Rain Clouds (WE BEST LOVE FF)

Shikko (失考) - Misapprehension

Shu Yi brushed off the ominosity he felt after Shi De left his apartment.

He unlocked his phone to place a call to his dad, for the third time but the call did not go through. He must be on the flight. He was worried as he did not remember telling his address here to his father.

He's used to having his father barging in his apartment once in a while whenever the old man can find the time to, but that was in Taiwan. He can't remember the last time his father return to this land of their ancestors, not since before his mother passed away. Aside from business, this was the reason they moved to Taiwan in the first place. Everywhere in Japan reminded dad of his late wife, Shu Yi understood that without anyone telling. On the other hand, Taiwan was the country of his mother that he can barely made out a face from. No one can blame him though, he was too small when his mother left. He did remember vaguely his mother's warm hand patting his head and feeding him homemade foods. His father decided to move to Taiwan out of his mother's request during her ailing days. During the last few months of her life, Shu Yi rarely got to meet her, "Mom's resting" his father would say everytime he requested to see her.

Shu Yi later understood that his father would not want him to see the frail condition his mother was in. He remembered peeking through his father's room only to see him cry after a whole day of tending to his mother. His father was dejected, even a 10 year old would see that. His mom was the definition of home to his father and she was never replaced.

His train of thoughts was cut short by the knocking and bell ringing on his door.

He pulled the door opened and was met with a frowning face, trimmed beards laced with whites. The frown on his father's face accentuated the deep crow's feet around his eyes. Shu Yi smiled. He was worried for nothing, of course his father would know his address here without him telling. His father knew everything about him, he's now 27 but nothing has changed.

"Ottosan~ you missed me that much huh?" Shu Yi hugged the gaunty looking man in suit he called dad.

Mr. Zhou let out a soft grunts while patting Shu Yi's back.

Shu Yi's brows turned downwards to see his dad's unenthusiastic response. Today's a strange day, he thought.

He grabbed his father's case away and brought it inside his apartment, prompting his dad to follow along.

He was about to offer his father a drink when he heard his father asking,

"Are you back with him?" He can see his father's vein pulsing in the temple.

"Are you back with Gao Shi De?" His father repeated.

Shu Yi scrunched up his face.

"How do you know him?" Shu Yi asked anyway, knowing damn well how his father knew.

"Answer me Shu Yi" His father's low-pitched voice lurched his heart.

"No. No, I'm not but with whomever I 'm seeing is my business dad. Please keep out of it" Shu Yi tried hard to keep his calm. He did not want to anger his dad, out of respect and love. He knew his dad had sacrificed a lot of things to ensure that he grow up not having to want for anything.

"How is it your business when you're my son?! I'm warning you Shu Yi, keep away from him"

Shu Yi could feel his blood boiling. He started to think of the possibility that Shi De might have left him back then out of his father's order "What did Shi De ever do for me to do that dad? Huh?"

"He is..." Shu Yi's father swallowed his words but then continued "He left you! You almost died when he left you. Have you forgotten all the pain he has caused you? Stop right here, now, while it's still not too late. He left you once, he'd do it again."

His father pained expression left a pang in his heart. But he did not intend to back down.

"What did you do to Shi De?" Shu Yi's eyes now red, brimming with tears. He felt like he might throw up.

"What did you do dad?!"

"Was it because he's a man? Is that why dad?!"

"Are you ashamed of me for liking a man? Was looking at us that disgusting to you?"

"My words are final Shu Yi." His irritation flared seeing his unbelievably composed dad.

"Mom would be bawling his eyes out in the grave dad, seeing you like this" Shu Yi went cold with fury.

His father's hand hung mid-air. Shu Yi's round eyes looked into his father's, as if provoking him to go through with the slap.

"You think too lowly of me son" His father took a step back, turning his back to Shu Yi as he walked to the door.

"Leave him, or else I will strip him off everything he has in this world, He'd lose his work, his family, his fortune and when he does, he'd wish he lose you too" cold words leaving his father's mouth before his father's back disappear behind the door. Shu Yi cannot see the expression his father was wearing but he could care less.

He slumped his back onto his couch. His eyes widened at his father's threat. He can't believe his ears. Was this what happened three years ago?

He was too lost in thoughts to notice the knocks on his door.

Shi De entered his apartment using the password he happened to see Shu Yi keyed in last night.

"What happened? Where is your father? Was he here?" Shi De received no answer. Shu Yi kept his blank stare on the floor, his lower lids still red from his confrontation just now.

"Hey baby.. are you okay? Talk to me please." Shi De kneeled in front of Shu Yi, taking his love's hand in his.

Shu Yi looked into Shi De's eyes, thinking, did he suffer too? Was it all not a lie? Shi De did actually love him?

"Was dad the reason?"

Shi De's mouth moved, trying to say something but failed.

Out of patience, Shu Yi pushed Shi De off, the poor man stumbling as his back hit the edge of the coffee table behind him. Shu Yi stood up. "What the hell Shi De?! Are you that scared of losing your bright future that you don't even thought of telling me? We could have talked, figured out a way together. I could've persuaded my dad for you!"

Shi De grabbed onto Shu Yi's hand "No Shu Yi, listen to me please. That's not it. Back then I was..." No, Shi De thought.

"It doesn't matter now. I don't care anymore. I'd rather lose everything than to lose you"

Of course it matters, Shu Yi thought to himself. How could it not matter when it's Shi De's life on the line? It's enough now that he knew Shi De did not lie to him, that Shi De indeed, loved him.

He closed his eyes, took a long deep breath and turned his body towards Shi de who was still kneeling on the floor. The sight of this man crying did more than break his heart. He lowered his body into a kneel and held up his hand to wipe Shi De' tears. Four sorrowful eyes met. Shi De pulled Shu Yi's face close, letting their forehead touch.

"I love you." "I love you and that's all that matters". Shi De's voice sounded saccharine in his ears.

They can feel each other's heart quicken.

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A/N: What do you think? Would Shu Yi dad be that shallow?