Soulmates - Cai Bing

18. Stay

You rush out of your home and head down to your parking garage. You don't bother changing out of your current comfy clothes as you don't want to keep Cai Bing waiting any longer. You toss on the first bucket hat you find, in case anyone recognizes you in public.

You get in your car and immediately start driving to the dorms. You're so focused on getting to Cai Bing as quickly as possible that you drive there in silence.  

What feels like an eternity later, you finally reach the dorms and you see Cai Bing waiting for you by the entrance to the dorms. You stop your car as you pull up beside her and get out of your vehicle. 

This is one of the rare times where you forget that you're in public and that somebody could be watching anything and everything you do. 

You're not thinking about your image as you walk straight to Cai Bing and wrap your arms around her. 

Cai Bing's body reacts to yours, she wraps her arms around your waist and leans her head on your shoulder. You feel her walls start to crumble as she begins to breathe erratically. You don't hear any crying but you know that she is when you feel a wet spot on your shoulder sleeve grow. 

You hold her tightly yet gently in silence until she has calmed down. 

"Y/N...can you...stay...with me?" Cai Bing asked you quietly. 

"Of course, cmon let's get out of here. Forget about the hotel, just stay at my place for now" you reply. You grab her suitcase with one hand and her hand with your other as you lead her to your car. 

You drive home in silence, unsure of what to say. You turn your head and sneak glances at her every now and then. You notice that Cai Bing is fidgeting with her hands. 

Without thinking anything of it, you reach over with your right hand and grab her hand while your left hand remains on the steering wheel. You feel Cai Bing wrap her other hand over yours. 

You arrive at your apartment and place her things down. You give her a basic rundown of the layout and tell her to help herself and make her self at home. 

Cai Bing sits down on your couch and calls her family to update her. You sit down next to her and wrap your arm around her. 

It's never been spoken of but you both know that something more than just friends is in the air. 

Cai Bing leans toward you and lays her body on yours. You start worrying that she can hear your heart beating out of your chest but your worries wash away when the comfort of being here with her washes over you instead. You rest your head on hers and pull out your phone.

You didn't want to interrupt her phone call so you message her to ask if she's eaten. She shakes her head signalling that she hasn't, so you reach for your phone and order some groceries that you don't have at home. 

Reluctantly, you get up from your comfy spot on the couch and head over to your kitchen to begin prepping the ingredients. You decide to make hotpot since it was perfect weather for it and it was relatively simple to make but still so yummy. 

As you prep, you can't help but hear some parts of the conversation Cai Bing is having with her family. 

When you realize they're talking about her plan for what's next. You freeze up, fearing that she would say that she is leaving soon.