Often in times of struggle and worry, fantasies and illusions are created but there's no turning back as all delusions are shattered and truth is confirmed.
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Under the Light
Chapter 10:
Illusion Broken
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The morning arrived in a peaceful silence, accompanied by the slow splashes of waves against the side of the ship. The sun's rising caused its golden rays to reflect off the waters, making it seem as if they were sailing through the light itself. The entire crew and voyageurs were all quiet in their slept, save for a snore here and there. The only two people that appeared to be awake were a couple as they stood at the front of the ship, admiring the sunrise and each other.
The two held each other tenderly as they stared out until the silence was broken with a question. "This is nice isn't it?" asked Tai.
"Yeah it is… I'm glad I can spend this time with you," answered Yue.
"Same here… but something's been bothering me."
"What would that be?" she inquired.
"I'm not sure but… the atmosphere seems to have shifted slightly."
"What are you talking about?"
"It's just, I know something's different but I can't put my finger on it."
"Hmm… Maybe it has something to do with Xiang and Mei?"
"Maybe…"
"It has to be," she exclaimed. "I remember Mei looking very anxious and nervous. Maybe she finally confessed to him."
"That's a probability."
"Why don't we check it out then?"
"Alright. You take Mei, I'll go to Xiang."
"Sounds good." The two parted with a quick kiss and left for their respective friends.
Tai traveled swiftly to his friend's dorm room but the moment he arrived to the front of the door, he shuttered. The air was thick with sorrow and Tai was afraid of what lied beyond the door. Tai shook his head and remembered that he had a friend behind there and cautiously knocked against the door. Tai waited but there was no response. Stubbornly, Tai continued to knock against the door.
"Xiang! I know you're in there," he yelled. "It's Tai."
After waiting for a moment, Tai decided that Xiang wouldn't be emerging but just as he began to walk away, the door opened. Tai quickly turned around after hearing the creek and went over. "Xiang?"
"What?" Xiang answered, weakly.
"I came to check up on you. Yue said that you and Mei probably talked last night about something."
"We did…" Just at the mention of the scene, Xiang grew even more solemn.
"Then…?"
Xiang didn't even attempt to answer as he returned to his bed, quickly collapsing onto it. He didn't want to answer the question. He couldn't explain the circumstances to someone who didn't know his secret but the more he thought about it, the more his guilt ate away at him.
Tai entered the room and knew something was wrong just by the appearance of his room. Most of his clothes were discarded across the room and Xiang himself was a mess. His hair was messier than he ever saw it, he seemed more fragile, and his eyes screamed in agony.
Carefully, Tai sat at the edge of his bed and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Xiang… what happened? I'm your friend."
"It's complicated…"
"It's fine if you don't explain the circumstances but please tell me what happened with Mei at least. Did she confess to you?"
"She did…"
"And? What's the problem?"
"I… turned her down."
Tai was startled by the answer even though he expected something like that to have happened. "Then why are you so down?"
"Because I didn't want to… I really do care about her… but I can't be with her."
"There are so many gaps to that answer Xiang. But I get the jest of it. Don't worry, we'll figure this out. Just… rest I guess. I'll leave you alone for now but make sure to get yourself together; we'll be getting to land soon."
Tai took one last look at his miserable friend and sighed as he left the room. "This is going to be harder than I thought…"
Yue arrived to Mei's room after a brisk walk across the ship. She knew something was wrong, she could just feel it. Without wasting any more time, she knocked against the door. "Mei! It's Yue! Let me in," she demanded.
She could hear the slight shifting sounds of feet dragging across the floor until the door opened. Yue's eyes grew wide and worried when she saw the state of her friend. Mei's hair was tangled up in a complete mess; her entire being seemed brittle; and she had red puffy eyes. It was evident that Mei was crying from her tear stained cheeks and her eyes.
Without any warning, Yue pulled her into a tight hug. "Mei, what happened!"
Mei seemed unwilling to answer as she turned her head away from her friend. Yue wouldn't take that however as she guided the girl to her bed and the two sat down. "Mei, tell me what happened. I know something with you and Xiang went down last night."
Just at the mention of his name, Mei began to tear up once again as she buried her face in Yue's shoulder. Yue held her tenderly and gently stroked the back of her head, allowing her to cry. That confirmed it for Yue that something did happen but she wouldn't push for any more. She knew Mei was incredibly unstable and right now she needed to be comforted; no matter how long it took.
