Echoes of My Heart

Chapter 9

The question floated in the air, heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions, binding them in a delicate, poignant silence. Neither of them dared to address it directly, the tension palpable between them.

As their eyes locked, Xiao Yuan felt the silence between them thicken with his longing and an electric tension of unfulfilled passion. His each heartbeat echoed with the weight of his unvoiced emotions.

The space around them seemed to pulse, becoming alive with the intensity of their closeness, every moment a tantalising dance on the edge of restraint and surrender.

He had never felt such raw emotions flooding through him as he stared into Wei Qian's dark and intense eyes. A portal into a soul that was often hidden from the rest of the world, revealing only glimpses of the inner turmoil and quiet strength that dwelt within.

A portal, Xiao Yuan longed to delve into and to explore their secrets.

But remembering his place and not trying to overstep himself, Xiao Yuan didn't wait for an answer. Cause he knew he won't get one.

Xiao Yuan swiftly snapped back to reality, his hand withdrawing from the warmth and softness of Wei Qian's neck. Though he quickly composed himself, he couldn't help but long for the sensation once more.

How he ached to touch and be touched.

"When you sent me abroad four years ago, all I could think about was the way you walked away and turned your back on me." Xiao Yuan looked over at his brother, who refused to meet his gaze. Instead Wei Qian stared ahead. "It hurt a lot. I wanted to give up, but I couldn't do it."

He thought back to the time he had tried to move on with someone else, to find happiness with Alex. Even recalling that kiss they had shared brought a mixture of emotions. It was a bittersweet memory.

But the realisation had hit him like a wave then, crashing over him with a mixture of emotions. It was bittersweet, a painful truth that he couldn't deny. Ever.

He belonged to Wei Qian.

His heart, his soul, his very being belonged to him.

He looked at Wei Qian, who finally turned to face him, his gaze meeting him. There was a look of resignation in his eyes, as if he expected what Xiao Yuan was about to say. Xiao Yuan took a deep breath, bracing himself for the words he was about to speak up for the first time to his brother.

"So, please don't force me anymore." He looked pointedly at Wei Qian, watching the way his man sat frozen in his seat as he pointed his index finger to his heart. "One cannot control his heart."

Xiao Yuan noticed how quickly Wei Qian averted his gaze, and he knew that his words had hit a nerve. His hand moved to touch his brother's shoulder, a comforting gesture meant to convey his reassurance.

Even as he tried to offer comfort, Xiao Yuan couldn't prevent the tears from clouding his vision, knowing that he had exposed a vulnerability he had tried so hard to hide. He looked away, discreetly blinking them back, not wanting Wei Qian to see the hint of weakness he was struggling to conceal.

"I am not greedy." Xiao Yuan sighed as he looked at the surroundings, recalling back the time he was here confessing his secrets to the very man sitting in front of him. "Four years ago, you turned and left... Four years later, we're back here. This is enough."

It wasn't. But Xiao Yuan had made peace with it.

He could see the war of emotions playing out in Wei Qian's eyes even though his face betrayed none; confusion,agony, fear, resignation. It was as if a storm of thoughts and feelings was raging through him, leaving him unable to respond.