9 You donst remember me at all? (2/2)
”Typical.”
Han glared her into silence. ”And we fell in love and we got married. End of story.”
”So why are you still my fiancée?”
Han was momentarily disconcerted. He met An Ning's inquiring eyes and hesitated, not sure how to go about the messy thing with his brother. He tried to recover his ground but a deep flush had already darkened his cheeks, screaming his obvious guilt. What the heck should I feel guilty about, Han thought angrily. Damn Richard.
”Hoki,” An Ning drawled amusedly. ”Let me continue with this inspiring story of young love. We got married then you cheated on me. But then you realized it's me you love all along so you rejected this other woman and convinced me to get back together with you. And because we grew up together we're naturally childhood sweethearts, and since I used to pester you and follow you around like a martyred idiot, I happily said yes. Then we had sex and you knocked me up. That about it?”
Han hesitated.”Not about the knocking you up part. I've already asked you to marry me before you got pregnant. You didn't actually said yes so I forced the ring on you and told your parents and my parents what happened.”
”Hmn.”
”Well, it's true.”
”What if I don't get my memory back? What happens to us?”
”What do you mean? We'll get married as soon as possible. You don't expect me to just let you go, do you? You're carrying my child, for god's sake.”
An Ning was silent.
”Why do I have this feeling that you're not telling me the truth?”
”That I love you and want you to be with me always?”
An Ning blushed when she saw the heat in his eyes.
”I'm not talking about that. Even your mother refused to tell me anything when I asked her. She said to ask you.”
Han was silent, weighing her words.
”There are some things I might not be able to tell you not because I don't want to but because I think it's better that you don't know,” he said after a while. ”It's nothing nefarious or something awful that should worry you though. I may have hurt you in the past but losing you has been a nightmare for me, An Ning. I don't care if you don't remember me or our past together. The most important thing for me right now is that we're together. We can start from there. You're with me and our child and that's all that matters to me.”
An Ning frowned then got up to pour a glass of milk for herself. When she turned around and met Han's anxious gaze, her expression had cleared, as if she had finally come to a decision.
”Let's get married after the baby is born,” she said, sitting down. ”Wait,” she held up a hand when Han looked as if he might interrupt her. ”Let me speak freely and don't be angry. Look at it from my point of view. All this,” she said, gesturing between herself and the young man watching her intently on the other side, ”all of this is a blank to me.
We may have a past together but I don't remember any of it.You're right in saying that we should start from here and go forward. You see, I have no other option but to do just that. Don't worry. I won't mope or do anything stupid while I'm dealing with this. That would be a waste of my time and yours. If you'll have me then let's move forward together, Richard.”
Han reached out and took one of her hands in his warm ones. ”I will make you love me again, An Ning,” he promised. ”I don't want anyone else but you.”
They talked comfortably for a while after that. Watching her animated face, Han thought of that day he met An Ning. He was standing on a street corner waiting for the light to change when he saw someone hurrying forward in his peripheral vision. He turned his head and saw this beautiful young girl wearing a dark blazer and skirt ensemble paired with dark army boots. She wasn't wearing anything under the blazer but a touch of warm skin that gleamed pale and creamy under the sun. She looked so beautiful that she took his breath away. She strode confidently forward until she caught sight of him and stopped, staring at him in total astonishment.
”You're not Richard,” were the first words that came out of her mouth. ”Richard wouldn't be caught dead with a haircut like that.”
Han recovered from his astonishment and laughed. ”I'm not Richard. I'm his brother Han.”
”Hmn.I figured. You got out?”
”Furlough. An Ning, right?”
”It's been like, what, six years?”
”I don't remember. Look, you wanna go somewhere we can talk and catch up? You're not busy, are you?”
He took her to a restaurant he remembered from his last visit. They stayed together until dinner time then he drove her home. He and An Ning... there was a connection from the start. When she told him she married Richard, his heart almost dropped. Then when she told him they divorced, the sky opened up again and he could breathed again and enjoy the sunshine and wind on his face.
He didn't really mind about her life before him even if the man she had married had been his brother. Richard had been a fool not to see and appreciate her true value. But his loss had been his, Han's gain, so it was a fair trade as far as he was concerned.
An Ning yawned in the middle of a sentence.
”Tired?”
”Hmn...I'd better clean up...”
”Forget about that.Let's get you to bed first.”
An Ning protested when Han stepped closer and bridal carried her. ”I'm heavy,” she said, face cracking up with another yawn.
”Shhh….go to sleep. I'll let you argue with me tomorrow.”
An Ning nodded sleepily and leaned her head on Han's chest. Han carried her to the bedroom and put her in the middle of the huge bed. He stared at her sleeping face then gently kissed her cheek. ”I love you, An Ning. I'll never let you go.”
An Ning nodded sleepily, her hand still entwined with Han's.
”