sigh... I have not been able to finish writing any kind of story lately. Well.. rather than seeing them rotting in my draft folder, might as well publish these unfinished pieces for the sake of it heh =D
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I was standing there, watching the lovely couple, holding hands, strolling away.
"Fancy the chick there?" that old man suddenly asked. He has been standing there for quite a while. I did not notice him. Rather, I did not bother to notice him. But his question certainly was direct. He got my attention.
"What do you make of that chick Sir?" I asked in return.
He seemed to ponder, or measuring something.
"Three years." He finally replied.
"Three years?"
"Yup.. this kind of girl deserves three years of my waiting time." He said lightly.
I couldn't help laughing. That was certainly not the kind of answer I expected.
"Six years" I said slowly.
"What?? You wasted three precious years there!"
I don't really agree with him there. I don't feel like debating nonetheless.
"I guess that means you were twice smarter Sir"
He laughed heartily. Patting my back, he said, "Wrong, young man. I was twice wiser."
"And I was more good looking too", he continued.
He certainly still had that charm. I guess he was indeed a good looking man back then.
"So how did you lose out? " He spoke as he walked towards an empty bench nearby.
An unspoken invitation for a chat. The old man seemed to have that authorative aura on top of his warm attitude. I duly obliged.
"Have you never lost out to anyone?" I asked while I took my seat next to him.
"Well.. my record was pretty impressive. I only lost once." he spoke proudly.
"Could you explain the reason for that lost Sir?"
He didn't reply. He closed his eyes instead. A sad smile emerged. He shook his head.
"You got me there kiddo" he spoke finally.
"That girl.. what kind of girl was she?"
He stared at me for a moment. He finally spoke, almost to the point of whispering, "Lifetime".
Lifetime... the type of girl that deserved a lifetime wait must be exceptional.
"Therefore I am still waiting." He continued.
So he really waited for that girl. I wonder if she was the only girl he had ever loved. Don't tell me his impressive record was all about a single attempt that failed.
"And before you start doubting my record, I shall tell you that she was not the first. I do have credential, you know. But she.."
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Watching Philia sleeping ever so peacefully, time seemlessly slip away. I was just so absorbed that I wouldn't mind sitting by her bedside all day long.
"She is so beautiful," Joanna muttered.
"Yeah.. only now do I realise that she is so beautiful," I replied softly.
"She loves you so much". Joanna was staring at the little photograph Philia held tightly.
It was the photograph we took long time ago. I was still a little kid back then. We looked so happy. She looked so content. Fragments of memory.. it really felt like a long dream.
"She loves me too much", I acknowledged.
There was a slight pain in my chest as I said those words. My vision blurred.
"You love her just as much". Joanna pat my back gently.
I could only sigh. I tried to justify Joanna's remark. I tried to prove to myself that she was right.
"Not enough.." I finally concluded.
I continued, "I betrayed her. She always dreamed of having me as her protector when I grow up. But I failed her."
"You failed her?"
"Yeah.. I gave my heart to a young and beautiful girl instead." I said with a bitter smile.
And that sentence sent both of us to deep silence; both of us were lost in thought.
When she woke up, I would want to be the first to kiss her forehead and tell her that I love her.
When she woke up, I would let her know how much I regret leaving her all alone.
When she woke up, I would let her know how beautiful she was.
When she woke up, I would tell her how grateful I was for her prayers that never cease
When she woke up, I would promise her to take care of her till her hair turn grey.
When she woke up...
"I.. I am sorry.." Joanna suddenly broke the silence. She was choking.
Only then did I realise how I have hurt Joanna with my last sentence. That young and beautiful girl, of course, was Joanna.
"It has nothing to do with you. Moreover..", I paused for a second, carefully caressing Philia's weary face.
"Moreover, she would have been glad to know you. She would have loved you very much." I offered my consolation.
"Will she.. like me?"
"Do you know what she prayed for every night?"
Joanna shook her head.
Reaching for the girl's delicate pair of hands, I spoke gently, "She prayed that her son would marry a kindhearted and beautiful lady."
"I..", she couldn't continue her words. She tried to avoid my eyes. She seemed to blush.
"You are definitely a kindhearted and beautiful lady."
