The Love That Remains

"Eshe?" The landlady calls out my name before I can knock . The landlady tells someone, "She"s here . "

"Yes, Aunty, it"s me . " I push open the door and ask the question for umpeenth time . "How do you always know before I knock?"

The landlady doesn"t answer my question as always . Instead, she speaks to the guest . "You can talk to her and tell me what you have decided later . "

Her guest is twenty something, dressed in khaki clothes with her dark hair tied up in ponytail . From her get up, I guess that she is a wildlife photographer . She might be the new tenant .

She narrows her eyes and points her finger at me . "Fang Aisa!"

c.r.a.p!

"The mentally unstable girl who committed suicide eight years ago? She was quite famous back then . You are not the first person to mistake me for her . "

"But you look exactly like her . " The woman walks to me to take a closer look . "She would have looked just like you if she was your age . "

"I am Eshe Yu . " It"s been eight years . I am on the other side of the country . What are the chances of running into someone who knows Fang Aisa?

"Yes, it"s not possible . Fang Aisa died eight years ago . There was even a funeral . " There is a fake pity in her eyes . She does look strangely familiar .

The cla.s.s president .

Of all the people in the world, it"s her from my past who meets me after my fake death .

"That"s sad . " I want to leave this village right at this instant . I don"t want the desposit anymore . "Do you need me for something?"

"My name is Wei Su Su . I am anthropologist . I am here for work . " She smiles at me politely . "I need a quiet place for my studies . I learned about the place that you are currently renting . I heard that you will leave tomorrow . I don"t have a place to stay tonight . Can I stay at your place?"

"No . " Her face ashens when she hears my reply . "I am leaving today . Actually, I am here to take the deposit . I need to pick up my cat from the cottage . After that, it"s all yours . "

"This is wonderful . " She chimes happily . I go to my landlady . She hands me a envelope before I can say anything .

"I will miss you, Eshe . " The landlady"s words doesn"t meet her stiff facial expressions . "Don"t forget your cat . "

"Thanks for the reminder, Aunty . I will miss you too . " I turn to my former cla.s.s president . "Wei Su Su, can you wait here for a while? I will give you the keys when I am back from the cottage . "

"Sure . "

I hurry back to the cottage . I can smell the roasted chicken when I get closer to the cottage . I stop in front of the cottage and wear my sungla.s.ses . The delicious smell of roasted chicken waters my mouth . It"s a pity that I won"t be able to eat it now .

"Welcome back . " Reis is sprinkling something on the roasted chicken . His beautiful hetrochromia eyes are focused on the chicken . He looks like a normal person right now .

"Reis, we have to leave now," I tell the G.o.d of time . "Someone from my school is here . "

He stops sprinkling and frowns at me . "Did that person recognise you?"

"Yes, but I handled it . " I pick up the bags . I have already done the packing to avoid the rush at last minute . "She is the new tenant . She will stay with us overnight if we don"t leave . It"s better to sleep on the street than live with that person . "

"As you wish then . " With a flash, Reis turns back into Rene, the cat . "Pack the chicken . We will eat it on the road . "

I nod and pack the chicken . We lock the house and put the bags on the bike . Rene sits atop the bags . We rush to the landlady"s house . I leave Rene with the bike and the bags . I go inside and find Wei Su Su and the landlady chatting while drinking tea .

"Eshe, you are leaving?" The landlady doesn"t look surprised to see me .

"Yes, Aunty . " I give her the keys and take a glance at Wei Su Su . She is texting on her phone . I guess that she isn"t suspicious . After all, dead people don"t come back to life .

"Have a safe journey . " The landlady smiles at me stiffly .

"Take care, Aunty . " I nod at her .

