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There was a famous tea exhibition hosted in Linkon for two weeks. I wasn’t a tea enthusiast but I had a chance to visit the exhibition since Zayne was invited as one of the guest speakers to talk about the cardiac health benefits from tea. He got two free entry tickets and texted me the night before the event.
“I think this exhibition has too much funds that they cover every aspect,” I murmured as I read the pamphlet of the event. “Look, there’s even a climate talk and how it affects tea and business talk about investment in tea industry. Whoa, they’re also asking investors to invest in tea.”
“Statistics shows that seventy percent of citizens in Linkon enjoy drinking tea,” he commented. “It might be a good opportunity if the industry itself has good and promising annual reports.”
I raised my eyebrow. “Are you included in the seventy percent of the citizens?”
“Probably. I find tea to be enjoyable and healthy in some aspects,” he replied as if we were on a talk show. “Not that I drink it daily.”
“Why not?”
“The hospital mostly provides instant coffee and noodles for their employees. It works better for us who has to pull lots of all-nighters as well.”
“I see.” I should’ve seen that coming as the best cardiac surgeon’s girlfriend who often visited the hospital. “Don’t worry. The headquarter also provides us more coffee than tea. We’re actually the same.”
“I think every workplace does that nowadays.”
“Maybe because tea is too relaxing for people who lives with monthly salary like me.”
There was a slight pause before he muttered, “Makes sense.”
When we arrived, my jaw dropped the moment I saw how huge, minimalistic but elegant the venue was. The decoration itself was ten out of ten. They even installed a waterfall. The scent of tea leaves and flowers directly hit my nose. There was a nice lady in a pretty black and white uniform who guided us to the stage for the talk show.
I leaned to his arms. “I think this is a good place to meditate. It’s so calm and peaceful here. Don’t you think so?”
“We do have meditation and yoga session at one in the afternoon,” the kind lady immediately responded. “I can help you to sign up, Miss.”
Zayne glanced at me.
“Oh, um, I’ll think about it. Thank you,” I managed. After we continued to walk, I turned to the cardiac surgeon. “Do you think we can buy some tea leaves here? Or are they just for exhibition?”
“We have a pop-up store for you to shop,” the lady immediately replied. “There is also a section where you can try some samples before you buy them.”
I looked at the lady in disbelief. “I see. I’ll try that later. Thank you.”
I was about to say something again but decided to press my lips. Zayne snorted quietly beside me. I elbowed his arm lightly.
As usual, Zayne went behind the stage while I leisurely took my time to choose the best seat. But also, as usual, I met some of Zayne’s colleagues and talked with them. The more I met them, the more I felt that they were slowly becoming my colleagues as well. They ushered me to sit together.
To be honest, sometimes, I felt so small sitting among people with a bunch of degrees behind their names.
“As our gratitude for the guest speakers today, we have prepared some farewell gifts,” the host announced on the podium after the long talk show. “The head of the exhibition will give the first farewell gift for Dr. Zayne.”
While holding the gift, Zayne’s gaze went through the photographers quickly before it landed on me. I waved at him. He turned away, spectating other guest speakers receiving the same gifts. After the talk show, we decided to tour around the venue, experiencing everything the exhibition had to offer.
“I’ll hold your bag. We’ll meet again right in front of that waterfall,” he instructed when I told me I had to answer the nature’s call. I pointed at a long line of women in front of the bathroom apologetically. “It’s alright. I’ll wait for you.”
After what seemed to be forever, I hurriedly went to the waterfall and found Zayne by himself. I was about to walk towards him when his behaviour caught my eyes. He was standing before the flowing water, his head lowered, his gaze softly and longingly focused on something between his long fingers.
A jasmine bud.
A fresh one that the staff had given to us for free while showing us how jasmine tea was made.
He slowly brought the bud to his nose. The bud lingered there for a moment before he brought it to his lips with his eyes closed.
I stopped right in front of him. Time seemed to slow down as if the heaven knew what the cardiac surgeon was going through in his mind. Sadness, longingness, regret, whatever memories that the flower became the witness of. Memories that he probably didn't have the courage to bring it up.
I tilted my head and pressed my lips on the other side of the jasmine bud. Our lips brushed against each other briefly. I lingered for a moment before I had enough with the jasmine scent and pulled away.
Our gazes met. His soft hazel eyes looked deeply into mine.
I smiled. “You seem to like the flower so much.”
He slowly lowered the flower. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something.
I nodded at the flower. “I can ask the staff to get us more—"
He closed the distance between us and kissed me deeply, longingly, as if we were couples that hadn’t met for a decade. Everything felt soft. His hand on the back of my neck, his lips, his warm breath against my skin. We pulled away for to catch our breath.
“Zayne?” I looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
Then he wrapped his arms around me.
I let him engulfed me in a tight embrace, so tight as if I might dissolve if he let go. I blinked, trying to hold the dam in my eyes from breaking loose. I embraced him back. My hands patted his back softly like a mother trying to get her child to sleep. For the first time in my entire life, I saw him in his vulnerable state, leaning onto me when he was actually capable of doing anything by himself.
I closed my eyes. I might not be a religious person, but I prayed for the heaven to ease whatever pain and suffering he had inside him so he could live his life happily. He seemed to need it so much.
We sat by the waterfall for a while.
I looked at Zayne. “Are you alright?”
He nodded. “I apologise for my odd behaviour.”
“It’s not odd at all,” I hurriedly reassured him. “Some people have things that reminds them of some events, whether it’s painful or happy. It’s completely normal to suddenly react to it.”
Even though I wished that he talked about it.
“When the time is right,” he spoke as if he could read my mind, “I’ll tell you everything.”
As much as I wanted to ask about whatever he meant by the right time, I decided to go along with it first. “Alright. Take your time.”
Maybe he needed to collect himself first before opening up to me.
He got up and extended his hand to me. “Shall we?”
I looked around. “There’s nothing to see here anymore. We’ve tried everything. I’ve bought some tea leaves and flowers too.”
“Then we’ll go somewhere else.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere as long as it’s with you.”
Smiling, I took his hand. We left the exhibition together, passing by a pot of bloomed jasmine flowers.