"You mean.. "
"I mean.. I am asking for your hands now, Joanna"
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I was standing there, watching the lovely couple, holding hands, strolling away.
"Fancy the chick there?" that old man suddenly asked. He has been standing there for quite a while. I did not notice him. Rather, I did not bother to notice him. But his question certainly was direct. He got my attention.
"What do you make of that chick Sir?" I asked in return.
He seemed to ponder, or measuring something.
"Three years." He finally replied.
"Three years?"
"Yup.. this kind of girl deserves three years of my waiting time." He said lightly.
I couldn't help laughing. That was certainly not the kind of answer I expected.
"Six years" I said slowly.
"What?? You wasted three precious years there!"
I don't really agree with him there. I don't feel like debating nonetheless.
"I guess that means you were twice smarter Sir"
He laughed heartily. Patting my back, he said, "Wrong, young man. I was twice wiser."
"And I was more good looking too", he continued.
He certainly still had that charm. I guess he was indeed a good looking man back then.
"So how did you lose out? " He spoke as he walked towards an empty bench nearby.
An unspoken invitation for a chat. The old man seemed to have that authorative aura on top of his warm attitude. I duly obliged.
"Have you never lost out to anyone?" I asked while I took my seat next to him.
"Well.. my record was pretty impressive. I only lost once." he spoke proudly.
"Could you explain the reason for that lost Sir?"
He didn't reply. He closed his eyes instead. A sad smile emerged. He shook his head.
"You got me there kiddo" he spoke finally.
"That girl.. what kind of girl was she?"
He stared at me for a moment. He finally spoke, almost to the point of whispering, "Lifetime".
Lifetime... the type of girl that deserved a lifetime wait must be exceptional.
"Therefore I am still waiting." He continued.
So he really waited for that girl. I wonder if she was the only girl he had ever loved. Don't tell me his impressive record was all about a single attempt that failed.
"And before you start doubting my record, I shall tell you that she was not the first. I do have credential, you know. But she.."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching Philia sleeping ever so peacefully, time seemlessly slip away. I was just so absorbed that I wouldn't mind sitting by her bedside all day long.
"She is so beautiful," Joanna muttered.
"Yeah.. only now do I realise that she is so beautiful," I replied softly.
"She loves you so much". Joanna was staring at the little photograph Philia held tightly.
It was the photograph we took long time ago. I was still a little kid back then. We looked so happy. She looked so content. Fragments of memory.. it really felt like a long dream.
"She loves me too much", I acknowledged.
There was a slight pain in my chest as I said those words. My vision blurred.
"You love her just as much". Joanna pat my back gently.
I could only sigh. I tried to justify Joanna's remark. I tried to prove to myself that she was right.
"Not enough.." I finally concluded.
I continued, "I betrayed her. She always dreamed of having me as her protector when I grow up. But I failed her."
"You failed her?"
"Yeah.. I gave my heart to a young and beautiful girl instead." I said with a bitter smile.
And that sentence sent both of us to deep silence; both of us were lost in thought.
When she woke up, I would want to be the first to kiss her forehead and tell her that I love her.
When she woke up, I would let her know how much I regret leaving her all alone.
When she woke up, I would let her know how beautiful she was.
When she woke up, I would tell her how grateful I was for her prayers that never cease
When she woke up, I would promise her to take care of her till her hair turn grey.
When she woke up...
"I.. I am sorry.." Joanna suddenly broke the silence. She was choking.
Only then did I realise how I have hurt Joanna with my last sentence. That young and beautiful girl, of course, was Joanna.
"It has nothing to do with you. Moreover..", I paused for a second, carefully caressing Philia's weary face.
"Moreover, she would have been glad to know you. She would have loved you very much." I offered my consolation.
"Will she.. like me?"
"Do you know what she prayed for every night?"
Joanna shook her head.
Reaching for the girl's delicate pair of hands, I spoke gently, "She prayed that her son would marry a kindhearted and beautiful lady."
"I..", she couldn't continue her words. She tried to avoid my eyes. She seemed to blush.
"You are definitely a kindhearted and beautiful lady."
"You mean.. "
"I mean.. I am asking for your hands now, Joanna"
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