Remember When...(YiZhan)

Chapter 16

     The banquet hall shone and glimmered with all the latest and greatest superstars dressed and bejeweled in their most fashionable designer formal wear. Wang Yibo stood slightly apart from the crowd admiring the tables of decadent food so beautifully displayed. Tiered levels of small appetizers, shots of pureed soups, small buns, and cakes, all adorned with flowers and surrounded by crystal.

     Unfortunately he wasn't really hungry which had been the case for the past few weeks. Today his stomach felt queasy, and although he could contribute it to drinking on an empty stomach, he knew it was really because Xiao Zhan would be at this event tonight. He was both eager and dreading the moment of Zhan's arrival. Arriving early, he had excuses prepared just in case he wanted to slip out early, unsure how he would be able to handle being in the same room with Zhan all night. Suddenly, he felt a familiar presence at the door and he knew that Zhan had arrived.

     As per usual Zhan greeted all the elders when he came in the room. His humbleness and polite demeanor paired with that beautiful smile drew people to him in droves. Yibo was thankful for the crowd surrounding Zhan today. He could admire Zhan from afar without the other seeing him. The beloved actor looked resplendent dressed completely in black. His suit jacket hugging his torso and his legs looked even longer in his tailored pants.

     Yibo was half tempted to storm across the room, grab Zhan by the collar and kiss him senseless. Goddamn how he missed those lips on his and those unbelievably long legs wrapped around him.

     "You're staring," observed a voice beside him.

     Yibo's face went devoid of all expression as he glanced at Zhao Li Ying standing beside him.

     "And almost drooling," she continued while starring at Xiao Zhan. "Although, I can't say I blame you, his beauty is almost angelic. Beautiful and sexy, the whole package." She glanced at Yibo who was starring at her quizzically.

     "Oh what?" she scoffed. "Don't look at me that way. I might be married with a kid, but I'm not dead."

     Yibo laughed at her comment and shook his head. He stopped a waiter and grabbed two glasses of champagne off the tray, handing one to Li Ying.

     She accepted the drink from her younger costar and cocked her head to the side. "Plus, it's not like I'm the one that's in love with him anyway," she said. "Oh don't say anything, it's better if I don't know the truth. I'd rather stay ignorant and just use my crazy imagination."

     He threw his head back and laughed, grateful for his costar's sense of humour – he hadn't laughed in weeks.

     She raised her glass and him gave him a wink. "Cheers" she said. They clinked their glasses and drank still smiling about her earlier comments.

     It was at this moment that Zhan looked up to see Yibo and his heart did a small flip in his chest. Standing beside Zhao Li Ying in a dark 3-piece navy blue suit, the man he loved was smiling and laughing. Zhan felt a small stab in his chest; he used to be the source of that carefree laugh and magical smile. He took a step in Yibo's direction, but was dismayed when Zhu Ruibin, the director of Ashes of Love, placed an hand on Zhan's arm, stopping him from leaving so he could speak to him. He nodded and smiled at the director, while noting out of the corner of his eye, that Yibo had taken his costar by the elbow and was guiding her to another part of the room.

     Yibo took a quick glance back at Zhan before engaging in conversation with various directors, producers, and actors. Throughout his conversations, Yibo would sneak quick glances to see where Xiao Zhan was. As the night progressed he found it more and more difficult not to look at him, his resolution to stay away faltered every time he saw him smile. He needed to make his escape soon, before he gave into his desire – there was no way he'd get involved with Zhan again. Not after realizing that Zhan didn't see a future for them.

     Both of them maneuvered around the room, one trying to get closer to the other, while the other maintained his distance. Zhan sighed, after what must have been his tenth attempt to approach Yibo only to have the younger move away again. He was about to give up when he noticed that Yibo was making his way to the men's room. He quickly excused himself from the conversation and hurried in the same direction that Yibo had gone.