5 Chapter 5: Tragic Tale of A Destined Couple

Title: Tragic Tale of A Destined Couple – A Star Crossed Lovers? (Part One)

Genre: Tragedy, Romance

One-Shot:

It was during my last year in high school that everyone started acting strangely.

Not really strange, but they certainly acted more generous and kind than before, which was really mystifying.

I once asked if I had cancer, leukemia or any incurable disease but the reply I received was my mother's usual head slam. It was certainly as painful as I remembered since her last hit that I hadn't experience for almost a week.

It was only after we went to the doctor and performed check-ups did I believe that I wasn't suffering from any disease. But still, their weird behavior really bothered me.

I don't know if it really was the reason, or maybe something else, but still, there was something that was deeply bothering me.

Their bizarre actions continued until I felt that they just changed for the better.

As time passed by, it all just felt normal.

Normal that they would give me everything I want.

Normal that they wouldn't scold me even if I did something wrong.

Normal that they will let me do everything that I want…

Even gambling, drinking and other vices.

However, as a person with considerable IQ and EQ, I knew that they were spoiling me.

Spoiling me too much that I would certainly become a 'good-for-nothing' once I enter the real society of adults.

Heh, fortunately, I'm already aware of life so I was able to prevent myself from turning into a prodigal debauch.

Because of this, I would often question my parents within my head if they truly care for me.

But considering the concern and fanatical face of my Mom and the stern but worried expression of my father whenever they pick me up at the police station, questioning their love seems a little bit insulting.

I love my family, even though I can't directly verbalize it to anyone, no one can deny that I am family oriented.

I can even remember that time when my father struck me with a sleek and flexible piece of wood when I was a child and even now, the scars are still on my legs.

It was a well-deserved punishment considering that I broke the urn of my great-grandfather and thankfully, the ashes didn't scatter.

There was also that event where my Mom made me kneel on the cold floor where salt was thickly scattered. I was only four that time and I don't really remember what I did but that event taught me to never ever make my Mom so angry.

There were even more situations like this, and overall, I can say that my parents have raised me with the mantra 'more hit, more love' until that certain time that they had started acting a little bit overboard on showing their love and care.

What really happened at that certain time? What happened during my senior years at high school? What happened before everyone around me started acting differently?

After racking my mind for I don't know how many years, even now, I still can't remember anything major that was worth remembering.

If there was something, then it happened after everyone started acted differently, so it doesn't count, or does it?

I think that happened three or four days after everyone changed.

It was an event which left a humongous mark on my life. It played a very major part, even until today.

It was simply the first and last day I met my true love.

+-x/=/x-+

The spirit of spring was in full bloom as every flowers, beautiful or not had bloomed together with the pink cherry leaves of the cherry blossom trees.

Every breeze would carry the sweet scent of the flowers while the butterflies and bees flutter from one blossom to another, harvesting nectar as much as they could.

On the side road, I could see students walking toward the train station or maybe to the nearest local schools, which I would also be doing if I was born to a less privileged family.

But because I have a wealthy parent who owns as much as thousands of families combined, here I was, riding on a limousine Porsche with a western suited butler as a chauffeur.

These days, my family treated me in a strangely better way.

My dad stopped threatening me with the family punishment if I ever fail the exam. My mother reduced the frequency of hitting my head and my elder sister even restricted her friends on teasing and bothering me.

I don't know what triggered them to act like this, but everyone gaze at me with those kind of eyes which I can't understand.

I can infer that, first, it is certainly something big, second, it definitely concern me, and third, I am the only one who doesn't know what it is.

I already pressed my family, friends and teachers for answers but they really did a good job on keeping their mouth shut.

But either ways, I am and never was a determined person so after being tired of all those investigations and questionings, I decided to just let them be.

It's not really bothering me that much and it's really not a bad thing either.

Yesterday, I tried doing something to test their oddity, and BOOM! My father didn't whip me with his cane, and my Mom, for once didn't splatter saliva on my face with her scoldings.

Furthermore, my sister even cooked for me which made me wonder if the moon was blue.

