Re alive

Died with lingering feelings.. is it real?

———

"let's investigate" Shang Qinghua said to Mobei-Jun

"Sure.. i'm happy for your help" Mobei said

"You know the river not far from here? In the afternoon, i usually see a man wearing a black hat and a stick, sitting on the bench.." i said.

"Does that resemble anyone you know?" I asked.

"That might be my father.." he said.

"Let's wait here til afternoon arrives" i said.

—

We head to the table and, with gloves on, he placed a bowl of egg tofu soup with scallions on it. I slurped it since it was soft,

"This ish good!" I spoke while eating.

With hands under the table, he looked at me then looked down, smiling a bit at the edge of his mouth.

"I won't be able to hold myself back if you keep on being so nice to me.." he spoke in a small low voice.

"So should i curse you out instead?" I asked.

"Please, don't" he refused.

Afternoon arrived and we went outside to go see the river. I slid the door open and wear my sandals, Mobei is behind me looking at my neck. What is he doing? I wonder.

He closed the door and we walked to the park near the river, some kids were holding a pink yellow balloon and it flew to the air.

"Why didn't you hold it properly? Mama said to hold it properly right" A mom said her child.

"Waaaaaah" A child bawled his eyes out

Suddenly a man in black appear from the thin air above and grabbed the balloon, slowly landing on the ground.

"Here, your balloon." The man said.

"Waaaah sthank youu.." The kid said with his snot everywhere.

"No problem, little fellow" The man said with a smile and turned facing us.

Our eyes met, Mobei were hissing at him while hugging Shang Qinghua's shoulder.

"Hello, great to see you again, what was your name.. again?" He spoke.

"It's Qinghua, Shang Qinghua." I replied.

Mobei doesn't seem to know him, yet the man somehow seem to recognize Mobei. I impulsedly asked,

"Do you know each other?"

"Yes!"

"No!"

They were both contradicting each other.

"I don't know you! Who are you? I never saw you are you a stalker??" Mobei asked the man.

"How could you not recognize your own father??" The man asked in a pleasing tone.

Mobei's face turned confused mixed with disgust, while his father's face turned black and eyes dropping.

"My dad don't look that young!" Mobei exclaimed.

"Well, since i was reborn as a wandering ghost i can change this form however i want to!" The man said.

The man held his hat, lift it up in the air, and he disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Mobei asked in confusion.

I took a step forward and saw what's in the hat. A pigeon.

"Look a pigeon! Maybe it's your father! Haha" i joked.

"You are ridiculo-"

Then the pigeon turned into his father.

"Does this beard and white hair look familiar to you?" The bearded old man said.

"Father! You're alive!" Mobei-Jun screamed in surprise

"I don't want a son who can't recognize his own family at first glance" the man said. Then he disappeared, leaving the hat on the ground.

"What's his problem?" Mobei asked in anger.

We took the hat and went back in the house.

—

It was raining this evening, the scent of rain and wet leaves really are relaxing.

While Mobei kept on checking the black hat wondering how could a man appear inside of a hat.

"I think he's a magician." Mobei said.

"No, i think he's your father" I replied.

"My father doesn't know any magic trick.." Mobei said.

"...." I went quiet briefly.

"Did your father have any lingering or regrets at the time he was alive?" I asked.

"No.. but he constantly said that he wants to search for my lost mother." Mobei said.

"That might be the case, or perhaps he simply enjoy doing parlor tricks as a ghost." I replied.