After the longest time, Mei's soft weeping ended as she pulled back slightly and sniffed to herself. "You okay? Or at least better?" Yue asked. Mei nodded only slightly. "Can you tell me what happened?"
Mei turned her head in hesitation as she thought about what happened. "I-I told him…"
"So he doesn't like you back?"
"N-no… he does…"
"Then what's the problem?"
"H-he… said we couldn't be together…"
Yue stared at her for a second. "He said what? That doesn't make any sense!"
"It's complicated…"
"What's complicated? He likes you, you like him; why did he reject you?"
"I can't tell you that Yue… There are things I just can't say."
Yue sighed to herself. "I understand. I just don't like seeing you like this." Mei remained silent as her head sunk down. "I'll leave you alone to think for now. Just be ready when we reach the shore, okay?" Mei gave a silent nod and Yue left the room.
Yue's footsteps echoed across the empty hallway which was the only sign she had from being lost in her thoughts. She was incredibly confused by Mei's responses and hoped Tai had received more information from Xiang but she doubted it. The two found each other once again and found a convenient spot to exchange information.
"So what did you learn?" Yue asked.
"Not much. All I learned is that Mei confessed to him last night but he turned her down for unknown circumstances even though he does care about her."
"That's pretty much all I learned too. It's that unknown variable that's causing the trouble but neither of them will tell us. We'll have to find a way around it."
"How do you propose we do that?"
"Maybe if we… I don't know."
Tai chuckled to himself. At times Yue knew exactly what to do but it was humorous to him that a single variable stumped her. "How about we get them together and let them solve it themselves?"
"That might work… the only problem is they probably won't even want to see each other."
"Nonsense. They like each other so they must want to but that painful memory is keeping them apart so we'll be the ones getting them together."
"You make things sound way too easy," she laughed.
"Who else is going to lighten the mood?" he asked, rhetorically.
Before long, the ship finally arrived to the docks of the island. The tropical paradise was filled with lush green trees and clear blue skies. A few mountains prevented them from seeing across the entire island but the view was spectacular nonetheless. Besides the nature, the small city was the only thing that seemed connected to civilization.
The students started to depart from the ship, some carrying their personal baggage while the rest was taken to a larger transportation method. Everyone was extremely excited to finally arrive and couldn't wait to enjoy themselves; well not everyone.
The obvious two that were heavy with sadness was Xiang and Mei. The two weren't even remotely close to each other but just the sheer weight of their sorrow was enough to affect everyone around them. Mei's head was hung low as she stared to the ground, not intending to lift her head. Xiang wasn't in a better condition as he dragged his feet across the ground and anyone who even disturbed him was given a death glare. Obviously, mostly his 'fan club' received the treatment but for some odd reason it didn't seem to drive them away.
The class continued to walk until they came to a bus stop. Already in wait were two large buses and some men came over and began to throw their luggage in the departments while students began to board the vehicle. Yue was one of the first ones to get a seat and she didn't want to leave Mei alone with just anyone so she dragged her along with her. Yue could instantly tell that Mei was extremely fatigued. Her eyes were baggy and there was still evidence of all her crying.
Tai copied Yue and took Xiang with him. He was the only one who Xiang didn't glare at. The Cantonese boy didn't pay any mind to it as his mind remained focused on the thoughts of last night.
The bus roared to life and the students began to cheer once again since they officially began their trip now; even if it was just going to their hotel. They started to move and everyone quieted down and enjoyed the ride.
Mei fell to sleep as soon as she sat down and her head was lying against Yue's shoulder. Throughout the entire ride, Yue could clearly hear Mei whispering Xiang's name as small tears rolled down her face. Yue could sense how heartbroken she was over him. The memory must even haunt her in her dreams.
Yue gently stroked Mei's hair in a comforting manner. "How could he do this to you…?"
Xiang could hear every word that was spoken from Yue and Mei. And each word struck him in his heart. The guilt slowly ate away at him. He had never wanted to hurt her like this and he wanted to do something to cheer her up but he couldn't be close to her. Not after what was said and what he is.
Finally, the class reached their destination and everyone rushed off and began to crowd around the teacher. She cleared her throat and held up a clipboard. "Okay everyone; there were a few problems in getting rooms so everyone will be rooming with someone. And since you usually do this at the academy, you'll be assigned to your dorm mates."
Yue and Tai's eyes grew wide at the sudden announcement. Yue acted quickly and went over to the teacher. "Umm, could I switch with Xiang Gang Kirkland? Mei isn't feeling well and I think it'd be best if she roomed with another girl."
