Yibo made his way capturing many eyes as he took each step. Those stares were not meant for him but for the black bunny that he was carrying on his arm. He continued his pace when he was suddenly stopped by authorized personnel of the hospital, "excuse me, sir, pets are not allowed within the hospital," hearing this made Yibo stop in his tracks and he faced the personnel speaking.
"Ah, I'm bringing this to a patient here," he said and the person still had his hard look with it saying that it's still not allowed inside and so Yibo had no choice but to drag Xiao Zhan's name in his excuse, "it's for my friend, he really has a frail body and wanted someone or something to be with him," Yibo reasoned out.
"If he's looking for a thing then why bring out a bunny?" Yibo wanted to slap himself for leaving out an oblivious detail. "He specifically asked for a bunny since he found it cute," he lied, smoothly that the hospital staff believed him. "Hm, alright but tell your friend to guard it so that it won't bother other patients," the staff said before walking away, leaving Yibo by himself.
Yibo felt a sigh of relief when he slipped out of that problem. He smiled and stared at the bunny who was also staring at him, "you brought me to trouble you little thing," he said before walking his way to Xiao Zhan's ward while thinking what to say to the other.
---
"Thank you Xichen-ge for understanding," Xiao Zhan thanked the older and was about to stand up to give him a proper bow but Xichen held his shoulders and gave him the signal that he doesn't need to do it. "But this is a big favour that I'm asking you," Xiao Zhan said interjected but Xichen only gave him a dismissing smile.
"As I said, there's no need for you to bow. Look at your state, your state tells me that you're having a hard time doing some things," Xichen said while looking at Xiao Zhan's state that brought tears into his eyes. "But-" Xiao Zhan kept his gaze at Xichen whose eyes are now filled with tears. I mean what kind of person will not be brought to tears after hearing Xiao Zhan's story and what his future plans are?
"Thanks, Xichen-ge for understanding my situation," Xiao Zhan smiled at Xichen. He was really thankful that Xichen came because if he hadn't come then all of these bottled feelings inside of him would be brought to his grave when he dies. "No worries Zhan..." Xichen patted Zhan's shoulder and ensured him, "...I'll not tell Yibo about it," he finished and it gave Xiao Zhan the assurance that he needed.
"But...are you sure that you'll not change your mind? I mean...it would be good if Yibo knows this-" Xichen was cut off by Xiao Zhan who now averted his gaze from the older, "you know how stubborn Yibo is, Xichen-ge...if he knows all of this then he would rather destroy himself than forgive me...what I did for him was unforgivable. If you were at Yibo's side all the time then you should know how I broke Yibo," Zhan sighed sadly.
"I'm sure he would understand and forgive you if you tell him the truth-" Xichen was cut off by the sudden slam of the door. Both looked in that direction and saw Yibo huffing, catching his breath as if he was chased by something. "Yibo, are you?-" Xichen was cut off once again when they heard shouts from outside.
"What's chasing you?" Xichen looked at Yibo, worried at his best friend's situation. "Kids," he replied shortly while continuously looking at his arms, check-in something. "Why are they chasing you?" asked Zhan with his frail voice and made Yibo look at him with both guilt and concern.
"Because he's handsome," Xichen joked, trying to lift up the mood that was slowly sinking. Seeing that no one laughed at his joke because the two were intensely staring at each other as if they were making up the years where they hadn't seen each other. Noticing this, Xichen picked up the signal and left the room since he was "not" needed there.
The two didn't even notice when Xichen left the room as they were still busy staring at each other's eyes. Their intense staring contest was broke off when the animal that Yibo kept for so long in his arms started to squirm and make its way out of his grasps. "Aish," Yibo complained and accidentally released the bunny making it hop freely. Thankfully, Xichen closed the door when he went outside making the bunny unable to escape the room because if it were left open then Yibo would have to stay overnight looking for the bunny and catch it.
"Oh my!" Zhan exclaimed in happiness when he saw the black bunny jump its way out from Yibo's grasps and excitedly hopped its way around the room before making its way to Zhan as if returning to his owner. "Oof," Zhan made a sound when the bunny hopped to him and snuggled itself into Zhan's arms.