Thinking back to what I did, stealing a cool motorbike from a prodigal heir and ending up at the police station, their reaction solidified my suspicions about the change in their attitude.

If it was the normal them, then I should be at the hospital right now with my legs bandaged due to my father's punishment. My mother would pester my whole day with her scolding and my sister will visit just to look down on me and my stupidity.

Because of this, I now know that I can get away from everything I will do and I will surely use this to the fullest!

"Stop the car." I ordered as I looked at chauffeur through the center mirror and the gray haired butler stared back at my reflection.

After returning his eyes to the road, the car slowed down.

Before he can even get out to open the door for me, I already left the car and held my bag over my shoulder and walked at the side-walk joining other students in different school uniforms.

Right beside the car, I saw the chauffer, standing straight as he looked at me. I waved my free hand and shouted, "You don't need to get me at school this afternoon, I'll be returning home by myself!"

Hearing this, the old man bowed in a 45 degree angle with his left arm on his chest.

It was quite a spectacle to those who were not accustomed to it such as the surrounding students.

They would occasionally turn their head to look at me and my chauffer.

However, it was a normal situation for me considering that my standing is considerably high even in my school which was for the rich and wealthy.

When a person comes from a family like mine, being subjected to numerous eyes is a daily occurrence. Heh.

Still walking on the side-walk, I looked behind and didn't saw the Porsche and its driver.

A smile bloomed from my face as I removed my uniform jacket and the white and black striped t-shirt underneath was exposed.

I threw the jacket on the nearby trash-can with the label "recyclable" and fetched my phone to call a newly found friend to mess around.

However, as the call just connected, something or more like someone suddenly bumped me with a huge momentum causing my phone to fall.

Irritated, I turned my head and saw a girl sprawled on the ground, and it was such a good thing that she was wearing a denim jeans.

She had an inky black hair but whenever it got struck by the sunlight, it becomes lighter making it appear as dark-brown.

Her hair was beautifully cascading down to her waist and because of her current position, some of it were touching the ground.

She had a fair skin, though not so white, but a bit yellowish suiting the oriental skin.

Her lips was pink but not so much that I can certainly conclude that she did not put anything on it. It was similar to her beautiful face which was seemingly free from any chemicals.

But first of all, why in the freaking hell am I describing her in great details?

Looking down, I remain still, not because I'm irritated or acting like a prick, but simply because I seem to be a bit overwhelmed about something I don't know.

My heart was beating fast and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. When she raised her head and her eyes met mine, my heart and the butterflies became more unbearable that I just want to run away.

I can feel my temperature rising and I only hope that my face is not burning red now.

After staring at me for a moment, the girl smiled, but it did not teach her eyes.

She patted away the dirt on her back and faced me again, but now with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry about that um, Mr. Stranger. You're back was very familiar, and I thought that you were an acquaintance." The girl apologized as she scratched the back of her head.

"So you will always head-strike your acquaintance every time you meet?" I incredulously asked while trying my best to calm my rapidly beating heart.

"Hahaha," She let out a laugh, her face full of happiness and reminiscence, "Yes, and he will lend me a hand then strike my head with a chop."

I raised my left eyebrow, but noticing the 'he' in the sentence, an upsetting emotion bubbled within me.

"When I fell, I was expecting a helping hand and a pain on my head, but unfortunately, I was met with a blank stare." She embarrassedly laugh, still scratching her head which is now making me wonder if there is any lies in it.

"Well, I'm sorry for not being the acquaintance you were expecting me to be, Miss Stranger." I sarcastically replied but this did not do anything to her smile. Instead, it bloomed even brighter, completely contrary to her following reply.

"No need to be sorry Sir, because even if you were really him, I think that he will also respond the same way as you did." She stopped and stared at my eyes, "Since he had already forgotten about me."

With that, she slowly walked at the side-walk and for some unknown reason, I walked by her side.

"Your ex?" I asked making her look at me with a face full of disbelief.

"What ex?" She asked back but before I can even reply, she continued "Ex-boyfriend? Ex-fiancé? Ex-Husband? No of course not!" She exclaimed with a bit of anger in her voice. "My relationship with him haven't ended yet!"

