Coy Confessions
Xianghua pulled the cloth back and inhaled deeply. The air was heavy with the smell of fresh rain. She stepped outside. The storm had been reduced to a light drizzle. Xianghua looked up towards the mountains. She had not been in the Chinese countryside for many years. She had almost forgotten how relaxing it was to be in the open air.
She walked out to the edge of the hill. Her bare feet were tickled by the wet grass. She looked downhill towards the river. Kilik was down there with his staff Kali-Yuga. Xianghua clasped her hands together and drove her nails into her skin as she watched him swing and strike at imaginary opponents with Kali-Yuga.
She stared at him for nearly an hour before he was done. Kilik kneeled next to the river and splashed water over his head. Xianghua walked downhill and kneeled by his side. "You should have told me you were coming down here," she said.
"I got up before dawn," Kilik said before splashing one final handful of water over his head. "You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you."
Xianghua rolled her eyes. "I'm a warrior. Don't give me an exception simply because of how I look when I sleep."
"Right." Kilik briefly flashed her a smile. "I didn't wake Maxi either."
"For the same reason?"
"Not really."
"Might as well. I'll be going to the nearest city for food. Is there anything in particular you want?"
"No." Kilik stood and began walking uphill. He stopped after a few steps and turned to Xianghua. "Are you coming?"
"In a minute. I just want to enjoy the open air for a while."
"Whatever." Kilik continued uphill alone.
Xianghua craned her neck to see him walk away. Sure that he would not turn around, she silently mouthed three words to his back. "I love you." Oblivious, Kilik continued on his way. Xianghua turned back to the river and leaned forward. She cradled her face in her hands. "I can't believe what I'm doing. What's wrong with me?"
Xianghua pulled the cloth back and inhaled deeply. The air was heavy with the smell of fresh rain. She stepped outside. The storm had been reduced to a light drizzle. Xianghua looked up towards the mountains. She had not been in the Chinese countryside for many years. She had almost forgotten how relaxing it was to be in the open air.
She walked out to the edge of the hill. Her bare feet were tickled by the wet grass. She looked downhill towards the river. Kilik was down there with his staff Kali-Yuga. Xianghua clasped her hands together and drove her nails into her skin as she watched him swing and strike at imaginary opponents with Kali-Yuga.
She stared at him for nearly an hour before he was done. Kilik kneeled next to the river and splashed water over his head. Xianghua walked downhill and kneeled by his side. "You should have told me you were coming down here," she said.
"I got up before dawn," Kilik said before splashing one final handful of water over his head. "You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you."
Xianghua rolled her eyes. "I'm a warrior. Don't give me an exception simply because of how I look when I sleep."
"Right." Kilik briefly flashed her a smile. "I didn't wake Maxi either."
"For the same reason?"
"Not really."
"Might as well. I'll be going to the nearest city for food. Is there anything in particular you want?"
"No." Kilik stood and began walking uphill. He stopped after a few steps and turned to Xianghua. "Are you coming?"
"In a minute. I just want to enjoy the open air for a while."
"Whatever." Kilik continued uphill alone.
Xianghua craned her neck to see him walk away. Sure that he would not turn around, she silently mouthed three words to his back. "I love you." Oblivious, Kilik continued on his way. Xianghua turned back to the river and leaned forward. She cradled her face in her hands. "I can't believe what I'm doing. What's wrong with me?"