Secrets and Dreams

Chapter 15 - The Revelation

Taeyong watched Sicheng from the other end of the library with eyes glittering from jumbled emotions, unblinking and motionless. He sat with his forearms resting on the table, a chemistry book lay open in front of him and a pencil in his right hand he clutched tightly, making his knuckles turn white. His lip twitched with distaste as Lia leaned over and whispered something into Sicheng's ear that the latter seemed to have found amusing, smiling sweetly back at the girl.

Anger started to seep through Taeyong when he saw Sicheng reach over and stroke Lia's shiny hair. Sicheng used to do that to him and now watching that tramp take his place, Taeyong felt as though a hundred needles were pricking his heart. The pencil in his hand snapped in two, the sharp wood splinters piercing his skin and wounding him. He cursed as he dabbed on the blood that started flowing with his hanky and tied it around his hand. He should have known better. Finding them here was unavoidable, but remaining to watch them was masochism.

Every single day Lia would hang around Sicheng and Taeyong would observe them from afar with hawk eyes. He was aching and yet there he was, still watching and pining for Sicheng hoping for something, some form of acknowledgement from the boy he still loved and yearned for. But it never came. That didn't discourage him though. So, he would often find himself within the vicinity where Sicheng was. It was an unending cycle of watching, approaching and avoiding between them. For Taeyong it was hell.

The past month was torturous for Taeyong who desperately tried to reach out to Sicheng, to reason out with him. But Sicheng wouldn't even look him in the eye. No matter how hard Taeyong tried to talk to Sicheng, the boy would always avoid him even before Taeyong came close to within ten feet of him. At first, Taeyong tried to empathize with Sicheng. Taeyong indeed had baggage. Jandi, for certain. He knew Jandi was the reason or the cause rather, of all of this. Something she said turned a switch in Sicheng that Taeyong couldn't flip off. He suspected Jandi said something vile about him that Sicheng had the resolve to break up with him. Sicheng never even gave him a chance to defend himself. While Taeyong, not knowing how since he was unaware of the cause, was the supposed guilty party. A misunderstanding that wasn't enough to break up with him, thought Taeyong. He found it confusing at the very least. He was hurt and in desolation yet he put on a mask to hide his anguish.

Sicheng had said he lied. Taeyong knew for a fact he never lied, just that he didn't disclose everything for Sicheng's own good. Protecting Sicheng was his objective. But it seemed to have backfired and failed him.

After Sicheng left Taeyong in the alley that fateful day, Taeyong tried to get an explanation from Jandi, grabbing her out of the coffee shop to the back alley.

"What the fuck did you say to Sicheng that made him so upset, Jandi?" Taeyong asked through his teeth, anger barely kept at bay.

"Wha—I just showed him photos of Nayoung and asked him to be her godfather. Is something wrong?" Jandi batted her lashes and smiled sweetly.

"I know you," Taeyong seethed. "What game are you playing at?"

"Game? I have no idea what you're talking about," Jandi feigned innocence. "Um, sorry I got to go back to work."

Taeyong grabbed her arm, squeezing it tightly.

"Oww..."

"I've given up so much for you and this is how you repay me?" Taeyong said coldly. "Haven't I done enough for you? Can't you spare me some of my freedom, my own happiness?"