My head questioned, like a conversing breeze of wind in the middle of autumn, where leaves will fall, and those dead leaves will be manure for the new growing leaves, just like how my love for him, growing, solidifies and becomes eternal, notwithstanding the dead life I have-Johann is a symbol of my life, my 'féiliào.'

Feeling confused about his words, I can help myself but to ask him: "Who?", with immediate reflexes, I hide the bashful expression I made, I lost eye contact with him, not because I asked that question, but because I’m curious. And that oddity made my cheeks red like apples, and even my sweat turned cold.

Hoping to hear his words to come out makes me nervous and uneasy, because my inside is expecting and anticipating a better answer from him. And what I pray from heaven is to be his ‘very one important.’ Then maybe if I become one of his important, I can die without any regrets.

Therefore, after that, he answered me straight, firm and true, then he remarked rightfully, and said: "You, I'm waiting for you, Dale." His words are concise yet full of meaning. The way he said it’s me and his voices when he mentioned my name makes my heartbeat unstoppably.

So, in shock, I abruptly question: “Pardon me?”

The eyes that had just left leered minutes ago are now fully intact on Johann Schneider again. The guise of the young boy is heavenly triumphant in happiness, because he has been longing for this moment to become true, to become reality; his wish has now been granted by whom powerful than humans—by God himself.

But is that wish free? Or does Dale have to pay the price for what it cost? Every question of this downcast reality never struck Dale Muller, because mainly saying; the thought of Johann Schneider, also like Muller, is beyond surreal for Dale.

Nevertheless, the innocent, pure-hearted boy straight away asked Johann a question, “W-why me? W-why me out of all your friends?” Yet his expression was still shy, but Dale now needs to break his introverted-like reaction.

Then Johann smiled at him because of how humorous the young man’s reaction was. His appearance was like something heavenly made by God using his beautiful craftsmanship. Where everyone will fall for his charm, even so, Johann Schneider answered Dale’s inquiry, “Maybe because we are friends?”

Hearing the true answer coming from Johann’s mouth changed Dale’s reaction faster than the blink of an eye: “Friends?” he smiled widely, yet the better smile can be hidden from the expression of the person who is daydreaming. “Hmm…” he nodded, continuing with his words, and said: “Yeah, just friends… Maybe friends are better than nothing, right?”

Johann being oddly clueless about what Dale's aphorism is. He patted Dale’s top head, making his hair messier than before. Then made an unexpected remark, “You are more than a friend to me, Dale.” He smiled back, then, in an instant, he brought Dale’s bag. “Come on, let me carry this bag for you.” The handsome Johann Schneider ran in a flash. This made Dale Muller deeply shocked and clueless about the sudden words from his crush.

Still not processing the whole thing in Dale’s head, the presence of Johann being far away from where he is made Dale come back to reality, “Huh…? W-wait!”

Behind that, Johann runs like a free teenage boy from a movie scene, then in the mid-way he stops by the exit door, thereafter he calls Dale’s attention by calling his name loudly, which echoes in the entire lecture room. “Dale! Catch me if you can, before the sun goes down.” He teases, while overflowing with happiness.

In no time, the boy named Dale Muller, who’s still in shock, is now on a mission to catch up with Johann Schneider, whom meters away from him. He called up the man to stop him, “H-hey, Johann, stop!” But then, in the sweet momentous scenery, where the sun was almost red orange, the reflecting light from the outside was edifying of nightfall.

Johann just satirized Dale, and the following question came up again: “Dale, what if I want to carry this bag of yours every day? Would you let me?” while running Johann with wearing happy expression that he had never felt afore. The whole campus is almost empty, and non-students shall see them, that’s why both newly bonded best friends chase each other in the hallway, casting every laugh they have.

With each sweat they release because of how intense the trail of chasing is. Both got scalded by the watchman when they passed through the guards' outpost, “H-hey, you two s-stop running!” The guard yelled for the reason of being careless of the road sign, which read ‘No running’. But no one can stop the two from being carefree like an infant that has just attained its freedom.

Continuing the chasing game between the two friends, they almost reach a certain bridge in their town named ‘Magpie Bridge’. In equidistance, Dale is still on the other part of the bridge, while Johann, on the other hand, reaches the other side, making them a meter apart.

They both stop as Dale complains to Johann about being tired and can no longer run. “J-johann wait… I can’t breathe anymore, I’m tired.” He declares with each breath per second. Making Johann on the side eyes, deeply worried.

As Dale, whom was tired and his feet had no more strength, he decided to walk instead, trying to chase Johann Schneider. Likewise, the man didn’t run like afore; he was unsettled and bothered by the remark of Dale, so he decree himself for not to make Dale chase again, and instead, his chase back made him and Dale meet in the middle of Magpie bridge.

The sun is almost set, either the birds are flying north—towards their own home, the scenery of each dazzling character and their feeling of both happiness and tiredness is mesmerizing. Making them laugh to the finest, after seconds of happiness, both stop, making Dale grip the wrist of Johann and say a remarkable word, saying, “Got you! I catch the sun before it goes down.”

Across that, Johann Schneider was profoundly shocked, yet amazed and almost reddish in blush, living with this plant for many years, he never felt something like this—or a spark to be in concise. His eyes are like seeing an angel himself, in a detailed meaning, Dale is like a whole garden of Eden. Not just the garden, because in Johann's eyes, he is the garden itself.

