Forever 4

The sound of a car crashing woke Chris up. It was still dark and in his head was a ringing static noise.

"Can't you let me sleep?! Damn it." Unlike the past dreams he had, this one felt real. Too real. The tightness of his hands clutching the steering wheel, the tension of both feet pressing on the gas pedal, the dryness in the throat, the soreness of his eyes, and the constant ringing in his ears.

It was too vivid, too frightening that it made Chris sweat. The car sped up so much that looking outside turned into a blur. And the name, that name, Chris can remember it all too well. For the first time that name that had always been on the tip of his tongue had finally materialized into words.

"Zhou Yuan," Chris whispered. For a second his heart raced. Happiness and longing morphed into one until it subsided to the familiar feeling of emptiness. Chris' fingers itched to touch the piano, so he did. Gently, Chris glided his fingers to keys, starting Chopin's Nocturne Op.9 No.2.

"Tangtang." Chris whipped his head towards the voice. It was a man with a gentle smile on his lips. He looked both unfamiliar but familiar at the same time. Chris' heart raced and his eyes started to get hot.

"Zhou Yuan." The unfamiliar name escaped naturally from Chris' lips. The room went bright. Chris forgot about the piece he was playing and stared intently at the man at the door. A gentle smile was the man's lips that Chris found comforting.

"I told you to call me Yuan gege." The man pouted and sat next to Chris and ruffled Chris' hair.

"I missed you." The man softly whispered in Chris' ear. "Did Tangtang miss me too?"

Chris nodded in a daze. He did know where he was nor how he got there but oddly, Chris never felt like he was out of place. The man's eyes lit up and engulfed Chris in a hug with his chin on Chris' shoulder.

"You're playing my favorite piece again." The man chuckled and further tightened his hold. Safe. Within that embrace, Chris felt safe.

"Do you know why I love this piece so much?" Chris could only shake his head in response. His head was all filled with 'Zhou Yuan' and he didn't hate it one bit.

"I met you before but I never went near you. Your light brown eyes captivated me so I started to take notice of you. I looked at you from a distance and I guess that's how you got my heart. Every time you played the piano your eyes were always filled with emotion. At that time I envied your passion. But it was the reason why I fell for you. I longed for you to look at me the way you do to the piano. Sadly, before I could have the courage to approach you, you went away." The man took a deep breath and held Chris tighter.

"But on that day of your concert, I saw you. The first piece you played was engraved in my soul. It was our reunion. At that moment I decided, if you can accept me then I will not fear my family and pursue you." The man let go of his embrace and held chris' hands gazed at his face lovingly. Chris' heart clenched and his body slowly went numb. Everything felt so natural that it hurts.

"Tangtang, no matter what happens, play our piece and I'll come to you." The man leaned over his ear and whispered softly and gently, "I love you." Tears rolled down from Chris' eyes. He closed his eyes and squeezed Zhou Yuan's hands tighter. He could feel his tears continuously dripping on his hands.

Chris was afraid to open his eyes for fear that everything will disappear. The moment felt so fragile that he didn't want to move for fear it would break.

"Tangtang open your eyes, open your eyes!" Suddenly a woman's shouting intruded. Slender arms were shaking him. His legs felt numb and his head felt so light. It was unbelievable. "Tangtang, open your eyes!"

Chris' opened his eyes to the dark. He was still on the piano seat and was still in the same room but it felt different. The room felt like it was missing something.

Chris looked around the room to look for the company he just had but no silhouette of a man could be found. His breath raced and he gritted his teeth. Where are you? Chris wanted to shout but no voice made it pass his lips.

He pressed the keys under him. Only then he realized that his hands were-

"Tangtang" a soft voice called to him. It was the same voice that demanded him to wake up. A slender hand made its way to his left hand, gently caressing it. Chris did not shy away from the touch.

"Ling jiejie" Chris called out to the one who called his name. Luo Ling took a deep breath and looked at Chris.

"Tangtang, Zhou Yuan sent you a letter. Eat after you're done." Luo Ling passed the letter to Chris and left the room.

This was the first time Zhou Yuan ever gave him a letter.

'Tangtang,

I have to go somewhere. I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand. I don't know how long it would take me but I will come back, I promise. This will be my last letter but I will come home to you as soon as possible.

Until then, take care.'

Chris didn't know why but his eyes started to tear up again. Zhou Yuan always, always visited him before and after he left. Clearly Zhou Yuan had something important to do but the letter? He doesn't know why it made him so uncomfortable. Tears rolled down his cheeks as its warmth silently comforted Chris as the night wind blew.

"Chris? Chris! C I swear to God wake up!" A sharp voice and warm hands on his cheeks brought Chris' back. The blurry vision that hit him forced him to rub his eyes until it focused on Alice's face.

"Lissie?" Chris asked in a hoarse voice.

"You're awake." Alice replied with a relieved sigh. She gently wiped off Chris' tears with a handkerchief. "Why are you here in the middle of the night and with the lights off? I told you to turn on the lights each time you come here. If something happens to you Grandma will kill me. If I do die because of that I swear to God I will haunt you."

"You're only 4 days older." Chris smiled at her.

"And that doesn't change the fact that I was born earlier than you. Get up, let's drink milk."