I walked around the corner and sat on a bench nearby trying to straighten out my thoughts. I wasn't expecting to see anyone yet, and really wasn't prepared for this unexpected meeting. I know none of them can remember me, but I still do. It felt like it was all a dream, but it wasn't.
Why was I hiding for ? Why can't I face the fact that none of them are who they were 300 years ago ? I sat and thought to myself, who else am I going to meet throughout the day now ? It's as if this event was meant to be a reunion of some sort. No matter how much I tried telling myself that they were strangers who I have never met, I couldn't come to admit it myself.
"Are you okay miss ?" A mysterious, yet recognizable voice again. I refused to face him, probably because I was afraid to see who this one was. I nodded my head, not daring to face him. He sighed, then there was a noise as though he was digging to look for something.
"Here's my card; call me if you need someone to lean on later." He patted my back and waved it in front of me as an offer. I looked at it, still refusing to look his way. Grabbing the card, I didn't bother to even take peek and just clutched it in my hand. We sat in silence, then his voice came again.
"Why are you sitting out here anyways ? You're here for the Jewelry event too right ?"
I slowly nodded my head. "You ?"
"Me too. Why are you sitting here then ?" With an amused laugh, he continued,"I don't see... Any kind of Jewelry display... Or any kind of business man out here." It was silent again, perhaps he was waiting for me to comment on that.
"Jie Shen." A voice that was stern, deep, and sounded a bit demanding appeared from the slience. The man sitting next to me got up to leave and I finally looked up, they were both looking at me. 4th... 13th ?
I couldn't believe it. I originally thought that coming out here was going to lead me away... Allow me to escape for the while. These two were together again, just like 300 years ago; they were the best of brothers, now seems like the best of friends. I didn't want to cry... I quickly looked away to avoid any questions that were to come. Then, the gentlemen that resembled 13th walked over again.
"Why are you crying for ? Did something happen ?" I refused to answer, but look up at him, smile and once again formed an "okay" sign with my fingers. He smiled and did the same back. I remember the first time I made that sign in front of him, he was confused and asked me what it means; for someone like 13th Prince, it was understandable to be confused. I remember telling him it was a way of agreeing, and he gladly did it back; now, he knows what it means without a single inquiry. Then the other one came and stood behind him. The new 13th looked up and began to walk ahead; after he disappeared from sight, the one that I previously met at the museum turned to look at me.
"The last time I saw you, you were crying. Yet this time, you're still crying. Why ?" I didn't know what to say. His words, and the way he said it, why does it have to be so similar ?
"I... I Just... I'm just really upset. It's nothing."
"What's there to be upset about ?"
"May I ask you a question ?"
"What ?"
"If... You were in a place... That you didn't want to be, but there's no way to go back. What will you do about it ?" He looked away and thought for a bit. Then turning to look at me, he answered.
"Make the best out of the situation."
I was speechless. Would this be considered proof that he is 4th Prince"s reincarnation ?
"Why ? Are you here for the Convention ?" I just nodded. He looked at me for a moment then took a deep breath. "You don't want to be here ?"
I shook my head,"It's not that. I just..." When I looked up at him, I froze. Those eyes, the eyes I used to be so familiar with; why couldn't I forget the fact that I'm Zhang Xiao now ? I quickly looked away and it seemed to cause confusion for him. "You don't have a car ?"
I sat there silently, and softly shook my head indicating 'no.' He took a couple glances back and forth and returned his eyes to focus on me.
"My car is parked near here luckily. I'll take you home if you don't want to be here." I looked up at him without a word said. He continued to look at me and when I had no reply, confusion climbed his face again.
"I'll be leaving then. Come back inside when you feel like it's time." With that, he walked around the corner and vanished.
I continued to sit there until the sun began to set. My mind was blown up pretty much at this point; I couldn't think straight, neither could I concentrate. I had no intentions of going back in there and letting history repeat itself. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath again. Then just like a dream, I thought I heard 4th Prince's voice calling out to me,"Servant Maertai Ruoxi..." I quickly opened my eyes and saw the street again lined with luxurious cars once more. Most the people are still in that building; I was the only one lingering out here it felt like.
I lowered my head again, thinking why was this happening all over again. It was just like a bitter sweet nightmare, except I'm the only one who really knows happened before. Even if I was able to tell everyone what really took place, what evidence do I got to back it all up ?
I thought again and tilted my head up to face the sky. I'm no longer Maertai Ruoxi; I'm Zhang Xiao. I must let all of this go, only then can I stop hurting just from their appearances. I can't let myself be vulnerable like this. Zhang Xiao, you're grown up now. You've learned more than you could of ever had in ten days, which seemed like forever to overcome. If 4th, 14th, Eighth, and Princess Min Min can forget, then you can do just the same. No matter who else you meet in the days to come, maybe even years, remember who you are now.