"Hmm that sounds fine then. Mr. Kirkland will be assigned to a room by himself then."
"Okay, thank you." Yue returned to Tai's side and let out a sigh of relief. "That was a close one."
"I know right? Who knows what would have happened if they were in the same room together."
"Well, this is only the first location of the trip you know? I'm pretty sure there will be more stops and more tasks for us to stop."
"But we can't keep doing this. Maybe we should try and get them to talk to each other?"
"Have you seen Mei? She isn't in any condition to talk; much less to Xiang."
"But she isn't going to get any better by lounging around and being sad. I know it sounds mean but that's the truth. She and Xiang need to deal with this problem."
"Okay you're right; which is strange… but how do we go about doing this?"
"Well first, let's get settled down and when the trip commences with the activities, we can actually do something."
"Okay, let's just go up to our rooms and rest for now."
The two nodded to each other and Yue went over to tell Mei the news. Mei seemed unaffected by the news and Yue sighed. She began to guide Mei to their room but as soon as they reached the room, Mei went straight to her bed and collapsed onto it.
"Mei… come on. You can't just lie there all day. We're leaving in an hour to the amusement park."
"I don't want to go to the amusement park. Nothing will be amusing about it…"
"How do you know that if you don't even go?"
"Because I'm not in the mood for it… I just want to lay here and do nothing."
"You're going Mei, even if I take you dragging and screaming. You need something to cheer you up. Maybe you'll have fun."
Mei sighed in defeat. "Fine… but I won't like it."
Tai didn't have many problems convincing Xiang to go to the park. Xiang actually didn't care about anything and agreed to whatever he was told to do albeit he was like an empty shell. After the hour passed, everyone entered the bus and they quickly arrived.
The park was immensely large as it contained almost every classic park ride including roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and those small class rides meant for two. The group of four gathered together except Mei and Xiang didn't dare look at each other. With every step Yue and Tai took, they felt as if something was weighing them down.
"This isn't working," Yue whispered.
"Give it some time. We haven't even done anything yet."
Yue turned her head slightly to see Mei at her side but she still carried the same depressed expression on her face but now part of it held annoyance. Mei really didn't want to come to the park with them, much less Xiang. Her feelings for him still existed and they didn't break but the thought of not being able to be with him was enough pain for her.
Thinking quickly, Tai decided to look for the closest ride in order to lessen the tension, even if it was by a little. The closest ride he saw was the Ferris wheel. "Hey guys, let's go to that one."
"Whatever…" Xiang answered.
"I don't care…" Mei replied.
Yue walked with Tai until she was able to get some distance from the two. She leaned into his ear and whispered. "This better work Tai. Those two are more meant for each than they realize."
Tai chuckled. "Yeah, let's hope this day works out. If we just get them to get closer to each other again, I'm sure they'll work it out somehow."
The four got into the line and surprisingly, it was small. They were able to get a spot right away and each spot held four people. Mei's eyes opened wide since she finally realized the two's plan just as she was about to enter the ride. Before she could walk out though, Yue pulled her inside and she landed in the seat next to Xiang.
Mei quickly turned her face away from him as she glared angrily at Yue through the corner of her eye. Yue only responded with an 'I'm sorry but it's for your own good' look.
Mei looked out the window and saw how high they were going and fear struck her. She didn't handle heights that well and she instantly flung herself closer to the middle but that was right next to Xiang. He turned his head and looked at her and saw how scare she looked and couldn't bear to just push her away.
"I-I'm n-not scared. I-it just looks kind of high… C-can I sit next to you? J-just till we start to descend."
"Its fine…" he answered.
As they reached to the peak of the ride, Mei unintentionally began to cling to Xiang's arm, startling him at the same time. Her eyes were shut as she tightened her grip on his arm. Yue and Tai looked at the two grinning. It seems they weren't completely repelled to each other after all.
The Ferris wheel finally arrived to the bottom and Mei rushed out of the department and she got onto the ground. "I never want to go on another high ride again…"
Yue went over to her and bent down next to her. "What if Xiang's there with you?" she teased.
Mei flushed as she turned her head. "W-why would I want to be with him?"
Yue giggled in victory. She was starting to warm up to Xiang again, and she believed Xiang was too since he didn't seem to refuse her advance during the ride. Yue helped Mei up to the ground and began to plot for another activity that they could all do. The lines for the rollercoasters were filled but Yue had a better idea. "Hey guys, let's go to the game booths."