With that, my mouth felt a bit bitter, "If he had forgotten about you, then he had an amnesia?" I asked with a wry smile.

"Bingo!" She exclaimed which I completely didn't expect that I would guess right 'cause I thought that those things only happens on those Korean drama's my mother and sister watch.

"Seriously?" I immediately asked back and was replied with a series of up and down movement of her head.

"And that useless guy can't remember me, even though he had started remembering other things!" She stomped her feet in anger while her hand was tightly closed into a fist as if ready hit someone. "But the most infuriating is that he started remembering girls other than me!" Now, she is waving her hand making me step back a little in fear of being hit.

"Other girls? Is it his past lovers?" I softly asked, ready to dodge if she ever direct her fist towards me.

"Of course not, I'm his first lover and will also be the last if I don't disappear or die." she answered with a glare. I was about to open my mouth for another retort, but she continued, "It was mother and sister. He remember them, but not me."

I raised my eyebrows and gave her an 'are-you-serious' look.

"What? Is it against the law to be jealous?" She rolled her eyes as she placed her arms behind her.

"Well, they are his family, it's quite logical that he will remember them first than you." I rationally replied earning a glare from the girl.

"We were childhood sweethearts! Hell! We even shared the same crib when we were babies!" She exclaimed again, completely disregarding the fact that we were in public and there were a lot of people walking alongside us at the side-walk.

But childhood sweethearts huh? Lucky guy, that man is.

Noticing that I went silent, the girl slightly bent down to meet my eyes which were staring at the ground.

"How about you? Do you also have a childhood sweetheart or maybe a girlfriend?" She asked with wide eyes, as if a child who can't overcome her curiosity.

"We just recently met and now you are inquiring me about my private matters?" I asked back then she puffed her cheeks.

"It's unfair! I told you the situation of my love affairs, but you won't tell me yours?" She sulkily stomped her feet as we continued to walk.

"Well, I didn't ask, you just told me about it." I neutrally replied with a poker-face.

"Actually, you did, several times at that." She retorted, also with a poker-face.

"It's your fault for answering them, not mine." I strike back, still with an expressionless face

The girl suddenly let out a loud 'gahhh' as she disorderly scratched her head with both of her hands making it a complete mess.

"Okay, okay… It's my fault alright? It's just that you look exactly like him that I can't help myself!" She cried out as she spread out her hand on the air.

It was rather a comical sight, a disheveled hair a face full of grievances and hands reaching for the sky. Seeing this childish behavior while saying things like that, I don't know if I should cry or laugh.

"Then if I don't look exactly like your childhood sweetheart, you won't speak to me right?" I wryly asked.

"Yeah, in the first place, I won't purposely bump to Mr. Stranger, if your back didn't look like his." She righteously replied, completely unaware of the damage it contributed to my HP (hit point).

"Oh, okay… But why are you still here talking to Mr. Stranger who looks like your lover instead of talking the authentic one?" I asked with an irritated tone and on her face, a sad smile formed which was very prickling to my eyes.

She didn't reply and an awkward silence replaced the once happy and teasing atmosphere.

"What? He wanted to break-up with you, but you still insistently clung to him, saying things like everything will return if his memory also return?" I asked with scorn in my voice but the girl just continued on walking. It was only after a few minutes did she reply.

"I don't know… Everything is still the same." She hesitated and turned her head sideways to look at my eyes "But not at the same time… Moreover, how can he break-up with me if he doesn't even know that we are in a relationship?"

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, I didn't feel any compassion or pity, but instead jealousy and hatred for that man who made her sad like this.

After that, we just continued walking silently, but it wasn't like the awkward silence earlier. It was a comforting one, filled with harmony and serenity.

Due to this, I was able to review my feelings, and for once I don't know if I should be grateful or not to my high EQ.

The rapid heartbeat, the butterflies, the rising temperature and even those bouts of jealousy are solid evidence for what I felt for the girl beside me. We only met today and I was already like this…

Is this the so called love at first sight?

