Xie Lian's POV:

The journey back to my place was relatively quiet. Whilst Lyric had Mozart playing on his radio, I on the other hand relentlessly thought about the visitors Hua had at home. He definitely wasn't happy and rather it seemed he was more disturbed by their presence. I had so many questions to ask, but wasn't sure if I had the right to ask them. He was an enigma to me.

"We're here."

Parking the car in front of my condo Lyric got out and the next second my neighbour Ms. Han whistled at us to seek our attention. When I say our, I meant more of Lyric's and less of mine.

"What's a handsome man like you doing here?"

Freak. Does she flirt with every single guy?

Last time my parents were here, she barged into my house as if she owned it, and tried flirting with my dad right in front of my mother. Not that it mattered, because for my dad, no one else existed except my mom, and thus he was very oblivious to Ms. Han's words. On the other hand mom and I had a hearty laugh at Ms. Han's failed attempts.

"Not you. Definitely not you." Shocked at Lyric's soft whispers; I had to hide my laughter behind a poor coverup cough.

Oh the humour of these men!

Turning to face her I plaster a fake smile on my face and nod, "Ms. Han, this is Mr. Lyric. My professor at our University. He is here to collect some notes. So, if you could please excuse us-" I don't wait to finish my sentence and quickly bound upward towards my place and watch from my peripheral vision Lyric instantly following me.

"Wow! She's quite interesting..." I laught at his sarcastic comment and soon he joins me.

"Don't mind her. She has been eyeing Sky for a very long time. He is now almost and I repeat almost immune to her."

There was an instant change in his demeanor which made me pause and wonder if I said something wrong? On closer inspection I found that he had visibly paled which made me rethink my words.

"Lyric?"

He was still as water.

"Professor?"

Nothing.

"Professor!" I raised my voice a bit which shook him out of his stupor. He still looked dazed but no longer pale. Handing him a bottle of water from my bag I enquired softly, "Is everything alright?"

Quickly gulping the water he shook his head and smiled wearily, "Yeah. Everything is alright." Closing his eyes Lyric rubbed his temples and once he found some semblance, he opened them and the weariness from before all had disappeared.

"Why don't you get dressed? If we leave a bit early, we can escape the morning traffic."

"Sure, but before that, would you like some coffee?" Walking over to my pot I grinned, "I usually prefer good old brew than instant."
Before I could complete my sentence, Lyric was in front of me salivating at the pot in my hand and I had to laugh. Looking at him right now, no one would have guessed his stance from before.

Gesturing him to take a seat on the chair in front of the counter; I go about my usual ways and place the rosted grains inside the filter.

King Kong. Feng Shui.

The memories of those guys popped up and unable to curb my curiosity I knew my mind won't rest until it found some answers and who best than the man in this room.

"Lyric."

"Hm?"

"Have you known Hua for a long time?"

"Oh yeah! Let's just say I knew him from his childhood days." His nonchalant answer made me smile. Hua as a child must have been adorable. If ever I get a chance, I would love to see his childhood photos.

"Can you tell me more about him?" I held my breath as I twirled the hot water inside the coffee filter.

As expected he worded cautiously, "What is it that you want to know about him?"

I had to control my urge to look at Lyric. If I do, I would never have the courage to ask.

"About his husband."

There was not a beep from the other man, and this time, I had to raise my gaze to meet the darker ones peering into my soul.

"Hua told me few things about his husband. I..." taking a deep breath I continue, "Tell me something about them? Please."

I had to wait for few minutes until finally Lyric smiled, not at me, but probably at a distant memory. "He was Hua's life. He was the sole reason for Hua's existence."

Those few words might have meant nothing more than just flowery words but with the intensity of emotions behind them, I knew what Lyric just said was absolutely the truth.

"Hua-" turning those gaze away from me, Lyric wiped his tears that refused to budge.

The coffee was ready and I placed a cup in front of Lyric. Taking a sip he continued, "It was his love that made Hua alive. Our Hua is an anti-social soul. When I say anti-social, it's an universal truth. But for him, Hua accepted everyone who came as a package for his lover's happiness. For Hua nothing mattered other than his beloved's happiness even if that meant non-stop chatter and welcoming people into his house, albeit reluctantly. Hua's life started with his husband's smile and also ended with his name. There was no one else for our Hua."

