He Lives In You (COMP.)

37th Chapter: WHITE FLAG

"Okay.."

Mei jumped up and down and hugged Yibo because of excitement. She was satisfied.

"Great..! See you, Ge..!"

She ran away and returned inside, while Yibo walked back to the car. As he opens the door though, he suddenly started to distrust his decision to go. He won't deny the fact that the reason why he said yes to Mei is that he wants to see Zhan again, however, he also understands that he might see his new lover too, and he's not confident about how it will turn out. Yibo was putting on the seat belt but his senses were somewhere else, and Jackson who was staring at him couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of him acting and moving in a desolate state.

"He missed you.."

The voice has woken up Yibo who just travelled into triviality and stupidly looked at Jackson.

"What..?"

"Nothing.."

Jackson sneered and automatically started the engine while shaking his head. Yibo furrowed, looked away and laid his head on the soft restraint, then again, begun to get lost in his, rather, deceptive thoughts.

After quite a long drive back to the City, Jackson finally made it to Yibo's apartment building where he was supposed to drop him, but, he didn't realise that that the man had fallen asleep, probably because of overthinking. Jackson tapped Yibo's shoulder, however, the man hesitated to wake up and you let out a low moan. He then stroked Yibo's arm, and to his surprise, the man's skin was burning like a flame. Jackson puts his palm on Yibo's forehead just to confirm and he wasn't mistaken, the guy was He hissed in worry.

"Was seeing Zhan that too much for you..? God, help this man.."

Jackson muttered.

Yibo wasn't moving and so he decided to bring him to his place, knowing how he doesn't take care of himself even if sick, trading medicine for booze instead. Yibo hates taking one, he knows that. He has been taking numerous, to the point that it makes him disgusted to even look at them and would end up in the bin sometimes. Just like that year when he was about to leave for abroad, he went to Yibo's studio to remind him not to skip any since his psychiatrist ordered him not to. He didn't want to leave him but he had to. But even though he was far away, he was the one who would make Yibo's appointments and such. The one who would call to remind him to eat and not skip his sustenance, to stop going out with random strangers and all. But, not once he ever told Yibo to move on, the man hates to hear those words and he understands how hard and impossible it is to do.

Not only Jackson became his best friend, but also a brother, mother and father to him, all rolled into one. Over time, he started to realize and accept the validity that he didn't need to be Yibo's lover or a substitute for Zhan to be with him, but, someone who wants to be in his side, not because he forced them to, but, because that person is willing to be his caretaker through whatever and whenever. Yibo craved for it, and none could give it to him at the times he needed it the most but for him.

After parking his car, Jackson quickly got out and went to Yibo's side to check. He opened the door and unbuckled Yibo's seatbelt carefully, who was still in a deep sleep, then tapped his cheek softly.

"Yibo, wake up. Yibo.."

Yibo barely moved and Jackson could see the discomfort in his face and so he tried to lift him by putting Yibo's arm on his shoulders and wrapping both his on the man's waist as support. He then helped him out of the car, all the way up to his apartment. Yibo was like a drunken man, uttering Zhan's name in whispers and saying how his head was spinning. Jackson felt annoyed and at the same time trying to hold his laughter as he carries Yibo to the bed. Jackson straightens and stretched his muscles, feeling like he broke his bones from assisting Yibo. Yibo got skinnier, but, he still weighs like a rock. After removing Yibo's shoes, running to the bathroom to get some medicine, he made Yibo sit up and drink the drug, wipes Yibo's face and arms with a wet towel and lets him continue sleeping.