I go Amour intemporel
Amour intemporel, meaning timeless love in French. I ran my thumb over the carved message on the flute. If that was really what you promised, why did you have to leave me? Timeless love. Is that even possible?
A lone figure was standing by the sea. Her dress was swaying freely with the wind but she seemed to a trapped in her thoughts. An exquisite flute lay in her hands and she seemed to be running her thumb over some carvings on the flute.
Her face, so devastatingly beautiful, yet it held such sadness that even one could cry for her. She was not tearing then, but there were hints of dried tears on her cheeks. She seemed to be thinking about something, or rather someone. Someone so dear to her, someone who constantly plagued her thoughts, someone whom she would never forget. That certain someone.
“Good morning! I am NAME, the keeper of this dolphin sea! Welcome here. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!” a cute boyish voice said. Xue Ting turned around, and surprising, she saw a handsome man. But his voice was so boyish, she thought. She checked him out, staring at him from head to toe. Not bad looking, she smiled, but when she saw that smile on NAME’s face, she realized that she had been caught checking him out and blushed.
A tingly feeling sprung out inside her. He is affecting me so much, but I shanÂ’t worry. I think it is only a tiny crush, she thought, but she didnÂ’t realize that she couldnÂ’t stop thinking about him.
NAME saw one of the visitors checking him out and smiled at her knowingly. He thought she would be like the rest and flirt with him (though he didnÂ’t really like people flirting with him) and was quite impressed to see the girl blush and look away. She is quite cute, so shy. She has pretty eyes too, NAME thought, I hope I will get to know her.
That was their first meeting, and from there, their story began.
“Oh my, these dolphins are so cute and they seem to be enjoying their little game,” Xue Ting smiled to herself as she watched the dolphins play with a small ball.
“Yes, they are enjoying themselves. See, they are producing those cute noises. Seeing them does make me feel happier and more relaxed,” NAME told Xue Ting. He looked at the dolphins and had a cute expression on his face. Xue Ting was surprised by his presence as she hadn’t felt anyone behind her but on the other hand, she felt sudden warmth coming from her insides. She felt very uncomfortable to be so near a stranger, yet she also felt very safe next to him. What’s happening to me? She questioned herself. She felt weird.
But above all, a new feeling sprouted out from deep inside her heart, and it started to grow.
What was that weird feeling inside her? It felt so magical and mysterious, like you are never able to know whatÂ’s going to happen.
It was sunset and the scenery was very captivating. Two figures could be seen sitting along the dolphin sea chatting like they already known the other for a long time.
They were attracted to each other.
“You are going home now?” NAME asked.
“Yes, I think I will miss talking to you. You are such a good chatting buddy, and you know so much about dolphins! I love dolphins!” Xue Ting replied, and she leaned in to hug NAME. NAME was stunned, but he wrapped his arm around Xue Ting to return the friendly hug. He knew this girl was different from the rest and that he liked this girl but he didn’t know what to do about it. He didn’t want to lose the chance to know her better as he knew if he let her go without doing anything, he might lose contact with her. But he was also afraid that if he were to be too bold, she would be frightened.
“Xue Ting, I…I…,” NAME stammered. He was never so shy around girls before and that was the first time he stammered. Xue Ting looked at him questioningly. He plucked up his courage and asked her out for a date, and she agreed to it immediately and gave him her number.
Yes! I did it. I asked her out and she agreed! I even got her number, NAME thought. Being the adorable guy he was, he even did victory signs to himself. She is such a special girl. I hope we will have a good time together on our date. And maybe, she is the oneÂ…
Oh my god, he asked me out. He is so unbelievably cute and he even stammered when he asked. How cute can a guy get, Xue Ting thought smiling to herself.
That whole night, she thought of NAME and his brilliant smile and when she slept, she dreamt about the dolphin sea and about a certain handsome young keeper of the dolphin sea.
She was all ready for the date. Dressed in a blouse and a flowy skirt, carrying a small handbag and having a light makeup on, she looked very sweet. It was their first date, and she was pretty much looking forward to it. She liked him and hoped that their relationship could progress.
The doorbell rang. She quickly went to the door and came face to face with NAME. He placed her hand on his arm and led her to his car. He pulled opened the door for her. He is like a perfect boyfriend, so gentleman and sweet, Xue Ting thought.
Our first date was perfect. He was so sweet to me. He told me that dolphins are the guardians of love and we were brought together by dolphins. So does it mean that our love will be forever?
I am falling, falling deeper and deeper in love with him. Love is so unpredictable, so new to me, but when I am with him, nothing matters. I feel safe in his arms.
“What do you want to be in your next life?” Xue Ting asked NAME, looking into his eyes.
“I want to be dolphin, so carefree and be able to guard over people whom I love. What do you want to be in your next life?” NAME replied. Xue Ting closed her eyes for a moment, to think about what NAME had just asked her.
“If you want to be a dolphin, I want to be one too, so that we can love again in our next life.”
They were walking along the dolphin sea when Xue Ting lost slipped and lost balance. She was falling and she quickly shut her eyes, expecting herself to hit the water. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms encircle her waist and lift her up. She opened her eyes and NAMEÂ’s face was right above hers.
“Don’t worry, I will catch you when you fall,” NAME told Xue Ting, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Xue Ting immediately blushed and her cheeks became red and hot.
“Are you sure you will be there for me when I need you?” Xue Ting asked.
“Yes, I promise I will be there for you and protect you, always and forever. When you fall into the darkest pit, I will bring you light, I will save you, and I will be your faith. Will you let me be your knight in shinning armour?” NAME asked. Xue Ting could feel the love from him, she nodded without hesitation. He smiled and leaned down. The next moment, his lips landed on hers.
