The Temptation # Chapter 1
I'm Eric, an average university student.
Summer vacations are going on and my mom and dad suggested that I should visit my grandma in the Jingling village, which is in the western region of the country.
The last time I visited grandma, I was still a baby, so I didn't think much and packed up my things and went on the journey to meet my grandma.
The only way to reach Jingling was the morning 7 AM's train from Gusoo station and then, whoever gives you the ride.
Thankfully, I was able to book train's ticket and cab online. So the only thing left for me was to enjoy my journey.
I don't know why I was so happy and excited to visit some countryside village. My heart was thumping the whole way and as close as I got to my destination, my heart thumped even faster.
After a long journey of twelve hours, I finally reached my grandma's house before midnight. She hugged me tight as soon as she saw me, as she was waiting for me for a long time to give me all of her love.
Her warm hug put my thumping heart at peace and I felt a lot better.
It was already late, so she gave me a warm rice and vegetable gravy to eat after a hot bath. I ate it to my heart's content as I was hungry too and went to sleep after an hour.
She already laid a futon for me in the room next to hers, it was soft, warm and comfy.
"Some people pray at night, so you may hear some noises from outside, but don't go out after them, just stay in your room and sleep well, alright!?" she said in a slightly serious tone before she went to her room to sleep.
I just nodded my head and literally got stitched to that futon and slept real soon, as I was really tired and sleepy.
After three or four hours, I guess, I woke up because of the loud noises coming from outside. Just like grandma said, some people were praying and it sounded like they're chanting mantras.
I ignored it and went to sleep again.
Then, I had a very strange dream.
It looked like some countryside area, full of nature's beauty. I literally felt a cool breeze of the fresh air on my skin, heard birds' chirping and smelled a mixed fragrance of flowers and soil.
I looked around everywhere, went here and there, to click in all permanently in my memory's camera.
And then, I saw him. A tall handsome man with long black hair, wearing a black yet traditional chinese clothes.
He was standing under the tree near the lake making a long face and I could clearly see the grief in his beautiful deep red eyes.
It was all mesmerizing but now it made my heart ache.
My mind filled with a lot of thoughts and I was just staring at him continuously, standing way away from him.
Suddenly but slowly he turned his head towards me and looked at me. His face and eyes looked like he's about to cry.
"You... are you just going to stand there and stare at me!? You made me wait so long, don't you have anything to say!? If you want, just shout at me, scold me, hit me, as you always do, but don't just stay quiet and look at me like you don't even know me!" he said in his deep but sad voice.
Every word which came out of his mouth pierced through my heart. I didn't know how to react when he was looking at me with a lot of curiosity, as if he's waiting longing to hear my voice.
"I... I apologize for your majesty!" my mouth spitted those words on it's own.
I called him "your majesty", but why!? Did I know this man!? Have we met before!? Why didn't I remember anything at all!?
My mind was rolling up with a lot of thoughts when he said, "It's... too late now!" in a low voice and disappeared into thin air.
I don't know what happened after he disappeared but I just started crying and I couldn't stop.
My heart was aching even more and my body lost it's strength too. I sat down on my knees and cried, cried and cried.
I don't remember how long I was crying but soon after I heard my grandma's voice. She was calling me.
"Eric, Eric, wake up!"
I looked in the way her voice came from and there was something like a bright hole in the middle of the air and it was getting bigger and bigger, as if it was breaking down the world I was in.
I could hear her voice even louder as it approached me. I just sat there and let it succumb to me.
As it was succumbing to me, I heard his voice again, "Don't go!" but as he said before, it was too late now and I woke up, only to realise it all was a dream.
Grandma was sitting next to my futon and it was already morning.
"Did you have a bad dream!? Why are you crying!?" she asked, as she was worried.
"Eh!?" I exclaimed, as it took me a few minutes to catch up with reality and I still was crying.
"You were crying loud in your sleep too, are you alright!? Should I get you to the doctor!?" she asked.
As the sense of reality reached my brain cells, I touched my face and wiped my tears.
"Yeah, it was a bad dream! But don't worry, I'm alright!" I replied.
"Are you sure!?" she asked again.
"Yeah!" I said and smiled at her a little.
"Alright then!" she gently patted my head and stood up, "Go, freshen up, I will make you something to eat!" she said and went to the kitchen.
I was still in the futon, wondering why I had such a dream and why all of it felt so real.
Even though I was wide awake, my heart was still aching and now I was longing to see him again.