Everyone agreed except Xiang who still answered with a 'whatever.' They strolled over to the booths and began to look around for anything that held good prizes. When they walked past one that involved throwing a bean bag and knocking down some milk bottles, Mei's eyes instantly brightened after she saw one of the prizes. She grabbed Yue's hand and began to jump like a little kid.
"Yue, look at the size of that panda there. Isn't it cute?"
Yue laughed. "You and your panda fetish."
"I blame my brother. I swear our house was full of them when I was little and I just got so used to them."
"Right… well let's try the game."
The two girls went over to the stand and paid for their respective turns while Tai and Xiang stood in the background. Yue quickly began her attempts at knocking down the bottles but sadly she failed at knocking down all of them. Mei took her turn and took the bag and took aim. Carefully, she made sure she would be able to nail her shot and as soon as she was sure, she threw it. The bag slammed into the bottles with a startling crash as nearly all of them fell off the platform but a sole bottle spun around on the platform; refusing to fall off.
Mei let out a grunt as she threw down some more money, signaling that she wanted to try again. The vendor's manager chuckled to himself and gave out a couple of more bags for Mei. Through the corner of his eye, Xiang could see what was happening and he heavily suspected that the game was a trick. Even if his suspicions were true, he couldn't confirm them and his suspicions alone wouldn't stop Mei from continuing her assault for the panda plush.
Mei vigorously continued to throw each bag against the bottles but every time she came up short. Each failure only frustrated her more and her stubbornness prevented her from quitting. Mei began to search through her purse desperately for some bills when she took out her last bit of money. She stared at the paper and looked over to the panda. This was her last try because the rest of her money in her room and it'd be wrong of her to use her emergency money.
Slowly she slid the paper onto the table and took the last bag. Mei raised her arms and her eyes burned with determination. Without any more hesitation, she threw it and it crashed into the bottles. Two fell off without any effort but the last bottle began to spin around the platform once again until it reached the edge. Mei held her breath in anticipation until the bottle came to an abrupt halt.
She stared deadpanned at the bottle. Mei turned her back from the stand and stomped off to the others and the three could easily see she was frustrated with the game and also upset. Yue went over and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Mei. You tired your best."
"…But I didn't win…"
Xiang suddenly stepped forward and stood in front of the stand and placed a bill onto the wooden table. The manager only looked up as he counted the profit from Mei and smirked as he found another victim for his ploy. "Gonna try for your friend huh?"
Xiang said nothing as he snatched up the bean bag. He prepared to aim when Mei ran over and tugged on his arm. "Xiang stop it. You don't need to do this."
Xiang ignored her and tightened his grip on the bag. In a flash of movement, Xiang slammed the bag into the platform, knocking down all the bottles. But Xiang didn't stop there, his eyes quickly scouted all the hangers and he placed down more money and snatched up more bags. For the next few minutes, Xiang continually knocked down bottles after bottles at an unbelievable speed until only one panda was left on a hanger.
Xiang took aim and this time, the veins on his arm were slightly visible as he made the bag crash into the bottles but the unexpected thing was he not only knocked off all the bottles; he blew into the platform. The manager stared at the scene with his mouth wide open from the shock of the action. Xiang moved passed him and took a panda from one of the hangers and began to walk away with a large sack of panda toys until he turned his head back.
"Next time you try and trick someone, make sure it's not my friend."
Xiang went over to the trio where Yue and Tai stared in amazement at what Xiang just did. But Mei, even though she was impressed with the act, didn't expect any less. After all, she did know who Xiang really was. Xiang threw the panda into the air and Mei caught the plush as it flew to her. The girl turned her attention to just the panda but it was her attempt to hide her growing blush.
"…Thanks…" she commented.
"It's nothing." Xiang turned his head away from her. He knew that if he did see her face, he would smile and that went against what he was trying to do.
Xiang took a look at his giant pile of prizes and didn't want to be lugging it around with him all day and he really didn't even need one panda. The boy took out a small piece of paper and scribbled something onto the parchment. Then he stuck the paper to the huge pile of pandas and entitled it with 'free pandas'. Mei giggled at the act but didn't actually make a comment to him.
Tai and Yue began to snicker to themselves. The two were finally warming up to each other so now all they had to do was keep pushing them. Or rather, just make sure they kept interacting with each other. They didn't really have to do anything for the stand and panda so they would let things take their natural course. They didn't even notice when the two began to walk off on their own; though they still didn't really talk.
