《Memory》
Before going to college, I thought I wanted the studenthood to end soon and become financially independent; after all of these things had become my memory, I have realized how much I miss them.
Just like the monsoon season last June before our graduation ceremony.
Sitting on the bumpy bus, I was between sleeping and wakefulness, watching the raindrops rapidly flew backwards due to the speed of the bus. Sigh, didn’t the weather forecast say the damaging rainy day would happen last week? What an accurate weather forecast!
As I stepped out of the bus, wonderful, it rained even more heavily.
Yet, this wasn’t the first time I walked in the campus in a torrential rain like today.
Maybe it was because of the raindrops which brought so many memories back, as soon as I got down, it suddenly reminded of everything about this wooded path: when, with who, talked about what and brought which luggage.
(Review my fashion post about the trip back to Puli last year: What’s In My Small Vacation Bag Back To My University)
After the rain, it had always been the most alluring and misty moment of NCNU (National Chi Nan University); instead of the particular matters (which Puli usually has a lot of it), receiving the cleanliness of the rain, I think that was definitely the cloud and the fog that lingered between the hills and the treetops.
During the break between courses, sometimes I would go to the roof and feel the wind blows, watch the mist sticking around with the distant dormitory and the gym; when the rain was over and the cloud had not yet cleared up, it was the most enjoyable pleasure during this humid season.
Moreover, due to the professors’ studies were all on this floor, there was no need to be worried about being disturbed by the students.
” Don’t have a class, huh?” sometimes, I would have a small chat with the professor who was here for smoking or going downstairs.
(Background photo: Pinterest)
Speaking of the general office, our department had the most hospitality office in the world. Before signing up for courses in other departments, I thought it was common to place some couches, a coffee table and long tables for us to have lunch or to stay at whenever we want.
(Background photo: Pinterest)
12：00 p.m.
It was the busiest time when all of the motorcycles rushed out from the campus; couples, friends or the ones who were alone, none of the students could wait for a second more to head for the food in town.
I was one of the students who was troubled by what to eat every day for four years- a joyful and happy trouble.
《A date after the rain》
I hate raining days; however, I love to have a date in a restaurant or cafe on a rainy day. It could be a date with friends, a crush, the one who you’re talking or your date.
Listening to the drip outdoors and the chattering indoors, the phone battery dies quickly while waiting for the rain to stop, seven percent left- well then, the rest of the time we could only put it aside and listen carefully of what others were talking about, read the novels provided in the restaurant or watch TV series together.
(Background photo: Pinterest)
《Good old days》
A comfortable room can always unarm people; here, we show our defenceless self.
Probably it’s because Puli was my second hometown in which I had lived for four years (Okay, technically, it was less than four years since I spent a while in France as an exchange student.), there are so many delighted memories every corner in this place- especially in NCNU.
Without too much drama, I led a peaceful college life here; sometimes there were sadness, jealousy and heartbreaking due to the schoolwork or internship, but most of the time, I was filled with contentment- bittersweet, people say it’s the taste of first love.
A simple relationship is like this, you don’t need to struggle to come up for a splendid date, it’s already enough to spend some quality time with each other.
(Background photo: Pinterest)
Changes, are the inevitables happen in a long-term relationship, from first knowing each other to going out on dates.
The first time I had stayed in the NCNU hotel, it had been furnished very simply and plainly; this year for my fourth visit, I felt like I stepped into a delicate hostel in the southern island, especially when they had painted a wall in turquoise.
Everybody has been improving.
” Wow, you had rearranged and redecorated the rooms!” I exclaimed, and the intern told me that they redesigned a little bit in early 2018 with awkwardness, maybe she never thought that she would ever serve a talkative guest like me in this small town.
Familiar, yet, unfamiliar; it was such a bizarre feeling.
It also made me sadly realize that there’s truly a wall in a long-distance relationship and it will easily become taller and taller even if two spend their time with each other 24/7 for the past four years; after you start living in the separated area with completely different lifestyle, all of the things become quite… disparate when you finally have a reunion.
It seemed that NCNU Hotel was like spring all the year round. I couldn’t tell if this was the Tabebuia ochracea, but its golden petals always made me mistake that the rain was finally over with this bright sunshine.
《The last time》
” Deep inside our heart, there will always be a person. Whenever you think of him, well, you will feel kind of heartbroken. But we would still keep this memory. Even until today, I don’t know where is he or what he is doing now, at least I know, he’s the one who let me realize- what first love is.”
The bright sunshine after the rain dragged out the long thin shadow, it reminded me of the summer afternoon when we sat on the slope next to the playground and started to know each other a little bit more, there were also shadows like this behind us.
Before getting in the bus headed to the Taiwan High-Speed Rail, the last thing I felt was the damp palms and the loud drip on the rooftop. Something interesting was that I was born in Taipei and had been living in Taipei, nonetheless, I always told my family that I’m going “back” to Puli for a vacation.
Will we have a chance to meet again after I come back to Taiwan? What will we feel when we have a different identity and mindset? But at least, this unrepeatable remembrance has left so many sweet and pleasant aftermath in every corner.
In the end, what makes people miss the most isn’t those crazy mad loves, it’s a simple joy instead-
like a cute kiss on the forehead.
Goodbye, ＿＿＿.
