What's the Point of Living, when the best is Sleeping? [BL]

15

Ye Ming was dragged along, catching unwanted attention from students and passersby, all thanks to the three young men accompanying him. Unfortunately, he was involved—though it wasn't by choice. Despite his efforts to escape, he couldn't slip away. It was as if they anticipated his every move. They even strapped a cable tie with a GPS tracker around his left wrist, securing it like some kind of bracelet.

Now, he found himself contemplating everything, once again. His eyes wandered, scanning the area for Bai Yuer—this was her place, not his. Meanwhile, Jing Jian's arm remained slung over his shoulder, casually greeting and chatting with every student they passed, as though the school was still his old stomping ground.

Ye Ming longed for sleep, utterly drained and desperate to collapse on the ground. But of course, he couldn't—being the center of attention because of his exhaustion wasn't an option. There was always that nagging feeling that made it impossible to give in, no matter how much he wanted to.

This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out.

He should be the one playing the chessboard, even if it meant being one of the pawns. He wasn't naive enough to let them manipulate him. He wasn't foolish enough to experience the same trials as the protagonist of the original story.

Everyone here was living their own lives, breathing, talking, moving with purpose. So what was the point? Why should he care?

If they wanted to play games, fine. He would give them a game they'd never forget—one much crueler than happiness.

Ye Ming accepted a cold stick of tunghulu from Li Wei, who was juggling a purse and a collection of items he'd bought at the various booths and stalls. Guang Kai, on the other hand, wrinkled his nose and kept a cautious distance from the slumped boy, his expression one of mild disgust.

Ye Ming, lost in thought and formulating plans, forced a reluctant smile as he took the tunghulu. Flattening his lips in anticipation of the first bite, he was quickly beaten to it by Jing Jian.With a loud crunch, Jing Jian grinned. "How good! It tastes delicious. Li Wei, why don't you just buy the whole stall?" His words were followed by a hearty laugh.

Ye Ming grimaced, staring at the now half-eaten stick with only two sugar-coated strawberries left intact. His mild mysophobia—usually tolerable with family—was decidedly not okay with the smirking fox beside him.

"What?" Jing Jian tilted his head, his smirk infuriatingly persistent. Ye Ming felt the urge to tear that plastic, two-faced expression off his skin. But he knew better than to act on his emotions. Emotions had a way of complicating things—and leading to mistakes.

"This place stinks," Guang Kai muttered, still covering his nose and mouth. His expensive, rimless glasses reflected the surroundings as he glanced over at Ye Ming's cool blue eyes. "But you don't."

Ye Ming wanted to say, "Do I care?" But he held back. One wrong move or word could trigger their obsession—especially Li Wei's twisted mindset. If anyone dared oppose or disobey him, it sparked a dangerous interest. The kind of interest that was now fixated on Ye Ming, not some girl. And that was bad news.

Ye Ming swallowed the irritation bubbling up inside him. He felt trapped—by their attention, their games, and their obsession with him. Every move he made felt scrutinized, like they were waiting for him to slip up, to react, to show them something they could use. And they were relentless.

Li Wei suddenly appeared beside him, studying Ye Ming's expression with a sly smile. "You're awfully quiet today, Ye Ming. Not planning something, are you?" There was a teasing edge to his voice, but the underlying challenge was clear.

Ye Ming kept his face neutral, refusing to give Li Wei the satisfaction of a response. His mind raced, though. He was always calculating his next move, but in a game as dangerous as this, one misstep could cost him more than just his freedom.

Suddenly, Jing Jian's arm tightened around his shoulders, as if sensing Ye Ming's internal struggle. "Come on, relax. We're friends, right? Don't make things difficult." The words, seemingly casual, felt more like a thinly veiled warning.

Ye Ming smiled tightly, nodding. "Right. Friends." The word tasted bitter in his mouth, but he had to play along. He was the pawn for now, but pawns had power too. And when the time came, he intended to use that power against them.

"Let's stop by the 2-D next," Li Wei suggested, pointing towards a bustling area down the street. "I hear they've got new games."

The idea of spending even more time in their company made Ye Ming's skin crawl, but he couldn't refuse. Not yet. He needed to stay close, observe, and figure out their weaknesses. He had already noticed how Li Wei enjoyed being in control, how Guang Kai's perfectionism was both his strength and his flaw, and how Jing Jian hid behind his charming mask, always playing both sides.

As they moved toward the arcade, Ye Ming's eyes caught something—or rather, someone. In the crowd, a familiar figure slipped through the masses. Bai Yuer. She was watching him, her face unreadable, but there was something in her gaze.

She knows, he thought. She knows I shouldn't be here.

But what did that mean for him? Was she going to help, or was she a part of this twisted game?

Ye Ming's pulse quickened as they neared the entrance to the  building of the second year. His thoughts spiraled—if Bai Yuer knew what was happening, she might be the key to getting out of this mess. But trusting anyone in this scenario seemed dangerous, even her.

Inside the 2-D's classroom, a classroom with games similar to arcade, the flashing lights and chaotic sounds heightened his tension. Li Wei and Jing Jian were already selecting a game, their laughter and banter echoing through the space. Guang Kai, of course, hung back, observing the scene with a detached air, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his leg as if calculating his next move.

Ye Ming stood frozen for a moment, his thoughts spinning wildly. He couldn't let himself be lulled into a false sense of security by their fake smiles and playful taunts. These guys weren't just students fooling around—they were something darker.

"Ye Ming!" Li Wei called, holding up a controller. "Come on, don't be boring. Show us what you've got."

Ye Ming took a deep breath, his mind still replaying the glimpse of Bai Yuer in the crowd. He grabbed the controller, his expression unreadable. If he was going to survive this, he needed to stay two steps ahead. They thought they had him cornered, but they underestimated him.

As the game began, Ye Ming allowed a small, cold smile to play at the corner of his lips. Let them think they were winning. Let them think they had control.Soon enough, the real game would begin. And this time, Ye Ming would make sure the stakes were higher than any of them could handle.