AWAKENED HEART (The first heartbeat)

CHAPTER 2

"Hey man where have you been for so long? Or did you find a hottie an decided to make out in the dark corners of the restrooms.. ha~ha~ha! "

" Don't even go there, you know a lot than many people do. I found that young man over there in the bathroom being harrassed by a weirdo and I had to save him. Anyway I think we should leave, it really getting late."

"Yeah let's go, you're not drunk are you? Or your trip will be history when you end up waking up late"

"-Kie-gē ...how can two bottles of beer make me drunk? Or are you drunk? I can send you home I you are"

"Nope, I'm not drunk, I only had three glasses of wine and you know it takes a few more bottles to get me drunk. Let's go"

They left the restaurant and they both went to their respective cars after bidding their goodbyes and good lucks and share a long tight hug before they left. It was almost ten pm when Yibo arrived and he didn't waste time, he went to take a warm shower and went to bed. He looked at his phone screen for a few minutes and smiled before switching off the light and slept.

—————
Xiao Zhan was with his two friends at his parent's house, Yichēn and Fang, having dinner and wine while they chat and laughed about their good old times. Yechēn was Zhan's childhood friend, they had went to the same day care and they became friends since then, he lived just a few houses from Zhan's parent's house so they spent their childhood known to be inseparable pair of trouble since they were naughty both at home and at school. They met Fang in high school and she became close to then after they had helped her find her missing locker key which made them to arrive in class twenty minutes after the lesson had started. They didn't attend the same class but she would everyday come to their class and wait for them outside for their lesson to be finished to go have lunch. She was two classes below them so they protected her and helped her since she was younger than them.

"A-zhan, what time are you leaving tomorrow, I need to wake up and prepared something for you before you leave"

Zhan's mother said as she cleaned the table after dinner with the help of Zhan and Fang. She wanted to see her son before he left since he will be gone for six months and maybe more if the shooting is delayed due weather.

"Mā...you don't need to worry, I will buy something on the way. You should rest, I will leave very early anyway. "

" Alright son, did you pack everything needed for your travel? Don't forget to pack some warm clothes, you don't know what the weather will be like over there."

"Yes mā, I already double checked my luggage. Everything is set and ready. Don't forget to take your medication when I'm gone, you know bà and I would always remind you to take them, and please take them on time."

"Alright..alright I will. Have you also packed your contact lenses?"

"Yes mā, I did and I also packed a pair of glasses, you know I don't like wearing contact lenses all day"

They finished washing the dishes and went back to the table to join others, Fang was looking at Zhan, or more like staring at him when Zhan's mother noticed her and opened up a topic.

"Son...when are you going to marry?you know your bàba and māma are not getting any younger "

"Mā...we've talked about this"

"I know son, but if you're afraid to be heartbroken then why not marry Fang? She's a good girl and you know it too, she can take care of us when we've grown too old to see and bear us grandchildren. Do you want your parents to die without holding their grandchild? Please son...grant māma this wish"

"Mā...we've talked about this ...I see Fang as a younger sister and nothing more. We've discussed this a million times already, I'm not ready to have a family of my own, let alone to marry. There's still a lot in life I want to experience before settling down. And I also have too much work to do so when do I get time to find a girl to marry?"

" What? You work with beautiful girls everyday so don't give me that excuse, how about that girl you brought here a month ago? Cheng..or Chan...what's her name again...?"

"Mā...please"

"Auntie...did A-zhan bring a girl here to meet you?"
Fang asked, curious and somehow hurt.

"Yes dear, she was so pretty and so well mannered. Hai...your friend doesn't have a good eye"

"Auntie... don't worry, Zhan will marry a beautiful girl and have beautiful children, just give him time to finish what he wants to archive in life "
Yechēn defended his best friend.

"Alright... it's fine then, hey...Zhan Zhan ...it's already late, you should go to sleep or you will wake up feeling tired if you slept late. Come on go to bed"

Xiao Zhan stood up and to see his friends out since they also wanted to go as it was already late. They reached the gate and Xiao Zhan thanked the for coming to see him when he saw Fang looking sad and giving a little pout. Yechēn also looked at her and back at Zhan before bidding them good night. Yechēn lived only a few houses when Fang lived a few blocks away from them. She owned a car which she drove to Zhan's house knowing that they will hang out till late. After they both bid Yechēn good night, Zhan walked Fang to her car.

"Xiao -Fang...are you alright?"

"Don't call me that..you know I hate to be called like that"

"Ok..ok...what's wrong then? Hm..why do you look sad? Is it because I'm leaving tomorrow? Aiya...it's not like I'm going there for good, you know I can't stay anywhere since mā is not well"

"Zhan gēge, why can't you see me as someone you can marry someday? Is there something wring about me that you don't like? And who is there girl auntie talked about?...who is she? Why did she come here?"

"Fang...it's not like I don't like you at all cause I do, but only as a friend, I see you as my little sister. So please don't make things difficult for me. Also...that girl is my co-worker she just came here to drop of some papers for me to sign."

"Lies...Zhan gēge, is she your girlfriend...is she the reason why you don't want to give me a chance? Zhan gēge...I can change to be who you wa-.."

"Fang!!!...stop it! Stop this nonsense right now! You dot need to change for someone else to like you, love is a matter of the heart and not looks. How could you even think about that? I thought you're mature enough to handle this which I why I never said anything all these years. Don't misunderstand me, I didn't tell you back the because I thought you were still young to understand, that you will see how I feel about you when you grow up. But even now you still don't understand me,I'm not in a relationship with anyone because I'm focusing on my career and if I find someone who is meant for me then I won't keep it a secret. You and Yechēn will be the first to know since you are my best friends"
Xiao Zhan whisper yelled...

"Friends?...I see...(sobs) ok Zhan gēge, I hope you have a safe journey. Goodbye"

"Fang....Fang..."

Fang turned around and left, leaving Zhan worried about her. What was he to do, his heart loved someone at first glance and that was years ago. Why was he to blame for what his heart wants? He had tried to be open minded and forget that someone but it was hard because his heart never beat that way for a time else ever since then. He didn't want to loose Fang as a friend and now he wished he had listened to Yechēn when he advised his to tell Fang before it's too late.

He regreted not clearifying his feeling to her sooner. Fang walked to her car and ignore Zhan's calls and git into her car and left. Zhan went back inside and bid his parents good night and went to take a shower. He got into bed after drying his hair and looked at his phone screen and smiled and said...

"Good night"

To the phone screen before he closed his eyes and slept, with a smile in his face. He had been keeping that habit for a few years now. Every night before going to bed, he would look at his phone and say his good night to the screen before turning it off and sleep. That was a habit no one knew, but he wasn't the only one with that habit, someone far from him was doing the same thing as him at that exact same time and slept with that exact smile on their face.