Xie Jiaran deals with mild skin hunger syndrome, however, he also has severe mysophobia, to the extent that he even considers whether he has wet wipes on him before shaking hands with others.
Thus, whenever his skin hunger breaks out, he can only resort to sleep to numb himself. Fortunately, the symptoms are relatively mild to be considered painful.
However, all of this was mercilessly disrupted after Liang Sunian moved into the dormitory.
To his surprise, he actually showed no resistance to this person's closeness. Even as Liang Sunian stood off the court, lifting the hem of his shirt to drink water after playing basketball, an irresistible urge to be tightly held in his arms surged within him.
As the sleep therapy failed, his skin hunger syndrome worsened.
.......
One late night, Liang Sunian, who was suffering from insomnia due to the heat, got up shirtless and went to cool off on the balcony. He appeared bewildered as he stared at Xie Jiaran.
"What?" Liang Sunian felt he was hallucinating due to the heat getting to his head.
How could his typically aloof roommate, even while casting such a glance that seemed like granting a favor, say such words to him?
Xie Jiaran fell silent for a moment. He repeated the previous words in his usual cold tone, trying to stay composed yet inevitably conveying a hint of resignation:
"Liang Sunian, could you please hold me for a while?"
When Feng He asked Cheng Qing to live with him, he ignored all the reasons it was a bad idea. The relationship with his step-brother was already volatile and he didn't know how to deal with the consequences of their ever increasing affection. Feng He just knew he couldn't lose Cheng Qing. It hurt to be apart. It hurt to imagine a life without someone he had come to rely on for his well being...someone he had come to love. Was fear enough motivation to keep him from letting Cheng Qing go or would he finally allow himself the chance to pursue something more between them - something infinitely better.
-Excerpt-
"What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid." The squeak of his voice belying his quick denial.
"I know this is all new to you. And I know that you have your misgivings about it." Cheng Qing started softly his fingers rubbing small circles on Feng He's body. "I don't expect everything to change overnight but I do want you to give me a real chance. Will you do that?"
Published: 22 December 2019 - 31 March 2020