"What did you do to him Yibo? Did you instruct him or something?" Zhan expressed out a laugh and kept caressing the bunny's fur. Because of Zhan's seriousness pinned on the bunny situated on his laps, he didn't even notice how Yibo stared at him. "I didn't do anything," he said and pulled a chair for him to sit beside Zhan's bed. "Then how do you explain this? Why is he comfortable with me?" Zhan asked while still looking at the bunny, purposely avoiding looking into Yibo's eyes because if he did it then it would be hard for him to get out since he'll surely get lost in those dark orbs.
"Because you're beautiful," Yibo meant for it to come out as a whisper but because of the room's quietness, it made Zhan hear it. "W-What I m-mean is..." Yibo tried getting himself out of this situation but it seems it'll be impossible since the other man heard it clearly so he just kept his mouth shut so that he'll avoid saying anymore things.
"U-Uh..." Zhan on the other hand wanted to initiate a conversation with Yibo but what he said earlier made him blush furiously and unable to think of a suitable topic that will make their talk long.
"Am I forgiven?" Yibo blurted out suddenly which caught Zhan off-guard. Yibo wanted to keep his mouth shut but the silence surrounding them only made their atmosphere awkward and he didn't want that. "W-What do you mean?" Zhan was baffled by Yibo's question.
"I mean, I did say some harsh words earlier and...it made me guilty...so I asked you if I'm forgiven," Yibo stated, his voice getting lower every pause. Hearing this made Zhan chuckle slightly. Ever since they were elementary kids, Yibo was known to be the loud, outgoing and straightforward kid who tells everyone what he thinks about a certain thought or thing while Zhan was known to be the quiet, timid and shy one. But only Xiao Zhan can tame the wild Yibo while it's also Yibo who can bring Zhan out from his shell and that is what brought them together.
"Of course, you did nothing wrong," Xiao Zhan pointed out but Yibo insisted that he did something wrong, "no, I said some harsh words to you...and...I'm afraid that it would worsen your situation," Yibo said while his head hung low.
Xiao Zhan could only shake his head while staring at the other. If what he did was harsh then what Zhan did to Yibo when they were in high school was more than that. "It was nothing compared to what you felt before," Zhan whispered and made Yibo look up, facing Xiao Zhan who also showed guilt on his tiny face.
When Xiao Zhan mentioned that, tons of memories came back to Yibo's mind, both happy and sad ones. Even if he did have those memories then he is ready to set those aside since he now knew that Xiao Zhan was also guilty of it. In those years, he thought that he was the only one regretting those but it turns out that he was wrong.
Just then, Wang Yibo came to a conclusion.
"What if we start anew?" he proposed which took the other in surprise. "What?" Zhan asked while staring at Yibo. "We are both feeling guilty at what we did then we should start again," Yibo proposed again but Xiao Zhan was hesitant to take on Yibo's offer. What he did to the other was on a different level from what Yibo did to him earlier. "But-"
"It's alright if you don't want to," Yibo said and then stood up with his head hung low. "That's not it!" Xiao Zhan exclaimed and Yibo then turned around to see Zhan crying, tears were streaming out from his eyes. Seeing this made Yibo alarmed and hurriedly went to Xiao Zhan and wiped off his tears.
"Why are you crying?" he asked softly and Xiao Zhan could only reply with sobs. "Shhh," Yibo consoled Zhan.
"If you're willing to give me a new chance then I'll gladly take it," Zhan said while facing Yibo with tears still streaming out from his face, but it was entirely different from earlier because Xiao Zhan was now smiling.
---
Edited
02/01/22
Enjoy!!!
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The Day He Said Goodnight (YiZhan) ✔
Short StoryLiving a dull and miserable life. That's how Wang Yibo lived his life for the past few years, after his first love rejected him. What would happen if his first love contacted him again? Are his feelings still the same? Or is it the opposite? Will Yi...
