“Where did Luca go? I thought we had plans for graduation? I didn’t see him at all,” Wei asked Lucy as he was looking around her to see any semblance of Luca.

He was standing in front of the Luca and Lucy’s family shop. Their house was empty as Wei repeatedly called and knocked.

Lucy had a downcast face as she avoided Wei’s eyes.

“Lucy? Where did Luca go? He’s been avoiding me for the past few days. Lucy?” Wei asked as he took her hands into his. His questioning becoming a bit erratic as he noticed the shiny eyes of Lucy.

“Dae? What are you not telling me? Where’s Luca?” Wei asked, at this point shaking Lucy as tears rolled down her face.

“I’m sorry. He told me not to tell you. I’m sorry,” Lucy mumbled as she tried wiping off the tears off her face. The tears just kept rolling.

“He…left?” Wei asked, piecing the thoughts together, “right he left? He’s not dead. We would have been invited. Where did he go, Lucy?”

Lucy was visibly shaking as she started sobbing. Wei following right after her.

“Dae?” He cried, “Please tell me? Where did he go? I have something to tell him.”

Wei gave a hopeful smile, maybe Lucy might say something about Luca’s whereabouts. He missed his other half.

He hadn’t seen Luca for a while and he wanted to apologize, make up, and hold Luca close forever.

The chapter for their story hasn’t yet closed and Wei wasn’t going to allow it either.

Lucy just kept shaking her head. She tried giving Wei a smile to convince him everything was fine. The smile turned back into a sob.

But it wasn’t.

Nothing was fine.

“Please dae. Please tell me,” Wei begged, not caring about the passersby staring at them.

“I can’t Taya! I don’t know where he went!” Lucy broke down.

Wei’s heart plummeted.

He staggered back as if he was physically hit by the new fact.

Luca left?

He didn’t tell Wei?

Luca left Wei willingly?

Why would Luca leave without saying anything?

Was Luca giving up on Wei?

Was Wei not enough?

Wei felt like his heart was going to burst with how he was feeling. His heart felt like it was squeezing itself until it would crush him.

He clutched on his shirt as he tried taking deep breaths. 

What happened to spending the rest of their lives together?

What happened to all those promises?

“I’m sorry Taya! He left without saying anything!” Lucy cried out loud, the heartbreak evident in her voice.

Wei promised himself to Luca.

He promised to cherish Luca.

He promised to hold and love Luca.

He promised to love Luca forever.

But Luca was gone.

Luca left.

Wei looked up to Lucy, who at this point was towering over Wei.

“I'm so sorry,” she said. “I didn't know he was going to leave.”

Wei’s world was crumbling right before him.

Tears welled up in Wei's eyes, and he struggled to talk with his voice choking through the tears.

“He promised...” Wei whispered, his voice choked with grief. 

“He promised he would stay.”

Wei's shoulders trembled as he tried to hold back his sobs. 

Luca's absence felt suffocating.

“I should have known,” Wei said, his voice barely audible. 

“I should have seen it coming. I should have...”

“I could have at least said goodbye,” Wei whispered, his voice breaking.

He didn't know what to think. 

He didn't know what to do.

He just felt lost and alone.

Beads of sweat covered Wei's forehead as he jolted awake, his heart pounding in his chest.

He blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the lingering images from the dream. 

It felt so real.

It felt like he has seen that monster from that horror movie a couple days ago.

“Good morning!” Kai burst into the room with a cheerful greeting, but Wei responded with a with a shriek and a flying pillow.

“What was that for?” Kai asked, laughing.

“You scared me!” Wei said, his heart still racing. “I just woke up from a bad dream.”

“Oh, sorry,” Kai said with a mock pout. “I didn't know you were such a scaredy-cat.”

“I'm not a scaredy-cat!” Wei protested.

“Sure you're not,” Kai said with a wink. “So, what was your dream about? Did you wet your bed?”

Wei glared at Kai. 

“It was about that monster from that horror movie.”

“Oh, that monster,” Kai said. “He's a real cutie, isn't he?”

Wei rolled his eyes. “Very funny,” he said.

Kai burst out laughing at his brother's expression. “What? You don't think he's cute? He's got those big, beady eyes, and those sharp teeth... what's not to love?”

Wei sighed. “Kai, please be serious. I had a bad dream, and I'm not in the mood for your jokes.”

“Alright, alright,” Kai said, holding up his hands in surrender. “But seriously, are you okay? You look a little shaken up.”

Wei nodded. “I'm fine,” he said. “It was just a dream.”

“Well, if you need anything,” Kai said. “I'm here for you. Even if it's just to protect you from big, bad monsters.”

Wei smiled. “Thanks,” he said.

“No problem,” Kai said. “That's what little brothers are for.”

Wei laughed. “You're the younger brother,” he said.

“Oh, right,” Kai said. “Well, that's what younger brothers are for then.”

Wei shook his head. “You're hopeless,” he said.

“I know,” Kai said with a grin. “But that's what makes me so lovable.”

Wei rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say,” he said.

Kai laughed again. “Come on,” he said. “Let's go make breakfast. I'm starving.”

