Beautiful3

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I'm so ashamed

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She wondered the streets lonely and exhaustion. She'd been walking all night now. No where to go, no where to stay.

She walked up a familiar street. It was full of merchants and stalls just like other streets but this one was special. She felt like she belonged to this street like everyone else around her. Everyone was kind of lost; no one knew what they wanted. But they knew they'd find it here.

"Young lady, this pendant would look great with that hairpin," said a lady holding up a beautiful red flower pendant almost identical to her hairpin. "Try it on." Meilin put the pin on her worn black and gold blouse. It did look great, "Beautiful."

"Thank you, but I don't think I have enough money to purchase such a beautiful pin."

"Don't worry about it, such a beautiful pin should not be parted from its rightful owner."

"No, No, I could not accept such a gift without payment."

"If you're so persistent in paying me then, you must smile for me."

Meilin smiled, "Thank You."

"See, it is not so hard," the lady said to her.

Meilin walked away with a smile on her face and a new pendant on her blouse.

[January 6, 2003]

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She continued roaming the streets and smiling light heartily. Receiving the pendant renewed her spirit and her energy. There was something special about the pendant.

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The sun was starting to set and she'd been gone all night and all day. She hadn't eaten all day and she knew that she had to return home eventually. But how would she explain her absence. Maybe, no one noticed she was gone. It's not like anyone even paid any attention to her. She could just sneak back into her room and pretend she'd been there all this time.

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It wasn't hard getting past the entrance gate to the estate. Everyone was probably at dinner in the main house, since no one was out side. Getting to her house was simple enough. And even entering the house without question was easy. No one was home. Not even the maid was there. She walked into her room and still, nothing. No one had noticed her absence.

But the picture of XiaoLang and her had been moved, slightly. It was suppose to be on her dresser right next to one of her books. It was but it wasn't exactly where she'd left it. Someone had been in her room and touched her belongings.

Her parents didn't care enough to ever come in and the maids didn't dare come inside. No one has been in her room since… It's been a long, long time since anyone's been in her room except herself.

She closed her eyes and tried to sense the aurora of the person going through her things. She could feel it but it was too weak to make out whom it belonged to. She looked around her room and couldn't find anything different except for the picture being moved. But she was sure someone entered her room.

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She awoke to her usual morning routine. Except she felt someone else in the room with her. She looked around only to find him in her room. "Why were you in here yesterday?"

He turned around slowly, "I still needed to talk to you. Where were you?"

"Why are you so determined to talk with me? What is there to talk about? There is no need to bring up those old issues that everyone has gotten over with."

He looked down and was about to say something but stopped before anything came out and nodded. "Sorry," was all he said as he walked out of her room.

She got up, determined to go back and repay the woman that gave her the pendant. She didn't have much but it should be enough to pay for the pendant.

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No one stopped her as she walked outside the estate and called for a taxi. She got to the street and searched for the stand where she had received the pendant yesterday but couldn't find it anywhere. She even attempted to search for the woman's aurora but still couldn't feel anything. It was like she wasn't ever there. Meilin continued to ask people if anyone has seen the woman she was looking for but no one ever remembered anyone selling pendants in her description. Meilin was starting to doubt if the woman ever existed.

But she was holding in her hand the pendant that she was given yesterday, by that non-existent woman.

Meilin looked all day but couldn't find anyone fitting that description and decided that maybe she just imagined her and probably stole the pendant or something. But everyone whom she talked to said they've never seen that pendant.

It was getting late so it was best if she went home.

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When she entered the garden she was greeted by, the newly engaged couple.

Right when his bride saw Meilin she ran up and gave her a hug, accompanied by tears. "You've changed so much, Meilin. You look so different. We've missed you so much."

Meilin hugged her back but without tears, "I've missed you guys too."

"Where have you been all this time? I've been looking for you but I couldn't find you anywhere. I even went to your house."

"I just had to go somewhere."

Sakura smiled and held her friend, "Tomoyo's here too but I don't know where she is at the moment."

"That's okay. I'll see her later."

"Meilin, I have to get my wedding outfit measurements. Do you want to come with me, please?"

Meilin looked at XiaoLang with his smile and then back at Sakura with her pleading face and reluctantly went with them to the main house.

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When they entered to the room where they were measuring everyone, XiaoLang's sisters, Tomoyo, and Yelen greeted them. XiaoLang had left them in there to go get his own measurements in another room. Tomoyo came up to her and gave her a big bear hug.

"Wow. You are so beautiful Meilin," said Tomoyo. "You look so different since the last time I saw you."

Meilin nodded and smiled back at her.

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[End of CH 3.]

April 22, 2003