Wei's warm mouth finds the pulse point on Mari's neck and they both groan. She has the woman straddling her lap and has no interest in fighting for control.
Wei Han bites her lips again and Mari throws the woman aside on the couch, catching her breath.
Wei digs her fingers into Mari's cheeks and the two stare at each other.
"Don't resist, Mariana."
Mari nods and closes her eyes, ready to receive whatever the other has to give.
Her head falls back on the couch and when she opens her eyes, she is staring at the ceiling, lying on the bed of an expensive hotel in Beijing.
She takes a deep breath and rubs her eyes, feeling the fresh essence that the humidifier spreads around.
Her phone rings and Mari already has it to her ear, guessing who it is.
"I'm coming down. I just need fifteen minutes and I'll be ready."
The other end of the line goes silent and Mari closes her eyes, trying to recover the last remnants of the feeling left by the dream. As she suspected, going to China had been a mistake after all.
*-*
The Brazilian delegation arrives at Zhongnanhai, a complex of buildings where the government headquarters of the People's Republic of China is located. The Chinese president and some other ministers are already in place, but it is not the president himself who catches Mari's attention.
For most people, the woman is there to fulfill her role as interpreter and translator - for Mari, she was a ghost from her past.
An eternal reminder of what they could have been.
A future without a future.
Han Wei keeps her apathetic eyes ahead, not focusing on any particular point, ignorant of the unfolding scenes around her.
When everyone is seated in their respective seats, she sits in the booth reserved for the interpreters and sets her headphones on and notes in her hands.
At the last moment before the whole event begins, she hears the rustling of leaves in the next booth and closes her eyes, filling her lungs with as much air as possible.
Time to do what she chose to do.
Mari listens to the silence for a moment, certain that the meeting is over. She collects all her notes scattered throughout the space in one pile, thinking of all the idiomatics expressions she would have to study later.
The price of being away from China for so long was finally being paid.
She hangs up her headphones and leaves the cabin. The door to the next cabin is closed and Mari is sure that the other one had already left. Even so she opens it and feels under the chair with her hand, her hopes in vain.
No piece of paper.
Mari feels her eyes sting and takes a deep breath.
She takes out the note she had written and leaves it in the empty space.
She just hopes that her last request will be granted before time runs out.
*-*
Lunch goes by without any serious incidents, which Mari already considers a victory, taking into account that they are communicating in two very different languages.
She is sitting at the same table with the two presidents, her next to the Brazilian and Wei next to the Chinese, in front of her.
Mari takes a sip of the glass with water waiting for the Chinese president to finish explaining something about new partner countries. She leans down to translate near the ear of the Brazilian president who nods and responds aloud so that Wei can do the same.
She observes the way Wei's lips move almost in slow motion, forming words that intertwine two countries with new prospects for growth.
Wei finishes conveying the message and sits still in her seat, listening for any noise that might require her services. Her eyes wander over all the tables occupied by high-ranking people from both governments and, in a moment of carelessness, fall on Mariana, who empties the second glass of water in a row.
As the waiter fills the third, Mari's eyes rise and connect with Wei's, who, despite staring back at her, doesn't seem to recognize her.
The waiter walks away and the Chinese president says something, forcing Mari to abandon her observations of the other woman and pay attention to what he's saying.
For the rest of lunch, Wei doesn't make the same mistake again.
Lunch ends and Mari is relieved of her duties for the rest of the day. The president uses the rest of the afternoon to answer calls from Brazil and rest until dinner, which would also be in the presence of the Chinese government.
She would have one last opportunity to be in the presence of the only person she would never be able to get over.
*-*
For dinner, Mari chooses a long green dress, unlike the suit she had worn at lunch. In the hotel lobby, she meets Jose, the person responsible for contacting her for that trip.
"Don't stare at her tonight."
Mari rolls her eyes but accepts her friend's outstretched hand.
"I didn't stare, I was paying attention to what was being said."
Jose laughs.
"Fool me, I like it."
The two enter the hall and immediately join the group of the Brazilian entourage waiting for the two presidents. Jose takes two glasses of champagne from the tray of a waiter who passes by and offers one to Mari, who accepts with a flourish of gratitude.
From the second floor, Han Wei watches the scene with the same feeling as when she knows she's having food poisoning.
It's rare, but happens.
The presidents appear side by side and Wei stands further back down with the two to the hall.
Mari empties her glass and goes to the Brazilian president who doesn't even seem to need her help. She tries to follow her friend's advice, but it's hard when her ex is wearing a killer red dress just a few feet away.
The Chinese president makes some comment about wanting everyone to have fun on that last night.
Mari transfers the message to the Brazilian who laughs while patting her shoulder.
"You heard, dear. Don't have to be in my ear tonight. Go have fun."
She thanks the dismissal and without looking at another woman, goes to where Jose is with the group in common. He hands her another glass and the two start a discussion about which language was more relevant to learn after English and Mandarin.
"I'm thinking German and Korean."
Jose pretends to think, but she knows he has the answer on the tip of his tongue.
"I'm thinking Japanese."
"You've been talking about learning Japanese for ages but it's never happened."
"That's because you were supposed to be my private teacher, but you decided to go the other way and learn Mandarin."
She raises her glass in a toast to him.
"But I'm here, aren't I?!"
He returns the toast and they both laugh. Without thinking about what he's doing, he rests his hand on Mari's waist, who leans back in the protective gesture of his friend.
Wei squeezes the glass between her fingers when she sees the bold man's gesture. She feels her blood rushing even more when she realizes that Mariana accepts the intrusion as if he were her lover or something. She finishes the sophisticated wine that is being served and, taking advantage of her own pantry, walks to the huge balcony outside.
