Saints and Saviors (BL)

Prologue

It was in the winter of his 25th year that Jian Ze's life changed forever.

And all it took was a single vacation ticket he won after a random shopping trip to a mall. He didn't even remember what he bought that day. But the events of that vacation were forever etched in his mind. On the days he recalled them, he found himself smiling, comforted by the warmth those memories brought.

He was thirty now and had been making the same pilgrimage for almost four years. Today marked his fifth trip to that place.

He sighed, staring at the huge clock in the station. Jian Ze had been there for almost an hour, waiting for his bus number to be announced over the speaker.

Outside, beyond the glass walls, snow had begun to fall. Winter had arrived earlier this year.

Last year, when he had done the same pilgrimage, the snow hadn't started falling until two hours after the bus left the station.

"It changed," he whispered, feeling hopeful.

[Calling all passengers of bus number ten. Please proceed to Platform Seven. Calling all passengers...]

That was his cue. Jian Ze stood and made his way to Platform Seven, where he found the bus that would ferry him to a place that held a significant part of his life.

He stopped by a vending machine and bought himself a bottle of warm tea. The earthy flavor had always calmed his nerves. But what was there to be nervous about? He had traveled to that place at least four times already. Perhaps old habits were hard to break.

Platform Seven was already teeming with passengers when he arrived. He lined up, and after waiting for about ten minutes, Jian Ze finally took his seat. He sat beside the window. To his left was an old lady in a thick jacket. He wore the same, for the two of them knew how cold their destination would be.

Jian Ze was wearing a black down jacket, the same design as the one he had worn the first time he went there.

I even have the same haircut, for that person to easily recognize me even from afar.

The bus roared to life. Jian Ze sat upright and leaned closer to the window. Soon, everything outside slowly dwindled from his sight. A small smile crept onto his face. This time of year had always brought him excitement, and the thought of meeting that person again filled him with anticipation, though he wasn't sure if they would be there. But this meeting had been something the two of them decided on after their faithful encounter five years ago.