"Why stop...go on...an after you're done let me know so I could ask you why you brought me here. Go on...continue..."

"Zhan gē...I-I... I'm sorry, but I forgot the name if he hospital you told me to take you to, so...so...so I- I took you here instead. But you don't have to worry...the it has already been paid by the company"

"And a helicopter...? Mind explaining that to me...?"

"Th-that was also paid by them...they felt guilty for not making sure your food is kept away from others so...so they paid for everything ."

Yibo mentally slapped himself on the head by spilling so much of his secret, he hoped that Zhan believes what he just told him and that he doesn't doubt him. The thing was that he knew Zhan didn't lie people doing things for him and that he would rather do anythings for anyone. He wanted to do what he did because he was special to him, special in a way that it broke him to see Zhan sad and it made him so happy to see Zhan happy and laughing that he would sometimes forget his icy cover and grin like an idiot, just by looking at him. Yibo was nervous and the situation was'nt getting any better as the atmosphere felt more awkward. He ate his food and put the serving trolley at the far end if the room before going to the bathroom.

Zhan felt his eyes start to become heavy and he drifted off to sleep. Yibo was sitting on the couch checking his email that he got from his friend to find a name for him. He finally got all the information he needed and he sighed and rub ed his eyes, the information was not as he thought it would be. The person he was searching wasn't connected to the girl who had accused her before, they didn't share anything similar except for their surnames were similar but different in character strokes. He took out Zhan's phone and video called the last number on the list. It was in the evening and he didn't care because he knew he had to do it.

Yibo had been by Zhan's side most of the time, sharing a room was a good thing since it made him know Zhan's schedule by heart as he continues to wait for the phone to connect to the other side.  After a few more rings, the video call was picked up and the face people on the other saw wasn't the one they expected. They were surprised as to why he had that phone and before they could ask he turned the phone around to where Zhan was sleeping. He moved closer to him and he saw how Zhan had slept with a smile on his face. He wondered what he was dreaming about that he almost forgot he was not alone at that moment when a sound on the phone woke him up from his sleep walk.

" Oh honey look...it's our Zhan Zhan, there's our baby. Look how peaceful he's sleeping...he looks like an angel with that smile on his face. Wang Yibo...Wang Yibo...son...could you turn the phone around please...I need to talk to you."

Yibo turned the phone around and immediately when his face came to view, Zhan's father walked away from the phone. Which made Zhan's mother look at him and say...

"What a grumpy old man...oh! Yibo...thank you son for helping us out, I was so worried about sleeping without knowing if he was alright or not. Thank you for beeing there for him, my Zhan Zhan is so lucky to have a younger brother like you...thank you.."

" It's nothing aunty.."

"What is it son...why do you suddenly look unhappy? Did I say something wrong??.."

"No, no aunty...I'm  just thinking about other things, I'm sorry. I will have to hang up now, I feel tired suddenly."

“Oh! Ok, thank you again for calling us son, I really appreciate your help. And thank you for taking care of Zhan's medical bills, I didn't want to stress him when he recovers. He has been spending most of his money on my medication and they aren't cheap either, I guess if you didn't help him this time he...let's forget about that, anyway...thank you again and see you tomorrow alright son..? You should also take care of yourself and not only focus on Zhan...alright...?"

"Yes aunty...I will do that...see you tomorrow....good night"

Yibo cut the call and went to sit on the bed beside Zhan,he slowly held his hand out and touched his cheek and rubbed it a little with his thumb before letting go. He tuck Zhan's loose strands of hair behind his ear and and rubbed the back of his hand as he kept looking at his face. That was the first time he had ever touched Zhan since they arrived at the shooting site. He leaned in closer to Zhan and stopped when their faces were just inches apart from each other. Their breaths fanned each other's cheeks while Yibo's focus was on Zhan's lips. He did not notice how closer he was to Yibo's mouth that they ended up touching. Their lips touched and a spark was felt by Yibo when he quickly pulled back, he touched his mouth to understand that electrical feeling he just felt.

He decided to go and sleep before he lost his mind completely, when Zhan turned his head just a little and mumbled in his sleep. Yibo looked and listened, he tried to listen in to what Zhan was saying but he couldn't hear. He sounded to be having a nightmare before he finally decided to rub Zhan's forehead with his thumb. After a few more minutes of rubbing the angelic smile appeared again on his face and Yibo felt content. Yibo felt so tired, too tired to even get off Zhan's bed as he closed his eyes and decided to take a nap right beside Zhan on the bed. The bed wasn't small either so the two of them fit on the bed perfectly. He wanted to be there if Zhan was to have a nightmare again and he would help him.

He drifted into deep sleep and by the time he woke up Zhan was already awake but pretended to be still sleeping. He was amazed when he opened his eyes and saw Yibo sleeping right next to him, his heart beat faster and and his ears and cheeks burned a little as he felt shy at the sight. He felt Yibo move and he quickly shut his eyes to make Yibo think he was still sleeping. I mean...how else was he going to hide the pink blush on his cheeks and ears..? Another thing was...if Yibo found him awake he would think Zhan didn't mind him sleeping too close to him and that would create a habit for both of them.

They were yet to understand the feeling for each other, they were always unsure about what they felt for each other. They were straight and the feelings they had were new to them and made them uncomfortable. They knew they were attracted to each other, or why would they look at each other and feel that complete. How else would they get shy looking at each other's half naked bodies, how else would they explain how they had the need to stare at each other they way they did.


But with all that...they still didn't think of the possibility that they liked each other. Maybe it was because it was the first time for them, maybe it was because there were so many eyes watching Yibo as a public figure or that their parents would never accept it...who knew...but the heart is selfish sometimes.

AWAKENED HEART  (The first heartbeat)Where stories live. Discover now