The couple kept a close eye on the two as they walked behind them. They didn't really have a destination but it was better to explore rather than stay in one spot. The group entered an area that was filled with different kind of food stands; ranging from the classical theme park foods to strange treats that had almost everything deep fried or covered in chocolate.
Even though Mei tried to hide it, Xiang could hear the muffled growls of her stomach begging to be fed something. He began to search for anything around that looked even remotely edible and saw something pink at the corner of the stands. He walked briskly over to the stand and found that it was a cotton candy vendor. Xiang paid for one cone wrapped in the fluffy and sugary treat and went back to the group.
When he returned, he found Mei leaning against a stand by herself and Tai and Yue were off who knows where. The girl looked up to see Xiang with the candy and she wondered why he wasn't eating it. Xiang handed her the candy which she took wordlessly but gratefully as well.
Mei began to bite into the soft and fluffy treat; savoring the sweetness of the candy. She looked over to Xiang and back to the candy. She went over to him and offered some to him, insisting that he share with her instead of just taking it all for herself. Not wanting to argue with the strong willed girl, he began to eat some. Mei smiled and continued to eat, along with him until they finished the sugary snack.
The sweet luxury had somewhat satisfied her stomach for the time being and now they could focus on actually enjoying the park. To her disappointment however, the intercom announced that the theme park would be closing early. Mei still wanted to do more things and silently, she wanted to do them with Xiang. The two reluctantly began to go back to the front gate, saddened by the fact that their day at the theme park was cut short.
As they walked, Mei noticed a photo booth that was clear of any other park-goers. Without any warning, Mei grabbed Xiang's arm and tugged it, directing his attention to the booth. "Come on, it'll be fun and we'll have something to remember this day," she exclaimed.
Xiang complied and the two went into the booth. Xiang was actually surprised at how warm she was being. It was almost as if the night before didn't happen but the memory still lingered within his mind no matter how much fun he was having. The two sat down and waited for the camera to start taking pictures. The first was somewhat formal as they sat plainly with smiles on their faces and after that, it switched into silly photos. Mei made funny faces while at the same time, fixing Xiang's face with her fingers to make strange faces. At the final shot, Mei did something completely unexpected and she gave Xiang a soft kiss to his cheek.
After the picture was taken, Mei quickly exited the booth as a blush crept over her face. She mentally scolded herself for what she just did. Mei was reminded of what happened the night before and she knew and she repeated it over and over but she couldn't get over her feelings for him. She had never felt this strongly about anyone before and her thoughts of him always filled her with a strange but pleasant feeling in her stomach. Regardless, she had to try and push the feelings away.
Just as Mei began to calm down, the pictures were dispensed and she saw the very last picture that made her face flush with red. Xiang remained in the booth with a dream like expression plastered on his face. He lifted one of his hands to touch his cheek, and he could still remember the softness of her lips against his cheek. He couldn't help but blush slightly when he thought of it. He knew it was wrong for him to feel that way. Very wrong. But the more he tried to reject his feelings for her; they always came back in full force and even grew in strength with each attempt.
The intercom rang again, breaking Xiang of his trance and he quickly got out of the booth to find Mei stand outside, waiting for him. Mei tried her best to hide her embarrassment and tried not to think about the awkward moment that would appear around them again. They had to quicken their pace since they wasted a bit of time with the pictures but neither actually thought of it as wasted time since it was spent together. Although, the two would never admit their joy since they both knew about the situation.
They finally reached the gate where their classmates were waiting for them and to their amusement; a few of them had pandas with them. They were the last two of the class and the girls glared daggers at Mei for spending time with Xiang. The teacher apologized to everyone for the early dismissal and they all entered the bus to go back to the hotel. The moment everyone sat down, the teacher stood up and clapped her hands together to make an announcement.
"Okay everyone, since our day at the theme park was cut short; we'll be going to the beach."
The teacher didn't have to say anything else as the class exploded with cheer at the new activity. The weather was absolutely perfect for a day at the beach and since noon had already passed, the heat wouldn't be much of a bother.
The class arrived to the hotel and everyone departed to get their beach ware. Everyone was excited to be going to the beach, so much so that their impatience caused the huge group to get backed up in the hotel entrance. Xiang, Mei, Yue and Tai just stood in the back, waiting for all the shoving and screaming to end so they could enter safely.
