A Journey Of Two Lovers

Chapter 2: The Return To Ulundi

Days passed since Kungawo left Ulundi, a beautiful town in KwaZulu-Natal, to persue her dreams and life in the place of EC Mount Aylif . Her heart had been heavy as she drove away from Yenzo, the love of her life. Their breakup had been painful, and she spent many nights thinking about what could have been. But now, her mother was driving them back to Ulundi. Kungawo felt excitement mixed with anxiety.

As they entered the town, Kungawo looked out the window of the Isuzu Xrider bakkie, taking in the familiar sights. The bustling markets, children playing soccer in the dusty streets, and the green rolling hills brought floods of memories rushing back. But it wasn’t the scenery that caught her attention the most. She felt her heartbeat quicken as they passed the BP garage. The memories of happy times spent here with Yenzo played in her mind like an old song.

Mom, can we stop at the garage? I just want to grab a cool drink, Kungawo suggested, trying to distract herself from her swirling emotions.

“Of course, dear. I could use a drink too,” her mother replied, turning the steering wheel.

As they parked, Kungawo's heart raced. Inside the garage, she bought a bottle of soda but found it hard to concentrate. All she could think about was Yenzo and how they had suddenly become strangers. An image of him laughing, holding her hand, flashed in her mind, making her feel warm and sad at the same time. She could still hear him saying he missed her.

The drive to her childhood home felt endless. When they finally arrived, the air was filled with the familiar scent of wildflowers and the sounds of birds singing. Kungawo saw her home standing proudly, just as she left it. But as she stepped out of the bakkie, her heart sank. Her home and Yenzo’s were neighbors. She could see his house from her porch. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing he was so close yet so far.

Yenzo was at his window, watching her. He recognized the bakkie immediately. A wave of emotions washed over him. His heart skipped a beat; joy and longing filled his chest. He had been waiting for this moment, hoping to see Kungawo again. It had been a year of silence, a year filled with memories of laughter and love that now seemed like a dream.

Kungawo’s mother noticed her stillness. “Are you alright, Kungawo?” she asked, her voice soft.

“I’m fine, Mom. I just… I just need a moment,” Kungawo replied, feeling overwhelmed. She took a deep breath and walked toward her house, trying to gather her thoughts.

When they entered, the warmth of home wrapped around her, but there was something nagging at the back of her mind. Would Yenzo still feel the same? Had he moved on? A part of her deeply wished he hadn’t. She put her bags down and headed to her room, hoping to find comfort in the familiar space.

Meanwhile, Yenzo paced in his living room, his heart racing. Should he go and talk to her? Or should he give her space? He wished he had spoken to her before she arrived. Time had not healed his heart; instead, it had made him yearn for her even more. He looked out at her house, lost in thoughts when he saw her mother wave at him.

Trying to keep his composure, he walked over. “Is Kungawo here?” he asked, his voice steady but eager.

“Yes, she just arrived. I’m sure she’s getting settled in,” her mother replied kindly. “You should go and see her, son.”

With a nod, Yenzo took a deep breath and walked toward Kungawo's house. He knocked gently on the door. A moment later, Kungawo opened it. Her eyes widened in shock; seeing him standing there stirred feelings inside her.

“Yenzo,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Kungawo,” he replied softly, studying her face, searching for any sign of the love they once shared.

An awkward silence filled the air, heavy with emotions that were too deep to express. Finally, Kungawo stepped aside, opening the door wider. “You can come in if you want,” she said, trying to sound casual.

He entered, his heart racing. They sat across from each other in the living room, memories swirling around them. The silence was filled with unspoken words, love, and lingering pain.

“It's been a long time,” he finally said, breaking the tension.

“Yes, it has,” she replied, looking down. “I didn't know how to come back, or if I should.”

Yenzo’s eyes met hers. “I never stopped thinking about you. I thought maybe you would come back,” he confessed, his voice full of hope.

Kungawo felt her heart flutter. She wanted to tell him that a part of her always belonged to him, but fear held her back. “I… I have moved on,” she said, trying to protect her heart. But deep inside, she knew it was a lie.

Yenzo nodded, a sadness creeping into his eyes. “I get it. I just wanted you to know that I still care.”

The atmosphere around them was thick with unspoken feelings, both uncertain yet hopeful. They both knew they had to face their past, but in that moment, their feelings hung in the air like a whisper, waiting to be heard. Would they find their way back to each other, or had the time apart changed everything forever? The journey was far from over.

A day passed, Yenzo was so happy to see her lover back and thought maybe things will get back to normal because even Ngawo's cousin was assuring Yenzo that Ngawo will come around. "what should I do, talk to her cousin ziyanda or leave her," yenzo sitting in the porch deeply thinking about the silence he witnessed when he visited Ngawo.

He took his phone, opened w******p navigated to ziyanda started typing "sister in law" that was the way they used to address each other since Yenzo was dating Ngawo, it was a fun way of them to communicate, you would hear one saying "my sister in law, how are you doing, me I'm not fine your cousin is troubling me" ziyanda would learn that ngawo has started pulling her stunts once again. Yenzo typed it out to Ziyanda venting out about how much he loves Ngawo and they way he wishes for things to get back to normal.

Ziyanda like usual "brother in law, relax I'll talk to her, make her understand and value your presence if you want to see her, I can organize a meetup in the evening," this troubled Ziyanda seeing her cousin's relationship failing infront of her. Yenzo couldn't wait to reply" no... no ziyanda if your cousin doesn't see the need for us to meet let her be tears, filled his eyes.