The Kings

"A-Anong?" Aiden's voice trembled, reaching out his shaky hands to touch her face. He took in a sharp gasp. He wasn't hallucinating, it really was Anong. He thought he'll never get a chance to see her again, "Is it really you?"

Teardrops dripped down from Aiden's eyes one after another, "I-I-"

"Aiden, what's wrong?" I just have so many questions for him right now. Why is he crying? What happened to him? How come he disappeared two years ago?

I knew it was Aiden right away. The moment I saw his beautiful platinum blonde hair paired with his pale colored skin. Then I was able to confirm it when I saw his blue ocean colored eyes. I'll never forget those eyes. They were the reason Aiden had captured my attention, to begin with. However, something was missing from those gorgeous eyes.

Why does it feel like I know those eyes?

Ah, no wonder, I had those exact same eyes before. The eyes I had before I left Country Z. It was missing the golden glow for life. Instead, they were dead with despair. What happened to Aiden's bright sparkling eyes? I remember how much life those eyes had when I first met him.

****

"Miss, why do you always look so sad?" Twelve-year-old Aiden asked, sitting down next to Anong on the bench.

He watches her sit on this bench every other day at the park by herself. She'll quietly sit here and gaze at the flowers on the ground for hours, only to leave without doing anything. She does this repeatedly. After watching her a few times, he decided she wasn't a bad person and gather up his courage to talk to her.

Aiden knows he's not supposed to leave the apartment when his mom is not home. Yet he couldn't help but want to talk to her.

A young boy's voice snapped me out of my daze staring at the daffodil flowers. Was he talking to me? Do I look sad?

"Please don't be sad," Aiden flipped through his sketchbook and ripped out a piece of paper to give it to Anong. "This is for you, miss."

On the paper, it was a pencil sketch drawing of me, sitting on the bench staring at the flowers. How long have I been sitting here today? For this random kid to have time to sketch a picture of me. Though, I can now see what he means by looking sad. It was my eyes, they were dead with no light.

Heh, it's been two years since I left Country Z, has there been no improvement?

"Thank you," The boy blushed at my compliment. "Ummm, is it because you don't have friends, so that's why you're sad?"

Huh? How did he come to that conclusion?

"I-I don't have friends either," he fumbled his hands nervously. "I'll be your friend so don't be sad. My name is Aiden."

I burst out laughing, how cute and innocent. My reaction to Aiden's friend request caused his face to grow extremely red in embarrassment.

I held my hand out in front of him, "I'm sorry, my name is Anong. Nice to meet you Aiden."

Aiden smiled radiantly and shook my hand in our new friendship, "You have a beautiful smile. It's my first time seeing you smile or have a change of expression."

His first time seeing me smile? How many time has he seen me here?

"Do you live around here?" I asked. I don't see any adults with Aiden or any adults around the area who appears to be his guardians.

"Yes, I live in those apartments." Aiden pointed to the building next to the park, "From up there, I would always see you come sit here."

From that day on, I will meet up with Aiden almost every other day at the park. He will share his drawing and arts with me. He was a talented young boy, I saw a bright future ahead for him.

Eventually, I found out more about Aiden's family, it was only him and his mom. She works during the evening shift into the early morning, and I did meet her in person as well. I didn't want her to think a weird stranger was hanging out with her son, who was barely in his teens.

Then one day, Aiden did not show up at the park as usual. I thought he was busy, so I left and returned the next day. He still did not show up. After two days, I got worried, so I went looking for him at his apartment. No one opened the door, no one answered, and no one could tell me what happened to Aiden and his mom.

****

"What are you doing here in Country Z?" I wiped away his tears with my hands. Right now, Aiden should be seventeen years old and in high school. What is he doing here at a hotel late into the night?

Suddenly, Aiden slapped my hands away screaming, "No! Don't touch me!"

He pushed me to side and ran down the hallway.

"Anong," Mu Yi caught me in his arms.

"Aiden!" I shouted, running after him. When I thought I had finally caught up to him, he disappeared into thin air. It was as if I had imagined him only.