As the boy was stunned in astonishment at what he had been seeing, Dale lifted his head toward Johann, making the handsome boy redder than before, as if he had gotten a fever out of giddy excitement. That changing of the body of Johann makes Dale go oddly, and questions, stating, “J-Johann, are you okay? Do you have a fever?” The boy asked with genuineness, placing his hand on the forehead of Johann.

The matter of action of Dale makes Johann shyer and more distant, “W-what are you doing?” At this time, he holds Dale’s hand, indicating that he should stop him. Johann not only turned red but also felt the electricity current.

“Shh…. Don’t stop me, I’m checking you.” Dale chirped fretfully, then he removed Johann’s hands, continuing the examination on the boy. But then the intensifying sensation made Johann hand the bag back to Dale. “H-here’s your b-bag.” He exclaimed, making him look like a little panda in cuteness.

“What’s with the sudden petulance?” The cute boy named Dale asked, while holding the bag that Johann had handed him seconds ago, while an expression of true feeling could not be hid, Johann just gave him total silence, scratching his forehead, where Dale checked his temperature.

Dale smiled, then a question came up, “You're totally normal. What happened to you?” Dale stated.

Then Johann broke his silence to escape a lot of questions from Dale, and he said, “M-maybe b-because we ran? And that’s totally normal, right? B-being red because of the sudden change of temperature on the body.” The boy explained, making him look like a crazy person, and explained to his best friend. But Johann didn’t stop there; instead, to totally escape further question, he asked Dale, “B-by the way, where’s your house?”

A sudden hit of reality struck Dale in the head, and that reality is that Johann Schneider also needed to go back home, and the sun had already gone down, making it midnight. The idea of them being apart is a bit sad for him—yet he was still content because heaves finally fulfilled his wishes, and those wishes are to be a friend and more than a friend with his crush.

And with that inquiry of Johann, Dale entertained the question; he answered willingly, ready to let go of him already, and he said, “I was living there.” He pointed, striking an apartment that looked old and like a rickety house. The apartment looks modern, yet it’s not even good to live in. The house is not that far from the Magpie Bridge, which is visible in the distance.

In shock, Johann almost stuttered to ask, “Y-you live there?” Neither of his eyes didn’t even processed the whole thing.

With a thoughtful and more pure smile, Dale Muller answered him, “Yeah, I live there,” he said, then continuing with his alibi, “I live there because that's the only apartment my family can afford, and I’m already contented with what I have, because I know all I have now are still from our grace.” He genuinely said.

Making Johann mainly more remorseful yet grateful for meeting a person like Dale, he is so mature that he didn’t even blame his parents for having that kind of life, unlike him, being a super-indolent son and rebellious adult.

After everything, Dale spoke again, breaking the silence that had just taken Johann entirely, “Johann…? Johann…?” He repeatedly called for his attention, “I’m going home? Hello?” He waved his hands in Johann’s eyes, making him awake again in his senses.

With that, Johann immediately replied, “Oh… Sorry, I just… I just…” The one-sided eyebrows of Dale frowned because Johann stuttered to continue his words; however, the boy didn’t continue with his words and just averted it in another statement. “N-never mind,” he said. After that, he continued, “A-are you going home now?”

Dale Muller answered him openly and noted, “Yeah, I still have a lot of work to do.” He mentioned making Johann smile bitterly. “So, yeah, I have to be home now.” At that right moment, he barely reached Johann’s head, even though the handsome boy was 6ft above he tried his best to pat his head, but heaves had a different plan.

Johann as being observer of Dale’s action. He depicted the young boy, Dale Muller is trying to reach something above him.  So, to be able to help Dale, he willingly lowered his head, just enough to reach the boy’s top head.

As the hands of Dale landed on Johann Schneider’s top head, he gently patted it with care and a precious, gentle sway, “Be good and go home safely.” The harmony in his voice is a comfort as an angel sings. Heaven's praising angels are celebrating; that’s how you can illustrate the two. Following that, Dale is about to bid his farewell to his good friend Johann Schineider, “Bye for now, my good best friend.”

At the moment, even from Dale’s perspective, this is surreal, almost like a dream that he didn’t want to wake—but this is the reality, this is the truth, and somehow this is his love, his crush, his source of strength to live and be alive, Johann Schneider to him is his everything. And that’s the fact—the fact that his everything was standing right in front of him, and he had the freedom to touch it.

Likewise, after bidding goodbye, Dale started to walk, leaving Johann Schneider like a statue in the middle of the magpie bridge. The act of Dale makes Johann fall from his own hands. Everything about Dale is different; even his pure heart is more than clear, clean water.

After being stuck in a hypnotizing presence of Dale, Johann howled Dale’s name, making the young boy stop himself from walking home, “Dale!” he says, looking back from the east, where Dale’s direction. “C-can I come with…” Johann didn’t even finish his talk and withdrew all his nonsense, “N-never mind, you can go now.” He smiled, but fakely. Then he looks back from the west, not facing Dale again.

Dale just made a neutral expression, yet he is a bit unsettled and confused about Johann’s act. but didn’t give deep meaning to all his actions, and continued with his walk, until they were no longer on Magpie Bridge.