Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 351

But one day, one morning, I did not see her on the bus…
I thought she was sick or on vacation. But did not take the bus the whole week. As I started to worry, I finally
called her and asked her if she was alright.
I did not expect her answer: “Chen, I am not in HK anymore, I am so sorry I could not tell you, but I went
back to China last week… “
PART IV - Xiao
After the disaster, I begged my boss to hire me again. He consented but only to let me start all over again in
China in the previous restaurant…
I had to accept it. I did not have any other job offer. I knew I had to tell Chen about it but I couldn’t…. I knew
he was going to be upset.
I had three months to leave. So I continued to see Chen every day and I did not tell him anything, I forgot or
maybe I did not want to? We were very good friends, he was my first and only friend.
I left Hong Kong without him knowing.
I knew he would call me eventually. When he did, I finally told him the truth.
He didn’t say anything. I could hear the despair in his silence.
PART V - Chen
Then my life went back to being the same as before, sad and boring!
For two long weeks.
I was dead, same as a zombie.
Every morning, I was sitting on the bus, looking out the window to check if Xiao was here in Hong Kong.
But of course she wasn’t.
One morning, two weeks later, I was more upset than usual when a girl asked me if I was okay. I looked at her,
hoping she was Xiao but she was not.
The morning after this, I was running to catch the bus because I was late. Then, by accident, I knocked
somebody. And it was her! Xiao!!