Chapter 49: The Unexpected Encounter

The sun blazed down with ferocious intensity, casting a stifling, humid air that was oppressive and made breathing difficult. Clothing clung to the skin, seemingly ready to yield water at the slightest squeeze.

What is summer?

For most, it is the sudden surge of heat, the refreshing chill of iced drinks, the sweetness of melons, and the mist that escapes from the refrigerator. It is the chorus of cicadas, the warm breeze, and the sweet tang of soda mixed with sweat. It is also those unspoken emotions that linger just beneath the surface.

Summer is a season of burning intensity, a time when emotions churn and cannot be concealed. The cicadas sing like countless hot hearts beating in unison, and the warm breeze carries the scent of sweat and sunshine, mixed with a hint of soda’s sweetness, and those unspoken emotions.

Some say summer is made for love, for declarations and quarrels, for making up and rediscovering each other. People in this sweltering season become braver and more uninhibited, as sweat and heartbeats become a silent language of understanding.

A young man, isolated by the summer heat, walked beneath the trees, brushing shoulders with passersby. His eyes were distant, but his steps were resolute, like a child desperate to escape the scorching sun and hurry home.

Glancing at the entrance of the community, he saw the rounded archway with the name that matched the words he had silently repeated countless times in his heart. He observed the guard in the booth, dressed in a uniform, whose gaze swept over him without lingering, before returning to their phone. He breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the community.

Walking along the red-brick path, he occasionally glanced around, taking in the sights and sounds of the children playing in the community. In this moment of mental detachment, the children’s laughter and the whispering of leaves offered him a rare sense of comfort.

A group of young children bounded past him, their backs to him, making faces at something behind them. Following their gestures, he saw a little girl chasing them, her breath coming in gasps, shouting something about getting her toy back.

In her haste and exhaustion, her foot caught on another, and she stumbled, about to fall face-first to the ground. At that moment, a pair of hands caught her.

“Are you alright?”

The young man held the little girl close, ensuring she was unharmed, before slowly letting go.

“I’m okay, thank you, big brother,” she said, slightly shaken but polite, bowing her head in gratitude.

“Don’t run so fast, you might fall.”

“But, but…”, the little girl pouted, pointing at the group of children ahead. Following her gesture, he saw one of them holding a pink stuffed toy.

“Is that your toy?”

“Yes, they took it, so I ran as fast as I could…

“I see. Wait here for a moment,” he said, and walked over to the group of children. After a couple of minutes, he returned with the toy in hand.

“Here, take it.”

“Wow! Thank you, big brother!” The little girl eagerly reached for the toy, hugging it close.

“If they bother you, don’t play with them. You’ll find friends who will treat you kindly.”

“Okay, I understand. Thank you, brother.”

He hadn’t intended to do so much, but seeing the little girl, who reminded him of his younger brother, he found it difficult to change his ways.

After this brief interruption, he searched for the right apartment building within the community. The numbers painted on the walls had faded over the years, and it took him some effort to find his destination.

A decade had passed, and he couldn’t be sure if the address was still valid. But it was his only lead, much like the fragments of clues that had led him to find that person. He was certain that his path would lead him to the end, even if his time was running out.

He opened the door and stepped into the dusty hallway, immediately noticing the mailbox. The top of the rusted box was covered in a thick layer of dirt and flyers, barely used anymore. He approached it, searching for the familiar numbers in his memory.

There, he pulled open the barely closed compartment, finding only a few scraps of paper and an unopened envelope. After ensuring no one was watching, he took the papers and the letter.

Receipts and utility bills, nothing of real significance. But when he carefully opened the envelope, he saw the name on the letter, matching the one he held in his hand.

He took a deep breath, silently returning the letter and the other papers, then turned and climbed the old, creaking stairs.

One, two, three, four… the closer he got, the slower his steps became. When he saw the brown door, he paused.

Suddenly, he realized that the unexpected journey was nearing its end, and beyond that, he couldn’t see or imagine what lay ahead.

A strong determination had brought him here, but unlike the previous time, he couldn’t convince himself to knock on the door, even though what he sought might be just a door away.

He remembered the events at the old house, and the nightmares from the night before. He feared those events repeating, and most of all, he feared his increasingly unhinged self.

Just as he wavered, he heard hurried footsteps from below. About half a minute later, a familiar figure appeared in his view.

“Wow, big brother, we meet again!” The little girl he had helped earlier looked curiously at the boy who seemed frozen in place, waving happily at him.

“Do… do you live in this building?”

For some reason, seeing her again, he felt a sudden unease. He glanced at the door next to him and instinctively took a step back.

