Loveless 'solitaire' {YiZhan FF}

.19.

Sean rushed to their usual hangout spot and found his two dispirited friends. Juan was drowning his sorrows in his cocktail, and Charles seemed listless. 

Did something happen during the family lunch? thinking he asked, "What's up, guys?"

Juan: "Zhannyyy... nobody loves me..." and continues to drink.

Sean: "What's this new drama now?..."

Charles (sighing): "He is being sent to Russia, Jue ge is taking him along on his next trip"

Juan: "I'm not sent to... they are deporting me ..."

Sean: "Hmm... why all of a sudden?"

Juan: "It's all because of me stupidly falling into Jue ge's trap... if only I would have known I was digging my own grave... Zhannyyy... you know this guy is a traitor... he didn't even support me..." resting his head on the sofa.

Sean: "Come on Jili, quit whining... tell me the details..." Sensing no response from him, he lifted his head to find him asleep.

As he debated on whether to wake him up, and that's when Charles interrupted, " Zhan, don't even think about waking him up, the past three hours had been pure torture already... I can't take it anymore"

Sean: "So what happened exactly??"

So Charles started to narrate the story.

"You remember right... three years ago how was he forcefully made to take care of M Studios?...
And, how he failed during the initial year... At that time during the evaluation meeting, Jue ge challenged him... His pride got hurt and he took up the challenge to make a profit within a year."

--Yeah, I do remember something like that, but not much detail in my head, as I was in my foggy years myself.--

"You know your friend if challenged, by hook or by crook, would achieve it. And Jue ge knew it well. Last year M Studios made a profit of 15%, and none of the projects were below the margin. Now there's still one more quarter left to complete the year, two movies are already superhits at the box office. And dramas and variety shows already have raving reviews. The profit has already crossed 30%, you know ..."

Sean: "Wow, this goofball is a genius...", Sean acclaimed.

Charles: "Yeah, that is very true... He just likes to play around...  and he can be a real devil at times though."

They both laughed at the thought.

Charles: "Actually giving him M Studios was just testing the water. Uncle and Jue ge had already planned to send him for Russian OPs. I don't know the details, but ge told me there is a surprise waiting for him, so he would soon forget the cries."

Deciding to get back home the duo put Juan in Charles's car and Sean called up his brother. Jay told him to come to the hotel, so they could go home after wrapping up his meeting. Charles dropped him at the hotel. On his way back, Charles received a message from Henry that he wanted to talk to him about something important.

.

.

.

Henry was already there waiting for him.

He silently walked past Henry and opened the door. Before entering, "Kuan ge, why don't we talk inside?" nodding Henry entered trailing him.

"Please, make yourself comfortable... I'll get a pot of jasmine tea." Charles putting his bag on one of the sofa chairs hurried to the kitchen.

Henry scanned the simple yet elegant style of the decor, mostly done in white. A splash of color was added by the plants, the bright-hued cushions, and some glass artifacts. 

He sat on the white leather sofa, and without much ado, Charles brought tea in an exquisite traditional tea set. The wonderful aroma wafted from the pot and soon filled the air. He kept the tray on the coffee table and started pouring tea for Henry. Henry's eyes never left him for a second. 

"Kuan ge, what is that you want to talk about?" he got a question back in response, "Did, Zhan tell you something today?"

"He did ... tell me something." Without looking at Henry, "He said you have requested him to accompany a person who is very dear to you." His voice was subtly tinged with pain.

Henry: "Don't you want to know who is it?"

Charles: "It doesn't matter whoever it is, as long as you are happy."

Henry (hiding his hurt): "Really Yao?... that's all?... Will you be happy seeing me with another person?... And am I the only one who finds it unbearable... even to imagine you getting closer to another person?"

Charles's heart was bleeding internally. He bit down his lips. Still not keeping eye contact with Henry.

Henry: "Yao, I came here to tell you about the person who is very close to my heart and equally precious to me."

Now tears threatened to fall from Charles's eyes. Each word from Henry was like silver arrows piercing his heart.

"Yao, won't you look at me?" Sensing the latter's inner turmoil, Henry continued, " ... and that person's name is Leone Wang Yibo", Charles looked up and his gaze fell directly on Henry's, "My beloved baby brother". Charles's expression quickly turned to disbelief.

"Your What??...ge you have a brother???", Still unable to fully process the info.

"Yes, I do. It's our family's well-kept secret. He lives in Europe and rarely comes to China. Apart from Wang's main family, you are the third person to know this. The other two are the Xiao brothers."

Charles felt a bit relieved, He wanted to ask more but kept quiet.

Henry picks up the latter's predicament, "I had to tell Cheng and Sean first, because of the request from Yibo... The matter is... My Bo di is in deep love with Sean. He pleaded with me to arrange a meeting, so he can spend some time with Sean... Well, he is here only for a week or two... It might sound underhanded... I just wanted him to have all the time with his beloved."

The last sentence panged Charles's heart causing his tears to flow unrestrained. Henry swiftly moved near to him holding gently on his shoulders. "I... I...  I'm sorry Kuan ge, I... ", Charles wept bitterly and words got choked in his throat.

"Yao, stop crying please, It hurts to see you like this...", pulling the latter close to him and wrapping his arms around in a warm embrace, " I promise Yao, I won't let you suffer like your mom... I'll protect you with all my might... please believe in me."

Charles slowly turned his body and pressed his head on Henry's chest. "Kuan ge, I LOVE YOU... I tried my best to push you away... I can't do it anymore... I LOVE YOU so much that it hurts... I'm sorry..." He was crying a mess, wetting Henry's chest with his tears.

Henry lifted his chin gently placed a kiss on his soft lips and whispered "Thank you", He continued with a slight tremble in his voice, " ... I thought, I would never be able to hear this... I was starting to lose hope...  YaoYao... I LOVE YOU too"