1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
Hiraeth

Homehouse...

Not just talking about concrete buildings,

but also someone who always makes us feel comfortable to stay

When away from her, it was like there was something going with her as well

Traveling has created distance, and distance creates longing

From it we can learn that,

Distance always teaches us to appreciate every meeting

And longing also teaches that we always appreciate togetherness

For something valuable,

What is missing more than home?

Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang stopped at the edge of a lake. The horse they were riding was exhausted, and also they had not rested after leaving the valley. Since it was almost evening, they finally decided to rest on the edge of the lake.

Zhang made a bonfire that could warm the bodies of the three of them.

Even the night has arrived. The atmosphere on the edge of the lake was very quiet, and calmed every heart that was there, Shuwan was no exception. He sat leaning against a tree, his eyes empty, but his heart and mind did not stop. Yes, Shuwan is daydreaming.

Until Zhang resuscitated Shuwan by patting him on the shoulder, “It's late at night, it's not good if you're daydreaming too long. I'm worried that you'll be possessed by evil spirits.”

Due to Zhang's clapping, Shuwan became startled. He said to Zhang, “I'm just missing home. This endless journey made me miss him.”

“We have told you our story, but until now we do not know your life story, Shuwan,” said Jiao.

Shuwan turned his originally straight-forward gaze, and looked towards the lake to his right.

“I can't tell you the details, which obviously I only miss the people who have been with me until now. I've been on a lot of long journeys like this for a long time, and there's little time I can spend with them. Sometimes I feel so tired of this long journey. I always felt like going home, really wanted to. But I can't. ”

Zhang looked at Shuwan from the side, he noticed there was sadness on Shuwan's face. Apparently he has a fragile side like this, inner Zhang. “If you miss your family, you can think of me as your place to go home, Shuwan.”

Shuwan returned Zhang's gaze. Suddenly Jiao interjected in a excited tone, “I did too. I will also be your home, Shuwan. I've lost my home and my family since my parents sold me so I feel alone and miserable. But everything changed when I met you, Shuwan. You've changed my life, Shuwan."

“We've been together on this journey from the beginning. You can think of me and Jiao as your home if you want to. There's no need to always show that you're always okay. It is not okay, nor is it a normal condition of a human being. If you are happy, laugh, and if you are sad, cry. There is nothing wrong with that,” Zhang said.

Shuwan's eyes also glazed over. He smiled at Zhang and Jiao, then said, “Thank you.”

Zhang and Jiao just drove it with a gentle smile.

“Because it is night, we should go to bed soon so that tomorrow can wake up early to continue the journey,” said Zhang.

Jiao and Shuwan simply nodded. After they went to sleep, Zhang slept.

While Shuwan was still deep in his heart, he drowned in a dream. In his dream, he saw a person similar to him in pain while holding the abdomen near his heart. When he saw Shuwan suddenly also felt pain, he cried because of it.

Due to the sudden and painful pain, Shuwan awoke in shock. His body was sweating, his breathing was panting and there were no tears in his eyes.

Seeing Zhang and Jiao still asleep, Shuwan approached the edge of the lake. He daydreamed there, thinking of the dream he had just experienced.

The sleeping Zhang suddenly regained his senses, then he saw Jiao who was still asleep, and did not find Shuwan in the position of his bed earlier. Zhang woke up and looked around. Finally he found Shuwan sitting at the root of a tree by the lake. He approached Shuwan.

“I think you're lost to the earth, it turns out that you're here,” said Zhang, who surprised the dreamy Shuwan.

“Why can you be here?”

Zhang then sat down near Shuwan, he teased Shuwan by saying, “Maybe this is what is referred to as the bond of the heart. You are nowhere near me, so I feel uneasy and wake up from my sleep.”

“Lately it seems like you've been eating a lot of candy, huh? Your words sound so sweet.”

Zhang just laughed, he then said, “As far as you want to dodge and say what it looks like, what I'm clear is what I feel.”

“Can't you sleep because you think of your family?” ask Zhang.

“Not. I had just dreamed of something quite painful, so I woke up and couldn't sleep anymore. That's why I came here, good times can calm me from that nightmare.”

Both of Zhang's hands grabbed Shuwan's face and held him gently.

“Shuwan, look at me,” pinta Zhang.

Shuwan then looked at him, again he just fell silent.

“If you miss your family, or experience something painful you can come back to me. I will be home to you, so that you will no longer feel sad or lonely. I will also endure the pain you feel.”

Shuwan's tears are no longer able to be contained, he flows with his swiftness on Shuwan's cheeks.

Zhang hugged Shuwan tightly, “ Cry as hard as possible, Shuwan. Let go of all the burdens you carry. I'll be a strong backrest for you.”

Shuwan wept profusely, expelling all the sadness he felt, until he felt exhausted and fell asleep in Zhang's arms.

Zhang, who realizes that Shuwan is asleep, rests his back, not letting go of his embrace.

Zhang's inward, everything's gonna be fine, Shuwan. You don't have to be sad, I'll be with you all the time. Even in the next life.

The night had gone, the sunlight peeking out from the eastern sky. The dark sky had turned orange blue, a harbinger of a new spirit in the early morning.

The awakened Jiao first realized her two friends were nowhere near her. He said, “Where are they both going? Was I just left out?”

Jiao looked around the place where they had spent the night and found her two friends still asleep hugging.

He who witnessed the rare sight only smiled. “Finally the gods have granted my wish,” said Jiao delighted.

Seeing Shuwan as he was about to wake up, Jiao again pretended to be asleep so as not to be discovered that she saw Zhang and Shuwan cuddling all night.

Shuwan awakens because his ears hear the sound of a heartbeat. He was shocked when he saw himself asleep in Zhang's arms, and immediately shouted that made Zhang wake up.

“Kyaa...! Wh-what are you doing? Why would... Why can I sleep in your arms?”

Jiao also pretended to be awake and shocked.

The awakened Zhang saw Shuwan's face blushing, and teased Shuwan by saying, “What am I doing? Our relationship last night was very close, you know. Are you just gonna forget about it? How will you be responsible to me?”

“What are you talking about? Last night I just..” Shuwan recalls what happened last night. “I-it's you who seek profit in the midst of my suffering!” shuwan said with a face that was still blushing with embarrassment.

“Hah, looking for profit? Obviously you are sleeping in my arms,” said Zhang trying to dodge.

“You...!”

Jiao suddenly entered between Shuwan and Zhang's quarrel as if not knowing what was going on between them by saying. “Anu, what really happened? Your voice woke my sleep.”

“Nothing!”

Zhang and Shuwan said it together while throwing their faces away. Shuwan goes first to clean up his gear, leaving Zhang still smiling as Shuwan is lured by him.

After cleaning up their gear, they rush to continue the journey, until Shuwan chooses to ride a horse with Jiao. “I'll ride a horse with Jiao, and you're Zhang, ride your own horse.”

“Isn't this too cruel for me? Didn't you feel comfortable sleeping in my arms last night?”

“Hei.!” Shuwan bullied Zhang.

“Jiao, let's go first!” shuwan pinta.

“B-alright, hyaaa.!” Jiao begins to run the horse he was riding with Shuwan.

Zhang just laughed and felt happy because he could melt Shuwan's heart little by little. He then followed the horse riding Shuwan and Jiao. “Hey, wait for me!”

No matter how hard one's heart may be, one day it will definitely melt as well. Like a piece of stone that will be destroyed if it is continuously dripped by water. That's the old proverb that was used as a principle by Zhang in breaking Shuwan's heart.