Emily came from a prominent
family. Her father was a high-ranking elected official, while her mother was
one of only five female surgeons in the country. Academically, she had always
been at the top of her class. Additionally, Emily's elegant beauty won her many
admirers. Because of her impressive background or perhaps her aloof
personality, none of her admirers found the courage to confess their feelings
to her or even approach her. They were afraid of being rejected by her. They
were afraid of being called "a crow wanting to befriend a phoenix."
Consequently, Emily always seemed to be alone. One could conjecture that she
had never had a single close friend.
Ken was one of Emily's admirers.
Unlike his long-time crush, he was just an ordinary schoolboy. His father was a
salaryman and his mother was a housewife. He loved to hang out with friends and
enjoyed athletic activities. His grades were only average. Like the other
admirers, Ken had yet to confess his feelings to Emily. It was not because he
was afraid of becoming a laughing stock at school. It was because he wanted to
protect his deep feelings for her, from the cruel reality.
As time passed, the list of
Emily's admirers gradually dwindled. Some already moved on; others had simply
given up. Ken was probably the only one who still held romantic feelings for
Emily. Everyone at school knew that he loved her, and they were silently
rooting for the two to become a couple. The only person who was oblivious of
Ken's love seemed to be Emily, to the amazement of the entire school. Is she
really the heartless "Ice Queen" just like in the rumors? This was a
hot topic at school for several years.
In the summer before their final
year of high school, Ken had finally made up his mind. He will approach Emily
on the first day of class and confess his feelings to her. Even if she rejected
him, he will have no regrets. Knowing how much she adored the Poinciana*, he
brought with him a bagful of the beautiful blossoms.
Emily did not show up for the
first day of class. Ken was stunned by her absence. In all the years he had
known her, she had never missed her first day of class. Did something happen to
her? He was really worried about her.
The school was notified that
Emily will no longer attend the academy, with no specific reason given. Rumors
were circulating that she was skipping her senior year to marry the son of a
wealthy tycoon. Some were speculating that she had gone abroad to study.
Whatever the case, Ken was devastated by Emily's abrupt departure. He blamed
himself for not confessing to her sooner. His heart died a little that time.
The sad winter melody finally
gave way to a lively spring. For high school seniors, this was a time of
transition. Some were planning the next phase in their lives, while others were
simply relishing the moment. Even as graduation grew near, Ken still had not
gotten over Emily's departure. Unlike his peers, his final year of high school
was one of sadness rather than of celebration. Once an active and outgoing boy,
Ken had transformed into somewhat of a home boy. He rarely ventured outside of
his home for anything other than school, to the dismay of his buddies.
May be it was the lack of
distractions or perhaps it was a futile attempt to bury his sadness, Ken's
academic performance improved dramatically in his senior year. He ranked in the
top five of his class, which was enough to earn him a place at a top
university. He couldn't care less about it, however. He would trade everything
to see Emily again.
The final day of school finally
came. While Ken was cleaning out his locker, he discovered an unopened letter.
The letter was addressed to him from Emily. The surprise discovery overwhelmed
him with emotions. When and how did this letter get here? Ken's confused mind
was searching for answers. Could it be that Emily had noticed my feelings for
her and sent me a rejection letter? He was afraid to read what was in the
letter.
Ken found himself making a mad
sprint out of the school building. He kept running until his legs gave out. He
stopped at a Poinciana tree and rested under its shade. The feelings he had
suppressed for nine years were finally unleashed. Tears were flowing from his
eyes without ceasing. A passing breeze helped soothe his sorrows, and the
majestic Poinciana blossoms carried him into a beautiful dream. "I wish I
could see Emily again!"
Fifteen years later, Ken was now
an internationally acclaimed architect with projects all over the world. Unlike
his peers, he chose to stay in his hometown and base his career here. Ken remained
single, as work had taken priority in his life. Today will be a special day for
him. After a meeting with a client, he will take a flight to Tokyo to receive a
major architecture award for his signature skyscraper design.
The meeting with the client went
smoothly and ended a bit earlier than scheduled. With a little more than an
hour to go before his flight, Ken decided to visit a nearby coffee shop for a
quick sip of his favorite cappuccino. As he was walking to the coffee shop, he
caught sight of an elegant lady leaving the shop. Something about this woman
was very familiar to him. Curious, Ken decided to follow her. The closer he was
to her the faster his heart was racing. An old feeling rekindled. Could she be
the love he lost many years ago?
The woman got into a taxi and
drove off. Ken also got into a taxi and continued his pursuit. His phone was
ringing nonstop all this time with messages from his secretary about his
pending flight. But he simply ignored them. He had lost the love of his life
once; he won't lose her again. Ken followed the lady for a long time until she
stopped at a cemetery. When his taxi reached the cemetery, the woman had
already gone inside several minutes before. Ken went in to look for her, but
she was nowhere to be found.
After searching futilely for
nearly an hour, Ken decided to take a little break on a stone bench. As he was
resting, his eyes were accidentally affixed on two nearby gravestones. There
were a half dozen Poinciana flowers on each gravestone. Apparently, the two
graves were the final resting places of a husband and wife. They died on the
same day, exactly a week before the start of Ken's high school senior year.
That woman was really Emily
after all. She left the academy because of her parents' deaths and not because
of him. The mystery Ken had wrestled with all these years was finally solved.
Ken decided to cancel his flight and hastily returned home. He brought out the
letter he had kept unopened for fifteen years and began to read it.
Ken,
I am
not oblivious of your feelings. All these years, I have silently observed you
and have come to envy the life that you have. You have always been surrounded
by good friends. You are free to do what you want, without burdens. I am, on
the other hand, eternally confined in the world of expectations and loneliness.
I want to be like you - cheerful and carefree.
I
don't really know when my admiration for you has turned into love. It was
likely because of your persistence. When others had given up on me, you continued
to stand by me lovingly. I could feel your warmth and the pureness of your
love, even from a distance. They are something I will always treasure in my
heart.
I had
planned to confess my feelings to you on the first day of our high school
senior year. Fate, however, has decided to not allow us to be together. When
you read this letter, I would have already gone to a place far away. This is
our farewell.
Emily
As Ken was reading the letter,
tears were flowing from his eyes without ceasing. But unlike the sorrowful
tears under the Poinciana tree fifteen years ago, these were the tears of joys.
Ken was driving home from a
business trip one day, when nostalgia led him back to his old high school. This
was his first return visit since graduation. The school had not changed much
from fifteen years ago. The sight of students in uniform brought back memories,
and the Poinciana flowers were still as lovely as ever.
His stroll down memory lane was
interrupted by the appearance of a familiar sight. Standing in front of him was
Emily - a teacher at the academy. The two stood motionlessly for some time,
unable to express their feelings. Emily and Ken decided to take a walk together
afterwards, catching up on their lost time.
*Poinciana is a flower that shapes like a phoenix's tail.
~~~~~
~~~~~
