Obsession question

quote:
You looked up at the cold moon hanging in the sky, then turned your head to face him again, this man who both yearned for you and tormented you, this professor who gave away a solid portion of his monthly paycheck to a psychiatrist. He closed his eyes, waiting for you to lean close.
And you began to hear the words of the Tang dynasty poet Wang Wei:

The morning rain in Wei City dampens the light dust;
Next to the inn is green, the new green of willows.
I urge you to have another cup of wine;
To the west of Yang Pass there are no old friends.

It was a poem often recited by friends at their time of departure.
At first you heard the melody of a bamboo flute; followed by the deep voices of the ancients, singing the cautionary words. Song became chant; chant, a chorus of Buddhist monks in a traditional death ceremony. The sounds swirled in your ears, ringing through the crisp of night.
Ancient China—its elegance, morality, and dignity—once set the scene of your romance.
This night you neither hugged nor kissed. You each sat in your seat, looking at each other. You were so close to each other, yet felt as distant as two stars separated by the vast Milky Way.
It was a clear, cool night of many falling stars.