When Rose's Thorns Attack my Sides (But my Eyes Stay Trained on You) (Xingyun)

Ch. 14

Chongyun had requested Xingqiu meet him for dinner at Wangshu Inn, but there was one apparent problem.

It was pouring outside by the time he was halfway there.

Xingqiu curses his luck while he hangs his overcoat over his head and runs off through the mud towards the bright light of Wangshu Inn in the approaching darkness, being relieved when his feet his the wooden floor at last.

He thinks that Chongyun's probably inside to keep dry from the rain, but on his way over, he sees that he's already waiting at one of the tables outdoors with his back to him and an umbrella over his head.

Xingqiu heads over, his footsteps drowned out by the pouring rain, and he's about to ask why he's out here when he hears Chongyun talking to himself.

Or rather, he's singing to himself.

He hums a tune Xingqiu has never heard before, and as he stops walking to listen to him. In truth, he'd never heard him even sing before - in all honesty, he thought that maybe Chongyun was just as bad as him and that's why he never sang.

But when he listens to his voice in silence, it's almost like it drowns out the rain and the cold and how drenched he is, and he can't help but keep himself quiet in hopes there are lyrics to this heart warming melody.

"One day, I knew that I~

"Would meet somebody as great as you,

But now I know, I don't need that,"

Chongyun's singing voice was higher than his talking tone, but it still had the soft air to it with the way he pronounced every syllable. His voice rose and fell with the flow of the words, and after the first few lines he hums for a moment to continue the rhythm.

Xingqiu focuses solely on etching the memory into his brain and the way his voice sounds so he wouldn't forget it, because he didn't quite know why, but this was a special moment he didn't think should be so easily forgotten, much like every moment spent with Chongyun.

"Today, I finally, learned about the truth that was send from above,

'Because the feeling that I feel for you can only be love~"

"Chongyun loves someone? Maybe?" He thinks while his cheeks burn. He wants to chastise himself for it, but everything prior to this moment felt like an afterthought when he was listening to this little song in the rain.

The whole thing about finding his 'true love' who at this point sounds like someone who doesn't even exist was slowly drifting away and being left back in that flower field where it had first started, finally leaving him alone and allowing him to comfortably allow the winding feeling of heat rising to his cheeks to settle in and relax.

His stomach feels light and full of familiar butterflies, and he feels almost dizzy from this fluttery feeling as it tangles itself in his heart and eases a heart shaped image of a certain someone in his mind.

"That's a beautiful song. I didn't know you could sing like that." Xingqiu says quietly after Chongyun stops humming.

The latter doesn't turn around but he tenses ever so slightly, although it's hard to tell in the rain.

"You...heard all of that?" He asks meekly, refusing to meet eyes with him.

"Yes."

Chongyun sighs inwardly, the tips of his shoes knocking together and his hands now balled up in his lap. "Then, could you do me a favor and not tell anyone about it? I'd like for it to stay a secret."