Fault [Yizhan/Zhanyi]

~2~

A breeze blew with a hunch of coldness wrapping around the people on the road. But there were only one or two at the poorly lit roads at this hour of night. Though the situation is completely changed in the darker part of the city.

A man in black blended so good with the darkness that made him almost look like a silhouette, jogged while looking back. His younger face held panic yet with satisfaction lacing in it. He adjusted his hoodie again while quickening the steps.

At the same time puffs of air escaped the reddish lips of Zhan as he hurried his steps through the pavement. He cursed after a swift glance at the time in his phone. He should've known better than to ignore the curfew and drive away his driver by fooling him. As for consequences he was now completely on a part of the city he had never witnessed or stepped on, completely unaware of his current location. The google map was no avail at all.

"Wow you made it!" Haoxuan cheered seeing his best friend being the first to arrive.

"No excuse because you came first though you are going to stay till at least ten." Zhan immediately opened his mouth to protest but was completely ignored by Haoxuan.

He wasn't going to lie but he actually enjoyed the party and company of people even if he isn't actually bothered to talk with them. He was glad to be out of his house for a while so he didn't complain much. That's when the problem started. Suddenly he was given a drink so addicting that he got lost in chugging down he forgot about the curfew.

When he came back to his senses from the alcohol he looked around to see few students lying on ground and couch deep asleep. Party pts amen ta lying on the floor messily. That's when he remembers to look at his phone and realise it was already midnight.

So here he was partially regretting and yet not blaming completing for drinking that. However he suddenly felt footsteps behind him. Due to his unfamiliarity he was internally panicking. He quickened his pace to get near at least a 24/7 open grocery. He looked back and before he knows it he collided hard with a body as both of them fell to the ground due to impact. It Zhan who noticed the other first who's face was irreconcilably due to the hoodie.

He was fast to stand up and lend a hand to the stranger who ignored it and stood up with a huff. Zhan realised the other was slightly shorter than himself.

"Look for where you're going, shithead." He muttered under his breath and hurried past a bewildered Zhan.

The voice was deep almost as if raspy. Yet the short glance at the eyes of other gave a deep familiarity but he was too late when he turned back around to see him again. The black hoodied guy had evanesced in the darkness of the city without a trace as if he didn't just bump into Zhan few seconds ago.

Maybe it was the luck that was bestowed upon him by the stranger that his feet automatically took him in front of his house unconsciously after that incident. He sneaked inside the house praying hard for the servants to not hear his footsteps. He cursed even for the sound of his ragged breadth as he climbed the staircase.

But it was all over the moment he stepped on the last step and was met by an angry Mr.Xiao who were glaring at him. Zhan knew it was over.

<~>

"Zhan ge? Can you quit playing around?" A nine year old boy mumbled huffing. He only got angrier hearing the compressed giggles of the older boy who was currently playing hide and seek. Oh how Yibo despised that silly game. He'd rather read a story book than running around like this.

"If you don't come out I'm not going to talk to you till tomorrow." He stomped his feet and plopped on the his bed. It was after breakfast and every other kid was outside playing. But they were confined in thier dorm just because they were few minutes late for the breakfast.

Though the punishment was only for Zhan since 'he was older and should take responsibility' Yibo was just accompanying his Zhan ge. It was obvious that Zhan had recently been an eyesore of the head sister and she didn't even hesitate to say it out loud. And it all started just after Yibo came to the orphanage.

But Zhan didn't care much because after all he considers Yibo as a greater good than the constant bullying of the head sister.

"Oh Yibo you're no fun at all." Zhan laughed as he appeared before Yibo who glared at him.

"You can't ignore you're gege! I even got hit because of you." Zhan said emphasisingly as it immediately made Yibo turn his angry expression to a sad one. He grabbed Zhan's hand and mumbled,
"Does it still hurts?" There were red marks imprinted on the palm yet Zhan laughed it off.

"It's my fault I should've woken up earlier."
"Cumon you were up all night because of that nightmare besides I was the one who didn't wake you up and let you sleep." Zhan said pinching the chubby cheeks of his didi.

"Still, I was told that I should take responsibility for my problems. Head sister just didn't believe me when I said it was my fault." Yibo said as Zhan sighed.

"Quit speaking like an adult before I bite off your lips. It's honestly annoying." Zhan said threatening the poor boy who got scared every time he mentioned that he'll bite the other's lips.

"B-but my father-"
"I'm going to!" Zhan made a gesture and Yibo immediately silenced himself.
"Fine."

<~>

Zhan groaned as water hit his wounded back. He closed his eyes trying forget the raw pain he felt in ages.

"Mr. X- Xiao-" Zhan stuttered as the said man turned around walking ahead. Zhan knew better to follow the man and accept his punishment before it gets worse. He wanted to be able to stand up tomorrow.

It was hard to even get the permission to attend the party and now he was damn sure he had fucked himself up.
So after few minutes he found himself kneeling at his fathers library, being stoic or rather trying hard to not sway at every whip he received. He was ashamed. How could he still not get used to this? Amateur times he would cry or wince loudly, but he had learnt better to act unaffected than being a weakling.

Eventually the pain was over when Mr. Xiao was satisfied and he was released. He limped towards his room and sighed before getting inside the shower.

It stung when hot water ran through his back, but he liked it. The raw pain of the whips was dominated and suppressed by the pain of hot water running through them. He leaned on the wall for support and stayed in the middle of steak for sometime before he left. It amused him how he had managed to drag his life to this point where he was turning twenty one this year. He'd lost the meaning of life plus the desire of living when he came to this mansion of misery realising his grave mistake of abandoning him back there.

The only ambition that kept himself alive was his need redeem himself. Once he find Yibo, he'll apologise to him, he'd let the younger cuss at him or do anything in patricular the other wishes for as then his reason to keep dragging this life further would end.

Abruptly the strange encounter of the stranger interfered his thoughts. He thought about his all throughout the night.

<<~>>

I want y'all's thoughts plzz

Andd don't forget this peep loves yall too <33