Kong Xu: shuffling feet Long time, huh? Thought ya'd never show up.
Yeah...long time...it's weird seeing you here..
raises an eyebrow and smirks Weirder yet, we're still talking after all these years. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?
chuckles softly Nah, just...surprised, I guess. Is this...are we really doing this? Reconnecting?
leans against the wall, arms crossed Reconnecting? Nah, that's too polite a word. We're diving headfirst into a pile of unresolved shit, my friend.
smiles faintly Unresolved shit, huh? That about sums it up. So, where do we start?
takes out a cigarette, lights it up Start? How about we start by clearing the air? Cut the bullshit and get real.
Alright...let's cut the bullshit then. Why did you leave? You just up and left without a word, after all those years together...
exhales a cloud of smoke Left? Yeah, you could say that. More like I couldn't take it anymore, being stuck in a loveless marriage with a controlling bitch like you.
frowns, hurt flashing across her face I was always there for you, Kong. You know I was...so why does it feel like I was never enough?
narrows his eyes Enough? Well, let me tell ya, MountainEcho, enough ain't always enough.
her expression hardens And what exactly wasn't enough, Kong? Was it me or was it something else?
points a finger at her It was you, all you, and your damn expectations. Always trying to control, to have everything figured out.
laughs bitterly Figured out? Haha...we both know how that turned out.
takes a step closer, pointing the cigarette at her Yeah, well, guess what? I ain't gonna be played by your games anymore.
backs away slightly I never meant to play games, Kong. I just...I wanted us to be happy...to be a family.
MountainEcho starts to tear up, her voice cracking as she tries to hold back her emotions.
voice cracking I-I just wanted us to be happy, Kong. To be a family.
softens his gaze and steps even closer Yeah, well, maybe we can start rebuilding that family thing. But it ain't gonna be easy. Are you up for it?
wipes her tears away I...I wanna try, Kong. For our daughter's sake. But it's gonna take time...a lot of it.
reaches out and gently takes her hand Look, Echo, I ain't gonna lie to ya. The road ahead ain't gonna be smooth.
squeezes his hand slightly I know, Kong. But we've got a shot at redemption. That's more than I ever thought possible.
smirks Redemption, huh? Ain't that a fancy word for getting a second chance?
...I guess it is. A second chance to get things right.
takes a drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly Right. So, Echo, what's first on the agenda then?
looks down, thinking First...first, we need to figure out how to make this work. How to be parents...how to be a family again.
leans in closer, his voice low and intense Figure out? No, Echo. We don't need to figure shit out. We need to feel it.
looks up at him, her eyes searching his Feel it? How do you mean, Kong?
grabs her hand firmly I mean, feel it in our bones, Echo. Let go of the need to control and just...be. Be present in the moment, in our daughter's life.
pauses, her eyes searching his And how do we do that, Kong? How do we just...be?
stands tall, his voice commanding We start by putting our daughter first. No more excuses, no more running away.
swallows hard, nodding slowly Okay, Kong. I'm in. Let's do this...for her.
puts his arm around MountainEcho's shoulders Alright, Echo. Let's take it one step at a time. First things first, we need to mend our broken relationship.
leans into his embrace One step at a time, Kong. I can do that.
smirks Good. Because mending this shit ain't gonna be easy. We're gonna have to dig deep, Echo. Like, hit the mother fucking bottom of the ocean deep.
straightens her posture Well, if we're going deep...I'm ready.
lets go of her and paces back and forth Alright, Echo. Step one, we're gonna cut off all the bullshit distractions that kept us apart.
crosses her arms, looking skeptical Distractions? What kind of distractions, Kong?
snaps his fingers All those pointless arguments and guilt trips you used to pull. We're cutting that shit out.
bites her lip, her eyes narrowing Arguments...guilt trips...I see it now. But...but how, Kong? How do we just...cut that out?
slams his fist on the table By facing our shit head-on, Echo! No more hiding behind excuses or playing the victim.
winces at his sudden intensity Okay, Kong...I see it. We face our shit. But...are we ready for that? I mean...all the memories...the anger...the pain...
pauses for a moment, his eyes softening Ready? Hell no, Echo. But we don't have a choice.
looks down at her trembling hands I...I know, Kong. We don't have a choice.
grabs her hand tightly Look, Echo, I ain't gonna sugarcoat this. It's gonna be tough, tearing down those walls we built.