After several minutes, the end of the beautiful sidewalk filled with cherry blossoms was nearing, as I already decided to skip class I can do whatever I want today and seeing that the girl was in casual wear, I suppose she also don't have any plans of going to school.

"What are you gonna do today?" I asked, breaking the beautiful silence between us.

"I don't know, I really don't have a plan since he can't be with me." She nonchalantly replied as she looked up to see the beautiful pink flowers on the cherry blossom trees.

"Then how about spending the day with me?" I asked, "At least with my face, it'll be like spending the day with your childhood sweetheart."

With that, she suddenly looked at me with widened eyes as if asking 'seriously'.

But deep within it, I also saw something else…

Was it happiness? Gladness? Joy? Or maybe it was incredulity?

"You sure you want to be a replacement?" She asked in a teasing manner as she bumps her shoulder with mine.

"Well, it's just for a day and I don't have anything to do." I replied while rolling my eyes "It's not like we know each other, after today, we might not even meet again."

With that, a childish smile formed on her face as she exaggeratedly nodded her head.

"Yes, you're right. Then you are Mr. Stranger, and I'm Mrs. Stranger, we are a happy married couple for this day!" She excitedly exclaimed as she clapped her hands.

"Where did that married came from?" I butted in, "And are you sure you really love that childhood sweetheart of yours or are you already falling for me?" I narcissistically asked.

"Hahaha, hubby, it's hard not to, considering that both of you are alike." She happily replied as she hugged my right hand and dragged me inside the taxi that she had stopped.

"To the amusement park please!" She told the driver.

It was all too sudden, I didn't even process what she said but here we are, riding a taxi to the amusement park.

"Why are we going there?" Dumbfounded, I asked while her sudden change still didn't sink in within me.

"Of course to get married!" She exclaimed and I saw the driver look at us through the rear-view mirror where she just responded with a huge grin on her face. "Today is the amusement park's anniversary so there will be a lot of booths and events, I'm sure that there will be a mock marriage there!"

With her overflowing enthusiasm, I just let her be, at least, even if I am just a temporary replacement, I'm still able to be married to her, albeit a fake one.

Being in this situation, I can finally understand what others had often said. That a man in love turns into a fool…

I don't even know who this girl is. I'm not even sure if all the words she had said was true. Hell, I don't even know if this childhood sweetheart really exist or if she is just using this scheme to be closer to me.

But still, I let it be. I am letting myself to be used by her…

Just how low can a person in love be? Just how low can I, the heir of a multi-millionaire company, to be a mere replacement of someone?

When we arrived, I saw the girl fish out a black card on her pocket and gave it to the taxi driver who became flustered as he accepted it.

Black credit card from XXX bank, the leading bank in the whole world. With this, it made me even wonder, why a wealthy heiress who might own money as much as my father spend time with a local heir like me.

Noticing that I was looking at her, she suddenly realized that it might be because of the card and pulled a silly smile on her face.

"Actually, this is my father's. I kind of borrowed it… Well, in a way that I didn't told him." She explained and I just raised my eyebrows at her as if saying 'so-what?'

"Any ways, let's go! We only have a day!" She exclaimed as she dragged me toward the amusement park.

She gave the gatekeeper a noticeable VIP ticket so we were able to easily enter despite the very long lines on the gate.

Once we were inside, she immediately ran toward an employee of the establishment and asked where the mock wedding was and after receiving the directions, we walked toward there while buying foods and drinks on our way.

We really got along even though our attitude was not really similar. It was like she knows everything I like and I don't know if she is just acting, but it seems that she is very familiar with me. When I asked her about this, she just told me that she was just behaving as if I was her childhood sweetheart and also that I was very, very similar to him.

If only I could see my HP gauge, then I think almost half of it was already gone due to her words.

However, even knowing that I was only a replacement, I can't help myself but be satisfied with what I have.

When we reached the chapel like building, she suddenly stopped and stared at it.

"This is not the one in the plan, but at least, it's better than nothing." She spoke and at the same time, we turned our head to each other and our eyes met.

My eyes were full of confusion due to what she said, but her misty eyes was filled with blended happiness and sadness.