Xiang sighed at their foolishness and noticed that there was a side door that could let a person through one at a time. He pointed this out to the others and the group quickly went over and entered the hotel. The others didn't even take note of this and continued their desperate attempt to get into the building. Mean while, the friends went to their respective rooms and retrieved their things and got ready for the beach.
Xiang seemed to be the first one to exit since he really didn't require much besides his trunks, a towel and sandals. He quietly exited the hotel, now seeing that the large mob of students finally dispersed to go to their rooms. Xiang waited outside for the others to come out when a familiar shade of blonde locks caught his attention through the corner of his eye.
To him, there was no mistaking it. Xiang made sure that no one was looking and he went over to the side of the building until he came face to face with the person he suspected and the person he least suspected to see. "…Arthur…"
The Brit stood firm but he couldn't hide his relief to see Xiang alive and well. "Xiang! It's good to see you but I don't even know where to start. I was extremely worried that you had perished during the mission since you didn't respond when I called to check up on you after the allotted time. And furthermore, I suspected something happened from the way you sounded on the phone just before the mission."
"…Well as you can see, I'm fine…" Xiang stared at him with his usual blank gaze but this time, something was different. Even Arthur could tell. Xiang wasn't anywhere near fine.
"Xiang, I know something's wrong. I can hear it in your voice and I can see it in your eyes. What in the world happened to you?"
"… It's nothing you should concern yourself with…"
"Xiang, of course I should. If this concerns your health, I most certainly will take action."
"Sorry Arthur, but as long as I can complete missions for the Organization, there's no need for you to take any action or worry for that matter."
"Xiang, listen to me right now. Forget about the Organization. Forget about all the things you should do and focus on what I'm about to say. I care more about your well being than what the Organization wants. I know I haven't done anything to deserve your trust and you probably don't see me as anything but a superior but please try and look pass that. I've known you long enough to know when you're fine about doing a mission and you certainly seem capable but the thing is something is different about you lately. You're not like you were before… I think this started when you entered the academy."
Xiang's body stiffened slightly and that was all Arthur needed to see to know he was right. He needed to keep pressing him, and make sure he could help Xiang through this ordeal. "What is it exactly Xiang? I promise I don't mean any harm to you and you don't have to tell me anything if you want but I'm right here if you need my advice or help or anything."
Xiang looked reluctant to do anything. This was a side of Arthur he had never really seen. Now all those small gestures he did in the past to try and make him even the slightest bit happy made sense. All those things he went through to protect him like enrolling him in the academy. "… It's someone…"
Arthur looked at Xiang for a long moment. Trying to take in everything he said and even if it wasn't much, the tone of his voice showed clear signs of nervousness. But it wasn't the kind that was produced from fear. It was something completely different. And Arthur knew Xiang better than anyone and now he had the strongest suspicions that he believed were true. All he needed to do was ask.
"Did you… meet someone… special to you?"
Xiang's eyes instantly widened. He didn't know how but Arthur hit the mark perfectly. But he refused to give away Mei's identity or anything about her that would give any hints. "… y-yes."
Arthur surprised Xiang when his gaze softened and a smile appeared on his face. He moved his hand up and placed it on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "Xiang… I'm happy for you. I truly am… but this appearance you're showing me, showing everyone. It doesn't suit you. I know you must be afraid for her because of who you really are but… you can't do that to yourself. You only have one chance in life to find true happiness and love."
Xiang still seemed reluctant as Arthur said these things to him. But each word hit his heart, making him realize what he had done and even then, it still seemed that a thin barrier was keeping him from his true feelings. Arthur pulled his arm back and he stepped back so Xiang could clearly see him and take in what he was about to say. "Xiang, like people, there are billions of stars out there except there's only one that's going to be your sun."
Xiang could feel something within him shatter, releasing something that he had been restraining and denying. All of Arthur's words had made him realize what a grand mistake he had made but now, he wasn't going to keep denying what his heart has been telling him and longing for.
The Cantonese boy turned around and began to walk slowly until he stopped and turned his head slightly. "Thank you Arthur… I needed to hear that." Arthur nodded towards him and Xiang walked off.
When he returned, he saw everyone was entering the buses and he could see his friends waiting for him.
At the corner of the building, Arthur saw the girl that had Xiang's heart as she waved to him. And from the light in her eyes, he could tell that she felt the same way for him as well. Arthur closed his eyes and began to walk away from the scene, thinking that Xiang had a real chance at happiness.
