Next to you

Chapter 15

Yetao was starting to hate Oscar's cousins. They were so annoying and nosy. They talked in one voice like they were one single person most of the time and made remarks about him and Oscar, about their physical appearance, about their relationship. The twins had fun meddling in their conversations and making snide comments. Sometimes Yetao had to stop Oscar from punching them in the face. Luckily Yetao and Oscar spent most of the time walking around the town or visiting new places.

It was the first time Yetao had actual fun during holidays. Before he was always by himself locked in his room, but now he was happily enjoying his time with his best friend. Best friend... Yetao didn't know how to address Oscar, since this word was almost alien if referred to him.

Lately Yetao had been quite confused about his relationship with Oscar. Without any doubts, he was his best friend, but he was sure that there was something else going on. Yetao didn't dare thinking about it, but certainly he wasn't stupid. And he wasn't blind either. He had noticed how Oscar looked at him, how he treated him, how he smiled at him, how he touched him.

Yetao was scared to accept his inner feelings. He had just learned to open up to others after all. What if he was wrong? What if he had misunderstood Oscar's actions? What if he had misunderstood his own feelings? He didn't want to hurt Oscar or destroy his friendship with him.

But then he had thought about their almost kiss, because yes, Oscar was definitely trying to kiss him and yes, Yetao was definitely okay with that. This single thought was enough to make him realize that he wanted more from and with Oscar. If only his fears weren't there to make him waver...

One evening Yetao and Oscar decided to make cookies together. Yetao had never got close to a kitchen in his entire life. When he was at home, he always ate meals cooked by his mother, which he always had alone because his parents did their best to avoid him even for their meals, or takeout. When he was with Zhennan instead, it was Professor the one who took care of the food. That's why Oscar was having a lot of fun watching Yetao trying to separate the eggs.

"Stop laughing! I'm trying my best here." Yetao said in frustration.

"I know you are, but I would prefer not having to eat shells in the cookies." Oscar answered, unable to stop himself from laughing.

"I'm 100% positive you asked me to take care of the eggs because you knew it was hard and you just wanted to make fun of me."

"Not at all! I want you to learn how to cook. Separating eggs is a basic skill."

"Of course." Yetao managed to not crush the egg shell and not break the yolk for the first time and almost jumped for excitement. "Finally!" He exclaimed.

"See? I knew you could do it." Oscar said with a smile.

"Yeah, after destroying like ten eggs."

"Don't worry. We can make omelette with them if we remove the shells."

Their cooking lesson was interrupted by the twins who decided to get in the kitchen to annoy them. "What a nice picture, don't you think so, brother?" Twin A said.

"Really nice, brother. They look like an old married couple." Twin B answered.

"And of course here they are. Don't you have anything else to do?" Oscar said, irritated.

"Who do you think is the wife, brother?" Twin A asked, ignoring Oscar.

Yetao didn't like how the conversation was going. "I don't know, brother. Maybe both of them?" Twin B answered.

"Okay, that's it." Yetao could see the exact moment in which Oscar's veins popped up on his neck. He didn't even have time to react before Oscar jumped over the counter of the kitchen and landed in front of the twins, grabbing them by their shirts. "Listen, I don't care if you are my cousins, but if I hear you making another comment on Yetao and me, I'm gonna literally inflate you like a balloon and make you fly up to Antarctica, understood? I'm not kidding, so behave." He said threateningly.