THE ON1Y ONE (某某) [ TAG/ ENG ] FANFICTION

ACS 103

A CERTAIN SOMEONE FANFIC ''THE ON1Y ONE ''

JAMESVINCE

A Certain Someone
Chapter 103: Party

They say food and sex are dangerous topics. Once mentioned, it's impossible not to think about them.

At 17, Sheng Wang had discovered just how hard it was to keep his hands to himself. The mere sight of Jiang Tian was enough to stir something inside him, something that wasn't just teenage hormones. It was like having a small sun burning in his chest, radiating heat from the inside out.

Then Jiang Tian left, and Sheng Wang's life became a lot simpler. His days were packed with work, so much so that even the thought of anything remotely exciting seemed like a luxury. Sleep was hard to come by, let alone romantic daydreams.

But now, things were different.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Sheng Wang watched Jiang Tian pet the cat. His eyes drifted to Jiang's slender fingers, soft and precise as they stroked through the cat's fur. Involuntarily, Sheng Wang's mind flashed back to those same fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt not too long ago—tensing and reladaveng, sending chills through his entire body.

Without realizing, he stared at those hands for minutes, watching them move. Finally, he stood up, grabbed an ice-cold bottle of water, and gulped it down, trying to cool off. But it didn't help. Not one bit. The moment he stepped into the bathroom for the second time that evening, the heat in his body flared up again, the way it had when he was 17, when everything Jiang did set his insides on fire. Apparently, Dr. Jiang has discovered the secret to eternal youth, he thought sarcastically.

Cursing himself for being a closet pervert, Sheng Wang tried to distract himself. Surely, this was all just natural curiosity—after all, the best minds are always the most curious, right?

The last time he encountered this level of curiosity was his freshman year. His dorm was filled with the usual suspects—three of them professional-level perverts who proudly curated a "film library" that left little to the imagination. A couple of months into the semester, they insisted that Sheng Wang join in their "bonding experience" by watching some top-tier material. Except for Sheng Wang, their taste was...well, boring. Loud voices, big curves, zero subtlety.

For Sheng Wang, all he could think about was how none of this aligned with the fire Jiang ignited in him. His friends' choices left him feeling blind and numb, and it took him a long time to get over that awkward evening.

But here he was, years later, thinking maybe he'd matured enough to "scientifically" explore some educational material. He figured he could find something better suited to his tastes. Maybe now, with a more discerning eye, he could deepen his understanding. For science, he assured himself.

Unfortunately for Sheng Wang, he forgot that these films weren't exactly known for their scientific accuracy. After only a few minutes, he was left clutching his laptop, muttering to himself, "What the hell am I watching?" The freeze frames were weirdly artistic, almost romantic, like the actors were pretending to be an actual couple. But the second anyone moved, the magic was gone, and all Sheng Wang could think was, My god, what is this even?

Later that night, Jiang Tian got a late call from his professor and headed to the living room, leaving Sheng Wang in bed scrolling through more so-called "educational material." He'd just seen something particularly shocking—Did they really put that in there?—when Jiang came back, standing at the door with a curious look on his face.

"What're you watching?" Jiang asked, his brow raised. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Horror movie," Sheng Wang muttered, fumbling to close the laptop with a loud snap.

Jiang's expression shifted into something more skeptical. "Which horror movie could scare you this much?"

"I didn't catch the name," Sheng Wang replied, desperately trying to maintain composure.

"What was it about?"

Sheng Wang hesitated for a beat, and then—because his brain was clearly malfunctioning—blurted,

"tungkol sa Black holes..."

"...Black holes?"

"Yep."

By the time Jiang Tian went to sleep, Sheng Wang had already buried himself under the covers, the cat nestled against his back, his breathing steady. But Jiang, ever observant, noticed something strange. Sheng Wang had changed his Facebook profile picture from the usual blank avatar to a cartoon hand. Curious, Jiang clicked on it and saw the nickname update as well: "I don't want this hand anymore."

Jiang couldn't help but smirk. Just how bad was that movie? he thought.

The days passed, and Sheng Wang's thoughts of inappropriate things subsided—mostly because he'd been scarred by his own attempts at "education." But other, more important things began to slip from his mind, like the fact that Ben had invited him to a barbecue party that weekend.

"BBQ and skewers! You in?" Ben's voice blared through the phone, excited as ever. "Remember that place by the subway? Best grilled oysters and clams in town! Tangyi's been dying to go."

Of course, Sheng Wang agreed. The place was a favorite of his, and he had good memories there. Every time he visited, he'd think to himself, Jiang would love this. He used to fantasize about taking Jiang there, sharing plates of grilled lotus root and crispy skewers.

Now, that fantasy was about to come true.

When the day of the barbecue arrived, Sheng Wang left work early—something his colleague Gu Hai had never seen before. He sent Sheng a message: "I've known you for years, and I've never seen you leave work in such a hurry. Is this the power of an ex-lover?"

Sheng Wang smiled and typed back, "he is not an ex anymore. He's my boyfriend again, thanks."

Gu Hai's reply came instantly: "WHAT? My goodness!."

The restaurant was closer to Jiang Tian's place, so they agreed to meet there. Sheng Wang parked his car just shy of 7:00 PM and walked into the private room where Ben and the others were waiting. The moment he stepped inside, Dave pointed at his watch.

"See? Sheng always gets here within two minutes! I told you guys!" Dave laughed as he collected his winnings from a round of bets.

"Gambling on me again?" Sheng Wang said, amused. "Should I report this?"

Ben grinned, shaking his head. "Nah, no one bets against you. But Tangyi? That's where the money is!"

They all laughed, and Sheng Wang took his seat, shaking off the week's stress. It felt good to be with old friends, to enjoy the familiar banter and the warm atmosphere. But just as he settled in, the door swung open.

Jiang Tian walked in, only two minutes late, looking as sharp as ever. He glanced at Sheng Wang, ready to take the seat next to him. But before he could say a word, their friends—either clueless or trying to be clever—scooted their chairs to the side, opening up the seat furthest from Sheng Wang.

"Hey, Jiang tian! Come sit here," Ben called, gesturing to the other side of the table.

Sheng Wang blinked, momentarily stunned by the strange behavior. Were his friends seriously trying to keep them apart? He stared at the empty seat beside him, feeling a knot of confusion tighten in his chest. Why were they doing this?

As Jiang Tian hesitated at the door, locking eyes with Sheng Wang, both of them began to realize that this night was going to be anything but simple.

To be continued...