Scars

Chapter 23

"Yibo?" After a knock, Xiao Zhan pushed the door to the study open with his elbow, carefully entering with the tray of food in his hands. "I know you said you don't feel well and can't eat... But I cooked something you really like, maybe you can try eating--" He paused when he finally caught sight of Yibo, lying sideways on the couch, asleep.

Quietly, Xiao Zhan lowered the tray on the coffee table. He was just straightening up when he noticed something. "I forgot to bring you chopsticks." He muttered. Not that Yibo would know if he just went to get him a pair and came back. There was too much talking between him and Xuan Lu that he didn't notice he didn't bring any.

Xiao Zhan hurriedly went down for the chopsticks, excused himself again and apologized to Xuan Lu for making dinner wait, though she wouldn't mind at all. She's only been grinning weirdly at him since he started plating food for Yibo first before theirs.

The door to the study was locked.

"What--Yibo?" He knocked. Did he lock the door on his way out? But why would I do that? This wasn't him.

Yibo locked him out.

"Yibo?" He called louder and knocked a little louder too. "Wang Yibo?" He checked the doorknob again. It really was locked. Xiao Zhan stood back and couldn't help but to glare at the door. So, is this a taste of his own medicine?

When he went back down to go over dinner with Xuan Lu, the thought of Yibo not being able to eat his dinner because he doesn't have any utensil with him, kept entering Xiao Zhan's mind. He was bothered and he knows this because his friend decided to leave soon after helping him clean up, saying he shouldn't be so obvious about what he was thinking.

After escorting Xuan Lu out to her car, Xiao Zhan, not forgetting to bring the chopsticks, hurried up to his room, retrieving the keys to the study. He didn't want to force Yibo into opening the door, and he also didn't want to come out as if he was showing Yibo that it was his house and no one will lock him out of any room in it... But he couldn't help it.

He's very concerned with what's happening. Especially, after seemingly, Yibo didn't take it well, Xuan Lu, the girl he's been vocally jealous of, suddenly coming over.

They may have been engaged in a little problem right now, but Yibo deserves to know the real reason why the woman came to see Xiao Zhan.

Yibo wasn't on the couch when Xiao Zhan finally entered the study again. The food, of course, was untouched and has gone too cold because Yibo didn't turn on any heating in the room at all. Good thing he prepared and brought another set of meal with him. He set it down before searching for Yibo.

He walked further into the study. He was sure Yibo didn't leave the room because throughout dinner, his hearing was focused on whatever noise that would come from any part of the house that would signal him if Yibo came out or as much so, opened the door.

And there Yibo was, behind a shelf at the farthest corner of the study, sitting on the floor with a book propped on his knees.

"Get your back off the wall, Yibo, it's cold."

Yibo didn't look surprised to see he got in. Maybe the young man was already expecting he would let himself in, even if the door was locked.

"Come on, I got you chopsticks." Xiao Zhan held out his hand to help pull Yibo up. It's not like Yibo needed the help but Xiao Zhan needed to hold his hand for a second. "You've been skipping a lot of meals lately." Xiao Zhan looked over his shoulder to check if Yibo was following him back to where his food was.

"I didn't like eating alone." Yibo mumbled.

When Xiao Zhan suddenly paused from walking, he felt Yibo do the same.