Once Upon a Star

Chapter 1 “Don’t look at the camera, please,” Zeke Wu instructed gently while smiling at Gerald, the five-year-old birthday boy posing for a picture. “Run around with your friends. Make it more natural. Have fun.” Gerald nodded while grinning widely at Zeke. “Okay.” Zeke chuckled as Gerald and his hordes of friends started playing among themselves. He was certain Gerald didn’t fully understand what he actually wanted, but he was glad and relieved that the little boy complied to his instruction anyway. For the next several minutes, Zeke was completely ignored by all of the children, and he didn’t mind it at all. He was the photographer hired by Gerald’s parents to record the event on their behalves. “Hi, Zeke.” He glanced to his left. It was Nancy, Gerald’s mother. She offered Zeke a bottle of cold soda, which he accepted gratefully. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. How are the pictures?” “Great,” Zeke replied while opening the bottle before sipping the contents and heaving a small sigh afterward. “Gerald is an awesome kid.” Nancy beamed. “Thank you. He really is. I wish his father…I’m sorry. Never mind that.” She seemed rather embarrassed now for almost revealing a personal matter to Zeke, but he didn’t need to be a mind-reader to comprehend the point she was trying to make. He had witnessed August, Gerald’s father, leaving the party about an hour ago, claiming he had things to do at the office even though it was Saturday afternoon. Gerald had seemed really heartbroken and disappointed about it. Zeke had noticed how hard Gerald had to force himself not to cry in front of August. He had been saddened by the sight. Fortunately, Gerald, as most children did, appeared to have bounced back and become more cheerful at quite a rapid rate. However, Zeke didn’t quite know how to respond to Nancy so he simply cleared his throat and pointed at Gerald. “I think it’s almost time for the cake. Why don’t you gather all of the kids and some of the other parents in the garden? I’ll do my best to photograph Gerald from as many angles as I can.” Nancy’s expression brightened up immediately, obviously relieved by Zeke’s tactfulness and also the abrupt change in the topic of conversation. “That’s an excellent idea.” After that, Zeke spent the next few minutes doing as he had promised, and he continued to do that all the way until dinner hour was over. He didn’t really focus on the burger and two slices of pizza Nancy had brought to him because he wanted to make sure he performed his job well. Instead, he wolfed them down as fast as he could before washing his hands and picking up his camera again. He also made sure to get video recordings of some of the activities that occurred throughout the party. By the end of the evening, he was rather exhausted, but he believed he had done a wonderful job that day. “I’ll save all of the files in a flash drive,” Zeke informed Nancy as the two of them walked toward the front door of the mansion. Gerald’s friends and their parents had already left for home a few minutes ago. Gerald himself had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room. “I’m sure I can get everything done within the next two days. What time may I call you on Monday?” “Anytime. I’m a website developer, and I work from home. It gives me more time to be with Gerald, and I can look after his needs better that way.” “All right then,” Zeke said as he shook hands with her. “Thank you, Nancy. You’ll hear from me soon.” “I’m looking forward to it.” They bade farewell to each other, and a few minutes later, he was on his way home, driving his old, beat-up car out of the affluent neighborhood. His own apartment was approximately forty minutes away, so it was going to be quite a long journey home. Not surprisingly, the road was really quiet and rather empty that evening. Zeke loved living in Ostal, an island-country with a population of nearly eleven million people, but aside from the downtown areas, most of the neighborhoods in the country were rather deserted even on Saturday evenings. He was glad he had taken his car instead of the trains and buses. He was beginning to feel dead tired, and in his current condition, he didn’t fancy standing on the buses and trains to reach his neighborhood all the way on the other side of the island. However, he was taken aback when his car engine started sputtering and letting out weird noises. He could feel the frustrations and irritation rising from deep within him as he stepped on the gas pedal, but a few seconds later, the car began to slow. Fortunately, he was able to maneuver the car to the curb and away from the middle of the road before it completely died. He slammed his hands on the steering wheel before getting out. “What the f**k?” he muttered as he opened the hood and peeked at the inside. “s**t! I have no idea what to do with—” “Trouble in paradise?” Startled to hear the voice, he ended up banging his head against the front hood. Then he was taken aback when he saw an elderly gentleman with a thick, white mustache and a dense, flowing white beard sitting on a stool by the side of the road. A table stood next to the man and across from another stool. Zeke pointed at himself before addressing him. “Are you talking to me?” The old man snickered. “Is there anyone else on this particular road at this hour? It’s fifty-seven minutes past seven o’clock, and most people are having fun downtown, aren’t they?” Zeke chuckled. “True, and yes, I’m having some trouble with my car. This will be the third time this month.” The guy gestured at the empty stool. