Be my Playboy! [ZhanYi FF]

Chapter 22 - Misunderstanding

That afternoon, Yibo drove home alone from the dance academy. A freedom that Yibo reclaimed after he could hardly leave the house alone lately. While he could understand Zhan's concern for him, Yibo still didn't like having two of Zhan's men around all the time watching over him. Always taking him to the dance academy and picking him up when Zhan didn't.

He was embarrassed when the others from his class witnessed them dropping him off right outside the door and waiting until he was at the academy and then picking him up again in the afternoon at the same place. There was a lot of talk about him because of that, especially because of that Kate girl who Yibo dislikes so much. And to avoid further talk about him, he asked Zhan to stop guarding him around the clock.

For the conversation with Zhan, Yibo had prepared some good arguments that should be convincing. For example, that he is not used to being so limited. That he has always been good at taking care of himself. That he doesn't like being controlled around the clock. And Zhan was very understanding and assured him that if he was so uncomfortable, from now on Yibo would not be accompanied everywhere and could go to the dance academy and come back alone. Yibo was thrilled and very happy about this.

But this new freedom also had a negative side, which Yibo did not like at all. Whereas Zhan had previously left his office on time every afternoon to pick up Yibo, he no longer did so. Instead, Zhan continued to work and came home late in the evening. That didn't leave much time for Yibo.

Or if Zhan came home earlier, it was only to shower and change and then go to a business dinner with business partners, where Yibo accompanied him, but then only as an escort and not as his boyfriend.

It seemed to Yibo that he had disappointed Zhan and that Zhan was now withdrawing more and more from him. Zhan had also postponed their weekend together at Zhan's sister's place in Taiwan and was working as a boss in the secret Hitman Organization instead. Zhan was so busy that they didn't even get to try out the new playroom. It had been finished for a long time.

When Yibo came home that afternoon and Zhan wasn't there again, he went into the living room disappointed and sat down on the sofa. He looked outside at the garden and struggled not to cry. He missed Zhan badly and wished things were the same between them as they were before they talked.

Yibo didn't stay alone for long, though, because Lana came to him in the living room and sat down next to him. She took Yibo's hand and asked, "Why don't you just talk to Zhan?"

"I um, I don't know how. I'm afraid he might misunderstand. Like the other day when I asked him to give me back my freedom." Replied Yibo.

"Is that how you said it to him?"

"Mn. I said, "Zhan, please give me back my freedom." And since then, he hardly spends any time with me."

"Oh dear, young master. You probably expressed yourself a little badly there, and then he misunderstood you. I'm sure he thought it referred to your relationship as well."

"Why?"

"Because you said he should give you back your freedom."

"Yes, but only in relation to his men. I didn't want to be monitored around the clock anymore, or be taken to and from the academy by them."

"I'm sure Zhan was referring to himself, too. When you grow up like Zhan, it's probably even normal. He was raised and trained by his father as one of his men. I should know, I've always been by Zhan's side. He never really learned what it meant to have a relationship with someone without the men being a part of it."

"He told me a little about his past."

"But not much, right?"

"No."