THE CUNNING VIGILANTE

Jiao-long x Li Wei

3 Wishes and Endure the Pain

Jiao-long had long been accepted his fate from being a victim of unrequited love. He knew he didn't have a chance nor he had given an opportunity to confess his feelings from the person he loved. He had long been moved on and never indulge in love again. He still worked as a guard and sometimes, being pestered from a guy who was smitten to tease him. 

Li Wei regained his strength but he could never stop the poison from penetrating his internal organs to destroy it. He coughed up blood several times a day. And to all of that, he could only endure. Endure all the pain, endure his emotions, endure his feelings, endure his dreams. 

Endure. 

He showed his sunny smile when he faced the man he loved, shed tears behind his back. Wearing a mask that so that only he could feel the pain the fate had given to himself. 

He never asked anything in return. He never asked Jiao-long to love him nor he told his unconditional love to him. 

He just wants him to be happy, at least he could forget the pain from his past and learn to look from the future. 

He told himself, "Am I selfish? Am I too greedy?" For a young boy in love from this stupid guard, is he worthy of that? 

If he was gone, will he be sad? 

Did he find Li Wei annoying?

If Jiao-long heard that question...

He would unhesitatingly answered no. 

Li Wei helped him forget his misery. Li Wei taught him to be happy. Li Wei taught him to cherish, and he admit. 

He love him. It took him a few moments to fall in love, he wished that time stopped so he could cherish the moments they were together. 

Li Wei loved to nag. He likes dumplings but he loved wontons more. He loved the color of the sky. He likes cats. He even praised his cat Xiao Hei for his cuteness. It was also his only companion since he was a kid until they separated. 

Jiao-long also noticed that something's not right about Li Wei. It was as though he smiles luminously, but deep inside he kept emotions as if it was his biggest weakness. Jiao-long wanted to ask, what's wrong? Are you okay? 

But when he asked, Li Wei always said "I'm fine." 

He wanted to give Li Wei all his comfort, so he always accompanied him. He never knew why Li Wei stopped being a servant to the Young Madame but he frequently goes to the infirmary and still lives in Young Madame's most visited place in the villa, the herb garden. 

Jiao-long wondered, 'is he sick?' 

If he does, why didn't Li Wei tell him?

.

.

.

One day when Li Jie and Delun went to the palace for a visit, Li Wei was the only one in the room where Li Jie often experiments herbs for a new medicine. It was the former General Wenyan's room. 

Li Wei suddenly coughed up blood, but this time, it was more worse than before. 

"It came too early as expected." Li Wei sighed and coughed until he finally sobered. 

He didn't know when will he die. As much as he wanted to live, he still didn't had given a chance to live at his 20's. 

He... couldn't be with Jiao-long forever. He smiled bitterly and forced himself that everything's okay.