“Yes, I live here!” She walked past him and knocked on the door. After a few knocks, he heard the lock turn, and when the door opened, a man appeared. The boy closed his eyes the moment he saw the man’s face.

He had never seen that face before, but in that instant, he felt the rush of blood.

Blood ties, sometimes, are both wondrous and cruel.

“Daddy, I’m home!” The little girl ran into her father’s arms, hugging him tightly as he lifted her up affectionately.

“Perky, why are you home so early?”

“Daddy, listen! Today, some kids took my toy, but this big brother helped me get it back.” The little girl excitedly shared her story, then pointed at the boy standing nearby. “He’s a good person, Daddy.”

The man looked up and saw the boy’s silhouette, partly concealed by the door. “Thank you for helping my Perky. Would you like to come in for a drink?”

“No, no, it’s no trouble,” the boy quickly declined, unable to step inside, even for a moment. He couldn’t bear to look again, as if seeing more would be a foolish attempt to claim an identity and a place that weren’t his.

“Big brother, why are you standing in front of my house? Are you looking for my daddy or mommy?”

Silent for a moment, the boy stepped back. “No, I was just looking for a relative, but I think I got the wrong floor. Sorry…” He turned to leave.

“Wait, big brother!” The little girl jumped out of her father’s arms and ran into the house. When she reappeared, she handed him a vibrant-colored candy.

“Today, thank you, big brother. You look tired, I hope this makes you happy!”

“Thank you, and… I hope you and your parents are always happy,” he said, unconsciously clasping the candy in his hand. After waving goodbye to the little girl, he turned and left, listening to the door gently close behind him.

He couldn’t stay here, not even for a moment, and he dared not look at the door again—behind it was a complete family, one that didn’t need him.

He pushed open the door, and a blinding ray of sunlight greeted him. Despite nearly a full day without water, he unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth. The sweetness was almost too much, and he regretted eating it, as if swallowing a kindness that didn’t belong to him, never to be returned.

He hurried away, as if driven by something unseen from his spot. Summer weather is always unpredictable, one moment clear skies, the next, a canvas of leaden clouds, the air thick and heavy like a wet towel, causing passersby to quicken their pace. But the boy didn’t notice any of this; he walked aimlessly, without direction or need.

He entered a park, where a bench caught the eye of his exhausted body. Without thinking, he collapsed onto it. His shoulders slumped, and his back felt weighed down by an unspeakable burden.

He closed his eyes and sank into the endless darkness. The sounds around him faded, and he could only feel something stirring within him, as if waiting for it to break free and reveal its true nature.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when something cold struck his neck. He didn’t move. The second drop slid down his cheek, reaching his collarbone, and he shuddered lightly.

The rain had started, without thunder, only the steady rhythm of drops hitting the ground. Suddenly, something within him urged him to lift his head, as a greater chill approached him.

The rain blurred his vision, and at first, he saw only moving shadows, like a dream or a stage set. Then, a color burst into view—red, too bright, too jarring, like a flame from another world.

He couldn’t lift his head, but he knew who it was. She didn’t belong to this cold, wet world; she carried something far heavier.

“You might need our help, Liu Tianze.”

Polaris, the magical girl, stood before him, rainwater streaming down her armor. She extended a hand, and in his eyes, her gauntlet was filled with shards of destruction.

****

He couldn’t open his eyes, unable to face the truth that lay before him. The world seemed to close in, and the pressure of reality became unbearable.

He had lost everything, his family, his friends, and his sense of self. The only thing left was the crushing weight of his failures and the memories that haunted him.

The rain continued to pour, and he remained frozen, unable to move or think. It was as if the world had paused, and he was the only one left to face the consequences of his actions.

Suddenly, a flash of red caught his eye, and he slowly lifted his head. There, standing before him, was Polaris, her armor glistening with raindrops, her hand outstretched in a gesture of both strength and compassion.

“You might need our help, Liu Tianze,” she said, her voice cutting through the rain and the chaos in his mind. Her words were a lifeline, offering him a chance to break free from the prison of his thoughts and face the world again.

****

Polaris, the magical girl, stood before him, her presence a beacon in the storm. Despite the rain and the turmoil, her offer was clear and unmistakable. She was there to help, to guide him through the darkness and toward a new path.

****

He knew he couldn’t refuse her help, not after everything he had been through. With a deep breath, he reached out, his fingers brushing against hers, and in that moment, he felt a spark of hope ignite within him.

****

“I’m ready,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain, but Polaris heard it, and she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.

****

Together, they would face the challenges ahead, and perhaps, in the process, he would find the strength to heal and move forward, leaving behind the shadows of his past and embracing a new beginning.