eternal teatime
Sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea and watching the cars passing by outside on the rainy road, it’s fall already and here I am again, having my tea and waiting for that person, even though I already know that person won’t be coming by. As a low jazz plays in the background, I keep drinking my tea, observing the small, diamond-like raindrops fall. I should be leaving this place soon enough, I’ve been here for quite a long time already.
To be honest, I have no right to be here waiting for that person to come since I was the one to leave first, but still, I’m here because it’d be only fair to say sorry after all that happened. Even thought that person still won’t come. Why, I wonder, why do you not come? Even thought I am right here, at the same place we parted ways, waiting. It’s past midnight and the cafe is closed for the day, another day. Another day to add on to the others, to add to the almost five years I’ve been here sitting and having tea. I hope that person comes tomorrow. Since tomorrow will be the last time I’ll be here, so please, come.
Right now it’s just a quarter to four in the afternoon, you’re still nowhere to be found and I’m here, sitting on the last table in the far back of the cafe, looking through the glass window and watching people come and go, talking with their friends, siblings, lovers. Ah, I guess you really won’t be coming, right? I’ll be waiting until midnight again, so come. I cling to this excuse like a child not wanting to let go of their toy to go study.
I spent the whole day having tea again and now it’s nine already. Soon I’ll be leaving this place for good and that person didn’t come. One hour, two hours, three hours and finally the time to go is here. I can’t say I am not relieved by the end of this waiting game, which I am, really, I’ll be able to have some peace of mind somehow, though in the end you didn’t come, so I’ll be taking my leave now. It’s still raining outside and I have no umbrella but it’s alright I guess, it’s not like I’ll get wet. As soon as I step outside, I can feel the cold rain on my skin but still I won’t get wet. I feel warm rain falling from my eyes, you didn’t come in the end and I couldn’t apologize at all.
Slowly walking down the street, it seems like there’s only me on the streets for a while. After a few minutes my eyes caught sight of two people walking side by side, sharing an umbrella. As nothing could surprise me anymore, you’re there. The person I’ve been waiting for so long is almost in front of me, sharing an umbrella with a quite charming woman. Oh, a couple. Well, as much regret I can feel, I can’t help but feel glad for that person, after all, he seems happy.
They don’t notice me as they get closer to where I am standing and after a few steps; they pass by me and kept on walking. With a smile on my face and the last tears falling down, I turn around and softly whisper “I’m sorry”. I hope my words reach you and that you can be happy as long as you’re not alone anymore. I am sorry for leaving you, I am sorry for it being so sudden. But I’m glad you found someone to be by your side, I am really glad.
I turn back as I realize that the couple stops and turns around for a while, both of them smiling at me. I guess they reached you, huh. You can’t see me anymore, but thank you, see you later, dear brother.
“Shortly after, the girl who used to spend the day at the back of that old cafe shop was not seen anymore. It was said she was the ghost of a girl who died five years ago, though no one knows how. She used to go to that cafe really often while alive, always with her little brother, so the rumors says she was there still waiting for him to have tea with her. But he apparently never came and the ghost girl was tangled in an eternal teatime, a eternal waiting game, until she decided it was her time to move on” or so the rumors say, but I’ll still come by this cafe, since I really love the Earl Grey tea they serve here, thank you very much, haha!