It might be happiness because she is going to marry her childhood sweetheart, but sadness because the groom is just a look-a-like.

As we entered the building, I couldn't help but in awe of the designs. It was simple but very grand at the same time. It was like the Eden with all those white flowers and mixed with such an ethereal and tranquil atmosphere, it was like an immortal was about to be married.

"Ma'am?" A voice woke me up and I saw a woman in formal suit walking toward us. "Does the design suit your taste?" She asked.

"Very much so! Especially after seeing his expression!" She laughed as she elbowed my waist.

"And this is the groom, am I correct?" The woman asked again but after a moment she just said never mind as the answer was quite obvious considering that I was the only male in the room.

"Is the wedding gown here already?" The girl asked and the woman smiled as she nodded her head, "The wedding gown was delivered safe and sound." And after a slight hesitation, she continued "The gown was very splendid Miss, are you sure you want to wear it in this mock wedding? I think it is far more than enough to be worn on your wedding day."

"No, it's okay. Let's just go!" She excitedly exclaimed then a man arrived, wearing a suit that was designed the same as the woman's.

"Sir, please come with me to change to your wedding suit." The man spoke with his stern voice and I saw the girl walking with the woman to a door. At that time, she turned her head and winked at me with a silly smile on her face.

"Sir?" The man asked again to get my attention and wit that, I nodded and followed after him.

While walking, the man started the conversation.

"The two of you seems to have a good relationship, how many years have you been together?" He asked as he slowed his pace to walk by my side.

"We only met this morning." I answered honestly.

"Really?" The man asked, though his tone lacked any curiosity, "It really is a wonder if it is true, considering that both of you seems to know each other very well."

"I am also told the same, actually, she already have a lover, a childhood sweetheart at that and she said that I look exactly like him which led to this situation." I confessed for an unknown reason, maybe it's because this man's aura is much like my father's.

"Oh, then you are a replacement and you are happy to do so?" He asked again with a weird smile on his face.

He remained silent to hear my answer which didn't came but after we entered a room, he suddenly looked at me with a warm smile on his face, completely contrary to his strict and taunt face.

"A man in love truly turns into a fool." With that, he left me alone in the room where a black suit was seen placed on the white twin sized bed.

After wearing the suit, I tried opening the door but it was locked so I just sat on the bed and gazed outside through the floor-length window. Through there, I can see the populated amusement park and all of the humongous rides. But because this building was placed on top of a hill, it was quite far away from all the festivities and only now did I notice that the girl somehow rented this whole chapel for her mock wedding to a replacement groom.

She must have really wanted to experience this, even in the expense that she will only be marrying a fake one.

While I was still staring outside, a knock was heard and the door opened. It was the man from earlier.

"The mock wedding is about to start, please follow me Sir." He said as he gestured out of the room.

Unable to do anything, I just complied with them thinking about the hilariousness of the situation.

I was about to be wedded, well a fake one, to a girl whom I fell in love at first sight as we met earlier this morning.

As I stepped on the red carpet, I could hear the wonderful and skilled play of the piano, playing the wedding song. There were only few people sitting on the chairs which I presume are employees since they wore the same uniformed suit but as I reached the side of the altar, I saw two chairs with a picture frame on it. The one on the left was a woman who bore almost the same face as the girl, and by inference, I could infer that those two pictures might be her mother and father, which, by my own hypothesis, is already deceased.

A short while later, as the trademark part of the song started, a girl wearing a beautiful wedding gown filled with real and shining gems and embroidered with top-class skills entered. Even with the veil covering her face, everyone can immediately conclude that beneath this is an earth-shattering beauty by which I am quite sure is true.

The event continued as to how it should proceed but on the part on the vow, maybe by the request of the girl, the acting priest had changed the 'Till death do tear us apart' to 'Even death will not tear us apart'.

When the 'you may kiss the bride' arrived, everyone, including me couldn't help but suck a huge breath as I uncovered the veil from her face due to her beauty, but thankfully, she stealthily stomped on my foot which woke me up from being awestruck. In the end, I just kissed her cheeks and hell! It took a great deal of guts from me!

