Don't Fall In Love | HeartLiming | GeminiFourth

Chapter 9: Hope

Heart was pretty much trying to sleep when Li Ming started putting kisses all over his back, which led to them doing it one more time, this time face to face. They took it very slow, savored every second and it was even better than the first time, if it was even possible.

Then they got up and took a shower, trying to fit in the narrow shower stall together, and stealing kisses here and there. After that, they put on clothes, changed the bed sheets, cooked dinner, and ate, stealing more kisses in between. Finally, they tried to wash the dishes but ended up making out against the counters. They were acting like two hormonal teenagers, even though they were certainly not this crazy nor bold when they were actually in their teens. This was something else.

In the end, they decided to calm down because Heart's finals were going to start in only two days, but he apparently didn't study that well.

"And why is that?" Li Ming asked.

He was sitting on the sofa and Heart sitting on the floor between his legs, his back to Li Ming. His head was leaned against Li Ming's left knee and his books were on his lap untouched.

"Are you really asking?" Heart asked back.

"Don't tell me it's because of me."

"Of course, it's because of you," Heart turned his body to the side to make eye contact. "How could I study when I thought you left me again."

Li Ming leaving him was such a big deal to Heart. He was always talking as if it would be the end of the world for him.

"I already told you I wouldn't leave without telling you," Li Ming said, brushing Heart's bangs away from his forehead. "Why were you so worked up?"

Heart caught his hand and put a small kiss on the inside of his palm. "Ming," he said, looking up into Li Ming's eyes. He looked really serious. "I don't think I can handle it if you do that."

Li Ming returned his gaze.

"I don't think I can ever be okay, you know?"

Li Ming held Heart's hand tightly, bringing it to his lap and wrapping his other hand around it too.

Heart continued. "I know you'll go back to America soon, but that's not going to be the end of our story."

"Your mom said you were planning to follow me to Boston," Li Ming said.

"Yes and I will," Heart answered, straightening his back like he was ready to fight for it.

Li Ming didn't know how to react to that. The Li Ming in America had a boyfriend and had no idea what was going on here at the moment. Heart going there would be a disaster. He would expect that Li Ming to know and remember everything, of course, and when that Li Ming acted like this Li Ming had acted when they first met would break his heart into millions of pieces.

Li Ming wanted to encourage him. He wanted to tell Heart to do whatever he wanted because Li Ming would always be ready to be his safety net, and he would, but everything was too complicated to simply accept and brush over right now. He knew he would still open his arms widely if Heart came to him to Boston in 2026, but the moments they shared in the past two months would be foreign memories to him.

"You know, America might not be like what you think," he ended up saying. That was the best sentence he could come up with.

"It doesn't matter," Heart answered. "I'll be okay if I'm with you."

Li Ming felt something heavy sitting on his chest. He caressed Heart's soft hand between his fingers. He had to find a way. He had to solve this somehow, but he just didn't know how.