Taking another sip Lyric smiled at one such memory, "I remember being there for their wedding. Hua was agitated with the number of people who came to their special day. Had it been Hua's decision, he would have loved to elope with his beloved, but then the moment he saw his husband, a certain serenity adorned Hua's face and calmed in an instant.

"Hua always indulged his beloved. To make Hua smile, all you had to do was make his husband smile. There was no greater joy in seeing them together. They were purely made for eachother."

Glancing at me; Lyric's eyes turned somber, "They did not have a happy life Li. They both struggled a lot to even get to a point where they were. Just when we all thought that they finally got their piece of heaven, life played it's card and just like that Hua lost his sense of being.

"Even today I remember the night when these eyes witnessed Hua kneeling on the ground, drenched under torrential rain, quietly wailing in the name of his beloved. It wasn't just Hua crying, it was the universe shedding tears in form of rains to submerge the wails of Hua."

The coffee in my hand was now cold, but my lips tasted my own tears.

"Do you think I stand a chance?" My voice was coarse.

Few moments later Lyric smiled softly, "Are you strong enough to love a man who has another soul already present in his heart?"

Same question that Hua raised?

"Yes." I wasn't lying.

"Then I think you're the only one who can make my brother smile again." There was a spark in his eyes. I felt his words held something more deep than I could decipher.

Downing his cup Lyric stood, "Thanks for the coffee. I'll wait for you downstairs. Get dressed." With a bow he left my condo and all I could do was simply nod.

"Sup!"

Watching Sky taking a seat next to me I shook my head, "You better start attending lectures on time. Last time I got delayed because of your mischief. Ms. Ken kept asking why you weren't attending her lectures! What was I supposed to say?"

Placing an heavy arm around my neck, Sky pulled me closer and whispered in jest, "Tell her I was having working hard." Casting his eyes down on his crotch he grinned and I rolled my eyes.

"One day-" moving away from him I jabbed his ribs with my elbow, "You're going to fall in love with someone and you're going to fall hard."

"Bish! I am Sky. I am like a wind buddy. I create ripples. Not one to stay with someone and call them baby or honey."

Eyeing Sky sideways I smirk and tease, "Says the man who saw Goblin and cried his eyes out when Kim Shin was left all alone for eternity."

"Hey!" Clutching his heart and pointing at me he yelled, "How can you be so flippant? It's an eternal story! Kim Shin loved his beloved for time immemorial and chose to stay true to her and her soul only. How can one not cry when love is so beautiful?"

His words struck the chords in my heart. Wasn't Xie Lian and Hua Cheng's love story the same? But... No... Isn't Hua's love story the same?

"Sky."

"Hm?" Flipping open a book he was now calm.

"Do you really believe in such kind of love where the one who has been left behind waits for the only one to return no matter how long they need to stay?"

Sky was quiet for a while but then answered truthfully, "There isn't a better love than that Li. Knowing someone has been waiting for me for so long, that there isn't anyone else in their heart, but me. They would be like those mountains who would capture wind and bind them for time immemorial. I... want that."

Those last words were said so softly, had I not paid attention, I would have almost missed them. Before either of us could speak, the door opened and in walked Lyric.

"Now if it's him, I'll let him work me hard!"

"Sky!"

"What? He's hot! Don't tell me you won't play with him?" Giving a sudden burst of laugh he winked, "I forgot. You want the red earring adorning handsome hunk to fill you with his funk!"

This time I pinched his thigh and Sky yelped out loudly.

"What's happening?" Lyric yelled out and all Sky could mutter was, "Er..."

Covering my smile behind the text book, I thought back to what we had just discussed. Do I really want someone to wait for me? Isn't that depressing? Left all alone to wander this earth with only memories to comfort... no... I wouldn't want that. I cannot make my soulmate feel lonely.

As for the man with red earring; I glanced up to see Lyric busy with another student and that made me courageous to take out my phone and send my sexy professor a message.

~ Hua,

Be ready at 7. I'll pick you up. Wear something comfortable.

Dianxia ~