pe In the middle of the night, the hospital was dead silent with nothing but a wind from the window to fill the peace. Luke had already head home while Ruan's parents were sleeping on the sofa. There was a red bruise on the middle of his father's forehead as he sleeps with his mouth opened.
Ruan was wide awake as the wound kept him from sleeping. He could try taking the painkillers and went to sleep but he decided not to and watched the scenery from his bed.
The curtain slowly danced around as the wind seeped out from the little space that the window had opened. His eyes half-opened as if life had been sucked out of him. He reached out as he yearned for something that he couldn't understand.
Mundane, repetitive, boring. All three words echoed in his mind with no signs of stopping. Woke up every day to the same thing over and over again until you can't take it anymore. The phrase was as true as he was experiencing it firsthand. Amount to nothing and dreamless, maybe in death would he find solace.
(What's the point of living) thought Ruan.
(I have worked my ass off, only to fall, only to be mediocre, I don't know how long can I take this anymore...).
*ding
The elevator opened slowly before a pair of sandals was heard walking across the corridor. From the feet alone, one could see the veins popping out and challenging the floor. The khaki shorts were eyecatching and the muscle on his calves could contest with a kangaroo in a jump rope competition. He had a broad muscular chest that one button of his floral t-shirt couldn't contain. He had a long beautiful white mane that was smooth as silk, the envy of every woman. His face was full of smile and grinned from side to side as the fire of youth kept burning on his sharp eyes. People wouldn't believe his age if he were to tell them, however, his birth certificate was not a lie.
He stood in front of the door before he put two fingers inside the handle and pushed it to the side without any noticeable sound. When he looked at the young man who was watching the scenery on the window, his smile went further wider. He casually walked toward the window but each steps he made was soundless almost like an owl gliding through the air to hunt its prey.
"Eh?" muttered Ruan as he saw someone familiar standing in front of him like a tower.
"Yo, grandson of mine," his smile was bigger than before his hand covered his face.
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Morning came like a woman as she screamed right when the sun took a peak. Ruan's mother was choking her husband as she saw her child missing from the bed.
"C-can't breathe," muttered Ruan's dad with his eyes bulging out.
"Where is our son waa!" said Ruan's mom while tears sliding on both of her cheeks.
"Don't w-w-worry, father made a visit!" said Ruan's dad before the grip loosened.
"Oh, ah, that's right, today is the weekend, huh," said Ruan's mother as she put a finger on her chin.
Ruan's dad was panting as he muttered, "I miss the younger days, when you did not suffocate me with your hands but with—"
The atmosphere instantly changed but it was something that he was never expected. The door was suddenly locked from inside the door as Ruan's mother turned around and smirked.
"Whoa, mama."
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The sound of shishi odoshi scaring the mountain wild animals was heard. Though it would be scary for those natural hunters, it was serene for the humans everytime the bamboo hit the rock. A bunch of koi fishes was swimming around the pool as gentle wind approached the opened living room.
The room was quite spacious but there was only one square table in the middle and a pair of human whom sitting across one another. Two greenteas was still budding hot as smog could be seen permeating out on top of the glass but neither of them took a sip.
The old man was sitting crossed leg with his wide grin while the young man was sitting with bandage covering his torso. The grandfather didn't even flinch nor appeared worried as he saw the condition of his beloved grandson.
"So, you got any girlfriend?" asked the grandfather without any greetings.
"Eh?" Ruan couldn't believe the question before he smiled dumbly while scratching his head, "No, not yet."
"Hahaha! What's wrong?"
"N-nothing or more like, I don't know, hahaha."
Ruan was laughing but the next sentence that came out from his grandfather made him opened his eyes in disbelief.
"Ruan my boy, hahaha," laughed the grandfather before he smiled, "You are depressed, aren't you?"
His heart almost jumped out as he heard the word he was denying in his heart. How could he know, how could that ever happy eyes of his knew what's going on with just a mere observation. His body shook as his voice rumbled, "What? Of-of course not."
His grandfather smiled before he stood up and walked toward the pond. The big tree cherry blossom was raining its crowns to the soft soil of the ground, "You are insecure."
Ruan stayed silent before he looked down as his grandfather continued, "You are bored of living."
His hands further shaken as he gripped his knees tightly.
"You don't find the meaning of the life you are currently living, yet you cannot take your own life because you're not strong enough either."
"You pretended to be alright in front of your loved ones but deep down, you wish someone or something could forcefully take you away to the afterlife."
His grandfather entered the pond without hesitation before he walked toward the center and reached out his hand for a black box under the crystal clear water. He casually walked back to the living room as his feet drenched both the ground and the floor before he sat down in front of his grandson that didn't dare to show his face.
He slammed black box on the table before he said, "Do you want to be happy?"