19 Days - One Shots

A Comforting Embrace

One Day

Jian Yi sat down, slight concern written on his face. Only slight because this rarely happened. His mother had decided to sit him down in the living room for a 'talk'. He had remained silent after his mother caught him on the way out of the door to go see Zhan Zheng Xi. She looked slightly nervous, wringing her hands together and licking her lips every few seconds.

"I don't know how to tell you this, Yi. It's such a bad time and you should've known this from the very beginning. I'm sorry, honey."

Jian Yi's brows furrowed ever so slightly, his concern growing by the second. "It's alright. You can tell me anything."

Three words left his mother's mouth. Her lips moved as she spoke them but Jian Yi's mind didn't register them. Her apologies fell on deaf ears as Jian Yi stood up and walked to the door, picking up his phone and bag as he went. He heard his mother let out a small sob as he shut the door but he didn't stop, didn't turn around and comfort her, didn't say he forgave her for lying to him all of his life.

He walked out of the building and picked up the pace until he was full on sprinting. His heart pounded against his rib cage as his mothers words swam around his head.

'Your father's alive.'

A few stray tears ran down his face and flew away in the wind as he ran. He hadn't decided where to go and just ran as fast as his long legs would carry him. After a while, he came to a stop and realised he had ended up at Zheng Xi's house. He waited to catch his breath before he knocked on the door, not stopping the tears from falling.

A tired Zheng Xi answered the door, his eyes widening in shock as he caught sight of a tearful Jian Yi. Without a word, Jian Yi stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Zheng Xi's neck, resting his full body weight on the boy. Zheng Xi closed the door behind them and practically dragged a now fully sobbing Jian Yi into his bedroom.

He dropped Jian Yi onto the bed and pried his arms from his neck. Jian Yi laid there, his hands covering his face, as he tried to stop the tears from falling. He didn't want Zheng Xi to think he was a weakling. Zheng Xi had left the room and returned with a damp cloth and some tissue. He sat on the bed beside Jian Yi and moved his hands before placing the cloth on his forehead and using the tissues to wipe the wetness from his cheeks.

"Tell me what's wrong." He said in an almost soothing voice.

Jian Yi sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "My father's alive."

Zheng Xi's hands stopped moving for a second before he readjusted the cloth. "How do you know that? Did he come and visit you?"

Jian Yi shook his head slightly. "No. Mum told me. She just told me. I didn't know what to do or say so I left. I don't know if I should believe her or not."

Zheng Xi sighed and laid down next to Jian Yi. "Well, I don't see why she would lie about such a thing. It might be best to go back and speak to her. She must have a reason for keeping it from you all this time and a reason for telling you now."

Jian Yi turned to look at Zheng Xi. "Why did she keep it from me?" He sniffed.

Zheng Xi shrugged. "That's something only she can answer. It's adult stuff - things we don't understand at the moment. We're just kids."

Jian Yi closed his eyes and a few tears escaped again. He knew Zheng Xi was right but he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel. Part of him felt betrayed by his mother, another part felt relieved that he finally had a reason for why that Uncle had kidnapped him before. He had so many question for her but at the same time he didn't want to see her.

"Xixi." Jian Yi whispered as he faced the other.

Zheng Xi brows rose in concern and he turned until he was facing Jian Yi. He pulled the latter into a hug and the two stayed there for a while, Jian Yi relishing in his best friend's warm and comforting embrace.

Zheng Xi moved a strand of hair out of Jian Yi's face. "You don't have to go home tonight if you don't want to. Leave all of this in the back of your mind until tomorrow and speak to Auntie about it all. She'll have the answers you need so don't stress."

Jian Yi pushed himself further into Zheng Xi's embrace and held onto his shirt like it was his lifeline. "Thanks, Xixi. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Zheng Xi responded with a small sigh and a kiss on the top of his head. "You wanna order some food? Pick anything you like."