After that, there was the cutting of cakes, the dance and etc. and though it was very tiring, I couldn't help but enjoy it.

We did many things after the mock wedding. She borrowed a child from one of the employees in the chapel and made us play family as we played around the amusement park.

The looks of the other people at us was quite funny, seeing two teenagers wearing the same wedding ring holding the hands of a five years old child. Though it should have irritated me, instead, I just found it enjoyable and as the night came closer, we returned our so called child to her rightful mother.

Riding the Ferris wheel, the two of us could see the setting sun at the horizon of the ocean.

The sky looked like it was bleeding due to the red and oranges but still, it was a sight to behold.

"We married, we had a child, we performed jobs and we retired, now, the last thing is we are going to die." She spoke as she stared intently, at the setting sun. I just remained silent, thinking of what to say or how to confess my affection to her…

"Hey, Mr. Stranger, let's go to the horror booth after this okay?" She asked with sadness in her eyes, and I just replied with a hum.

When we arrived at the horror both, she talked with an employee then the manager shortly took over.

After listening to their conversation, I found out that she want to be placed in a coffin together with me, as the enactment of our death.

Knowing that this might be the chance of confessing to her, I didn't complain and with the power of money, we wore formal white clothes, powdered our face white and stuffed within a coffin then the light were closed.

Within the coffin, I felt her movements as she turned sideways and hugged my waist as she buried her head on my chest.

"Thank you very much." She muffled as I felt my chest being slightly wet from my clothes.

Is she crying? Is it because she will miss me? Maybe, but it might be just my wishful thinking.

"You're welcome." I replied and then she tightened her hug.

"You should be saying 'Thank you too' idiot." She laughed, "I know you enjoyed the day too."

I was silent for a moment and all that could be heard was her stifled crying.

"Yes, it was enjoyable…. Thank you." I awkwardly confessed and she let out a small chuckle.

"It's just a waste that he didn't remember." She whispered but still I fully heard it.

That he should be her childhood sweetheart right? Her lover…

Hearing that line, the courage that I have been collecting suddenly dispersed like a gas exposed in the atmosphere.

If he remembered, then she might have married the real groom, played family with her real husband and buried together with the one whom she really loves. Not with the replacement groom, husband and beloved.

After we left the amusement park, we were just there walking by the street. My family had already called me several times but I didn't answer any of it. I just don't want to waste the remaining time I have with my mock wife… My fake wife.

Suddenly, from afar, we heard the sound of an automobile horn and when we turned our head, I saw that it was the Porsche that my chauffer drives.

"Ah, it's your escort." She said as she suddenly turned my head to face her, my head was slightly confused on why she knew that it was my chauffer but remembering that she might have seen it earlier this morning, I disregarded it.

"It's such a waste that he didn't remember, but still, I love him… I love him very much and…."

"I hope that death will never tear us apart."

With that, she suddenly kissed me at my lips then she ran away. I wanted to chase after her but her last move pasted my feet on the ground…

She was confessing her love to him while looking at me… She confessed her love to him then she kissed me…

Maybe I am just a replacement… But still, isn't it better than being nothing at all.

With this, I have better chances on being with her, if ever that man didn't reciprocate her feelings since I look and act exactly the same as him, then I can easily enter her heart right?

With that realization, a crafty smile formed on my face as I turned and entered the Porsche.

The gray-haired chauffer just stared at me silently for a moment then drive back to the mansion.

"Where were you?" Mother asked as I entered the living room where she together with my father and sister was sitting while watching the television.

"At the amusement park." I answered as I sat on the free one-man couch adjacent to my sister.

"What were you doing there?" She asked again, her sight still on the television.

"Playing." With that short response, my sister looked at me while raising her eyebrows.

"Alone?" She asked as she popped a popcorn on her mouth.

"No, I was with a girl." With that, mother finally teared her eyes away from the television and my father to put down the newspaper on his hand.

The atmosphere was awkward for some reason, but I just let it be. I snatched a handful of popcorn from my sister's bowl and she didn't even complain like usual.

"A girl?" Mother asked with hesitation in her voice.

