He & She V

Chapter V


'Since my father had told me to bring her out, I have no choice but to do it. I turned and look at her, and there she stood with her head lowered, staring at the ground. I look at my father not knowing what to do. Her father laughed and told her to follow me.

It was then she finally looked up. Her face, for no particular reason, turned red again. I looked at her and tilted my head towards the door. She blinked once, twice and slowly nodded her head. I bid my father farewell and left, with her walking silently behind me.

I still remember that it was a night in the season of Autumn. The night was cool, with a new moon hanging. We were walking towards the central square. The walk towards the square was silent except for the echos of my foot steps.

The walk to the square wasn't long, but the echoing of my own footsteps was deafening. I couldn't take it anymore so I turned and decided to talk to her. She stopped the moment I turned, looking at me with timid eyes. As if I'm the lion and she's the lamb."

He let out a hearty laugh, turned to me grinning with a twinkle in his eyes. He looked like a boy all of a sudden. The boyish grin, the cheekiness and a face of mischief.

As if he had just bullied a girl that he liked without letting her know his feelings.

"We stood there on the road, looking at each other. Not knowing what to say to each other. A hundred questions flashed through my mind and yet none of it seems appropriate. I can't even remember her voice!

She stood there at least half a feet away, with her lips tightly pressed together. Hands gripping on to the little silk handkerchief. I was thinking on how to loosen those lips of hers so that we could start a conversation. And then, it smacked right into my head. The perfect question!

Drumming up my courage, I asked for her name. Her eyes slightly widened but she did not say anything. It was then I realized that I'm whispering. I took two steps towards her and she took two steps back!

I figured that if I took another step, she will take another step back. I raised my voice a little and ask for her name again.

She looked at me, her face turning red, twirled her little handkerchief onto her fingers. It came out softly but I still heard her all the same...

Her name is Pan Nin.

I told her my name, then pointed at the square right in front of us. She gave a slight nod with a little smile.

This time, she walked beside me."

The square was bustling with people and peddlers, coupled with giggles and laugh of couples and friends and the bantering of goods and prices between the buyer and seller. The inns were filled to the brim, with customers spilling out on to the main street with make shift tables and chair.

A sweet, clear, melodious voice floated out out right in the center of the streets, just outside the inns.

There were acrobats performing acrobatics at one end of the street, attracting a large crowd and at the other end of the street, a group of martial artists were performing feats of strength.

We were dazzled by the activities and could not make up our mind on where to rest our legs. Suddenly a low growl came from her direction and I was startled. I looked at her and realized that she was blushing.

She was hungry!'

He laughed and almost spilled the tea in his cup. He calmed himself down and took a long draw from his cup. He lifted up the teapot but then realized that its empty. My auntie stood up from her place and took over the tea pot from his hand.

'Pa, let me make another new pot from you. Take a rest first, you have been going on for two hours already.'

He nodded his head and smile. He looked out of the window, at the moon which is shinning brightly in its full radiance. The clouds had cleared and the stars were out again.

As if the stars along with the moon is waiting for him to start speaking again.

To be continued