meant the little boy that lived by our side that is fair and chubby, and have always followed you to and from school, the two of you looked very close.

Granny Zheng: Then after some time he moved away all of a sudden. I remember he's called... Jesse? It's this name, right?

You: Jesse...

I can't help myself but to stun for a moment upon hearing the very name that I've kept deep inside my memories, and glanced towards the next door. Yes, it's him, how could I ever forget?

Jesse: We'll be friends for our entire life, whoever breaks the promise will be a puppy. 

We have made such a promise on that year, right? If it weren't because of that incident... maybe, we're still friends for now.

It's just that the house next door has been empty for 7 years.

You: ... We've not been in contact since then.

Granny Zheng: It's such a pity, the two of you were so close back then. On the day they moved out, I saw the boy blubbering into a mess. 

Jesse: I wasn't crying, stop it, you must've seen it wrongly! Don't look at me, if you look at me again I'll finish all of your soda!

Suddenly, a voice sounded in my mind, it's so vivid, as if someone's answering me from the barrier of time.

Granny Zheng: But, Granny firmly believe, that the people who look forward to meet each other will definitely meet again. You see, we've now met.

You: Yeah! It's great that you are back, I'll drop by often!

After sending Granny Zheng off, I subconsciously walked towards the staircase. At the end of the staircase is a tiny attic, containing so much of my childhood memories. After hesitating for a moment, I still pushed open the attic's door, and immediately got welcomed by a vortex of dust.

This place still looks the same like childhood, warm and tidy, as if the fast-paced time has never flowed away.

You: I remembered it was probably hidden somewhere here--

I lied down on the floor and tried to reach my arm to grab it, and finally touched a hard and cold item in the depths of the cabinet. Giving it a tug, a square, metal biscuit box has flew out.

You: This is the one.

The sides of the box has blackened from rust, and the joyful red too, has discolored to a color that is neither pinkish or orange-ish. There's a piece of memo stuck on the top of the biscuit box, with the childish words of "Do not open, if you open it you're a puppy", followed by three exclamation marks.

You: If I open my own belongings, I'm not considered a puppy, right?

Photo albums, origami stars made of cellophane, cartoon stickers, celebrity posters... and a big bunch of coins, completely stuffing the box. It's all the trinkets that are seemingly not valuable right now, but they were my most treasured items during childhood.

When I held the photo album up, my heart suddenly felt a little nervous. A Chinese Opera Clown appears as soon as I opened the photo album. The me that was 14 years old is carrying a blush as red as the monkeys' butts, flattening my mouth, and vengefully smiled. It was almost as if I'd be crying an entire ocean as soon as the camera moves away.

You: Why is it a dark past for the first photo!

I quickly flipped a page, but my hands paused mid-air. A familiar face entered my view. The little boy stood by my side, looking wronged, that he only grabbed tightly to my bag's strap, not even bothered by the melting ice cream. The round face, with those extraordinarily bright pupils, yet his eyes are teary, with snot still hanging onto his face. And there's me, standing on the side with arms akimbo, pouting as I straightened my neck, not even glancing at him for a bit.

I lightly flipped the photo over, there's a sentence written behind the yellowing photo.

Jesse: I'll treat you many ice cream, Y/N, don't be angry, please?

It's an immature and round writing, and the two words signed was-- Tangyuan*.

You: Tangyuan...

*T/N: Tangyuan is MC's nickname to Jesse.

I remember that this is the nickname I gave him when we first met. Back then, I aggressively chased away the bully that was the leader of the kids, and squatted by the boy that was like a glutinous rice dumpling.

Childhood You: Hey, don't cry anymore, didn't I chase him off for you already?

Jesse: *sobbing sounds* Yeah, thank you... *continues sobbing*

Just like that, I've made the first friend in my life. Even though he's younger than me by 2 years; even though he's such a crybaby. We'll go home together after school every day. Whoever that has saved enough of pocket money will buy orange soda as a treat to the other on the way home.

Childhood You: Let's have a competition, and see who finishes drinking faster!

Jesse: But you just said you wanted to taste this slowly...

Childhood You: I don't care, whoever loses will treat the other bubble gum! Three two one start!

Jesse: Whoa, wait up!

The bubbling sounds of the soda, the forehead full of sweat under the sun, and the Tangyuan by my side... That was my best memory, about summer. Until I was in the 3rd year of middle school.

A pebble has been thrown into my heart, starting a ripple that brings out the traces of reminiscing. Coming out from the depths of my memories, I carefully kept the photos.

Will we meet again just like how Granny Zheng have said?

Nobody told me an answer, and there's only the distant winds now gently surrounding me.