Hidden love

Part 1

Not him.
When Haikuan had told him about the new game designer on their team, Yibo couldn't have thought... no, he wouldn't have even dreamed it in his worst dream that the new employee would turn out to be this man. No, no, no. Out of the one and a half billion people who live in their country, fate would bring him back together with him!

- He will not work here! - He repeated again. It seemed Haikuan had already lost count of how many times he had heard those words from his address during this five minute meeting. But Yibo just didn't want to work with this man. And considering that they all lived in the same house... No! He wouldn't agree to that!

- What do you mean? - sounded the voice of his brother, who had been silently listening to his remarks against the new employee all this time, -It's not for you to decide, - added after in a stern voice.

Yibo from childhood had been in his brother's care, as his parents were always away and in principle had no interest in their lives. Haikuan wasn't only a brother to him, but also someone who replaced his parents. Therefore, it was understandable why he behaved so strictly now. But after all, Yibo couldn't just let him hire this... Xiao Zhan.

- I can come out, you can talk about it in private, - Xiao Zhan, who had remained silent until then, raised his voice, and Yibo realized that he had never forgotten him in all these four years.

Even though they had never spoken in person, he had heard him talk to other people. At the time, he had even tried to learn it from the outside. He wondered why all the girls squeaked at the sight of him. Well, yes, handsome. Yeah, tall. Yes, he has an attractive smile. Yes, his eyes are beautiful... And was that why not only girls liked him, but guys as well? Such thoughts were in Yibo's mind four years ago and hearing his voice after so many years, he seemed to be wondering those questions again. But they made him even angrier than he was then.

- I will not leave you alone, - he addresses him, clenching his teeth tightly. And then he hears his brother sigh heavily.

- I'm gonna go, - Xiao Zhan replies. But not to him, but to Haikuan.

During the entire time the three of them were sitting in the office, this guy never once looked in his direction, and even when he raised his voice, his gaze was only toward his brother. It was as if he was purposely ignoring his existence, which couldn't help but anger him more.

- What's wrong with you? - His brother asked a question when Xiao Zhan had already left the office. Yibo didn't know what to answer.

Indeed, how could he explain that he didn't want to see a person he did not know at all. This guy had once studied at their university for just one semester and then suddenly disappeared. Not that he was looking for him... just... he was just curious, so he asked some students and as a result, it turned out that Xiao Zhan had gone to the States. It was just in his fourth year, so further being busy with his thesis, Yibo didn't think about him at all. Well, if not sometimes... at night, when he was alone with his thoughts, he imagined his image before his eyes and tried to understand why in such a short time this guy had become the favorite of the entire university.

It was after Xiao Zhan's sudden appearance in "his" life that Yibo had earned himself a bunch of complexes. That was probably why he hated him, even though he had done nothing wrong to him. He often had to compare himself to him and even try to be like him to please other people. With just his appearance, Xiao Zhan had caused quite a stir in one university. Who wouldn't be envious of such a thing? Especially when you consider the fact that he was left without his girlfriend because of him. A double blow to his self-esteem...

Anyway. He doesn't want Xiao Zhan to work here. No!

- Look over there, - Guansen called out to him when he had just left his brother's office after listening to a whole lecture on how to behave, - He stole your girlfriend once.

"Oh my god, Ding Guansen, please stop..."

- They haven't even date! - Yibo immediately objected, but his gaze was directed at Xiao Zhan, who was already sitting at his desk and staring at the laptop screen thoughtfully.

And even here at work, he wasn't ignored. As soon as Yibo blinked, Liu Xun appeared next to Xiao Zhan and started talking to him about something.

- They would have dated if he'd agreed, - his friend added, but Yibo didn't care about that at all.

What was important was that today was Xiao Zhan's first day of work here. And he had already made a friend...

- It's been four years I never thought you two would meet. That's it!

- He won't work here, - he replied, interrupting Guansen, who seemed unable to shut up, - I'll make him quit.

He couldn't stand here and continue to watch with all of this. That's it for today. He needs to rest.

***

Xiao Zhan knew that he wouldn't be welcome here. Wang Yibo would not be welcome...

Four years ago, when he wanted to return to his homeland and finish his final year of training in his home country, he was sure that he would stay here forever. But after meeting him... everything seemed to have changed. He was only able to study here for one semester, and after that he applied for a transfer back to his former university.

He and Wang Yibo didn't even know each other personally, but Xiao Zhan was perfectly aware of the rumors that the latter was always watching him and hated him with all his soul. Some people were even worried about him and asked him to be careful as they were afraid that Wang Yibo would decide to bully him. No, he wasn't running away at all. That is to say, he wasn't running away because of that, but just... he didn't want to have a conflict with that person. So he decided to just silently disappear.

Four years had passed, but...

- Someone's been watching you for a long time. Why does he hate you so much? - His colleague Liu Xun interrupted his thoughts. They had known each other since high school, so Xiao Zhan had always considered him a good friend. He always liked that even the distance didn't affect their communication and they could talk about everything like old times.

- Forget about him. Just do your job, - but he didn't feel like spilling his guts to his friend right now. Maybe later... but definitely not here and now.

Normally, the first few days in a new job should be exciting or a great mood, but what Xiao Zhan wanted most of all was to finally finish this day's work and be in his room, alone with his thoughts.

So when his wish finally came true and he was now sitting in his room, all alone, Xiao Zhan felt much happier. And when he lowered his gaze to the sketchbook he was holding, he sighed heavily.

Four years had passed, but... but Xiao Zhan couldn't forget him like this.

When he first saw him, Yibo was skateboarding at the skatepark near the university. He watched him for a long time before returning to the dormitory. But even when he left there, his infectious laugh and bright smile never left his mind. Then it all started... he didn't know how to approach him, how to start interacting with him. All he had to do was try to go to the library, be in the canteen, sit in the park, be at the skatepark at the same time as him. And surprisingly, Xiao Zhan wasn't even stopped then by the fact that Yibo already had a girlfriend. Of course he found out about it a couple days later, but still... Despite all this, he wanted to be closer to him. But alas... he wasn't noticed at all. At least until Yibo broke up with his girlfriend, and then he heard rumors that it was all because of him. From that day on, he was noticed. Only it wasn't what he wanted at all. At least, Xiao Zhan didn't want to be noticed like this...

They had crossed eyes once... and that was enough for him to realize that he was not welcome here. One person was not welcome...

So Xiao Zhan left.
But cutting him out of his thoughts was beyond his strength. So he came back... He came back to at least try his luck. And finally finish his drawing. He could only draw his eyes...