The buses arrived in a hurry to the sandy shores of the beach. Everyone was slightly restless in anticipation to the continuation of their trip and the drivers could sense it which made them increase their pace. The moment they arrived, everyone rushed off the bus and ran out to the sand as the waves from the ocean collided into the sand.
Students found their own spots to set up an umbrella or beach blankets. At the same time, they were removing their top layered clothes to reveal their swimsuits. Xiang, Mei, Yue and Tai found a spot somewhere at the center of the beach where they began to set up their own spot.
Tai couldn't help but admire his girlfriend's figure when she got into her swimsuit and he knew she would later tease him or scold him for it. Xiang was lying on the towel under the shade as everyone continued their fun and he had absolutely no intention of interacting with them. The ground next to him shifted slightly and Xiang cracked open one eye to peak over and saw Mei sitting down next to him.
She stared out absent mindedly to the ocean as she tried to gather her thoughts in the peaceful setting. It was true that Xiang and her were becoming a bit more warm toward each other but that didn't erase what happened last night. And it didn't change what he said to her. So she continually repeated those words in her mind. Every time she did, she could feel a pulse of pain from her heart but she knew it was necessary. It seemed as though, they could never be anything more than just friends and she had to confirm this with herself. She knew this was a useless effort.
Yue and Tai looked over at the two and sighed. Things were going so well but now their relationship wasn't progressing at all and sitting around doing nothing wasn't going to help. Yue went over to Mei and pulled her up.
"Come on Mei. This is a beach so let's go have some fun." The Taiwanese girl didn't want to do anything of the sort and Yue knew the stubborn girl wouldn't give up without a fight. Either way, Yue was physically stronger than Mei and she began to drag the girl toward the water despite the protests.
"Let me go Yue! I don't want to go in the water!" Mei finally got her arm back but she didn't realize they were already ankle deep in the cold water.
Yue bent down slightly and playfully splashed some water onto the girl. Mei cried out from the cold but she got over it quickly. She glared at Yue and she wanted payback.
Tai watched in amusement as the two girls chased after each other, trying to splash each other when he remembered his part in the plan. He turned his attention to Xiang who appeared to doze off. Tai went over to him and shook him which made his eyes snap open.
"What?" Xiang demanded.
"Let's go play with the girls," he suggested.
"No," Xiang rejected. The Cantonese boy tried to return to his rest but Tai was persistent.
Tai tried to think of anything that could help him in getting Xiang to play with them but he had nothing. Just then, he noticed a large group of girls approaching them and he got an idea. "Well you could just rest there but then you would be completely surrounded by your fan club."
Xiang instantly rose from his spot and looked over to see the girls marching towards them. He sighed to himself and thought about the situation. Hanging out with his friends was a much better option than be harassed by a bunch of girls wearing scanty bathing suits in an attempt to gain his attention and favor. He stood up and Tai grinned in victory.
The two quickly entered the water and met up with the two girls who were finally enjoying their time in the water. But as Xiang entered the water, Mei's head quickly snapped toward his direction in astonishment.
"Why are you here?" she blurted out. It's not that she wanted to be rude or anything but for two things; Xiang didn't seem like the type to play in the sun and sand and she was trying to forget about him and that was hard to do when he was always around.
Xiang frowned slightly from her comment but he didn't want to say that he was just there to avoid the mob of girls searching for him. "Why shouldn't I be here? Someone has to stay around and keep watch on you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.
"If I recall correctly, the last time we were all playing in water, you nearly drowned."
Mei's face turned slightly red in embarrassment and anger. She was frustrated that he could turn such a dramatic event into something so light. "I don't need you to rescue me. I'm a perfectly fine swimmer. Probably better than you," she challenged.
Xiang's eye twitched slightly. "Did she actually just challenge me?" he thought. "You weren't nearly as fast as me," he argued.
"Just because you clearly have more power, doesn't mean much. You probably can't take long distances."
"Then let's see about that. We'll race."
"I thought you'd never ask." Yue and Tai stared at the two, slightly frightened. The two knew about Mei's competitive nature and she was almost impossible to beat if she was determined enough. At the same time, they knew about Xiang's remarkable speed and power so it was going to be an interesting match. Mei glanced over the clear waters and saw a perfect spot for them to race to. "First one to that rock formation on the other side of the beach wins."
