The place Hao Junlin wanted to go to was the theme park carnival. The carnival that was only open during the evenings was picturesquely exuberant with its colourful lights and lively atmosphere. There was also the smell of popcorn and burnt waffles permeating the air amongst the crowd of animated people waiting in line.
Feng Mian had not noticed how most of the visitors were pairs of couples walking side by side with their late-night dates and Hao Junli didn't attempt to enlighten her either. The darkness provided the perfect camouflage and people had not recognised the famous duo loitering around on a game stand where a robust male figure is seen tossing out ring loops to hit the jar bottle's mouth.
With not much luck on her hands, Feng Mian grew disinterested in the games soon enough and dragged a reluctant Hao Junli to ride on one of the roller-coasters. Hao Junli came out of the ride pale before he was once more led by the arm to take a seat on the swinging pirate ship. After that, it was the spinning teacup which Feng Mian vigorously spun to its maximum speed until Hao Junli nearly hurled in his seat.
As soon as they got off, Hao Junli didn't let her pick any more rides and pointed towards the massive attraction at the edge of the carnival instead. "Let's go on that one."
Feng Mian wasn't keen on slow rides. "The Ferris Wheel? They're slow and not fun to ride ba. Why don't we try the bumper cars instead?"
Hao Junli placed both of his cold hands in his pockets. "I'm woozy from all those spinning, let's take a break. I also heard that this Ferris Wheel is the largest in City A, it'd be a shame if we go back before experiencing it."
Feng Mian considered it. Hao Junlin had pandered to her the entire night, it was only right that he gets to pick their next ride. "Okay then, to the Ferris Wheel we go."
The line was not too long, and there were only a dozen people waiting in front of them. But it was also during this time that Feng Mian had incidentally noticed how other than her and Hao Junli, the rest of the people there were mostly young couples queuing up.
She nudged Hao Junli's hip with an elbow. "Hey, Junli ah, is it just me or are the rest of the people here couples?"
Hao Junli lifted an amused brow. His dense housemate had finally noticed. Perhaps there is a spark of hope.
"So they are," he uttered reticently.
Catching onto the peculiar undertone of his answer, Feng Mian felt as if she had overlooked something important. Was Hao Junli onto something?
Somewhere in her mind, there is a stirring suspicion, and once it arose to surface, it was hard to put down. The pit of her stomach fluttered nervously and anxiously. She tried to brush the butterflies in her stomach away, chalking it up to the side effect of the adrenaline rush from before.
What was she so nervous for? It was only Hao Junli ba?!
System 555, the imprudent troublemaker, popped out and chimed, "Xiao Mian and Hao Junli, sitting on a tree~ K-I-S-S-I-N-"
Feng Mian cut it off with a warning. "Shut up."
This trash system only comes out to make fun of her!
Now, it was even harder for her to keep a straight face. Gone was her playful mien from before and what remained was a stilted, awkward twenty-one years whose brain had trouble recognising what it means to be courted. Hao Junli pretended not to notice her stiff shifting.
When it was finally their turn, the conductor opened the door to let the two striking couple in. Feng Mian heaved a heavy intake of air and walked in with feigned bravado. 'Be normal. Be normal. It was just a regular friendly outing, between friends, who have been long time friends,' she chanted in her heart.
That was until she noticed how small the space inside was. 'F*** your uncle! Why is this cabin so small!'
Hao Junli passed by her shoulders to walk inside first before noticing that his housemate was stalling. "Are you coming?"
Feng Mian puffed out her chest, and with an attitude of going to war, marched robotically inside the compact space. 'This is nothing! She had even walked into Hao Junli wearing nothing but a bath towel before! Why would she be scared of sharing a small, tiny space?!'
"Feng Mian, look outside," Hao Junli voiced out.
Although it was a bit too small, the cabin had not jostled much as it moved. The thumping of her heart gradually slowed down as she looked towards the panoramic view that was bustling and colourful. The riverscape glistened as their surface was hit with the fluorescent lights and there was a sense of juxtaposed calmness when seen together abreast with the carnival's spiritedness.
The Ferris Wheel temporarily stopped rotating and by a stroke of luck, their cabin lodged suspended at the peak with the highest view. This was done purposely so that the visitors will be able to enjoy the scenery for an extra minute or so.
"Feng Mian, in the next world, will you remember me?" Hao Junli's voice was like a lake without ripples.
Feng Mian turned away from the glass panel to face him. Hao Junli's eyes foretell the emotions his words lacked; dismalness.
Feng Mian let out a restrained chuckle but her heart was heavy. "How will I forget you? You're my mission target."
"Not like that. I mean, will you remember the me now? This part of me?"
"What do you mean?"
Hao Junli leaned his head against the glass limply. "How did we meet?"
"Huh?"
"I can't remember. I remember that you hate chives, love sweets, especially melon desserts. Prefer winter to summer. Your shoe size is thirty-six, and that you know all of Spongebob episodes by heart. You can't cook to save your life, but you're good at pretty much anything else. You're smart but you have the attention span of a goldfish, and you're best at picking fights with other people."
"I don't pick fights-"
"I also know that you listen to your father the most."
Hao Junli's index finger made contact with the centre of her forehead, and Feng Mian's heart that finally managed to quieten down started beating once more. "But I can't remember how we met."
Hao Junli's touch was cold. "I'm worried that the other 'me' in those worlds won't even remember what you look like."
Feng Mian swallowed the bulge in her throat and called out for 555.
System 555: "Soul shards have their own sense of individuality, Xiao Mian. This Hao Junli is the biggest chunk of soul shard and retained most of his memories, but not all. He remembers only certain parts and pieces."
Feng Mian cannot bear to see him so dispirited, and her words carried the semblance of a promise. "It's okay if you don't remember, it's enough that I do."
Hao Junlin smiled a smile that was both saccharine and a bit desolate. "That's good. The other shards might annoy or vex you, or maybe even make you very angry at times, but please bear with them. Don't hate them too much."
"You've made me angry plenty of times, but I'm still willing to travel across planes to bring you back. As long as it's you, I won't be angry for long anyway."
Her words cheered Hao Junli up immediately, like a burden of weight lifted off his shoulders. His eyes had a blitheness to them and the fingers that settled on her face moved downwards, from her eyebrows to her nose, before pausing at her lips.
The butterflies were back at it again. System 555 had already run off elsewhere to give both of them privacy.
"Next time, you have to find me faster," he said.
Feng Mian wanted to open her lips, but as soon as she did, it brushed against the pad of his fingers almost sensually. Her lips snapped close instantly.
However, in the next moment, another sensation, as soft as a butterfly's wings, pecked at her cheek. Feng Mian's loading brain that was still processing was overstimulated and crashed on site.
Hao Junlin's eyes were curved into crescents as he gave a low laugh. "You could really be dense sometimes."
He gazed at her one last time, imprinting her shocked expression in his mind. "Let's go. I'm ready to leave."
System 555 had already come back.
System 555: "Are you ready to leave host?"
Feng Mian was subliminally out of focus and she mustered an out of breath 'yes' to 555.
System 555: Notifying the main system for transfer now.
Feng Mian finally snapped back. '... Wait… was she just kissed? By Hao Junli? Her first kiss was a girl?!'
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Request for transmission has been accepted. Preparing to evacuate the host's soul.
Extracting soul shard from the plane's body.
Transferring data.
Transmission in
10…
9…
8…
…
…
Ding! Transmission complete.]