Unsaid emotions blossom between two boys, Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan, in school, but they are being pulled apart by the seeds of hatred growing in each other's hearts due to Jiang Zhuocheng.
Ten years later, Yibo knocks on the door of Zhan's heart to h...
The quickest one-stop flight from Hong Kong to Taipei proves challenging, as it nearly takes seven hours. Upon landing, the bandmates feel exhausted and drained, lacking the energy to even shift. Despite attempting to rest for a brief moment, their manager swiftly intervenes, emphasizing the importance of avoiding a potential crowd of fans or paparazzi at the airport.
Whimpering and struggling all the way, they reach the parking lot and quickly get into the arranged cars to drive to the nearby hotel. Everything is moving perfectly, but the whole ride is boring with their constant yawning. Neither of them is in the mood to start a chat because their bodies are begging for a proper rest before they can do anything they want.
After half an hour, they arrive at the hotel and are quickly escorted to their rooms by their manager. Cheng feels grateful that the unpredictable Yibo hasn't caused any trouble yet. He knows that if Yibo did, he would end up with a severe headache and body pain, something he definitely wants to avoid experiencing.
Sighing, he drops his bags at the door and glances around the room to make sure it is comfortable. Of course, it is. But it doesn't seem to be to his taste. The room is spacious and well-furnished, with a double bed, a cozy sitting area, and a beautiful view of the city skyline. He prefers a more minimalist, modern design without all the frills and fringes. It's just too cluttered for him.
He moves to the side, knocking into Zhan, nearly causing him to fall. However, he catches him gently in his arms and leads him to one of the beds. "Take a rest. The room is more to your taste. You will enjoy it more than I do," he says as he strokes his little brother's hair with a smile on his face.
Zhan nods gratefully, sinking into the soft bedding and closing his eyes.
Cheng watches over Zhan for a moment, his heart filled with love and protectiveness for his little brother. He can't help but pat him on the cheek affectionately before going to the other bed and collapsing on it. The weight of the travel finally catches up to him as he closes his eyes and lets out a long, tired sigh, grateful for the chance to relax.
Zhan opens his eyes slowly, staring up at the ceiling. His brain won't stop whirling, though, even after he clambers under the covers, determined to go to sleep, if only to prevent the image of Yibo and Ji Li together.
He rolls over, pressing his face against the bed with a groan. Their moments play in a loop in his mind. Their talks and their secret hand gestures to each other haunt his memories. He sits up for a while, looking at Cheng, scratching uncomfortably at his forearm. "Damn it!" He groans, digging his fingers into his eyes. "I'm supposed to sleep now."
He encourages himself again to sleep and forget about how weird these couple of days have been, but he can't. It feels difficult, so he's actually not sure what he needs to know. Wait! There isn't any way there is anything to do with a need for this. He needs nothing. His face is pale, and his thoughts are a jumbled mess. He wishes things were different.
Sighing, he gets up and hugs himself. He knows he can't get out of this situation, no matter how much he wants to, so he settles into the plush armchair by the window and stares at the sky. He has never thought of himself as someone who craves love, but now he finds himself feeling so weak that he can't say it out loud. Clenching his hands into fists, he doesn't say anything.
After a few hours, Cheng wakes up and stretches his arms out, feeling relieved. The peaceful nap has improved his mood and outlook. As he wants to shower, he notices his bags are still at the door. Upon grabbing them, he sees Zhan sitting on the armchair, looking troubled by something.
Cheng watches curiously, as Zhan still hasn't realized his presence. He refrains from asking what could be distracting him so much.
Instead, he approaches Zhan and playfully ruffles his messy hair to signal his presence. Noticing the tiredness in him, he realizes that Zhan hasn't taken a nap. Suspiciously, he looks at Zhan, trying to catch what's going on.
Zhan raises his head a little. "Do you need anything?"
Cheng shakes his head with a smile before disappearing into the bathroom with a set of clothes. Trying to distract himself, he showers, but his thoughts keep returning to Zhan's strange behavior. He thinks of ways to lift the mood and lets the warm water relax him. Suddenly, an idea strikes him, and he turns off the shower before leaving the bathroom and grabbing his phone to put his plan into action.
***
Zhan is on his own, filled with thoughts and questions, as he sits on the armchair. Suddenly, there is a loud, obnoxious pounding on the door. He gives his head a little shake, trying to clear the rampant thoughts. He then tilts his head toward the door and gives it a dark look before shaking his head. He doesn't want to face anyone right now, so he ignores them and focuses back on the sky blankly.
"Cheng! Zhan! Open the door!" Ji Li calls from the other side, banging on the door again. "This sh*t is heavy. Come on!"
Zhan groans and ignores this time on purpose, hoping that Ji Li will eventually give up and go away.
But Ji Li continues shouting, growing more impatient with each passing second. "Your neighbors are starting to complain about the noise! Open up!"
With a sigh, Zhan finally pushes himself off the armchair and makes his way to the door. He yanks it open, glaring. It's only returned with a giant smile. "What the hell do you want?" He asks with a hiss, crossing his arms over his chest as the door rests against his shoulder. He doesn't move to let Ji Li in.
"Your cousins and I think it would be fun to hang out with some pizza and drinks and watch some movies. We haven't done it in a year, so we like to do it now," Ji Li explains, holding a couple of pizza boxes in his hands. He tosses his head to the side, revealing the two betas standing beside him with two large juice bottles.
Zhan is still not interested, so he tries to close the door in their faces, but Cheng stops him. He shakes his head, steps to the side, and lets them in.
The three walk into the room and set their goods down on the table in the corner. It feels odd, but Zhan tries to be okay with a minor distraction, hoping that he can adjust. The little fun doesn't help, however, as he tries to adjust, so he offers to join Fanxing, as the beta wants to visit his room to grab a few more items.
As they make their way down the hall, Zhan barely feels his feet touching the floor. It's because he can't concentrate on his movements, only thinking about how weak he is, that he's spoiled his mind when the reason out there probably enjoys its life. Frowning, he takes another step and is stunned when he senses the familiar sandalwood scent.
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He looks up in surprise to see the great Wang Yibo leaning against the wall with a sly grin playing on his lips. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.
Yibo's presence always brings a mix of excitement and anxiety for Zhan, as he never quite knows what to expect from him. The two engage in a silent staring contest that is likely full of unsaid words in their language for a minute before Zhan blinks in his owlish way and grunts, walking away while grabbing Fanxing by the arm.
Fanxing shoots a curious glance but wisely keeps his questions to himself as they walk briskly down the dimly lit corridor.
Zhan can still feel Yibo's gaze burning into his back, sending shivers down his spine. He knows that his heart belongs to Yibo, whether he likes it or not, and there's nothing he can do to change it. But for now, he doesn't want to confront him. He is a grown man with power over his own thoughts and strength of intellect to boot. He is going to focus and not let his personal feelings get in the way.
