Main Story Chapter 11-15: Along with the Sins (与罪同行) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Please read the previous chapter from here before proceeding to this chapter here.

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It's Friday today, even if it's already midnight, there are still many people on the streets. Everyone's faces are exuding joy, and that kind of joy is something that makes me subconsciously feeling a little envious of

I stood by the roadside tiredly, taking out my phone, and just when I'm preparing to call a cab home, I'm instead stunned as soon as I saw the notification on my screen.

There are actually tens of missed calls, and all of them came from the same person-- Jesse.

I switched my phone to silent mode in the hospital earlier, and because I was too worried about the progress of operation, my phone has never been taken out from my pocket.

For Jesse to call my phone for so many times, could there be an update for Yangyang, or did something happen to him?

I immediately dialed back.

After the dreadfully long waiting tone, the call has finally gone through.

You: Hello, Je--

But the voice of an old lady is heard from the phone instead.

???: Hello? I'm the cleaner. The owner of this phone is now laying by the roadside, his phone kept ringing. He isn't picking it up either, looks like he has fainted. Can you come to the entrance of Warson building? He's now here.

Warson? Was he looking for me?

You: Understood, thank you, I'll head over immediately! Please look after him for the time being!

I rushed to the road to stop a taxi, told the driver my destination, and plead for him to speed up.

Countless questions clogged my mind. Why did Jesse look for me in Warson? Did an emergency happen? How did he faint?

I can't understand this, but I felt increasingly panicked.

I took out my phone, wanting to see if he has sent me any messages, but accidentally saw a notification that I almost missed.

That is an update from a public account. I turned on notifications updates from Yangyang's mother's public account.

The article is published at 6PM, it's probably an article about the fire of the gallery.

But upon opening that notifications, there was only a row of cold words on it.

"The article does not exist".

You: Was it deleted after published?

Nobody can tell me the answer, but an instinct has told me, that the disappearance of the news must be related to the reason Jesse looked for me in Warson.

By the time I arrived Warson, I saw someone sitting from afar.

Under the streetlights, Jesse's shadow is stretched thin and long. He is completely blended into the shadows, looking like a lonely homeless person.

The closer I approached him, the clearer I can see the scars on his face, with traces of blood over his lips, hands bandaged, as if he has just finished a fight.

My nervous heart finally calmed down, but then I became a little angry. I walked towards him, looking down towards him.

Just when I was about to ask him "why did you get yourself into this situation, weren't you quite the impressive one in the afternoon?", Jesse suddenly looked up.

It felt like there was a rain in his eyes. The moment he saw me, he immediately turned away, blinking with all his might.

The anger in my heart disappeared all of a sudden.

Rain drops fell with rustling sounds. 

Looking at the raindrops falling onto Jesse's head, I wanted to raise an arm to wipe it off for him. But before I manage to move, a cold hand has gently touched my cheek before I can make a move.

The callous from the fingertips hurts a little, but has made me to see the regrets on his face even clearer.

Jesse: Can I go home with you today?

You: Okay.

When we are on the taxi, he insisted to sit at the back with. me. He held my hand tightly throughout the journey, it's as if I'll disappear as soon as he lets go og me.

Jesse: I've called you many times.

You: Yeah... I was in the hospital, and I was on silent mode so I didn't pick up.

The grip on my hand suddenly tightened. Jesse sounded nervous too.

Jesse: Hospital? Were you injured?

I shook my head, and told him about the fire at the art gallery.

Jesse lowered his gaze, pursing his lips tightly, and only to speak after remaining silent for a while.

Jesse: ... Thank goodness you're alright.

During that long silence, it seemed to have consisted tons of helplessness and feelings of defeat, that I can't bear to learn more about it.

You: What about you? You were still fine when we were separated, how did you turn out like this?

Jesse: You didn't pick up, so I headed to your house, but nobody opened the door.

He didn't answer to my question directly, but to speak on his own. I didn't interrupt him, only to also listen quietly.

Jesse: By the time I arrived Warson, they said you are already off work long ago. So I can only call you again, but you still didn't pick up. So I was thinking, was I being too fierce towards you in the afternoon, so you got angry and ignored me on purpose? I'm sorry.

You: That's not the case...

The explanations through words seemed so pale, that I can only grab onto Jesse's hand even tighter.

He softly leaned towards me. The shoulders sticking together is a lot taller than mine, but for unknown reasons, it seemed a little fragile.

Jesse: Thank goodness you're here.

You: You were looking for me in such panic, did something happen?

I turned my head towards him, anticipating for him to confide to me like how he did just now, like the time he would tell me everything happened today to its tiniest detail like how he used to do in childhood.

But the car only welcomed a silence.

With an answer in mind, I knew that it's yet something that he can't tell me again.

You: Since you're that worried about me, then it must be something related to me, right? Why can't you tell me?

Jesse: ... I'm sorry.

Time seemed to have turned back to the afternoon. The temporal openness was also a misperception.

Although we are sitting together shoulder to shoulder, but it still felt like we are far apart.

I knew I wouldn't find a reason even if I kept asking, but thankfully he's now fine, so let it be if he didn't want to say it.

So I changed a topic, and spoke about Yangyang, and the news public account that I saw earlier.

Jesse: Yangyang will be fine.

No further explanations, but the tone was affirmative.

I can only nod, and turned away to look out of the windows. Curvy lines are drawn on the glass window by rain, it looks like my jumbled up thoughts.

Or perhaps it's because we are traveling in an alley, and because it's also midnight, the driver drove very slowly. But there are always large tricks driving towards our direction with their lamps turned on, it's so bright that my eyes hurt.

I felt Jesse suddenly straightening his body. He's like a little beast in full alert that has noticed a hunter's appearance in the forest, gaze fixated outside the window.

