Reunited Underneath the Lantern Lights

Chapter 27

Luca didn't know what to do.

He was looking at Wei in a new light. In a way, he refused to look at it for the past couple of months.

Wei had gone from an ex that Luca refused to be near, to a stranger, to a friend, back to a stranger, and now?

Luca didn't know what to call it.

But that tattoo brought in thoughts Luca was not comfortable with.

He was happy that Wei was busy with his own work rather than bothering Kai and Luca at the studio.

Yet a part of him couldn't help but feel a pang of... something. Sadness? Regret? Or just a simple longing for the familiarity that had once been so easy between them?

He clenched his fists, the memory of the tattoo burning into his mind like a brand. It was more than just a design; it was a declaration.

A declaration of belonging, of a connection deeper than anything Luca and Wei had ever shared.

Luca felt his throat tighten, the air suddenly thick and heavy. He yearned to reach for Wei, to ask him about it, to demand some explanation for the way it made his heart twist.

As he was freaking out, his phone buzzed from a message.

Wei: Do you want to continue our weekly dinners?

Wei: It's fine if you don't want to.

Luca didn't know how to respond to the text message.

Luca stared at the screen, the tiny black letters blurring before his eyes.

Did he want to continue?

The question echoed in his mind, a relentless mantra.

The rational part of him screamed yes.

Routine, normalcy, a chance to rebuild himself outside the suffocating bubble of grief and regret. He needed to get back on track, to the park, to work, anywhere but lost in the labyrinth of their memories.

His thumb hovered over the screen, then tapped out a simple reply.

Luca: Yes. I'd like that.

He closed his phone, the silence in the studio suddenly deafening.

Kai had gone out for a while. He was going to grab dinner for the two of them before they decided to head home.

The silence didn't stay for long, however, as Kai barged through the door with Wei in tow.

The studio door swung open with a bang, shattering the fragile silence and Luca's carefully constructed composure. Kai sauntered in, a triumphant grin plastered across his face, followed by...Wei.

Luca's breath hitched. He hadn't expected this, hadn't anticipated the way his heart would lurch at the sight of Wei, his hair windswept, a small smile playing on his lips.

Kai, oblivious to the silent storm brewing between them, plopped two plastic bags on the counter. "Dinner's here, courtesy of the best takeout place in town!" he declared, oblivious to the tension hanging heavier than a damp towel.

Kai brought the plastic bags over to the table and Luca moved forward to help set it up.

As Luca reached for the bags, his fingers brushed against Wei's. He froze, his fingers tingling, his gaze locked on Wei's hand, the tattoo a swirling vortex pulling him in.

Wei didn't pull away. His hand remained suspended between them, a silent invitation, a question mark etched in ink and skin. Luca could feel the warmth radiating from him, the familiar pulse of his heart beneath the intricate design.