”Mom!” He called out as he rushed towards her. Crouching beside her on the floor he used his finger to wipe the tears under her eyes.

”Mom—why are you crying? Are you okay?”

Mrs. Leng shook her head as she bowed her down in shame. After the truth came out she felt utterly ashamed to even look at her son in the eyes.

Everything she did was for him. Seeing her son looking so broken that day made her heart ache so she did what any mother will do. Putting the happiness of her son first.

~FLASHBACK~

Leng Shao gulped down the beer in his hands and let out a series of coughs as the bitter taste spread to the back of his throat. He has always hated the bitter taste of beer but today he wanted to drink away his sorrows.

No one will understand how it feels to love someone so deeply but the person doesn’t even know how you feel about them. Worse the feeling of seeing the woman you love in your best friend’s arms. To give them your blessings and smile like your heart isn’t breaking into a million pieces.

Leng Shao’s lips curved into a self depreciating smile as an image of Yan Mei smiling flashed through his eyes.

She was so beautiful when she smiled. The way her eyes lit up anytime she talked about art made his heart flutter and his stomach swarm with butterflies.

Within minutes his head was spinning and beautiful illusions with him being with Yan Mei was assaulting his mind.

They were walking together, hand in hand on the beach. Watching the sunset. A soft smile spilled form his lips at the beautiful image.

He heard his bedroom door opening and he frowned as the sound of the door opening destroyed his imaginations.

”Leng Shao!” Mrs. Leng screamed out in panic when she saw her son sitting on the floor of his bedroom with his back against his bed, draping his elbows loosely over his knees as he stared hard at the wall. Bottles of beer laid down around him.

Mrs. Leng knew how much her son hated alcohol so why was he drinking?

”Leng Shao what happened? Why are you drinking?” Mrs. Leng asked as her face scrunched in confusion.

Leng Shao looked at his mother and he chuckled hysterically. He tried to stand up from the floor but he slipped and fell down.

”Mom! Where have you been? I miss you.”

”Leng Shao!” Mrs. Leng quickly grabbed him to help him. She helped him sit again on the floor.

”What happened? Did something bad happen to Feng Mei?”

The moment Leng Shao heard her name, he broke out into tears. All the emotions he had bottled up finally exploded.

Mrs. Leng widened her eyes in surprise at his sudden outburst. Never has she seen her son cry like this. She sat beside him on the floor without saying anything as she placed Leng Shao’s head on her shoulder. Leng Shao’s shoulders trembled as tears of pain racked through him.

It was painful for Mrs. Leng to see her son like this. All she could do was embrace him and let the torrent of his tears soak through her dress.

She could feel her son clenched his fists as he silently screamed, suffocating with each breath he took. She ran her fingers through his hair, time and time again, in an attempt to calm him down.

”I love her mom—I just—” Leng Shao suddenly mummered, causing Mrs. Leng to stiffened. She didn’t even have to ask who her son was talking about because she knew. She has always known about his feelings for Feng Mei. Too bad that girl is with Wang Lu.

”I know I shouldn’t—Wang Lu is like a brother to me but I can’t help it. I—I why did it have to be her? Why did my heart have to beat for the one person who will never be mine?”

”Leng Shao….”

”Don’t…. you don’t **ing know how it feels to love someone who will never be yours!” He bellowed as he removed his head from his mother’s shoulder. He chuckled,

”The moment I knew she was with Wang Lu I promised myself not to think about her again but guess what?” He paused

”I failed. I find myself breaking that promise every single day. I always wake up imagining her by my side. Seeing her smiling warmly at me with love in her eyes but then reality kicks in as my palms touches the soft sheet then I realize I’m all alone. Lonely and empty.”

He sniffled quietly as he wiped away his tears.

”I fought with myself to forget about her but anytime I see her, my heart betrays me. It squeals in happiness as she smiles at me. So I did what I thought was best because I’m afraid people are going to judge me. I love her in silence while I’m bleeding inside. I look at myself everyday in the mirror and ask myself when I’m going to let go of this hopeless unrequited love? I know I have to. But it’s so damn hard!”

Not able to hold the heartbreak no longer he fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as his grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears.

Mrs. Leng watched her son with pain in her eyes. She couldn’t handle seeing her precious son like this. She had to do something but what?

She hesitated for a minute as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

”Don’t worry son. You will find someone else. And she will love you too.” Mrs. Leng comforted Leng Shao.

”But I don’t want anyone else. I-I just want her mom.”

Mrs. Leng heard her son and a glint of light passed through her eyes.