You: What happened?

Jesse: Take this. Driver, stop the car!

You: This is--

Before the car stops, he has already opened the door and leaped out of the car, dashing straight into the depth of the night.

The rainwaters that have entered the car dripped onto the faint yellow talisman in my hand.

Driver: Young lady, are we going to continue on the journey?

You: I'm sorry, please wait for us for a moment!

I think I really can't understand him anymore. But there's a voice in my head that continuously tells me, that I can't let him to go alone this time anymore, I have to follow him!

I kept the talisman with me properly, and rushed into the curtains of the rain.

Raindrops kept falling on my face, with my line of vision being separated, and there's just no way for me to find that familiar silhouette.

You: Jesse? Jesse where are you?

I shouted loudly, and feeling gradually panicked.

You: Tangyuan!

Appearing without making a sound, then running away out of nowhere. He was looking so determined in the afternoon, but he looked like he's about to cry at night...

You: You better come out and explain this properly to me, otherwise I will really ignore you forever!

Amidst the messy sounds of rain, a short, hurried sound of footsteps are heard. My footsteps paused, and turned around immediately.

At the narrow alley, Jesse stood under the street lights, eyes a little reddened, chest heaving vigorously.

He have instead forcefully squeezed out a smile the instant he saw me.

You: What are you smiling for? What's so funny about this? Can't you see that I'm this worried?!

Night: Leave to show anger

Light: Walk closer to him

[Night Choice: Leave to show anger]

After confirming that he's fine, the nameless anger rose again. I angrily turned away and was about to leave.

Since he'll never chase after me anyway, just like how it was in the afternoon. He can just work on whatever he wants to, I'll no longer care anymore!

But on the next second, he softly tugged onto my sleeve.

I heard his very soft breath, but I still didn't turn around. Until he held me tightly into his embrace, there's no way for me to differentiate if it's the raindrops or tears that fell by my ear.

Jesse: I'll eventually explain all of them to you, but not now. Don't ignore me.

You: Don't lie to me...

Jesse: I won't, I swear.

I looked up. Looking at his face that is only within an arm's reach, and the scars over his lips and face, I suddenly got in a trance.

[Light Choice: Walk closer to him]

I walked towards him. No longer capable of holding back, I questioned him loudly.

You: What is it now? What dangers did you see? Or did you see Yangyang, that you want to bring him back?

Jesse shook his head.

Jesse: I just... I saw someone I hated very much.

You: Who is it?

Jesse: I'll eventually explain all of them to you, but not now.

I can't help but to frown at the familiar words. Seeing so, Jesse lowered his head and forcefully dragged me into his embrace.

Jesse: I will definitely tell you, really. So don't ignore me anymore.

His voice is mixed in the rain. It was very, very soft.

You: Don't you lie to me...

Jesse: I won't, I swear.

I looked up. Looking at his face that is only within an arm's reach, and the scars over his lips and face, I suddenly got in a trance.

I suddenly recalled that many years ago, there was once I was locked in the school's library because I stayed too late there. Granny is hospitalized, and Jesse was competing in Olympiads in the neighboring city.

I was probably panicked that I became hopeless, but in my memories, there was only the phone call that lasted over two hours.

Jesse has been chatting with me at the other end of the phone, and finally appeared before me. I still remembered, that there were many tiny scars over his face.

How did he manage to get back? And how did he open the door? He didn't tell me all of these, only smiling, and said that the scars on his face came from his accidental fall when he climbed over the wall.

Back then at the entrance of the library, he also seemed to have hugged me this tightly, and he didn't let go no matter what I said.

I leaned my face into his chest, nose suddenly felt very, very sore, that I can no longer show any temper.

I suddenly realized, that perhaps he has never changed since the beginning of time, and he has always been the Jesse that solves everything quietly on his own, and only leave a smile for me.

Jesse: Are you not angry anymore?

His voice was very demure, and he accidentally stretched the scar over his lip when he talked, and immediately let out a hiss in pain.

You: Does it hurt a lot?

Jesse shook his head, then rubbed the blood that newly seeped out with the back of his hand.

The drenched scar looked more serious under the rain. I can't help but to also reach out an arm, and softly tapped on the corner of his lips.

This time, Jesse didn't let out a sound from pain, only to smile in his reddened eyes.

You: What are you laughing at?

Jesse: I recalled that you were once locked in the library. By the time I went picking you up, my face was also injured, then I hugged you, and consoled you that it's fine.

I startled a little, then smiled.

You: What a coincidence, I also recalled this earlier.

Time seemed to have took a detour and sent us back to where we were, and allowed us to be reconciled again.

So just leave it like this, it's nothing big for arguments, it's not important to hide things from each other, as long as we are both fine.

After going through all of the troubles and got ourselves drenched, by the time we returned to the car, Jesse is already exhausted so much that he's now asleep on my shoulder.

Driver: So you younglings argued and reconciled again?

You: How did you know?

Driver: I've became a driver for so many years, what's there that I have yet to see? There was once I picked up two high schoolers, one of them is about to go overseas without telling the other. It ended up that the cover is blown, and both of them got so angry they argued in my car. You people just like to argue, always arguing on the littlest things. It's as if you don't know how to prove how important the other person is without an argument. By the time you have reached my age, time is not used for arguments.

Jesse: We weren't arguing, it's me who made her sad one-sidedly... Don't talk bad about her!

He turned around, unsure if he heard the driver or if he was sleep-talking.

But his arms are still clinging onto my arm tightly, so I knew he isn't completely relieved, not even a single bit.

I can't help but to softly poke his cheek, wanting to provide him with some comfort.

Yet at the instant our skins touched, many images have gushed into my mind.

The secrets that will bring danger that he has been shouldering quietly on his own are just like the scenes of films in the dark, showing before me.