Xiang nodded in agreement. The two readied themselves to speed off when someone called for a start. The sun set was near since the ball of light was close to the horizon. They waited and waited as small waves crashed into their bodies. Yue went over to the side of them and began to count down from three. The moment she said 'go' the two dived into the water.
Xiang clearly had the head start and was distancing himself from Mei with an explosion of strength with each stroke he made. Xiang absolutely refused to lose to her and he wasn't going to hold anything back. Mei smirked mentally. Xiang had made a huge error in his strategy by going off at full power. Even if Mei wasn't as strong as Xiang, she was able to keep up surprisingly well. And she was thinking clear enough to know that she should save most of her strength for the long swim distance.
After a few minutes, Xiang started to lose speed as he felt fatigue creeping up on him. Before he knew it, Mei was right beside him as he continued to swim. Xiang continued to swim even though his body begged for some rest but through sheer will, he continued.
The two were at the final stretch as the rock formation came within their reaches. At this point, Mei didn't have to hold anything back and she sped up. Xiang cursed mentally and tried to keep up with the girl but in the end, he lost.
Mei cheered as she claimed her victory and Xiang looked stunned to have lost against her. Mei felt weary and sore but she couldn't care less. Xiang admitted his defeat and congratulated her on defeating him. After a few more moments of just resting, the two began to swim for the shore that was close to them.
Once they arrived onto the sand, they weakly walked over and collapsed onto their backs as they panted from exhaustion. Even though they were tired, a smile was on both of their faces. It was fun. The two laid on their backs for a couple more minutes before they both got up into a sitting position. Xiang's head turned around and saw that they were the only two on that side of the beach. After a long moment, the two seemed to return to their previous state before their friends got them to play in the water; remembering what was said and done.
Xiang and Mei sat alone as the waves crashes onto the shores. The tension between them seemed to be lightened from the day but the previous night still had its impression on them. Xiang wanted to move closer to her but his mind said otherwise. He had to ignore it however and he had something to say.
"Mei... I-"
"I thought you didn't want to be close to me anymore..." interrupted Mei.
"That's what I thought but that's not what I want."
"Then what's keeping you?"
"Myself..."
"You still don't care, do you?"
"No! That's not it at all," he blurted. "I do care Mei. I really do. And I realized something I should have done."
Mei turned her back to him. "That doesn't mean anything if you don't do anything."
"Mei..." Xiang reached and touched her shoulder but she instantly turned around and slapped his hand.
"Don't touch me Xiang"
Instead of obeying her he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to himself. "I can't do that." He quickly wrapped his free arm around her, preventing her from escaping.
"Xiang! What are you doing? Let me go!"
"Listen. I know what I did really hurt you and I'm sorry. I made a huge mistake. But I realized that I can't deny loving you. That I can't stand to be away from you. That I can't ever forget about you."
Mei's eyes softened as she began to register what he just said to her. She gently draped her arm over his should as he loosened his grip and instead held her hand. "Does that mean?"
"You tell me."
The slow steady rush of the waves seemed to be the only sound that kept Xiang from being lost in her embrace. He held her closely with one arm and the other was intertwined with her own. Her chocolate brown eyes reflected his gaze. Her usual creamy colored skin was lightly dusted with pink. Slowly as they closed the distance between them, she quietly closed her eyes and her soft lips met his.
Her lips tasted like a childhood memory, sweet like freshly caught honey, soft as a lush green hill, and colored like plum blossoms. For that brief moment, when they were connected, it seemed to drive them into their own world, excluding any distractions. When they finally parted, their hold over each other didn't lessen, as they held each other closer and tighter. The sweet scent of flowers began to flow into his senses, reminding him of the flowers that she cared for so much. She rested her head against his chest quietly as all her doubt and regret was erased. They remained silent in each other's arms until she finally spoke in that beloved voice of hers, confirming that it wasn't just a simple far-off dream or memory. That it was the fantasy and illusion that became reality.
Disclaimer: Don't own Hetalia
A/n: Well here's the very angsty, suspenseful and romantic chapter I promised :) I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. I've been planning for that kissing scene since the very beginning of Under the Light ^^; Well anyway after all that drama, thing's finally calm down right? Well think again. Thing's officially start now. If you thought it was crazy before, then you haven't seen anything yet. Expect even more action, violence and romance from now on since their relationship and test officially starts. Thank you to my dear readers and reviewers that have stayed with me for this long and I promise it'll be just as awesome and maybe more so.
Reviews again are always appreciated and read :) Bye for now and stay alert for the next chapter.