Episode 9

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

There were ten puzzles, ten riddles, ten obstacles to face.

Yao Yi scrunched up his nose.

It wouldn’t be difficult, to anyone else, yes, but for a genius like Yao Yi, it was merely an inconvenience - a very annoying and troublesome inconvenience.

It was going to be very tedious but it could be done, and that’s what mattered.

Quickly Yao Yi worked, quickly and precisely, focused on untangling and unraveling the symbols and mysterious runes.

Though he worked efficiently and his work was all but effective, he spent several hours working on the paper.

By the time he had finally deciphered the code, he smiled.

Everything made sense.

The algorithm to open the portal, the way a person traveled through time and space. He understood it now.

He was now one, large step, closer to bringing Hua Le home. Now the formally faint and almost mystical possibility of time travel, was, in fact, very real.

But why did his heart stutter and groan at the idea. Why did he feel empty and cold when he knew, he knew, how much Hua Le dreamt and wished to go back to her world, her home. Why didn’t he want her to leave this cruel world where she obviously didn’t fit. He wanted what was best for her right?

His chest burned and flipped. Why was he tempted to hide the papers away and try to erase his mind from  the knowledge he had just acquired for hours on end? Why did he want to waste all his hard work? He just couldn’t understand why.

Hua Le’s name sounded very similar to happiness. Yao Yi  thought dreamily.

The again she was his happiness, his entire world.

Lovely.

Gorgeous.

Beautiful.

Amazing.

Incredible.

Those were the only words Hua Le could process in her mind as her heart stuttered and her chest grew warm.

Another word.

Delicious.

Those were the very words that Hua Le had used to describe the moon cake that was set in front of her before she had promptly pushed it into her mouth.

When I had left her after rescuing her from that tree, I had really believed that would be the last time I would ever see her again.

Yet time and time again, she ran into something troubling and then I rescued her. It happened so often, it had become my daily routine.

Go out.

Save Hua Le.

Come back again.

If you had asked me then, I would have said that is was quite annoying and coincidental how we ran into one another so often. Now though, I believe it was the will of fate and proved that me and Hua Le had been destined to be together.

One day, when I was strolling along riverbed, I spotted Hua Le being beaten up by a group of females. I could hear them screech at the poor girl and accusing her of something.

In a flash, I zoomed in and grabbed Hua Le, holding her bridal style and then rushed back out. Once I had set her down and held her steady, I glared at them.

“What do you think your doing!” I said harshly, my tone fierce and cold.

One of them made an odd sniveling sound and most of them began to weep. I saw the makeup slide down their scrunched up and miserable faces from the tears, but I couldn’t find it in me to care.

Ignoring the collapsing troupe of girls, I went Hua Le’s side. Picked her up once more, and flew off with her in my arms.

Finally landing in a secluded area, I set her down.

“Why were those girls targeting you?!” I asked, almost yelled at her.

She must’ve done something wrong to anger them like that.

She blinked before her gaze turned angry.

“The reason I have been harassed by Bin and Gin and Hin,” I assumed these were the names of her bullies and lightly noted that their names rhymed.

“Because of you!” She shouted.

I was aghast.

I’ve been the one who had been saving her everyday for the past few months. How was I the one who was harming her?

“They are jealous, because of you!”

I was befuddled.

“Why would they be jealous of me?!”

She looked at me as though I was the most idiotic person in the world, which confused me anymore. I had never been seen anything less than intelligent and smart.

Come to think of it, I’ve been feeling like an idiot ever since the time he met Hua Le.

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