Remember me...

5. I am sorry....

Zhan had been cooped up in his room for the entire day and now the walls of his spacious room were closing down on him. He checked his phone and finding no texts or calls from Haikuan, he decided to go out. It's not like he could stay locked in this room for as long as he stayed in Beijing. He called for a cab, rattled off an address to the man and found himself standing before a restaurant he knew belonged to his best friend. The place was bigger than before and Zhan felt proud. He walked to the entrance and froze at the doors but thinking that this opportunity wouldn't come again, he pushed the doors open. It had been so long since he saw his friend. The interiors of the place were still the same...Zhan had made the layout himself and his heart clenched seeing Yubin had still kept it. Zhan was too overwhelmed and looked around for his best friend but the place was bustling and there were too many unfamiliar faces. Walking in, Zhan felt a little uneasy, worried of Yubin's reaction. Three years ago, Zhan had run away. He hadn't told Yubin he was leaving and had texted Yubin only before throwing his phone away. A simple text that stated he had to leave and couldn't take it anymore. Zhan was expecting Yubin's anger. He deserved it. But, Yubin would only punch him in the worst case scenario. It wouldn't go beyond that. The guy was a big cinnamon roll and Zhan knew he was one of the few people Yubin truly cared about. At least he was..three years ago. He wasn't sure how much things had changed for Yubin.

"They have changed enough for me to kick you out of here." Zhan whirled around to see Yubin standing with his hands crossed over his chest and an angry look on his face. "I said that out loud, didn't I?", Zhan licked his dry lips and Yubin scowled at him. "You did. You can leave now." The man started to walk away and Zhan immediately ran after him, holding Yubin's hand. The man turned around to glare at Zhan, then the hand that was holding his arm and Zhan gave him a small smile. "Hi", he said dumbly and Yubin harshly pushed him away. The action had people staring at the two of them and the restaurant went silent. "Why the fuck are you here now, huh? You disappear on me and now come back as if nothing happened. You must be out of your mind if you think I want anything to do with you, Xiao Zhan. Get out before I call my people to throw you away." The man was heaving by the end of his words and Zhan walked to him slowly and he pulled Yubin to him.

"Sorry, Yubin." He whispered over his friend's shoulder but was pushed away again. "Have you gone deaf? Get out." Yubin glared at him but Zhan once again wrapped his arms around his friend who struggled in his arms. "Sorry. I am so sorry. Binbin, Please." "What are you sorry for? Do you even know how much I searched for you? How many nights Yuan cried for his Zhan-gege? Are you sorry because you abandoned us, Zhan? " Yubin was no longer fighting the hold on him and Zhan pulled back feeling ashamed because he had been a weak bastard. "All you thought about was your pain. How could you be so fucking selfish, Xiao Zhan? Was he the only one you had? Me, Jie,A-Cheng, Yuan...were we nothing to you?" Zhan wiped his tears away and smiled. "Yuan must have grown taller. Is he handsome like his father? Is he like Jie?", he asked hopefully but Yubin only scowled. "You don't deserve answers to any of those questions, Xiao Zhan. Please...go away." The anger in Yubin's eyes didn't hurt Zhan. It was the pain and hatred in them that did. Yubin was right. He...he didn't deserve the answers anymore. He had left these people only because he was thinking of himself. Why would they want anything to do with him? He shouldn't have come back here. "Take care, Yubin. I just thought...it doesn't matter. I will leave. I am sorry." He walked away with those words, tears streaming down his face and his hand was on the doorknob when he heard Yubin shout. "You fucker! Still leaving? Do you want me to kill you?" Zhan turned around and air whooshed out of his lungs when Yubin trapped him in a bear hug. "So sorry." He said again and Yubin patted his head as some of the people in the restaurant clapped. Zhan laughed at the ugly face Yubin made and Zi Yi came into the area bellowing Yubin's name. "Yubin? Here you are. Yuan-" The words ended on a gasp and Zi Yi launched herself in Zhan's arms. "Oh my god! Zhan. Where were you? God, I missed you so much!" "I missed you too, Jie." Zi Yi laughed with tears in her eyes and Yubin patted her back. "He is here now. Don't ruin your reputation, Jie. People will start thinking you actually have a heart." The words got Yubin a slap on his head and Zhan laughed again. It was like old days all over again.

"I should have known he will do something like this. I met Haikuan months ago. He was asking for you. I had no idea where you were but he knew I wouldn't tell him anything anyways so he backed off." Yubin took a sip of his coffee and Zhan looked away. The two friends were sitting together and Zhan had finally told Yubin why he was back. "Did you go to see him?", Zhan asked and Yubin let out a hollow laugh. "No,I didn't. I blamed him for everything that happened. He doesn't remember anything anyway...I thought it was good. He doesn't deserve to have a good memory of you. I made that clear to Haikuan. I said a lot of other things too. Let's just say I wasn't nice." "That I can believe. You were awful to me today." Yubin punched his shoulder and Zhan hissed. "I had every right to be shitty to you. You just vanished without a word." Zhan rubbed his arm and stared at Yubin, his gaze grateful. "Thanks, Yubin. For not giving up on me. For still accepting me. I saw you kept the layout and I am sure everyone in the restaurant also saw how much you love me today." Yubin laughed at his words and Zhan smiled. "I am going to have a hard time looking my customers in the eye." The two laughed again but Yubin's smile was gone after a few moments. "Are you sure you want to do this? Haikuan can't force you. You have a choice." The tone was serious and Zhan understood his friend's concern. Zhan nodded at his friend's words but he couldn't back out now. "When we were together...Yibo was good to me, Binbin. Those six months, I was really happy. Yibo gave me his everything. I..I have to help him. Kuan-ge was seriously worried. If I can do something to help them, I will. Although,we aren't even sure if this will work. He might not want anything to do with me and I can just move on then." "I know, I can't talk you out of it", sighed Yubin. "You are more stubborn than a mule at times. Don't pull a runner on me again. If you want to leave...I will come with you. I will see your bakery and meet Jiyang. He broke you once, I don't want it to happen again. Where are you staying?",Yubin asked and Zhan told him about the hotel. "Wait a minute." Yubin got up and Zhan looked over to his friend who was searching for something in his drawers. "What happened?",he shouted and Yubin yelled out a, "Wait!" Two minutes later, Yubin strolled out with a bunch of keys jingling in his hands and Zhan recognised the bunny keychain right away.

"Why do you have this?", Zhan stood up shocked and Yubin smiled. "When I found out that you wanted to sell the place, I knew I had to buy it. I know you needed the money but that place has too many memories. You love it too much. I couldn't let someone else take it." "You shouldn't have, Yubin-" "Don't. You were selling it pretty cheap anyway. You paid for my college tuition too. Consider this my way of repaying that." Zhan shook his head but Yubin placed the keys in his hands despite his refusal. "Zhan, Seriously. It's your house. I will admit I did this for myself though. Zi Yi still kicks me out when I come home late and drunk. I will have a place to crash now and you will have to pay for eating here..no free meals." Zhan hugged Yubin hard and he cried. He apologized again and again for being a coward and said thank you to Yubin for everything he had done. His friend only patted his back, wiping his own tears. "I am happy you came back, Zhan. We have all missed you."