Hanguangjun- The Waiting

Friday

When Ian returned home on Friday, Samantha was already packed and ready to go. "Won't you have dinner first? "

"Nah. Mu Boshi and I plan to eat on the way to the airport. We have a midnight flight, " She explained.

"I brought take out, " Ian pointed to the cardboard containers.

"You're just trying to make up for yesterday, " Samantha accused.

Dinner with Lan Zhan was followed by a music session with him at his office. They played together for a couple of hours without break. That was when they both realized the time. Lan Zhan promptly dropped him but Samantha had to eat instant noodles as Ian had forgotten to bring take outs.

"I was thinking of adopting another cat, since bunny ran away, " Ian suggested.

"That cat scratched me before running off. I am not sharing space with another one, " Samantha warned.

Ian looked down and nodded. When a car honked outside Samantha looked out of the window. "He's here," She announced before rushing out the door, luggage in tow.

Ian saw the door slam close. He recalled the times when his mother had rushed out to one of the events that his siblings had participated in. His younger brother was a pro athlete growing up. His parents had always supported him. When he signed up for archery classes in college no one had time to attend his matches. His sister's ballet performance always came before his own shows. So his parents never realized how well Ian played his Chenqing.

Back in the basement of the Lan School of Exotic Music, the Stygian Tiger Seal started emanating the black smoke of resentment. It sent up an alarm that vibrated on Lan Family's phones. The building was immediately evacuated of ordinary employees. The trained music cultivators were set on high alert. They have never been in a real such crisis before.

Hanguangjun sat to have a meeting with a foreign official regarding a concert the School was arranging for its outer circle students, whose only focus was music and not cultivation. Only a handful of the students had any potential for cultivation to begin with.

When the alarm rang out he excused himself stating an emergency. Lan Yangyang had just finished a surgery. She picked up her Xiao and boarded a cab for the music school. It was a ten minute commute.

Hanguangjun called her just as she arrived. "What's the situation? "

"I can't see. The room is covered with black smoke. I am outside with the other disciples, " She explained.

"Don't go in. There's an array on the walls keeping it in. Continue playing. I'll trace the source, " He finished.

Before Yangyang could ask further questions, Hanguangjun had called up Wei Ying.

At that moment Ian lay flat on his bed in his empty apartment and stared at the ceiling. As the phone rang he felt no inclination to get up and receive the call. Hanguangjun grew concerned.

Lan Zhan raced to Wei Ying's apartment fearing a showdown with the fiancee. When he arrived however he realized that the apartment was pitch dark. The front door was locked and it was completely silent from inside.

He took out a talisman from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and placed it on the door. The door unlocked on it's own. He took out an illumination talisman which flew out of his hand and started burning slowly suspended midair.  Lan Zhan dialed Wei Ying's phone one again. The ringtone sounded from inside the room. This time Ian picked up the phone on the fifth ring.

"Lan Zhan, " He remarked on seeing the number, "what made you call? "

Lan Zhan walked to his room and stood at the door. "Turn left, " He spoke. Ian did as asked and his face broke into a smile. Tears glistened in his eyes.

Lan Zhan rushed over to him. Reached out his arms in an embrace. Ian crashed into his chest breathing in the sandalwood fragrance that Lan Zhan gave off. "You smell nice, " Ian complemeted.

Lan Zhan pulled Ian's head down by his hair and crushed Ian's lips with his. When they parted after a while Ian's hair was toussled, lips swollen. Outside the room the illumination talisman had completely burnt out plunging the room into a darkness once more. But this darkness was different. It was intimate and cosy.

When Ian could finally breathe again he spoke into Lan Zhan's chest. "Are you scared of darkness? "

"There are two kinds of darkness. One that cocoons you and one that spreads through you. I am afraid of the latter, " Lan Zhan admitted.

Ian nodded. No one brought up the kiss. "Are you hungry? " Ian asked.

"What do you want to eat? " Lan Zhan responded.

"There's take out on the dining table. I didn't want to eat alone. " He explained.

"Where's the woman? " Lan Zhan asked, referring to his fiancee.

"She's gone for the weekend, " Ian informed him.

"She knows that you are disabled still, " Lan Zhan pointed out.

"I am not used to others rearranging their lives for my sake, " Ian admitted.

"Well you better get used to it, " Lan Zhan commented, reaching out and picking Ian up in a princess carry.

"Hey, Lan Zhan, what are you doing? Put me down, " Ian objected.

Lan Zhan stared him down. Ian became quiet at once. In the silence his stomach growled.

"When did you last eat? " Lan Zhan asked.

"Yesterday, " Ian said, looking away.

Lan Zhan have a curt nod and walked straight out, Ian in his arms.

Ian panicked. "Wait, someone might see us. You're President Lan. You have a reputation, " Ian reminded.

Lan Zhan didn't stop. He boarded the elevator and came down to the basement where his car was parked.

"I am really hungry, " Ian begged.

Lan Zhan picked up his phone and made a call, "Prepare the lotus soup with pork ribs. Cut back on the spice, " He instructed.

"Whom did you call? " Ian questioned.

"Someone who cooks for me, " Lan Zhan explained.

"Where are we going? " Ian asked.

"Home, " Lan Zhan replied!

"Why are you so good to me? " Ian asked Lan Zhan.

Hanguangjun did not know how to answer that without breaking the Lan Rule against lying. So he settled for the only truth he could say. "You're my only friend, " He admitted.