"Stinky charcoal! wek! wek!"
The mocking voices of children filled the quiet alley that evening. Song Lu Ya, or known as Lulu, did not expect that even after he became a teenager, he would still be the object of ridicule by the children around him.
But he just kept quiet. He didn't want to add to his mother's troubles. He thought the ridicule would definitely end as time passed. Maybe not now, but one day, for sure. Lulu persuaded himself.
"Stinky charcoal?"
A voice came from behind. Lulu turned around. He saw the face of a senior student from his school standing majestically like a statue of an ancient king.
"But why do I only smell the blood of naughty kids here?"
He asked with a sarcastic smile. His friend on the side began to bang the wood in his hand on the wall. Tung! Tung! Tung! The sound was so loud that it shook everyone chest.
"Arghhhhh!!!!!!! Mafia!!!!!!"
The kids screamed as they ran away.
"Tch! Kid nowadays really know how to become bullies."
The senior said as he walked towards Lulu. While adjusting Lulu's clothes, the senior spoke.
"You have a strong body. So stand up straight and don't let those kids bully you."
The senior pushed Lulu's hair back. Showing his entire tan face. Lulu quickly looked down. Afraid that the senior would be shocked by his face that was as black as charcoal.
"Your face is only slightly different from the others. Why must be embarrassed. Besides, you're still young to think about all that. If you're not confident in yourself, even a handsome with milky white face is useless."
He continued. "But your words don't deny that my face is black and ugly." Lulu's heart hissed.
"Alright!"
The senior's shouted as he patted Lulu's back hard.
"Don't feel inferior. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. For your information...he used to have no teeth..."
"Hey! Why are you comparing with me?"
The senior who had been silent since earlier shouted.
"Hahaha.... Junior!!! See you tomorrow!"
The senior screamed as he ran to save himself while being chased by his friend. Lulu could only smile at the warmth between his two seniors.
Three years had passed. And during those three years, Lulu followed in his Senior's footsteps. Attended the same school. Joined the same club. Even bought everything to matching with his senior.
Now everything had changed. He was no longer as dark as before. He wasn't as bright as his senior for sure, but at least he wasn't bullied anymore because of his skin color.
However, people still refused to be friends with him and he doesn't even care. His demeanor was too mysterious and made it difficult for others to adapt to him. For him, all he needed was Lui Mu Zhe. Nothing else.
"Are you nervous? I really am."
Said the student next to him. His face looked pale. As if he had just attended school for the first time.
"Don't worry, our seniors are all kind-hearted."
Lulu gently persuaded while carving a warm smile. As warm as the early morning sun.
"Oh...it's good..."
He said while carving a relieved smile.
"Oh. I'm Bai Ching Fei. And you?"
He asked while extending his greetings.
"Song Lu Ya"
Lulu replied while accepting Bai Ching Fei's greetings. His smile was as bright as usual but melted a little when his eyes caught his senior's behavior. Smiling warmly with other students.
"You can call me Ching Fei or Ah Fei. And you?"
"Lulu."
"Okay."
Their turn to register had arrived. Lulu who was supposed to be registering with Jiang Hai quickly changed his direction to Mu Zhe and forced Ah Fei to switch to Jiang Hai.
"Eh Lulu, aren't you living in a dorm?"
Ah Fei asked after they finished registering. Lulu just shook his head.
"Oh, I thought we could share a room..."
Ah Fei's voice sounded hollow. His face was downcast.
"Don't worry. If you're bullied, you tell me and I'll come help you."
Lulu suggested as soon as he noticed the change in Ah Fei's face. Ah Fei raised his face. His face that had been withered was now cheerful again.
"Promise?"
He asked.
"Promise."
Lulu replied while carving a sweet smile.
"Give me your phone."
Lulu asked. Without delay, Ah Fei quickly handed over his phone. Lulu took the phone and saved the number.
"Here's my phone number, if there's anything, call me and I'll come help you."
Ah Fei nodded quickly. The feel of relief was clearly visible on his face. "I wonder what he went through before that made him so scared?" Lulu asked in his heart.
As usual, after class, Lulu worked at the Chen family's restaurant. He needed to find money for his daily school expenses and his mother's medical treatment, which suddenly fell ill last year. He was lucky because the Chen family was willing to help him. He didn't have to worry about food because the Chen family provided him and his mother enough food every day. They paid his school fees and provided for all his daily needs.
But he doesn't like to be in debt, Lulu was willing to work as a cleaner at the restaurant. Despite being repeatedly discouraged by the Chen family, Lulu insisted on working. He knew that the Chen family was not a wealthy family, they also had to work hard to support their family of four.
That day, it felt like God was on his side, Jiang Hai who always came with his noisy friends who like to teased Ru She came with Mu Zhe that day. Lulu's heart was beating fast. But he tried to act calm.
Behind his hair that partially covered his eyes, he stalked Mu Zhe without any shame. He wanted to know if Mu Zhe was also like Jiang Hai's other friends. Who was constantly teasing Ru She, a beautiful girl from the Chen family.
While he was busy watching, Mu Zhe suddenly turned his head. Their eyes met. Thump! Thump! Thump! Lulu quickly looked away. "Fuh...I almost died of a heart attack." Lulu brushed his hair back with his pointed fingertips. Reluctant to show how nervous he was at that moment. With a poker face, he cleaned the table next to the table where Mu Zhe and Jiang Hai were sitting enjoying their dinner.
As he walked into the kitchen, Lulu smiled contentedly. At least, Mu Zhe noticed his presence. That was enough to satisfy him at that moment. He didn't need to rush in pursuing his dream. He had to be smart in controlling the situation so that the fire that would ignite later wouldn't extinguished easily.
That night, Lulu scrolled through Mu Zhe's social media. He was never satisfied with doing that. Seeing Mu Zhe's smile really made him greedy. And he had to remind himself many times that he could be greedy, but he couldn't be hasty.
Ding!
"Ah... Mu Zhe uploaded a new picture on Uthogram."
Lulu quickly opened the picture. A picture of the moon that night. Beautiful but looking lonely with the caption,
'Can't sleep, the moon keeps me company tonight'
Lulu carved a smile. He stand up and opened the window. The same moon was beautifully majestic in the sky. And he began to ask why the same moon could look different?
"Okay... Let's do something."
The video shutter was pressed. Recording the beautiful side of the moon from his window. The smile on Lulu's lips grew wider until it reached his ears.
"In spring the river rises to meet the sea,
To greet the moon as she rises from the sea.
She, whose glittering waves continue on ten thousand li,
Where the river flows, there is light.
The river winds through grass and wilderness,
Like icy sleet on flowers and trees alike.
Unseen, it flows through air, not knowing why,
Like sand building upon the beach, seen and yet unseen.
Where there is no dust, the river and sky are but one,
And alone, a brilliant moon shines in the sky.
On the riverbank he who sees the moon for the first time,
Asks, when did the moon shine for the very first time?"
Lulu sang the song 'Spring River Flower Moon a Moonlit Night' while recording the beautiful moon in the sky and posting it on his Uthogram. Although he knew that Mu Zhe might not hear him, deep in his heart he hoped that Mu Zhe would feel his aura from afar and sleep soundly.