Reunion || Zhi & Jin
Zhi regretted wearing a sweater out.
They caught the tail-end of Hunan’s spring on their business trip to Changsha. Usually, it would still be comfortably chilly mid-May, but the winds weren’t picking up this year, which left the humidity clinging to Zhi’s skin under the cotton knit. He had already removed his light jacket as he stood fanning himself with the brochures he had grabbed from a neighboring tourist info desk.
But no one regretted his wardrobe choices more than Jonghyun, who stood with his sleeves folded up past his elbows as he complained about the weather. His sweater was still wool, owing to how cold he was on the flight there from Japan, and their luggage was shipped off to the hotel before any of them had the chance to change. Now there was a bump in their plans. Usually, they would eat at small stalls on a side street somewhere, but the air was too stifling and heavy for them to stay outdoors for too long.
So now they stood on the sidewalk in the middle of the city, Zhi listening to Jonghyun and Yue debate about where to eat. His eyes wandered the small crowds of people thinning out as the lunch rush ended. ‘What about Italian food?’ Yue’s voice drifted in. ‘That place three blocks from here was pretty good.’ ‘Didn’t that close down two years ago?’ Jonghyun’s voice frowned. ‘Besides, we were just in Italy two months ago.’ ‘You and Zhi maybe.’ Yue snorted. ‘But fine, what do you want?’ ‘Do you think the Korean place downtown is still open? I kind of miss their food...’
Zhi trailed off from their conversation, gaze fixed on a couple walking down the road. The feeling in his rib was unmistakable, immortal, but there was something else about them. The woman -- slender, somewhat soft-looking, Caucasian -- was definitely unfamiliar. But the man’s face was unmistakable.
‘Zhi -- ?’ He caught Jonghyun’s voice trying to grab him before he took off running. The man’s face was so familiar -- a lingering memory, an old dream, a recurring nightmare. It was much older than he had last seen it, but it would of course make sense; he hadn’t seen him in over four hundred years.
‘Jin!’ Zhi nearly shouted as he reached the couple, grabbing the man’s arm. The man turned, startled, ‘who --’ His eyes widened as they made eye contact. More than a flicker of recognition, more than a confused stare. Now Zhi was sure. ‘Jin...’ Zhi breathed as he took in the features of the man’s face. His features were much sharper now, more refined, more mature. After all, Jin had been around nine the last time he saw him. ‘Jin, it’s me... Zhi-ge? Your older brother...’ Jin looked at him for a few moments, his eyes looking up and down his face as well. His mouth opened and closed a few times. ‘Zh-- Zhi-ge...? Is -- is that really you?’ Zhi’s hands shook as he pulled Jin into his arms. ‘Oh my god,’ his voice crackled, ‘it’s me, it’s me... I can’t believe this.’ He was sure he was crying as he tightened his embrace. ‘Shit, I can’t -- I didn’t -- you’re here. It’s really you.’ It took a few moments before Jin returned the hug with full force. ‘It’s me, Zhi-ge... I -- I’m -- how long has it been?’ Zhi used to know this to the day. But he stopped counting at two-hundred fifty-seven years, eleven months, two weeks, and three days. He was supposed to stop at a hundred. ‘Too long.’ He mustered. ‘But I’m here. You’re here -- I can’t believe this.’ ‘Where -- where did you go, ge?’
There was so much to tell.