||Replacement|| - Qixin

9

"i-i'm sorry, what?" Chengxin couldn't believe what he had just heard, he thought he had heard him wrong.

"I think I like you" this time Jiaqi said it loud and clear, Jiaqi could visibly see how Chengxin froze, afraid of what Chengxin would say Jiaqi quickly added on " i-it's okay if you say no, I get it"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm ready yet" Chengxin gave his answer.

Jiaqi didn't know how to feel, he had just gotten rejected, but he couldn't force Chengxin into liking him, he had to accept it, even if he couldn't.

"That's okay, I'll wait for you," Jiaqi said, giving him a small smile, it was different from his smile on the hotpot date, different from the smile backstage, his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I hope that we can still be friends," Chengxin said, returning the smile.

"of course, friends"

"It's getting late, do you want me to drive you home?" Chengxin asked, he was the one to pick up Jiaqi so it'll only make sense if he drove him back to his house safely.

"I'm good, I can get an Uber, you can go" Jiaqi shook his hands signaling that he didn't need it.

Chengxin just nodded, taking the hint that Jiaqi didn't want to stay with Chengxin any longer, at least not today.

"Do you want me to wait until your uber comes?" This was the least chengxin could do after this.

"No it's okay, I'll just wait by myself, you can leave now" Jiaqi rejected Chengxins offer, he didn't want to take up much of Chengxin's time.

"Are you sure?" Chengxin asked again, just to make sure.

"I'm sure, you can leave now" Chengxin nodded again, not wanting to make it awkward between them, like they said, they were still gonna be friends. they can't just ruin it because one of them admitted their feelings for the other.

"goodbye then"

Chengxin walked to his car, he had a lot on his mind, he felt like what had just happened was all a dream.

Chengxin told himself to stop thinking about what had just happened and continue to drive, but he just couldn't, he didn't know why he felt so guilty? blue? He didn't know how to describe it.

Chengxin let out a deep sigh as he arrived home, he grabbed his phone from the holder and walked towards the door, he pressed in the password, hearing the door make a beeping sound he walked in.

Yaxuan looked away from his phone, looking at chengxin.

"How was it?" Yaxuan said, asking about his date, he watched how chengxin put his phone on the counter, walked towards the cabinet, and found some food for him to eat, he took the first ramen packet he saw and grabbed a pot, boiling some water.

"my legs are about to fail me any second right now" Chengxin pulled out a chair and sat it in, waiting for his water to boil.

"The date was.." Chengxin stopped for a second, thinking of words to describe how the date went, but he only blurted out an "okay".

"Just okay?" Yaxuan questioned, he thought that the date would go nicely.

"Jiaqi h-he confessed" Chengxin blurted out.

"oh" Yaxuans smile dropped, "congratulations" Yaxuan stood up, walking towards the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Before Chengxin could say anything else, the door slammed shut, leaving a confused Chengxin alone at home.

yaxuan walked to the same park, settling at the exact place they did while watching the shooting stars, the grass gently pricking his fingertips as he set his hands down on the ground, the tears he tried to hold in finally rolled down his cheeks, the teardrops landing on the grass, he let out a long sigh thinking about the memories with chengxin, why was all he could think about, why after all these years chengxin still doesn't like him? He's tried giving him clues about his feelings, but all he got in return were jokes and rejection.

How come Jiaqi could only know him for a month, but get all his attention? how come he could get Chengxin to like him in such a short period of time? He found it unfair, maybe he and Chengxin are just not destined to be together.

"hey," a familiar voice said, interrupting his thoughts. Yaxuan looked up to see the same guy backstage.

"y-yaowen?" Yaxuan quickly wiped his tears not wanting Yaowen to see him like this.

"Are you okay?" yaowen asked, Yaxuan might have wiped the tears away but Yaxuans red eyes gave him away.

"I'm fine" yaxuan answered, Yaowen sat down, looking at Yaxuan.

"you know, you don't always have to hold them in, you'll feel better letting them out," yaowen said, "cry all you want until you can't"

hearing Yaowen say that Yaxuans tears fell, he didn't hold them in anymore, not caring if yaowen was looking at him.

Yaowen leaned closer to him, their shoulders touching, Yaxuan tensed at the touch but slowly felt more comfortable as Yaowen left small pats on his back.

"t-thank you" Yaxuan sniffed, Yaowen smiled, "it's no problem"

"Do you wanna know what makes me feel better?"

"hm? What is it?" Yaxuan hummed, wiping the tears left on his cheek.

"Eating ice cream, and sweets cheer people up," Yaowen said "Do you wanna go?"

Yaxuan nodded, "sure, let's go" Yaxuan stood up, but he couldn't balance, he was going to fall face forward, he felt hands behind his back saving him from falling.

"you're so clumsy, let's go" Yaowen laughed, holding Yaxuan still making sure he didn't slip out of his arms.

"lets g-go" Yaxuan quickly walked out of yaowens embrace walking faster than yaowen hoping he didn't see his red-tinted face.

Yaxuan walked over to the counter, the worker saw him and said "the same flavors? mango and cookies n cream?"

mango was the flavor Chengxin always got, they would always come to this ice cream place to eat.

"ah no," Yaxuan shook his head "which flavor do you want?"

"I'll take chocolate, thanks," Yaowen said, ignoring how the worker said mango.

Yaxuan stretched out his hand to pay for the ice cream but someone gave their card to the worker first. Yaxuan looked at Yaowen, he just smiled "my treat"

"thank you a lot for today, I appreciate it"

"you're welcome, I'm glad you're feeling better now"

"a lot better" Yaxuan checked the time, it was already 8, he got carried away talking to Yaowen that he forgot about time.

"it's getting late, I should go now, I had fun talking to you! I hope we can meet another time" Yaxuan said, getting up.

"it is, do you want me to walk you home?"

"oh no it's okay, I can go home myself, my apartment is just around the corner"

"be safe then, bye!" Yaowen stood up, saying goodbye to yaxuan and going in the opposite directions from him.

"bye!" Yaxuan screamed one last time, yaowen turned around and waved at him.

it's been a while since someone's taken care of him since he felt like that was his job to do. Does he feel happy? he couldn't quite describe the feeling, it felt different.