weightless | idol producer

Chapter 9

"This is the second time in less than three days that you've dragged me off to a secluded room in a temper. Can't get enough of me?" Yanjun's casual flirting was incontestably a front. Behind his ribcage, his heart raced in anxiety and excitement. Had the plan really worked?

"Shut up, Yanjun," Zhangjing snapped. Yanjun's eyes furrowed at the boy, just several inches smaller, in front of him. He was panting after walking so quickly and having to drag Yanjun's weight along with his own - and drag he did, for Yanjun's legs turned to nervous jelly as soon as Zhangjing had grabbed for his hand. He resisted the urge to close his mouth, parted as it drew out a heavy breath, with his own.

Yanjun sobered up a bit, mentally swatting away inappropriate thoughts. "Wait, you should go back and eat your food. You didn't finish your meal, did you?" The question was caring, but he noted with confusion that it somehow made Zhangjing even angrier. The boy in question blew out another breath and turned away from Yanjun, rubbing his temple. Yanjun hesitated. Did he read the situation wrong? Was this possibly about something else? "Wait, what's wrong?"

He stepped forward to lightly nudge at Zhangjing's shoulder, whose owner turned around immediately and took a step back. Yanjun noted the space separating them with concern. "Yeah, I'm good," Zhangjing said slowly, composing himself and nodding. "Sorry. We should head back to the cafeteria."

"Wait" - Yanjun blinked - "what?"

Zhangjing lightly laughed at himself. "I really don't know what I was thinking. It's nothing, it's nothing." He started to make his way to the door but Yanjun stepped forward to close the distance Zhangjing had imposed between them, grabbing his hand and turning him around.

"No, tell me what's wrong." Yanjun mentally scolded himself. Something could have been affecting Zhangjing this whole time and he might have been too focused on making him jealous with Jeffrey to even notice. "You've been acting weird for the past two days." It was true. Zhangjing had been a lot quieter, fulfilling the silence in his mouth with food instead of words. Yanjun had found that he'd only been eating half of what he'd spooned onto his plate while in line, as Zhangjing had allocated the rest of it into his mouth.

The composure Zhangjing had gained suddenly dissipated, his brown eyes narrowing. "I've been acting weird for the past two days?" He took a step back and there was that damn distance again. "Are you kidding me? You're the one who's been" - Zhangjing flailed his arms, at a loss for words - "oh, I don't know, acting weird or whatever."

Yanjun reeled back at the accusation, pointing at himself. "Me?" Zhangjing stepped forward, sticking an angry finger into Yanjun's chest (he hoped secretly that Zhangjing didn't feel his heart threatening to burst out of him through the centimeter of sweater that separated finger from skin).

"Yes, you! What is up with you and Jeffrey all of a sudden?" Yanjun bit down on his lip, hard, to hold back the smile itching to surface. This time, he stepped back to increase the space between them, afraid his fast pulse would reveal what he was too afraid to say in words. Zhangjing glanced down at Yanjun's feet moving away and then back up at Yanjun's face; Yanjun instantly regretted the action. Was that hurt in Zhangjing's eyes?

"What do you mean what's up with me and Jeffrey?" It physically wounded Yanjun to act so aloof, knowing he was probably messing with Zhangjing's feelings. Zhangjing proved this, turning around and running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Like, when did you get so close? You started inviting him to our table - which is okay, don't get me wrong. I was just surprised because it happened out of nowhere. But, it's just-" He paused. There was an exasperated sigh before he turned around and glared at Yanjun. "Whatever happened to, you know, trusting only a small group of people?"