Su Feng drove Song Ren to a drive-in mountain top. She felt puzzled by why he took her there instead of going home. She wanted to question him, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Song Ren followed his lead by exiting the car, walking up to the rails with the overview of the city slowly behind him, watching his tall silhouette blend into the colours of the setting sun. She s.h.i.+vered against the ice-cold wind but ignored the night chill. She settled her eyes on the man before her.
When she caught up with Su Feng, his face was long and grave, not like many of the other expressions she witnessed before. Typically, he wore smug expressions, and his smiles were often blinding, but pleasing to the eyes. Song Ren wondered if she would ever compliment Su Feng if they are together under the public eye. Su Feng often had an upbeat and happy personality, whereas she was always reserved and aloof. But who knew that all this time he was suffering on the inside?
Song Ren looked over at the city, waiting for him to say something. But she realized that the view was beautiful, lively. She looked over at Su Feng who stared, too, fascinated by sight. She heard him exhale deeply before saying, "You know I use to hate the city."
Song Ren glanced up at him, watching him, waiting. He continued, "I begged my father to allow me to live in this city, mainly for escape, but because you were here too. I did not even know you, but Song Ren, your names were what rang in my mind. I was a troubled child, but I wanted to prove to him that I could be the best," he paused to look at her gently.
"Then, I came here. I hated this city because I hated crowds, hated people. But you were here, and when I got to know you, I did not want to leave. During one of our school trips, we came here." He pointed towards their vacant surroundings. The night loomed over them like shadows, but the city only shone brighter. "I remember seeing you stand right here in this very spot. Your hair swayed gently. Your face was tightly knitted but when I called your name, you turned to me and smiled."
"So I worked hard," he continued, "Remember Ren; you"re the reason why I am here; you"re the reason why I worked so hard all this time."
Song Ren watched him eye-wide, her expression to near-tears. Su Feng"s grey long coat swayed against the wind. His arm reached out to brush the fallen tears from her cheek. He kept his palm on her face as Song Ren subconsciously leaned into his touch.
"You already knew?" he said with a slightly hoa.r.s.e voice.
Song Ren nodded against his caress. His gentle expression saddened with grief.
"I"m sorry," he choked. "I didn"t know my family was plotting against you."
Song Ren smiled as her tears poured from her eyes. "You couldn"t have known. They are your family, and they used you." Song Ren"s expressed then changed to something like vengeful and determined with her tear-stained eyes. "But they"re not all bad. We can fight against those who want you gone."
Su Feng"s expression was crestfallen. He shook his head, "No. It"s my fight," he began, "I have to go home and settle these matters. I don"t want to involve you," he said.
Song Ren grasped one of his hands tightly. "You already involved me when you asked me to marry you, and when you invited me to your home," she responded firmly.
"I never asked you to marry me," he said coldly. Song Ren stepped away from him, stunned by his words. What? But? Thoughts began to warped around her mind endlessly, almost making her sick. What is he saying?
Su Feng watched as horror flashed across her eyes. He felt terrible. But Su Feng needed to do this; needed to push her away so that he could not hold her back from being who she needed to be. It"s inevitable now that Su Feng will lose everything, and be nothing for her.
"Ren, I think we should break up." Su Feng could taste the bile in his throat from saying those words, but he had to give her the message. He glanced at Song Ren, who gave him a cold-hard stare in return. Her face was tight with her eyebrows knitted. Su Feng took her hand in his again and kissed the back of it. "Thank you, Ren. I"m sorry. May we see each other again after this is all over."
Song Ren felt a lump in her throat. As Su Feng walked back to the car, Song Ren clenched her fists, gathering her skirt between her fingers, trying to absorb what he told her. What was this? Song Ren shook her head, biting back the welling in her eyes. Years ago, Su Feng tormented her, and she wished that he disappeared. Then he came back, toying with her feelings. And he was going to walk out again?
Song Ren started, catching up to his pace. She grabbed his wrist, turning around Su Feng, too, had welled in his eyes. He looked at her heavy-heartily. Song Ren felt like her heart was going to burst. "I love you," she managed to say through her choked up throat. Su Feng felt dazed as she held onto him. Between them, the wind caressed their clothing. The only things that they heard were the sighing trees and the distant sound of cars driving past below. But in between their surrounding sounds, it took Su Feng moments to register those words.
"I love you," she said to him. Su Feng looked down towards her tiny figure. Her black hair swayed like a banner, her cheeks rose-tinted due to the cold wind. His heart sped up rapidly, as his eyes darted across her figure, his eyes lost in hers.
Abruptly, Su Feng picked her up and threw her over his shoulder without uttering a word. Song Ren gasped. "What are you doing?!" she asked him.
"I"m taking you to my home," Su Feng casually said as he carried her to his car. "It looks like you"re stuck with me since you love me so."
"...!!" Song Ren was speechless. Su Feng placed her gently on the pa.s.senger seat, strapping the seat belt over, smiling smugly. Song Ren clenched her teeth together, blus.h.i.+ng. What the h.e.l.l did I say? She thought. And they both drove off to a warm night.