10 A Prince

I was six when Lian-ge showed me his first bike. It was a two-wheeled red bicycle. The height was just right for his age. He rode it in a complete ease.

I remembered when he cycled around me twice with a big smile on his face.

He had been very proud then when he told me he got it from his parents for placing first at the final exam. He told me it was all his hard work that granted him that cool ride.

I could tell he was very satisfied from the way he repeated that sentence more than five times already.

"I got this because of my hard work," he had said.

And all the while, I had only nodded in appreciation as my eyes were transfixed at that brand new bike of his.

I think that had been the first time when I noticed how tall he was and that he had a good posture. His straight back and his refined manner.

As I watched him, all I could think of at that time was a prince on his white horse. A silly imagination of a six-years-old girl.

Perhaps it had been written all over my face how I wanted him to sweep me off my feet and took me on a magical ride, as the next moment, Lian-ge had already stretched out his hand at me.

"Hop on, Little Airi!" And I had done so.

Since then, I had never gone to school on foot again. It was always him and his bike early in the morning, parked right outside my house.

Grinning from ear to ear he would say, "Good morning, Little Airi! Your knight has come to pick you up."

Now that I thought about it again, funny how it had changed step by step from "your knight" to "your prince" and then finally, "your boyfriend".

Funny how we had gone round and round when it was clear as the day, we had been attracted to each other the moment we laid eyes on one another on day one. I was sure of it, when I thought back of his sparkling clear eyes.

He was so cute and handsome. I thought he had come out straight from some fairytale book.

It had felt so natural talking and laughing with him, being around him. There was never a moment of awkwardness between us even though we had started our relationship like everyone else, a stranger. It always felt like I had already known him for a long time.

Maybe we met each other in our previous life? Would that be possible Lian-ge?

If I were to say this, he would have laughed at me and said that I was being dramatic. I was sure of it. Boys, they were less sentimental than us, girls, I guessed.

"Faster, Lian-ge!" I urged him, giggling as I stood up from my seat.

I felt the warm breeze of summer brushing against my face and I had never felt so rejuvenated before.

"Sit down, Airi! You'll fall," he ordered, turning his head halfway.

"I promise I won't!"

I bent down. I hugged him from behind as I begged him one more time, "Please, Lian-ge. I wanna feel the wind."

I heard him sighed and a helpless smile formed on his face.

"Hold on, Little Airi."

My heart surged with joy when his bicycle picked up the pace. I shouted through the wind as free as a bird flying in the sky, "Wooooo!!!"

My hands were spread out like wings ready to take flight.

"You never change, do you?" He giggled.

It wasn't exactly a question he had asked. It was a statement instead. He knew me. He had always known me better than myself.

I put down my hands back on his shoulders. I brought my lips close to his ear and whispered, "You should try it too next time! Trust me, you'll love it! It feels so refreshing and free."

He chuckled. "Then who will be riding the bike?"

"I will!"

"But you can't ride a bicycle, Airi."

"I will learn it and then we can exchange our roles for once."

What came next was silence. He didn't say anything. I thought he was terrified by the idea of me a girl who was smaller than him in size riding the bicycle and him on the passenger seat. Honestly, it would be a comical scene. I wondered if I could move the bicycle then.

As my mind wandered, his voice suddenly echoed again.

"I will be waiting then, Airi."

His answer had been quiet and flat. I giggled to myself. Maybe he was not so hopeful towards this idea.

'Don't worry, Lian-ge, I'll change your mind. Just wait for me,' I thought to myself as I sat down and leaned against his back.

It was more or less a good fifteen minutes ride from school to Uncle Long's shop. From afar, we could already see Uncle Long busy making cotton candy while four kids waited in front of the stand.

"Good evening, Uncle Long!"

"Oh, Airi! You've come! Auntie is waiting for you inside."

His voice had been what I expected from his big and slightly fat body, rough and deep, bellowing from his stomach. In the past, I had called him teddy bear.

As soon as Lian-ge parked his bike, I dragged him inside the shop. A sweet and pleasant smell immediately brushed the bottom of our nose. I couldn't wait to eat cake!

"Little Airi!"

I turned to see Aunt Long behind the cashier. With a smile, I skipped towards her direction.

"Auntie, Airi's here."

"Come Airi, auntie has something special for you."

After saying that, she went inside for a brief moment and came out with a long black rectangle plate. It was made out of ceramic and there was a design of Sakura at the top right of its edge.

It was a mesmerizing artwork. But what was even more delicate was two rows of colorful little mooncakes, each sitting on top of an intricately designed pink lotus. There was a total of seven colors arranged on the black plate.

My eyes couldn't move from those beautiful mooncakes. I could see how much effort Aunt Long had put into making them.

"Auntie this is?"

"I want you to try these and tell me how it is. I have created this for later in October. I want to make a special menu for mid-autumn festival."

She was smiling proudly while studying her masterpiece.

"I give 10 points for the presentation," said Lian-ge.

"I know it! There's a reason why you've always been my favorite."

I frowned. "And? What about me?"

Aunt Long laughed, amused, she rubbed my hair 'till it turned messy.

"Of course you too, silly Airi! Now take this and eat it."

I gladly took the mooncakes and brought it to the back porch where our special seat was. Aunt Long then brought us, a pot of Chinese tea along with two tea cups. In the end, we did not only finish the mooncakes but Lian-ge was also currently holding a cotton candy for us to share.

I exhaled in satisfaction as I gazed at the evening sky. "Ahh...that was good."

I turned to look at Lian-ge and he reflexively met my eyes. "Did you enjoy it?"

He stared for a moment before he rubbed my head. "I always enjoy everything when I'm with you.

I grin. Putting my head on my hands, I looked at him deeply.

"You sure have your way with words, Lian-ge."

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Wrong," he denied, "I have my way to make you happy."

"I suck at complimenting others."

I giggled. "Well then, I'm honored."

"My pleasure, Princess."

"Oh my, what role are you tak-"

Before I managed to finish my sentence, Lian-ge had interrupted me first.

"Airi."

His ink-black eyes stared straight into my eyes. I couldn't help but notice the seriousness in his tone and for once, I felt pain slowly spreading within me. I wondered why?