“Lemme freshen up and then I’ll make breakfast,” Wei said as he stumbled into the bathroom.

Kai has been making all the meals the past few days so it should be Wei's turn to at least make something. After all, their mom refused to let them go without learning basic life skills.

A few minutes later, Wei came out of the bathroom. He was still in his pajamas, but he had brushed his hair and teeth.

“Okay,” he said. “What do you want for breakfast?”

Kai shrugged. “I don't know,” he said. “What do you want to make?”

Wei thought for a moment. “How about pancakes?” he said.

“Pancakes sound great!” Kai said.

Wei smiled. “Alright then,” he said. “Let's get started.”

Wei and Kai spent the next hour making pancakes. They laughed and talked as they worked, and Wei even let Kai help him mix the batter.

When the pancakes were done, Wei served them up with maple syrup and fresh fruit. Kai dug in immediately, and Wei couldn't help but smile. He loved seeing his brother happy.

“These pancakes are delicious,” Kai said. “Thank you, Wei.”

Wei smiled. “You're welcome,” he said. “I'm glad you like them.”

Wei and Kai finished their breakfast and then cleaned up the kitchen. They were both feeling full and happy.

“Dae,” Wei said as he walked into the living room and sat down on the floor with his laptop. “There’s still some finalization needed for the exhibition before you can hold it.”

Kai put down his phone and looked at his brother. 

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well,” Wei said. “I need to know some more information about the exhibition before I can start making any concrete arrangements. For example, do you have any specific ideas for the layout of the exhibition? What is your budget? Do you want to include any other elements in the exhibition, such as text panels, videos, or interactive elements? And what kind of atmosphere are you hoping to create in the exhibition space?”

Kai sighed. “I'm still working on some of those details,” he said. “I can tell you that the main medium will be paintings. I have around 20 pieces to be displayed, and I also made some clay figures that I think would be nice to include.” 

“I'm still thinking about how I want to arrange the artwork, but I'm hoping to create a space that is both inviting and thought-provoking. I'm also considering adding some text panels or videos to provide additional context for the work.”

“Okay,” Wei said. “That's no problem. But I'll need you to give me all of that information as soon as possible so that I can start planning.”

Wei nodded, taking note of Kai's initial ideas. 

“That's a good start, Kai. Having 20 paintings and clay figures as your main medium is a solid foundation to build upon. As for the layout, we can brainstorm different options once we have a clearer idea of the exhibition space and its dimensions.”

He leaned back, his back hitting the couch, tapping his chin thoughtfully. 

“Creating an inviting and thought-provoking atmosphere is crucial, and I'm glad you're considering text panels and videos for context. We can work on crafting compelling narratives for those elements to enhance the viewer's experience.”

“Now, about the budget, it's important to establish that early on. Do you have an approximate budget in mind, even if it's a rough estimate? It will help us determine what's feasible in terms of exhibition design, promotion, and any additional elements you want to include.”

Kai nodded, taking the budget question seriously. 

“I've set aside a reasonable budget for the exhibition, but I need to finalize the numbers. I'll make sure to provide you with a clear budget breakdown once it's ready.”

Wei smiled, pleased with the progress they were making. 

“That sounds good, Dae. We'll work closely together to make your exhibition a success. And don't worry if some details are still in flux; we can refine them as we go along.”

Kai leaned forward, enthusiasm in his eyes. “Thanks, Taya. I really appreciate your help with this. I want this exhibition to be a meaningful experience for everyone who visits.”

“You're welcome,” Wei said. “I'm always happy to help.”

Kai smiled. “Well, I'm going to go back to working on my final details,” he said. “But I'll keep you updated on my progress.”

Kai leaned forward, enthusiasm in his eyes. “Thanks, Taya. I really appreciate your help with this. I want this exhibition to be a meaningful experience for everyone who visits.”

“You're welcome,” Wei said. “I'm always happy to help.”

Kai smiled. “Well, I'm going to go back to working on my final details,” he said. “But I'll keep you updated on my progress.”

“Alright,” Wei said as he watched his brother put on his shoes and take his car keys.

Wei sighed as he watched Kai leave. He was happy for his brother, and he knew that the exhibition was going to be a success. 

Wei took a deep breath and stood up. He was ready to face the day. 

He had therapy to do.

Wei decided to change into forest green drop shoulder button down with a white shirt underneath and black straight leg trousers. 

Wei looked in the mirror and smiled. He liked how he looked. He felt like he was able to show some semblance that he was stable.

Grabbing his car keys, he went downstairs to the garage for his car.

Unlocking the car and settling into the driver's seat, Wei took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Today, he had a lot on his mind, especially after the recent dream that had left him startled.

He started the engine and began the drive to his therapist's office. The familiar route brought a sense of routine and comfort.

As he parked his car and made his way to the therapist's office building, Wei steeled himself for the difficult but necessary conversations that lay ahead.

He checked in with the receptionist, who greeted him with a warm smile, and then took a seat in the waiting area. The familiar surroundings of the therapist's office offered a sense of solace.