Under the moonlight, they shared their first kiss along the dolphin sea, the place they first met.
“This is for you. Would you like to play a piece for me?” NAME passed Xue Ting a flute and gave her his infamous puppy look. Xue Ting smiled at his childish antics and took the flute. She played a melodious tune. Love, happiness and hope were all intertwined in the music.
After she finished playing the flute, she ran her fingers over the carvings.
“What is amour intemporel?” she asked curiously.
“It means timeless love, just like how our love will go on forever,” he told her and placed a kiss on her forehead.
A flower bloomed inside her. She was certain that it was love. Till then, love was sweet.
NAME played with the ring in his pocket. The ring had a dolphin and the diamond was between its fins. She is going to love this ring so much, he thought. He had specially ordered this from America and he had just collected it today and couldnÂ’t wait to give it to her. He was going to propose to Xue Ting today and he was going to make Xue Ting the happiest woman in the whole wide world. Are you ready to be Mrs. Kim? He smiled to himself at the thought of it.
Xue Ting waited outside the posh restaurant. She looked at her watch to check the time. 7.15pm. She was fifteen minutes early. Why are we eating at such a posh restaurant? Xue Ting wondered. She asked NAME, but he refused to tell her and she gave up asking. There must be some sort of surprise, she thought, maybe it is some special day. His birthday? No. Her birthday? No. Their anniversary? No. Then what is it?
Suddenly, she had a very weird feeling, like something bad is going to happen. She shuddered. NAME, please be safe.
Well, I am almost there. I canÂ’t wait to reveal to her. My insides are screaming from excitement. NAME laughed to himself. Suddenly, his left eye twitched. Nothing bad is going to happen, especially on this special day, he comforted himself. But it didnÂ’t seem to work. That bad feeling still stayed there.
Sometimes life doesnÂ’t go the way you expect it to. And in many occasions, it goes the opposite.
NAME was walking along the pavement. He saw a child running across the road. There was an incoming car. The child saw it and stood still in the middle of the road, shell shocked. Fortunately, NAME ran to the boy and pushed him away. The boy was saved, but NAME got knocked down by the car and flew several meters from the spot he was standing.
Xue Ting, I am sorry. I had to save that boy. He is so young and still has a long way to go in life. I am sorry about leaving you alone, I am sorry that I will not be able to bring you happiness, I am sorry I canÂ’t protect you like how I used to anymore. I hope you can forgive me.
I will be your guardian angel. Be strong and live on. A tear rolled down his cheeks. He was going to die soon. He took his last breath.
LetÂ’s meet in our next life, as dolphins. I love you, Xue Ting. I love you. With that, NAME closed his eyes. He left her.
“Bang!” Xue Ting heard the impact and turned around. She still had that bad feeling. NAME, please be safe, her mind was still chanting. The scene before her was too terrifying. NAME was lying motionless in a puddle of blood. Blood was still oozing profusely from his head. She couldn’t help herself. She ran towards NAME.
She knelt next to his body and shook him. NAME, wake up. Wake up please. Tell me you are only joking with me. Wake up. Tears were running down her cheeks. She couldnÂ’t feel anything nor see anything but the lifeless body before her. It was like her whole world just crumbled. She felt as if she were torn apart, her life crushed and shattered. She pulled NAMEÂ’s body up and hugged him. DonÂ’t leave me. I am scared. I need you. NAMEÂ…
“Sorry, we couldn’t do anything to save him. He already stopped breathing before he came in,” the doctor told Xue Ting and passed her the ring. Xue Ting looked at the ring in her hand. He was going to propose to me. We were supposed to get married and have many kids. We were supposed to be the happiest couple. Why? Why did you have to leave me? Didn’t you promise me? Didn’t you promise to love me forever? Didn’t you…
She held the ring to her heart. I love you, NAME.
They were separated by death and they would never be able to meet again.
Xue Ting stood alone by the dolphin sea. She raised the flute to her mouth and blew into it. A lovely piece came out, you could hear the love she had for NAME, but also the sorrow she was feeling in her music. Bittersweet and heartwrenching.
NAME, I will meet you in my next life. Wait for me. Xue Ting slowly walked towards the sea. She walked deeper and deeper in. the water level was at her chin then and she made herself fall frontward. She could feel the water against her face. It was cold, like death.
Slowly, she felt breathless, but she didnÂ’t bother to reach for the water surface. Se was tired, depressed and she felt as if there was no reason to live anymore. She had lost her will to live on. She loosened her grip on her life and let it go.
NAME, I am coming.
Darkness overcame her.
All of a sudden, Xue Ting saw light again. Am I dead? She opened her eyes slowly and looked at her surroundings.
She could see the sea clearly and also felt the water moving under her feet. She glanced down, and found herself on a dolphinÂ’s back. I am not dead, she thought to herself. He saved me again. And I know itÂ’s him.
I want to be dolphin, so carefree and be able to guard over people whom I love. DonÂ’t worry, I will catch you when you fall. It means timeless love, just like how our love will go on forever. His voice was running through her mind. Xue Ting could see his smile, hear his voice and even feel his presence.
Suddenly, she wanted to live. To live for him, to live to love him. She found the meaning in life again, all because of him.
“NAME, as for now, you will be the dolphin and I will live as a dolphin lover. And when I die, I will become a dolphin to be with you. And this way, our love will go on eternally,” she whispered under her breath. She was sure that he would hear it. NAME, I love you.
True love is everlasting. Even death will not be able to put a stop to true love. It will go on forever and ever.
Amour intemporel, our timeless love.
