A Good Addiction - Volume 1

Chapter 19 - Ready to Jump

<< Three weeks later >>

"Our friends in the Digital Crimes Unit couldn't provide any more insight." Li Hao said. The boys and their management had converged in Hong Kong after a busy few weeks of criss-crossing China and maintaining two lives: the public life, and the private life where they prepared to leave the country.

Everyone took the news similarly: unsurprised and solemnly. The DCU had closed the investigation, claiming that whomever had hacked Weizhou's phone were foreign and acted on behalf of a foreign state. Which made about as much sense as a screen door on a submarine. Everyone in that room knew the hacker worked for the Chinese government on orders by the SAPPRFT.

Weizhou spoke first. "This only serves to convince me that what we're doing, Jingyu, is the right thing. This is no longer my country, when they act to not only deny me my personal happiness, but also try to destroy me in the effort."

Even uttering those sentences put everyone in that room in danger. Fortunately, all were trusted. The managers had also began the process of diversifying their contracts to that the fallout from the boys leaving wouldn't impact them too greatly.

The last hurdle for their plans had recently been jumped: The approval for them to travel internationally. There had been a delay from the government, causing stress and concern for most of the last three weeks. As of now, they're cleared.

Weizhou glanced over at Jingyu, seeing the look on his face made his heart leap. He reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. "Smile. Not long now." He knew why Jingyu was in a sullen mood.

Jingyu came to the present, leaving his thoughts, and smiled. He was still upset at not being able to fly together, but it is what it is. He squeezed Zhou Zhou's hand back. "Not long, indeed. I will just be more at ease when we're there."

Weizhou smiled and almost rolled his eyes. His big fool, always a penchant for stating the obvious. But, now was not the time to yank his big fool's chain, so he let it pass.

Weizhou's event was in New York, attending a fashion show and assisting the Chinese U.N. delegation in goodwill diplomatic events. Jingyu was to be in Los Angeles, kicking off his U.S. portfolio with D&G. After their respective appearances wrap up, they were converging in San Francisco, where the greatest concentration of asians resided in the U.S. The thinking was their transition would be easier there. Zheng Ge and Li Hao had arranged renting out a large loft in the SOMA area of town for them in a secure building with limited tenants. The relatives of Jingyu lived throughout the Bay Area, the main contact being a first cousin of his mother, who lives in Chinatown in SF. A successful business woman who had immigrated via political asylum after the Tiananmen Square riots. She was excited to assist in their efforts, going so far as sponsoring them.

The official commentary on the extended stay in the U.S. for the two were each taking a vacation, and that is indeed what Jingyu and Weizhou were going to do once they reached S.F. - take their time getting their bearings, decompressing, applying for citizenship, and figuring out what their future would be.

Jingyu couldn't wait. He had been researching their soon to be new home, and learned a good deal amount of information. He had been sharing with Weizhou the interesting bits.

"So... you're saying the culture there is very tolerant of relationships like ours?" Weizhou asked.

"It's considered the unofficial capital for LGBTQ." Jingyu replied. "There's even several festivals each year celebrating. You should see this one festival I found."

Jingyu showed Weizhou photos of crowds of people, mostly nude, and a lot of leather fetish. Weizhou's eyes popped out of his head. "What is that person doing??"