IF

14

The disastrous party had concluded with ShangYu falling into a coma and being rushed away to the hospital by the Alpha Control Center. The aftermath of the scandal was only brought under control thanks to the Shang family's strong commands. Upon waking, ShangYu sent his mother away to some foreign country and cut all their ties.

The hospital room was bathed in the warm glow of sunlight. A gentle breeze wafted through the open window, causing the soft curtains to dance in its wake. ShangYu's gaze shifted from the sceren scene to his friend, whose face was etched with a mixture of guilt and relief. He chuckled. "This matter has nothing to do with you. Rest assured, I won't blame you."

"However," Seeing his friend was visibly relaxed, he continued nonchantly, "Since the incident occurred at your party at your house, it's only fair that you provide me with some form of compensation, isn't it?"

"What do you want?"

"Help me with something," ShangYu said, stretching lazily and tilting his head back. Through the window, he caught sight of Shiwen walking towards him. "It's...... very important."

As he stepped out of the hospital room, ShangYu's friend was still reeling from the shock of ShangYu's request. So when ShiWen ran into him in the hallway, all he could do was nod in bewilderment at ShiWen's greeting. ShiWen placed his lunchbox in front of the Alpha, rambling about how scared he was when he heard that ShangYu was in danger. ShangYu absentmindedly mumbled in response, preoccupied by the food in his mouth. It was not until ShangYu seized ShiWen's collar, pulling him closer and planting an irritated kiss on his lips, effectively silencing ShiWen's worries.

Navigating with a bandaged arm was obviously inconvenient, ShiWen got worried and rushed off to consult the attending doctor about ShangYu's condition. ShangYu was strong prior to the injury, and the damage to his arm had not impacted his tendons or bones. The earlier coma was merely because of temporary shock caused by severe blood loss; the stitches could be removed in a week.

"However, he still needs to take the antibiotics regularly, and he should stick to his restricted diet during this period. I'll give you the afternoon medication; make sure Mr. Shang takes it before you leave."

"Alright, thank you, doctor."

ShiWen thanked the doctor while cradling the prescribed medication, double-checking the instructions before feeling at ease and returning to the hospital room.

When he pushed open the door again, ShangYu was lying on the bed, his gaze distant. His face lit up when he saw Shi Wen. He pulled Shi Wen close with his good arm and nestled against his soft waist. He grumbled, "I thought you went to see the doctor and left; you have been gone for so long."

"I'm not going back; I'll stay here tonight." ShiWen cupped ShangYu's cheek. "I will be here with you, and I'm not going anywhere."

On the day before his discharge, ShangYu finally got what he had asked for. When ShiWen came to visit him at night, he overwhelmed the other with his kisses until his tears welled up, only stopping his demands reluctantly.

Shang Yu cradled Shi Wen in his arms, his uninjured hand securely holding him close. The not-so-small hospital bed felt slightly cramped for two adults, but they managed to find a comfortable position. ShangYu buried his face in the crook of Shi Wen's neck, gently nuzzling against him, until the scents of their combined presence filled his senses, allowing him to relax completely.

"Tomorrow, your stitches will be removed." Shi Wen's soft strands of hair slipped through his fingers as he squinted his eyes, indulging ShangYu's affectionate motions. He spoke with a mixture of concern and casualness: "I'm worried that it will leave a scar. Promise me you won't do something like this again, alright?"

"Mhm."

"You're not a little kid anymore. Why are you still acting like one? Doesn't it hurt when you hurt yourself like that? Or are you trying to worry me because you like it?"

"Mmm." ShangYu buried his head deeper into the warmth of ShiWen's neck.

ShiWen's frustration melted into a tender smile. He ran his fingers through ShangYu's hair before lightly pinching the nape of his neck and humming affectionately. "Well, promise me there won't be a next time, alright?"

Shang Yu chuckled softly, his voice vibrating against ShiWen's skin. "I promise."

The soft moonlight descended gracefully from the sky, and the translucent curtains gently swayed in the breeze. They leaned in closer to each other on the not-so-big bed, their scent blending in with each other, until their lips met once again.

"ShiWen."

"Hmm?"

"I love you." He cuddled Shi Wen closer, then leaned closer to Shi Wen's flushed ear. "I love you," he repeated.

ShiWen was more nervous than he was when removing the stitches; it took the steady grip of Shang Yu's hand to calm his trembling. The sky outside the window is a beautiful pale shade of blue. When they stepped out of the hospital, Shang Yu finally had the chance to wrap his arms around Shi Wen. The scent of red wine intertwined with the crisp coldness of the air. Shiwen closed their eyes and hugged him back. "Since you're discharged today, I'll grant you a wish."

"Any wish?" ShangYu titled his head, smiling playfully.

"Absolutely," ShiWen responded with a confident nod.

"Well then... I wish my ShiWen would accept this."

A cold sensation enveloped Shi Wen's ring finger.

The Alpha, bending down, placed a tender kiss on the back of ShiWen's hand. In the other open hand, tiny specks of light shimmered, revealing a matching pair of rings resting peacefully in the palm.

ShangYu held ShiWen's hand tightly, drawing closer until his lips tenderly brushed against the corner of ShiWen's eye.

"I've got you."

-end-