Maertai Ruoxi, you've loved, cried, been hurt, been happy, you smiled, you've been sad; although nothing proves you existed, I know in my heart that you did. You thought you were doing good deeds, but you really put everyone at stake. You were young and silly, but grew to be a woman. Maertai Ruoxi, I can only say goodbye and farewell; Zhang Xiao, 加油.
I smiled and closed my eyes to allow the breeze blowing to wash away those vivid memories; wash away the people who I once loved, fought for, cried for, the ones I helped, the ones I pitied, the beautiful laughs, and the beautiful sceneries we all shared. That was the past, now was the future; Xiao Xiao, you must let bygones, be bygones.
"Haven't had enough yet ?" I opened my eyes; 13th Prince was towering over me with his hands placed on his hips. "Cried enough yet ?"
"Why are you back here ?"
"I was sent out to grab something from our company's car." He sat down next to me again and folded his hands in his lap. "Excuse my rudeness, but why were you crying ?"
"Nothing." I didn't dare to look at him at all, I just couldn't do it so I picked a spot on the street to focus on. I must stick to my words, let bygones be bygones, but by avoiding all this, is it really considered forgetting ?
He nodded slowly like he knew I was lying,"Everyone cries for no reason... Why cry when there's no reason to ? I'll take a wild guess and say that you just had nothing better to do." I turned to look at him squinting my eyes.
"What did you say ?"
He said smiling,"Caught your attention didn't I ? I just think that life is too short to cry for no reason. Why cry for if there really is no reason ?"
"It's not that I don't have a reason."
"Then what is it ?"
"Didn't you say that you had to grab something ?
"Don't change the subject." I just looked at him and to my surprise, I smiled; he was still like 13th Prince, knew how to work around words. His personality was similar at this point so I couldn't help, but think of him as the Death Seeking 13th Prince. "What's wrong ? Don't want to tell me ?"
"How can I trust you ? I just met you moments ago. You can't expect me to tell you everything within so little time. Anyways, it's not like I've known you forever."
"Then just forget it. It'll be rude of a gentlemen like me to force you to do something you don't wish to do." He smiled and crossed his arms. A couple moments with no sort of a conversation, he lurched forward and looked back at me. Brushing his hair, he stood up and put his hands in his pockets.
"Ou Jie Shen."
I looked up at him,"What ?"
"I'm Ou Jie Shen. If there's anything you need, you have my card and my number." Suddenly winking, he walked over to the other side of the street. I remained there thinking to myself: 13th Prince, only in the modern days can you truly be yourself. Despite that fact, why do you still have a sense of reluctance and holding back ? Or is it me... The one who can't let go that refuses to even look at you now ? I must face them, it's already been 300 years and the Maertai name has already disappeared with time.
When he returned, I got up from the bench and his walk slowed down as he approached the sidewalk. He looked confused, but looked like he knew what I was doing already. He held a smaller suitcase in his arms; I'm guessing they're having a show-and-tell now.
"Decide to finally join us ?"
I smiled and shook my head,"I was just going to say goodbye to you. I'm not sure whether we'll ever meet again." Approaching me and smiling slyly, he went on and sounded as if he was trying to scare me.
"Believe me, if you're here for the convention like you said, there will be plenty more opportunities for us to meet." My smile got wiped off my face again but I managed to pull through. If there's more times to come then what will happen next ? I could not foretell my future, but only wait to find out, making sure I was taking the right steps. It's as if I was once again locked inside the walls of the Forbidden Palace; only this time I knew no ones outcome, no ones story, and it seemed as if I had no way out.
*Finally ! More Princes have appeared ! :D Ahhh.. SORRY for the hold up... It'll be a while until I can update again... I type all this on my Iphone.. And unfortunately it's been dead for a week :(
If these are sorry meetings for you guys, then I'm sorry. It's the best I can think of. Please comment on this, and tell me how it sounds to you. Names of the characters will be mentioned in the next 2 chapters to come. Thank You for reading my fanfic ! :D
Characters that have appeared:
-Zhang Xiao/MaErTai RuoXi
-4th Prince/
-8th Prince/
-13th Prince/Ou Jie Shen
-14th Prince/ Huang Ke Yi
-Princess Min Min/
Characters that will Appear (in no particular order) :
-Kang Xi/
-Ming Yu/
-Ming Hui/
-10th Prince/
-9th Prince/
-MaErTai RuoLan/
-Qiao Hui/
-Yu Tan/
-Eunuch Wang/
-Eunuch Li/