"Yeah, I don't know who she is, but I have plans of knowing her more." I made a wide grin "She might even be your future daughter-in-law." I continued teasingly.

Everyone became silent, my mom and sister even became as pale as snow while father solemnly adjusted his reading glasses.

"Really? When and where did you meet?" He asked.

"We met this morning at the streets, but no need to worry about social status, she can even rent a chapel for a mock wedding with her own money, and I'm quite sure she's an heiress of some huge company." I happily informed them but none of them looked happy for me… Well, it's quite understandable, true life isn't fairy tale where a princess can marry her prince charming a day after they first met.

"She's beautiful and I'm sure all of you will also love her! She might not be very ladylike but she is cheerful and jolly! She likes pastries so I'm sure Sister will like her! She also have a good sense of fashion so Mom, you don't need to worry about that!" I listed her good perks one by one, hoping I could make them feel a bit better about my choice.

"Really? Then what does she looks like?" Father asked, still cleaning his reading glasses with a clean cotton cloth.

I was about to get my phone for a picture but then I remembered that we didn't take a single photo together… Even in our mock wedding or on the booths we visited. Left with no choice, I could only describe her by words.

"She have an inky black hair which would turn into a dark shade of brown if it was struck by sunlight. She had a fair yet a little bit tanned skin and a dark brown eyes. She is slim and about one or two inches shorter that me." After describing her, everyone was still silent.

"So what was her name?" Mother asked and I could hear a slight trembling in her voice.

"Her name? Unfortunately I don't know. She called me Mr. Stranger and I called her Miss Stranger which changed to Mrs. Stranger after a mock wedding."

With that, I could only see my Mother covering her face as she sobbed. My sister left the living area with misty eyes and father still remained taunt but he seemed to be in a deep thought.

A while later, father finally opened his mouth, "We are going to a burial ceremony tomorrow, and I hope you'll act properly."

Father and mother left me alone in the room, confused by their responses, but maybe it was caused by that upcoming burial.

But who died to make my family be do emotionally disrupted?

But still! It was such a happy information, at least they could have acted a little bit happy for me.

The next day, I was once again wearing a black suit but now, I wasn't a groom but an invitee at a burial ceremony. There were three people being buried which I heard was a family. There were no framed pictures and only three urns were present. They said that the body was incinerated just this morning and the ceremony was quite hastened.

When the procession was starting, I didn't know why, but I was tasked to carry one of the urn which made me very, very surprised considering my past experience about my great-grandfather's urn. However, looking at the stern face of my father, I just held the urn tightly and securely so that no accidents may happen.

The ceremony was a short-lived one, after burying the urns six feet under the ground, everyone dispersed and after this, I went to information agencies to search for Miss Stranger… My Mrs. Stranger…

But as time passed, none of them found her. No one was able to uncover who she really was.

However, I didn't stop searching. I didn't stop hoping.

From a teenager youth, I turned into a man, and from a man in my prime, I turned into an old man.

I didn't marry, I didn't have any child or heir so I decided to just inherit the company to my nephew whom I raised as my son.

+-x/=/x-+

"Uncle, the doctor told you not to expose yourself to cold so what are you doing out here?" A man wearing a dark blue suit, looking as respectable as a CEO of a multi-billionaire company should be.

"The sky is rarely clear in the city so how can I miss it?" I replied with a rhetoric question, and I just felt someone sitting beside me.

The two of us just stared at the sky when suddenly the man beside me exclaimed as he pointed at a part of the sky.

"Uncle look! An intersecting shooting star!" He shouted and there I saw two streak of light intersect… They met at one point and bound to never come across each other again.

Those two stars are just like me and that certain girl from that certain time…

We never meet before that time, and we never met after that time.

We only come across that single day. Our life intersected only at that time.

We weren't collinear lines who met and will continue to be with each other.

However, we weren't parallel lines who were bound not to meet even a single time.

But we were just an intersecting lines who'll meet once and never after…

We were just a star-crossed lovers…

For me, at least it is.

But the truth? I don't know.

I just hope that we will meet at the afterlife, since we did vow that even death will not tear us apart right?