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Zeke was going to reject the offer, but he changed his mind at the last second. His car wouldn’t be going anywhere, and he was annoyed. He might as well chat a little with the elderly gentleman. He might not know who the man was, but the stranger seemed like a nice person. He threw caution to the wind and decided to accept the old man’s invitation. “Okay. Give me a moment,” Zeke said while closing the hood and getting his key out from the vehicle before locking it securely. “Have some tea with me. I have some fragrant tea leaves that will be perfect for us.” Zeke thought he had misheard the man’s words, but when he glanced in the direction of the table, he realized he hadn’t. On the table now sat two teacups and a teapot. Zeke noted the steam coming out from the teapot’s spout. He thought that was weird. He had no idea from where the man had gotten the items. Most importantly, he couldn’t figure out how the guy had managed to obtain hot water to steep the tea leaves. Nevertheless, he made his way toward the stool and sat. Deep inside his gut, he knew he should have been more cautious, but his innate curiosity was overwhelming. He observed as the elderly gentleman poured tea into his cup. The aroma that reached his nose was light and sweet. “Thank you.” The man shook his head. “There’s no need to thank me. I’m here to do my job.” Zeke was confused now. “Your job?” “Yes,” the stranger replied. “Why don’t you have a taste?” Zeke hesitated, but when the man drank tea from his own cup, he followed suit. He figured he should be safe enough since the tea had come from the same pot. If the guy wasn’t poisoned after consuming it, Zeke was sure he would be safe enough. In the next instant, he was glad he had taken the risk. The tea, without a shadow of a doubt, was the best he’d ever had. It was heavenly exquisite. “This is incredible,” Zeke complimented before sipping for the second time. The elderly man grinned at Zeke as he placed the teacup on the table. “It is, isn’t it?” “Absolutely. What kind is it?” “Black oolong tea, but I’ve added a secret ingredient.” “May I receive a hint? I would like to know what that ingredient may be.” The man chuckled. “Unfortunately, it’s not something that can be found here on Earth.” Zeke’s eyes widened at the incredulity of the statement. “What do you mean?” The man placed both arms on the table and leaned across to be much closer to Zeke. “Tell me something, Zeke. Do you believe in destiny and fate?” Zeke was stunned. He couldn’t recall ever introducing himself. He wondered how the gentleman was able to know his name. Before he could work things out, something hazy appeared out of nowhere inside his head… “s**t!” a young man exclaimed in astonishment when someone tapped him on the back of his neck. The touch was so light and tender, he shuddered from the sensation. He glanced upward in annoyance, but his mood brightened when he noticed who it was. “Wayne!” Wayne smiled while occupying the empty spot on the couch next to him. “Hey, James. What are you reading? I’d called you twice, but you were so engrossed in the book, you didn’t respond.” James shut his book and passed it over to Wayne. “Chinese myths and legends.” Wayne snorted. “Okay. What were you so interested in anyway?” “The red thread of fate.” “What about it?” “Supposedly, two people who are meant to be together will be connected by the red thread. They’re destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.” Wayne scoffed. “Bullshit! There’s no such thing as soul mates.” James shifted much closer to Wayne. “But what if it’s real? Won’t that be so romantic?” Wayne burst out laughing. “Come on, James. Get real. That sounds so crazy. Why must you believe in crap like that anyway?” “I think it’s sweet. It gives me hope, especially in our kind of situation.” Wayne’s expression turned serious. “I’m sorry, James. I’m still trying to set things up so we can elope as safely as possible. I promise things will be different someday. We will live together, just the two of us, and we won’t have to hide our feelings anymore. Not as long as we’re at home.” James nodded. “I trust you. Do not apologize if you need more time. It’s my father’s fault. He’s an ultra-conservative senator, and he will never approve of us and our love. Forget about my mother. She will never dare to go against my father’s words and wishes. I can’t rely on her.” Wayne slipped one arm over James’s shoulders and pulled him closer. Then they rested their heads against each other’s. James relished the sensation of being in such intimate proximity to Wayne. It was warm and comforting. Neither of them exchanged a single word for the next few minutes. Then Wayne grabbed James’s chin and tugged his face forward. “Tell me something, James.” “What?” “Do you believe in destiny and fate?” James let out a loud guffaw. “Of course!” Wayne chortled before pressing their lips together. The kiss was chaste, gentle, and sweet, but James could feel the passion burning deep within him. He deepened the kiss, and was thankful when Wayne responded just as heatedly… Zeke gasped and shook his head. He was still seated on the stool. The cup of steaming hot tea was still in his hands. He stared at the grinning old man. He wasn’t frightened at all. Instead, curiosity threatened to overwhelm him. “Who are you?” The stranger chuckled. “One question at a time. You haven’t answered mine.” Zeke hesitated for a second or two, putting the teacup on the table. “I do.” The guy simply smiled. “Do you know anything about the red thread of fate?” Zeke was taken aback once again, but decided to answer the question anyway. “Many years ago, when my parents were still alive, they often told me about some of the myths and legends that could be found in the Chinese culture. One of them is about the red thread of fate. It’s a magical string that ties two soul mates together. Their fingers are connected by the red thread. Place, time, and circumstances don’t matter. The soul mates will end up together in the end.” “Anything else?” Zeke pondered the question for a few seconds longer. “Something about the deity of fate and marriage, but I can’t recall much about him. He’s the one in charge of the red thread.” “That’s right.” It took Zeke a moment to grasp the implication behind the old man’s words. His eyes widened as he gazed straight into his eyes. “Are you—?” “I think your car is working just fine.” “What?” Zeke muttered in surprise before getting to his feet and swiveling toward his car. He was astonished when he noticed the headlights were on. He patted his pockets, but couldn’t find his car key anywhere. He wanted to continue the conversation, but when he turned toward the stranger, he gasped to find the elderly gentleman, the table, the stools, the teacups, and the teapot had all disappeared. Zeke rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Then he backed away in horror before quickly running toward his car. He heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed his car key was already inside the ignition. He got in and fastened the seatbelt before driving away in a hurry. He must have been overly exhausted or something. Everything that occurred for the past several minutes was pure hallucination. That must be it. He wasn’t crazy. Not at all.