When the right time comes

13

Yibo couldn't bring himself to cry even when he badly wanted it. It pained him more than anything when Xiao Zhan called him a nosy person. Wasn't he the one who asked Yibo to smile when they met again? Wasn't he the one who wanted Yibo's friendship? Didn't Zhan look at Yibo the way he felt butterflies flying in his tummy? 

He took out the fluffiest plushie he had and punched it hard until his anger diminished a little. In his bathroom, Yibo submerged himself in the water in the tub to his eyes level, producing a train of bubbles to the surface of the water and he cursed. That seems to have relieved him. 

When he went downstairs after finishing the long bath, he saw Haikuan cooking and his parents watching television. It is rare for Haikuan to cook. He is always busy. Yibo loves it when his gege cooks for them. It tastes good after his mother's food.

“Do you need any help?” 

“No, please.” 

The reply was straightforward and Haikuan doesn't even mind sparing Yibo a glance while doing it. He was so immersed in frying the chicken. 

Yibo huffs. If Haikuan doesn't give him a glance, Yibo doesn't mind his gege either. Wordless, Yibo took the bowl in which dessert ingredients are poured and now only need a good mix and started to stir it well. 

It is only after a few minutes of peace in the kitchen did Haikuan notice that something is wrong with his didi. If not, his brother would have annoyed Kuan by now with his never ending songs.

“What happened, Bobo?”

Yibo only sighed. Then he took the bowl and jumped up the counter to sit on it to continue mixing. Well, Haikuan knows Yibo would be quiet when he has something running inside his mind. A cup of icecream is all that he needed for his didi to spill the beans. 

Finishing with the chicken and cleaning his hands, Haikuan brought a cup of ice cream out of the fridge. He gave it to Yibo and took the well mixed mixture to pour it in wraps to prepare them for baking. Yibo ate the ice cream in silence for a while and then he sighed again.

“Why does love have to be painful, ge?” 

“Painful?” Haikuan turned around after putting the tray into the oven. Yibo had a gloomy face, which is not his usual at all. “And love?” He frowned.

“I don't know whether I have feelings for him but for sure it pains me when he talks shits about us, I mean, me and him and what we have for each other. Once he would behave like he is in love with me and the next it was like I'm the most disgusting person he has ever met. It hurts, ge.” 

Yibo looked down to the cup of ice cream that is why he didn't see Haikuan clenching his fist and gritting teeth. 

“Isn't it Xiao Zhan? That bastard! How dare he hurt my didi.” 

Yibo looked up and saw Haikuan trembling in anger. He jumped down from the counter and put his hand on Haikuan's shoulder. 

“Gege! It's alright. I just…”

Haikuan took Yibo's hands down, grabbing his shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes. “Stay away from him, Bobo. He is no good for you.” He warned. “We couldn't know them well before. That's our fault. But don't fall for him. He will destroy you and I won't allow it to happen.” He shook Yibo, either due to anger or because he wanted Yibo to know how serious he is. 

Yibo nodded. His brother seems so furious. Obviously yes. He has been like this since childhood and his possessiveness increased after Yibo was hospitalised due to stomach pain and came to know about the existence of another gender organ inside him.