"Eshe?" Wei Su Su clicks a picture of me . "I hope you don"t mind . "

"Please delete that . " I scowl at her . "I don"t like anyone taking my pictures without my permission . "

"Oh, I am sorry . " She furrows her brows and deletes the picture . She shows me the screen . "See, it"s deleted . "

"Good . " I let out a sigh of relief . I bid them goodbye and get the h.e.l.l out of that place .Eshe? The landlady calls out my name before I can knock . The landlady tells someone, Shes here . Yes, Aunty, its me . I push open the door and ask the question for umpeenth time . How do you always know before I knock? The landlady doesnt answer my question as always . Instead, she speaks to the guest . You can talk to her and tell me what you have decided later . Her guest is twenty something, dressed in khaki clothes with her dark hair tied up in ponytail . From her get up, I guess that she is a wildlife photographer . She might be the new tenant . She narrows her eyes and points her finger at me . Fang Aisa! c.r.a.p! The mentally unstable girl who committed suicide eight years ago? She was quite famous back then . You are not the first person to mistake me for her . But you look exactly like her . The woman walks to me to take a closer look . She would have looked just like you if she was your age . I am Eshe Yu . Its been eight years . I am on the other side of the country . What are the chances of running into someone who knows Fang Aisa? Yes, its not possible . Fang Aisa died eight years ago . There was even a funeral . There is a fake pity in her eyes . She does look strangely familiar . The cla.s.s president . Of all the people in the world, its her from my past who meets me after my fake death . Thats sad . I want to leave this village right at this instant . I dont want the desposit anymore . Do you need me for something? My name is Wei Su Su . I am anthropologist . I am here for work . She smiles at me politely . I need a quiet place for my studies . I learned about the place that you are currently renting . I heard that you will leave tomorrow . I dont have a place to stay tonight . Can I stay at your place? No . Her face ashens when she hears my reply . I am leaving today . Actually, I am here to take the deposit . I need to pick up my cat from the cottage . After that, its all yours . This is wonderful . She chimes happily . I go to my landlady . She hands me a envelope before I can say anything . I will miss you, Eshe . The landladys words doesnt meet her stiff facial expressions . Dont forget your cat . Thanks for the reminder, Aunty . I will miss you too . I turn to my former cla.s.s president . Wei Su Su, can you wait here for a while? I will give you the keys when I am back from the cottage . Sure . I hurry back to the cottage . I can smell the roasted chicken when I get closer to the cottage . I stop in front of the cottage and wear my sungla.s.ses . The delicious smell of roasted chicken waters my mouth . Its a pity that I wont be able to eat it now . Welcome back . Reis is sprinkling something on the roasted chicken . His beautiful hetrochromia eyes are focused on the chicken . He looks like a normal person right now . Reis, we have to leave now, I tell the G.o.d of time . Someone from my school is here . He stops sprinkling and frowns at me . Did that person recognise you? Yes, but I handled it . I pick up the bags . I have already done the packing to avoid the rush at last minute . She is the new tenant . She will stay with us overnight if we dont leave . Its better to sleep on the street than live with that person . As you wish then . With a flash, Reis turns back into Rene, the cat . Pack the chicken . We will eat it on the road . I nod and pack the chicken . We lock the house and put the bags on the bike . Rene sits atop the bags . We rush to the landladys house . I leave Rene with the bike and the bags . I go inside and find Wei Su Su and the landlady chatting while drinking tea . Eshe, you are leaving? The landlady doesnt look surprised to see me . Yes, Aunty . I give her the keys and take a glance at Wei Su Su . She is texting on her phone . I guess that she isnt suspicious . After all, dead people dont come back to life . Have a safe journey . The landlady smiles at me stiffly . Take care, Aunty . I nod at her . Eshe? Wei Su Su clicks a picture of me . I hope you dont mind . Please delete that . I scowl at her . I dont like anyone taking my pictures without my permission . Oh, I am sorry . She furrows her brows and deletes the picture . She shows me the screen . See, its deleted . Good . I let out a sigh of relief . I bid them goodbye and get the h.e.l.l out of that place .