The Space Between Them

A moment passed between them, the two of them were enraptured in each other's gaze. Chan Lee had such an open expression on her face, her cheeks blushing red and mouth slightly ajar. She was really too cute, his hand still touched her head—her hair brushing softly on his palm.

She had such an earnest look with simply those words of his. 

It would have been so easy to lean forward and close the distance between them, but he pulled his hand back and chuckled. "What's the appropriate term… cat got your tongue?"

She averted her gaze to her phone, "I'll be ordering our food now, but yes, you got the term correctly." She began to click and tap on her phone, quite at ease with her phone.

He bit back a smile, "I've been watching the videos that Han Jing showed me."

"Videos?" Her attention was still on the phone in her hands, though he had a feeling that she had already finished ordering. "I should talk with him if they're—"

"Well, they were called nursery rhymes and tongue twisters." Xue tapped his cheek. "They're quite informative and entertaining at that."

Her shoulders shook for a moment before she looked up at him. She was stifling a smile, trying to maintain a visage of seriousness. "Pfft… I mean, they are really nice. I'm glad it's helping you adjust to the new culture here." She nodded her head.

Chan Lee was once again at ease.

The earlier moment fizzled out like bubbles.

One last glance at her phone and she placed it down her table, she stood up and scratched at her cheek. "I'll be using the bathroom for a bit, so if you need to go now or something—please go ahead first."

He shook his head and smiled. "I'm alright, please enjoy your shower!"

She hadn't exactly mentioned a shower, but it seemed to be something she enjoyed doing at night. And it was a relaxing habit at that, it definitely helped her sleep easier. "Thanks, Xue." Her cheeks once again tinged red, grabbing for her clothes at the closet she then walked into the bathroom. The door clicking with the sound of its lock.

Xue let out a soft sigh, taking the seat that Chan Lee sat in and turned towards the table. Resting his face on his hands, he sighed once again. Quite sure that she wouldn't be able to hear them. The waters were already pouring down steadily.

It was a calming sound.

Waters endlessly pouring like a spring rain.

It was almost enough for him to ignore the missed moment. To forget about the sounds of a racing heart. Had it been hers or his? Quite a short amount of time had passed between them. In his perspective, it was akin to fleeting moments that flickered by like the stars. A century for her felt like just a year or even day for him.

But even these brief days with her, they were something he already cherished.

He didn't mind staying here for a century until she felt comfortable with him.

Where she no longer felt the need to lock the door in concern, where she no longer found any reason to look away from him. Where she could actually smile wholeheartedly at him without any hesitation. Where she could actually consider him.

But that was just wishful thinking.

A dream that couldn't come true.

He doubted she could even live another century… it was quite a gloomy thought that he brushed off. It only made him want to grasp and cherish the moments they had together. Eternity should have been so close to reach.

This was a day in a millenia where it would have been possible to grasp it. 

But she needed to want it.

And of course for him to gather the ingredients, but that was an easier task compared to convincing someone to consider an eternity. And it wasn't like he was the best of companions either—that was a little depressing of him to think of.

When the sound of the bathroom door clicked, he glanced at the right time to see her first step out. A certain glow in her face, her body language and posture was relaxed as she yawned while drying her hair with a towel. She wore a simple white shirt and some shorts that provided her with ease. Everything spoke of contentment and comfort with what she currently had.

It was a little selfish of him to want to rob her of this life.

"O-oh, hey Xue, are you feeling hungry? Need to go to the bathroom? I'm done." She smiled at him. Completely unaware of what ran through his mind.

"I'm alright. Thank you, Miss Chan Lee." He bowed his head.

Soon enough, the meal that she savoured finally arrived. It was she who opened the door and accepted the food—a tad protective and on guard as usual. But it quickly dispersed when she placed the food on the table and they began to eat.

And though he was afraid for her salt and sugar intake, he couldn't erase the enjoyment on the woman's face. It was something he could stare all night after all. 

"You know, if Han Jing were here—we would have needed a lot more food." Chan Lee mused aloud, placing a fry in her mouth. 

Xue imagined the man and couldn't help but agree. "Han Jing does seem to be the type to enjoy these foods… but he does have to avoid them if he were to truly engage in the path towards cultivation." And it would have ruined their time together if he had been here. Their time together was so short, she was always at the university. He couldn't help but want more time with just the two of them.

So perhaps giving Han Jing an ample supply of the elixir was a just trade for alone time.

"Ah, that would suck…" Chan Lee shuddered and grabbed for her drink. Their ice cream had already been finished earlier, strawberry for him and chocolate for her. "You only live once after all." She paused and stared at him.

He couldn't help but chuckle, that look was more than enough to urge him to voice out his thoughts. "Most people don't remember their past lives. And unfortunately for Beings and cultivators, they do transcend the need for rebirth so inevitably they only 'live once' in that—they all have eternity to live out the same life."

"I see… well, unless I knock my head and remember something, it's a little hard to believe."

"Even when I'm sitting right beside you?" Xue motioned to himself and tilted his head a bit.

"I suppose it makes sense that one should reincarnate instead of living continuously. Imagine the boredom and loneliness an Immortal would have when the people around him died—it would drive him insane."

It was a truthful observation, though she didn't probably think of them in that situation. He nodded, "That's why all Immortals reside in the Heavenly Plane."

"That's a little silly coming from you."

Xue pouted but said nothing else. After all, she was actually right. 

Chan Lee rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn. "My apologies."

"It's no worries, maybe you should head to bed?" It couldn't be helped, it was in their nature.

"I'm fine, it's Friday night—most people are up till dawn or something." She sipped her drink some more and placed it back onto the table. "Besides, we hardly get to talk you know?"

"Well, that's true. But isn't it the weekend tomorr—" Xue caught her before her head could slam on the table. "I guess it's bed time for you." Xue gently moved her head onto his shoulder and eased her into his arms. With a careful lift, he brought her to her bed and laid her down.

She immediately stretched out content before curling up into a small ball.

He gently brushed off a few strands of hair from her face. It was worrying how she could easily fall asleep when she was sitting and conversing with him. Was it an underlying illness? What time was it now? He needed to check the time if he once again pushed her to the limits. Had she been trying so hard to stay awake for his sake?

He really shouldn't think that it was anything beyond a feeling of responsibility towards him. That was the easier way to deal with things now. Now as for him? He'd clean up the mess and afterwards…?

Should he sleep again?

Xue didn't necessarily feel the need to sleep, but he could do it. And so he would. What else could he possibly do when Chan Lee was slumbering? He could probably make more elixirs while she was asleep, after all she simply kept her keys on the table when she got back. So it was easy enough to leave and ensure that she was safe.

But he didn't want to leave her side.

It was too childish of him.