Fated Bonds

Chapter 20: A Dance of Secrets

Zhan sat at his desk, mind swirling with the tension from his earlier encounter with Chen. He couldn't focus on his work anymore. Chen knew about Yibo and me, he thought, panic rising in his chest. Or at the very least, Chen was suspicious, and that was dangerous enough.

As the hours passed, Zhan tried to immerse himself in his tasks, but the weight of Chen’s presence hung over him like a dark cloud. He didn’t know what Chen was planning, but the unsettling feeling in his gut told him it wouldn’t be anything good.

---

That evening, as Zhan entered the apartment he shared with Yibo, he was greeted by the sight of Yibo sitting on the couch, going through some paperwork. Yibo glanced up briefly, acknowledging his presence with a slight nod, before returning to his work. The tension between them was palpable—familiar yet strange. They had been married for a few months now, but moments like these still felt foreign to Zhan.

There was a part of him that wanted to talk to Yibo about the internship, about Chen, about everything. But whenever Zhan opened his mouth, the words seemed to disappear before they reached his lips. His thoughts were tangled, and he wasn’t sure how Yibo would react.

“Work was... fine,” Zhan muttered as he moved toward the kitchen to grab a glass of water. He could feel Yibo’s gaze on his back but didn’t turn around.

“Good,” Yibo replied curtly. His voice was low, calm, and devoid of emotion.

They were like two strangers sharing a space—polite, careful, but always distant. Even though Yibo had softened around Zhan in small ways since their wedding, there was still an invisible wall between them. Zhan was confused about his own feelings, and Yibo seemed content with the status quo.

But as Zhan poured himself a glass of water, he remembered something from earlier in the day: the annual function at his college was coming up, and Yibo had been invited as the chief guest. He’s going to see me perform, Zhan realized, the thought making him feel both nervous and excited.

---

The next few days were a blur of preparations. Zhan threw himself into his work at Lan Corporation, trying to avoid Chen and keep his head down. He also practiced for the performance in his free time, knowing that the annual function was fast approaching. Singing had always been a passion of his, and the thought of performing in front of an audience, especially with Yibo there, filled him with a mixture of anticipation and dread.

On the day of the function, Zhan found himself standing backstage, fidgeting with his microphone. His nerves were on edge, and it didn’t help that he could hear the chatter of students and teachers outside. Yubin, who had been his biggest cheerleader, was nowhere to be found, and Zhan felt more alone than ever.

“You’ll be fine,” he muttered to himself, trying to calm his racing heart. But when he peeked through the curtain and saw Yibo sitting in the front row, impeccably dressed and commanding attention without even trying, Zhan’s stomach flipped. Why am I so nervous? he thought, clutching the microphone tighter. It wasn’t like he and Yibo were close, but something about performing in front of him made Zhan’s palms sweat.

The program began, and Zhan waited for his turn, watching as other students performed their acts. When his name was finally called, he took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage, the bright lights momentarily blinding him. His eyes scanned the audience, landing on Yibo, who sat with an unreadable expression. For a moment, Zhan felt his confidence waver.

But as the first note of the music played, something shifted inside him. Singing was where he felt most at home, most himself. The nerves melted away, and Zhan’s voice filled the auditorium, clear and powerful. He let the melody take over, forgetting about Yibo, forgetting about Chen, forgetting about everything except the music.

When the song ended, the applause was thunderous. Zhan blinked, momentarily stunned by the reaction. As he bowed, his eyes flickered to Yibo again. To his surprise, Yibo was clapping, his expression still stoic but with the smallest hint of approval in his eyes.

---

Later that night, back at the apartment, Zhan was still riding the high of the performance. He had returned home earlier than Yibo, who had been tied up with post-event meetings, so he had the place to himself. As he sat on the couch, Zhan couldn’t stop replaying the look on Yibo’s face. Did he actually enjoy my performance? he wondered. The thought sent a strange flutter through his chest.

His phone buzzed on the coffee table, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was a text from Chen: “Nice performance today. Guess you’re full of surprises.”

Zhan’s mood immediately soured. Why can’t he just leave me alone? he thought bitterly. The text felt like a threat, even if Chen’s words seemed harmless on the surface. Zhan quickly typed out a response, telling Chen to back off, but then deleted it. He knew better than to engage with Chen. He couldn’t let him get the upper hand.

As Zhan stared at his phone, lost in thought, the door to the apartment opened. Yibo walked in, looking slightly more tired than usual. He didn’t say anything as he loosened his tie and headed toward the kitchen. Zhan watched him for a moment, unsure of how to break the silence.

“So... did you like the function?” Zhan asked hesitantly, his voice softer than he intended.

Yibo glanced at him, his expression unreadable. “It was well-organized. Your performance was good.”

Zhan felt a small flicker of warmth at the compliment, though Yibo’s tone was as neutral as ever. “Thanks,” he murmured, unsure of what else to say.

Yibo nodded slightly and walked toward his room, leaving Zhan alone on the couch. The brief exchange left Zhan feeling oddly conflicted. He had expected more, though he didn’t know why. Their relationship was still so complicated—an odd mix of formalities and the occasional moment of warmth that left Zhan confused.

As Yibo disappeared down the hall, Zhan leaned back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. What am I even doing? he wondered. Between the internship, the looming threat of Chen, and his increasingly complicated feelings for Yibo, Zhan felt like he was spinning in circles.

He didn’t have the answers, but one thing was becoming clear: his feelings for Yibo were growing, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with that. The more time they spent together, the harder it became to ignore the small moments of connection between them. But with Chen lurking in the shadows and the secrets they were both keeping, Zhan didn’t know if those feelings would ever have a chance to be fully realized.