FORBIDDEN

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Yibo’s heart was still racing from the revelation.

The words Zhan had spoken earlier—“Let’s go home”—echoed in his mind like a haunting refrain.

They were supposed to be comforting, but how could they be? Not after what he’d just learned.

Zhan, the person he had trusted with his heart, was part of something bigger. Something dangerous. A mysterious group with secrets buried so deep that even their existence seemed like a cruel trick. Yet, despite the storm swirling in his chest, Yibo couldn’t deny the warmth that Zhan’s smile still brought him.

They walked side by side in silence, the tension between them thicker than the night air. Their pack was unusually quiet, as if it too sensed the shift in their world.

Yibo stole a glance at Zhan, searching his face for any sign of the man he thought he knew. But Zhan’s expression was calm, unnervingly so. His eyes, which Yibo used to find comforting, now seemed distant—guarded, like he was hiding a part of himself that Yibo wasn’t allowed to see.

Yibo wanted to scream, to demand answers. But a part of him was scared of what he might hear.

Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, Yibo stopped in his tracks. Zhan continued walking for a few steps before noticing, turning back to face him. Yibo’s voice wavered when he spoke, betraying the uncertainty that gripped his heart.

“Zhan,” Yibo began, trying to steady his breathing.

“What is this group you’re part of? What have you been hiding from me?”

Zhan’s eyes softened for a moment, but the calm expression never left his face.

“Yibo, it’s not what you think,” he said, his tone measured but not cold. “It’s… complicated.”

“That’s not an answer,” Yibo snapped, frustration rising in his chest. “I deserve to know the truth."

Zhan’s gaze faltered, just for a second. But in that brief moment, Yibo saw it—the hesitation, the conflict. Zhan wasn’t as calm as he seemed. He was struggling too.

“You do,” Zhan said softly. “But there are things… things I didn’t want you to get involved in. Things that I thought I could keep you away from.”

Yibo took a step forward, his voice rising with every word.

“But you didn’t! You didn’t keep me away from it. I’m already involved, Zhan! You can’t just drop something like this on me and expect me to pretend everything’s fine.”

Zhan remained silent, his eyes locked on Yibo’s, but he didn’t move. He didn’t try to walk away, which somehow made Yibo angrier. It was like Zhan expected Yibo to accept this without question, as if Yibo would just follow him, no matter what.

“Well?” Yibo pressed, his heart thundering in his chest. “What are you even protecting me from? Who are these people?”

Zhan sighed, running a hand through his hair. For the first time tonight, he looked tired. Worn down by the weight of his own secrets. “Yibo, it’s not that simple. This group… it’s been around for a long time. Longer than I’ve been alive. We deal with things—situations—that most people couldn’t even begin to understand. Dangerous things.”

Yibo’s mind reeled. His throat felt tight, but he forced himself to keep talking. “And you? You’re part of this? Since when?”

“Since before we met,” Zhan admitted quietly. “I never wanted you to find out. I never wanted this part of my life to touch you.”

Yibo felt like the ground was shifting beneath him.

He took a shaky breath, trying to process everything. “So, all this time,you’ve been lying to me?”

Zhan’s eyes widened, his calm demeanor finally cracking. “No, Yibo. I kept this from you, yes"

Yibo’s heart clenched at Zhan’s words. He wanted to believe him, but the doubt lingered, gnawing at him. “Why didn’t you trust me with this? Why did you keep it from me?”

Zhan stepped closer, reaching out as if to touch Yibo, but hesitating at the last second. His voice was low, almost pleading. “Because I didn’t want you to get hurt. I thought… if I could protect you from this world, then we could have something normal. Something real.”

“Real?” Yibo laughed bitterly, the sound harsh even to his own ears. “How can anything be real when you’ve been hiding this from me the entire time?”

Zhan’s hand dropped to his side, his expression pained. “I’m sorry, Yibo. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

The sincerity in Zhan’s voice hit Yibo harder than he expected. He looked away, his mind spinning. He didn’t know what to feel anymore. Anger, fear, betrayal—it all swirled inside him, crashing together in a storm of confusion. But underneath it all, there was something else. Something that scared him even more than the lies or the secrets.

He realized that he already loves Zhan.

No matter what he had discovered tonight, no matter how deep the lies went, Yibo couldn’t stop the way his heart ached for him. He couldn’t deny the pull he felt toward Zhan, even now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Yibo spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “So… what happens now?”

Zhan looked at him, his expression unreadable. “Now? That’s up to you.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhan sighed, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of the world rested on them.

“I’m giving you a choice, Yibo. You can stay with me, despite everything, or you can walk away. I won’t stop you.”

Yibo stared at him, disbelief flashing across his face. “You’re seriously giving me that choice? After all this?”

“Yes.” Zhan nodded, his voice barely a whisper.

For a moment, Yibo didn’t move. He didn’t even breathe. The enormity of the decision pressed down on him, suffocating.

Walk away? Leave Zhan behind? Or stay, and face whatever dangers Zhan’s world held?

Yibo’s heart pounded in his chest as the silence stretched on. His mind screamed at him to be rational, to think about the risks. But when he looked into Zhan’s eyes, he knew his decision was already made.

“I’m not leaving,” Yibo said, his voice steady now. “I’m staying with you. No matter what.”

Zhan’s eyes widened in surprise, but then his lips curled into the softest smile Yibo had ever seen. For a moment, the weight of their situation seemed to lift.

Without a word, Zhan reached out his hand.

Yibo took it. Together, they walked home, not knowing what awaited them, but certain of one thing:

They would face it together.

END OF CHAPTER 8