Breeze

Chapter 17

As they arrived home, the atmosphere felt different—quieter, more peaceful. The tension that had been lingering between them for weeks had finally begun to ease. Yibo unlocked the door, stepping inside with Zhan right behind him. The familiar space felt almost surreal after the intensity of the night, like stepping out of one world and back into another.

Zhan closed the door softly, glancing at Yibo with concern, though he didn’t press him with questions. Instead, he took a deep breath, trying to ground himself after the whirlwind of emotions that had overtaken them both. The soft light in their apartment created a warm, comforting atmosphere, but the silence between them now felt more thoughtful than tense.

Without saying a word, Yibo walked over to the couch and sank down, his body still processing everything that had transpired. Zhan hesitated for a moment before joining him, sitting close enough for their knees to touch. He didn’t ask the question that had been burning on his mind—how Yibo felt about what had just happened—but instead reached out, resting his hand on Yibo’s thigh.

Yibo turned slightly, meeting Zhan’s eyes. There was no need for words; they both knew this wasn’t the time for heavy conversations. They had already said everything that mattered on that stage, even if not directly to each other. The lingering emotions between Yiye and Ruolai had colored the night, but now it was just them—Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan—two people who had been caught up in something much bigger than themselves.

“I didn’t expect it to happen like that,” Yibo finally said, his voice quiet but steady. “It felt... real, Zhan. Yiye was really there.”

Zhan’s eyes softened as he listened. He couldn’t fully understand the experience Yibo had just gone through, but he could see how deeply it had affected him. “I believe you,” he said gently, his thumb brushing lightly over Yibo’s leg.

Yibo leaned back, exhaling slowly, as if the weight of everything was finally starting to lift. He glanced around their apartment, the familiarity of it bringing him some comfort. “I feel... lighter now. It’s like something’s finally been lifted.”

Zhan shifted closer, slipping an arm around Yibo’s shoulders. “That’s because it has. You gave Yiye the closure he needed—and maybe, in a way, you found some closure too.”

Yibo rested his head against Zhan’s shoulder, letting himself relax for the first time that night. “Maybe,” he murmured. “But I think... I also realized something tonight.”

Zhan tilted his head slightly, curious but waiting for Yibo to continue.

Yibo hesitated, then lifted his gaze to meet Zhan’s. “Being Ruolai, going through all of that with Yiye... it made me think about us. About how easy it is to let things go unsaid.”

Zhan’s heart skipped a beat. He felt the weight of Yibo’s words, the vulnerability in his voice.

“I don’t want us to be like that, Zhan,” Yibo said softly, his eyes searching Zhan’s for understanding. “I don’t want there to be anything between us that’s left unspoken.”

Zhan swallowed, his chest tightening at the sincerity in Yibo’s words. He could see the raw emotion in Yibo’s eyes, the fear of repeating the same mistakes that had haunted Yiye and Ruolai.

Reaching up, Zhan gently cupped Yibo’s face, his thumb tracing the curve of his jaw. “There won’t be,” he whispered, his voice firm but tender. “I won’t let that happen.”

Yibo’s eyes glistened with emotion, and he leaned into Zhan’s touch, closing his eyes as he let himself be vulnerable in a way he hadn’t before. “I love you, Zhan,” he whispered, the words slipping out with a sense of finality, as if he had been holding them back for too long. “I don’t want to ever take that for granted.”

Zhan’s heart swelled, the tenderness in Yibo’s confession pulling at something deep within him. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Yibo’s. “I love you too,” he murmured, his voice filled with warmth. “And we’ll make sure we always say it, okay? We’ll never let it be too late.”

Yibo nodded, his heart full as he wrapped his arms around Zhan, pulling him close. The silence between them was no longer heavy with unspoken words—it was comforting, filled with the knowledge that they had crossed a threshold together.

As they sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the weight of the night began to dissolve, replaced by a sense of peace and a promise that whatever came next, they would face it together, without fear of words left unsaid.
That night, as Yibo drifted off to sleep beside Zhan, his mind didn’t wander into the usual haunting dreams that had plagued him for weeks. Instead, he found himself in a peaceful, almost ethereal vision—one that felt as light and serene as a cool breeze on a spring day.

In his dream, Yibo saw Yiye and Ruolai, but they were no longer weighed down by the sorrow and regret that had always accompanied them. They were laughing, their faces glowing with the youthful energy of university students, just as they had been during their carefree days. The two of them were seated on the steps of an old library, the same one where they had first met. The sky above them was a soft blue, and the sound of distant chatter from other students filled the air, adding to the lively, carefree atmosphere.

Yiye playfully nudged Ruolai, a wide grin spreading across his face as they shared a lighthearted conversation. Ruolai’s eyes sparkled with affection as he gazed at Yiye, and the gentle breeze ruffled their hair. There was no heaviness in their expressions, no lingering sadness—just two kindred spirits, free of the burdens they had once carried.

For the first time, Yibo didn’t feel the ache of loss or the weight of unresolved emotions. In this dream, Yiye and Ruolai had finally found the happiness they deserved. They were whole, complete, and at peace.

The dream continued in this serene landscape, with Yiye and Ruolai running across the campus grounds, carefree as if nothing had ever come between them. Their laughter echoed in the air, and Yibo felt a profound sense of joy for them—a relief that they had found what they had been searching for all along.

Yibo slept soundly for the first time in what felt like forever. His arms wrapped protectively around Zhan, who was nestled close to him, both of them sharing the warmth and comfort of the night. Yibo’s breathing was steady, his body relaxed, as the peace of Yiye and Ruolai’s happy ending enveloped him.

It was no longer a nightmare, but a good dream—a dream where love had triumphed over time, and where the spirits of Yiye and Ruolai had finally found their place among the living once more. As Yibo held Zhan close, a soft smile graced his lips in his sleep, contentment settling in his heart.