Some people who are there don't even bother to give her a second glance and Wei feels at peace to breathe the fresh air.
Before, this was not even possible.
The air moves around her and Wei knows that it's time to confront what she thought she left behind.
"I thought you had abandoned languages."
Wei begins without looking at the woman who stands next to her.
"And you are still sharper than ever."
Wei looks at her and Mariana offers her a glass. She is still as stunning as before, with her black hair a little below her shoulders, falling in waves and her hoop earrings, revealing her origins.
"I'm still the same."
Wei turns her gaze to some point behind Mari who shakes her head.
"I'm glad to know that it didn't make any difference to you."
Mari downs the contents of the glass that was meant for Wei.
"I think you should go back to your friend."
Wei looks back at Mari who laughs without humor.
"You always think you know what's best for me. Even when we have nothing to do with each other, you still think so."
"It's for your own good."
"I'm perfectly capable of choosing what's best for me, but you never let me choose."
Mari's voice rises a little and some people look at the two of them. Wei blocks Mari's view of the people with her body and leans in to get closer to the other's ear.
"That's why I can't let you make your own choices."
Unbeknownst to the pressure of her fingers around the glass, it explodes in Mari's hand, causing pieces of glass to fall around their feet.
Mari rolls her eyes and stumbles back, being held by Wei's hands on her waist. The two face the scarlet blood that begins to run from her hand. She puts the other one underneath trying to prevent it from splashing on the ground.
Someone comes up with a napkin and Mari thanks, stopping the blood.
Wei wraps her shoulders and guides her into the lobby, moving her away from the small cluster that had formed.
As they cross the hall, Mari's gaze meets that of Jose who rolls his eyes at her bloody hand. He mentions following them but Mari shakes her head, making him stop.
The two go out into the fresh air of the hotel entrance and Wei waves for a taxi, as he asks:
"Your flight is tomorrow?"
Mari assents while her hand barks.
"Then let's go to my house. Tomorrow I'll leave you where you need to be."
The taxi stops and the two enter, leaving for where they never imagined that they would be again.
*-*
"Have you had dinner yet?"
Wei asks as soon as they enter her house. Mari shakes her head and Wei reaches for her injured hand and gently removes the soaked napkin from the cut.
The two look at each other and Wei takes her other hand, pulling her into the living room, down the long hallway, until they enter her bedroom. She makes Mari sit on her bed.
"Wait here. I'll get the kit."
As Wei goes to the bathroom, Mari looks around, seeing the same painting in place, the bookshelf with most of the same titles that were there years ago. The only thing he misses is a plant in a pot that used to stand near the window.
The one she used to water.
Wei returns with a first aid kit in her hands. She sits next to Mari and reaches out for her hand.
"Please."
Mari offers her hand to Wei who begins to clean the wound.
The two remain silent and Wei uses her skill acquired through years of practice.
Mari looks at the only picture-frame of the environment. The face of an elderly lady stares back and Mari feels a taste of bile rising up her throat.
She tries to retract her hand but Wei holds it firmly in place.
"Quiet."
Wei spreads a tape over the cut and the pressure of her fingers makes Mari squeak between her teeth.
"It wasn't deep. You'll be fine."
"Thank you."
Mari massages the bandage without detaching her eyes from the picture. Wei follows her gaze and the two face the portrait of Wei's late mother.
"How long has it been?"
"Three months after you returned to Brazil."
Almost four years before.
"My deepest condolences."
Wei raises with the kit in hand.
"I'll warm something up for dinner. If you want to take a shower and change, everything is in the same place as always."
Mari comes out of the bathroom wearing one of Wei's light blue silk pajamas. Wei, who is sitting on the couch, lets her eyes wander over the woman's covered body until their eyes meet. She makes room on the couch and Mari gets the message.
She walks over there and sits next to the owner of the house.
"How is it in Brazil?"
"I'll leave tomorrow, whatever you have to say, now is the time."
"The world is big enough that we never need to meet again but small enough because we are here now."
Mari looks at her but Wei is unable to look back at her.
"You're the one who told me to leave and not look back and at the first opportunity, bring me back. I can't understand you, Wei."
Wei exhales and the two understand that they are in the moment.
"I know I shouldn't have…"
Wei pauses and Mari feels like shaking the woman.
"What?! Helping me?"
"Sending you away. Making you look like you were the one who left everything behind and went back to your comfort zone when I was the one who couldn't make you happy."
"You should have told me. Let me know all the storm that was going on inside while you told me everything was fine."
"It wasn't fair to you, Mariana. You know how it is here."
"You told me before you practically threw me on the first plane to Brazil. And now?! What's your excuse now?"
Wei's breathing stabilizes and when she falls silent, Mari has her answer. She tries to avoid the tingling sensation in the corner of her eyes and Wei lowers her head.
"Sorry."
"Tomorrow I'll leave."
Mari draws her face closer to Wei's until her breath hits her mouth.
"But today I want all of this."
Wei starts to shake her head, stops and sighs.
"Tomorrow we'll wish today hadn't happened."
"I only accepted all of this to have it one more time."
"So let's not waste."
Mari closes her eyes and Wei touches his mouth to hers, with the care of a swimmer in unknown waters.
Wei holds her face with both hands and Mari hugs her waist, bringing her to his lap.
In a burst of consciousness, she remembers that this is the exact position from her dream.
From her dreams.
Now they continue in search of what they left in the past and the doubts of the future.
From the feelings that Mari would make sure to transform into memories when she was on her flight to Brazil.
Inside the plane, she reads the note once more.
"再見. Zàijiàn. See you soon."
Mari smiles and puts the note away.