Reunion

I ran back to the mountain.

The moment I heard them saying my name to Ly Giai, I couldn't bear it anymore. My heart was not strong enough to hear how she would react when hearing that Grass, that horrible of a human being, was me.

This time, I ran straight back to the mountain. I didn't stop or turn my head a single time.

Once I got back to where I was, I began to cry.

No, I sobbed.

"I shouldn't go down," I guilted myself. "My image in her was good, but now... I've ruined it." I kept repeating and beating my chest.

I began to imagine what Ly Giai's face would look like when she heard that Grass was me, Do. The disgust she would express. The urge to puke when she realized she had lived days with a rapist. Those images involuntarily occupied my head. 

Until the night came, I was still sobbing. There was no one left on this mountain anyway. I was the only person left. So why should I stop crying?

I held my legs tight to my chest as I fixed my eyes down the village. "I..." my voice cracked from the crying. "I... couldn't remember..." I mumbled among the loneliness.

When I came to South City, I was as shocked as everyone when I saw myself on the posters. Before I could understand anything, people started chasing me and beating me up.

Throughout the years, I've come to accept that their hatred was justified and that I was a criminal, even though I couldn't remember anything.

"Tell me! Did you really do that!" I started banging my head on a tree, forcing myself to remember.

"Something! Anything! Why can't I remember anything!" I hopelessly yelled while blood flowed down from my forehead.

"Why can't I remember anything?" I collapsed to the ground, sobbing. The pain and suffering were endless of not even knowing about the crime I was accused of.

My body fell and my eyes ended up fixing on the sun as its colors slowly changed from yellow to red, then orange.

I watch as it slowly comes down the horizon, disappearing.

"Take me with you," I exhaustedly whispered. And before I knew it, I lost consciousness.

...

"Why am I still alive?"

I asked myself as I tiredly opened my eyes and realized I was still existing.

Darkness was the only I saw. I was happy to think that I was dead at first but quickly disappointed when I slowly realized that it was just midnight.

"Don't give me false hope like that," I chuckled bitterly.

Still lying on the ground with no reason to get up, I stared down the village.

"No light, no sound, no movement. They must be evacuated with the villagers already. That means..."

"That means... no more Ly Giai."

I said and covered my eyes, laughing, "Haha. I never knew I was such a crybaby."

...

"Why are you crying?" an unexpected voice said.

My tears stopped. "There shouldn't be anyone left on this mountain."

I quickly wiped my eyes and looked to see who was talking. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Ly Giai?"

"Yes, Do? What's wrong?" Ly Giai replied. She was breathing heavily from just coming up the mountain. I was speechless seeing her put down a heavy bag and come sit beside me.

My heart was filled with joy and happiness. "Are you real?" I asked out loud, not just to her, but to myself as well.

Ly Giai tilted her head a bit. Confused, she held my hand and said, "Yes, I'm real."

"A real hand," I mumbled, smiling, still couldn't process the reality. "I'm not hallucinating. You are the real Ly Giai. You..."

| "What is this Grass's name?"

| "Do. That's his name."

Remembering what Ly Giai had known, I immediately took my hand back and crawled back to a corner of a tree. I hid my face and spoke with a panicked, shaken voice, "You... you know who I am now... Go! Go away! Don't come here!"

A long silence fell on me as I waited for a response, but there was nothing. 

I slowly let my hands down and opened my eyes, thinking Ly Giai had quietly left. But she was still sitting there, facing me. The moon was behind her so I couldn't see her face. But after a while of seeing her still figure, I became worried.

"Ly... Ly Giai? Are you alright?" I reached out.

But she didn't react. Her figure was still amidst the windy night. Her dancing hair was the only part of her that was alive.

I began slowly moving back to check on her.

"Ly Giai?" I called, but no response.

I moved a bit closer.

"Ly Giai?" Again, no response.

A bit closer.

"Ly Giai. Can you hear me?" I asked. Nothing.

By then, all my fears went away. I stood up and ran to her.

Shaking her shoulders I yelled, "Ly Giai! What's wrong!? Why are you not responding!?"

And by that time, when I was close enough that the moon couldn't hide her face anymore, I realize. The whole time, she was crying.

"Why... Why are you crying?" I was scared, afraid. I couldn't bear to see her cry. I wiped her tears and looked her in the eyes. "Did something happen?"

Ly Giai, with her gaze that was partly confused, sorrowful, and angered, asked, "Why are you avoiding me?"

"A... avoid you!?" I was shocked. "I never wanted to avoid you," I told her.

"Then why did you run away just now?" she sulked.

"That was... I thought..." Each time I wanted to explain, my throat stuck. "Ly Giai, why are you here? Don't you know who I am?" My eyes looked to the ground as I asked.

"Who are you?" she asked back.

I smiled bitterly. "Why did you ask when you already know the answer? Didn't that lady tell you? I'm Grass."

Ly Giai shook her head. "You are not Grass."

I laughed, "You can't just deny reality like that. I'm Grass. I know it. They know it... And now, you know it too."

"Do, look at me," she softly said.

I turned and locked her eyes. They were so warm, so gentle. For some reason, I teared up again.

"Tell me, are you Grass?" Ly Giai asked softly.

I shook my head while wiping my tears, "I don't know! I really don't know! I couldn't remember anything!"

Ly Giai smiled. She wrapped her hands around me and placed her head on my shoulder. "They said that Grass sexually assaulted a lady, but you never placed your hands on me. How could I believe you are Grass."

"You came back just because of that reasoning?" I was shocked. "You are too naive Ly Giai. What if..." I shut my mouth.

Ly Giai lifted her head and looked at me, "What if?"

"Wha... what if my memories came back and that I am Grass? You will be in danger."

"Why would I be in danger?" she asked again. I could see the slight smirk on her face.

"What... Whatever! You know what I mean!" I was too embarrassed to say.

Ly Giai shook her head. "I don't know what you are talking about."

We looked at each other for some time then both busted laughing. Somehow, Ly Giai made all the awkwardness and negative feelings go a way with just a few words.

"Did the people from South City not try to stop you from leaving?" I asked.

"They would. That's why I traveled with them to the next mountain and waited until the night when they slept, so I could quietly leave," she replied.

"That must have been tiring from so much walking," I felt bad.

"And the first thing you did was run away from me?" she sulked again.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," I said honestly with all my heart.

She then turned smiling in an instant, "Apology accepted." 

"By the way, are you going to continue holding me like this?" I asked as her hands were still around me.

"Do you hate it?"

"I don't not like it," I replied cheekly.

We smiled and let both felt the warmth of the other person.

"But seriously, Ly Giai, are you sure you want to stay with me?" I asked softly.

"Yes," she said without hesitation.

"I'm sure you will regret."

"If you happen to be Grass?"

I shook my head, "Even if I'm not. Many people will still hate. Ly Giai, you are a respected person. Being with me will turn others against you as well."

Ly Giai smiled, as if nothing I said weight on her at all, "You saved my life, Do. Without you, I would still be under that well, rotting away. I will stay with you no matter what hardships there are ahead."

I put my hand on her hair and gently brushed it. "Thank you Ly Giai, for trusting me."

In return, she patted my back. "Thank you Do, for being the light of my life."