Our Secret Meetings

Before You Go (part 1)

Zhouzhou licks his lips which slicked with their mixed saliva.

"You taste bitter."

Jingyu blushes in embarrassment. "It must be because I consumed the meds. Sorry."

"It's okay," Zhouzhou brushes it off. "Are you feeling better?"

Zhouzhou places the back of his hand on Jingyu's forehead to feel the temperature. Satisfyingly, it is no longer burning like yesterday.

"Much, much better." Jingyu grins widely. "I feel like being born again to this world."

"Silly, " Zhouzhou's hand descents down to flick at Jingyu's high nose amusedly.

"It's all thanks to you." Jingyu locks Zhouzhou's torso in a big, bear hug. He literally has flipped their initial position and lands himself on top of the younger, with his head plops on the younger's chest.

"What time is it?"

"I think it's just half past seven," Jingyu mumbled lazily against Zhouzhou's clothes.

"Then we still have 26 hours left."

Hearing that, Jingyu's head perks up. "What... what 26 hours left?"

Zhouzhou doesn't look back. Instead, he stares emptily at the ceiling of his bedroom.

"Our time together," he says faintly. "26 hours left."

An uneasy silence fills the room. There's a mixed of worry and guilt painted on Jingyu's expression as the younger refuses to look back at him. He knows the younger is sad, that this is the last chance they get to see each other before the younger flies to Paris and he himself flies to Morocco just right after the younger returns. There's still a new year celebration in between that, but they will spend it in their own hometown with their family and their schedules just don't match. The younger is sad yet he won't allow himself to cry. That knowledge is what pained Jingyu the most.

"Love," Jingyu tries to get Zhouzhou's attention. "Look at me."

When Zhouzhou still refuses to look at him, Jingyu climbs up his body so that he can block Zhouzhou's view. When their eyes meet, he finds Zhouzhou's expression to be very unreadable.

"It's going to be fine," Jingyu softly speaks. "We'll just get to spend it well, won't we?"

Zhouzhou's eyes seek some reassurance from Jingyu's deep stare. He contemplates for a while before he finally says, "Yes... yes, we will."

Zhouzhou immediately gets up, surprising Jingyu who also has to get off from Zhouzhou's body. Zhouzhou hastily wears his home slippers before he turns back to the confused man on his bed.

"I'll get our baths ready," Zhouzhou pecks the creases formed on Jingyu's forehead. "You're just recovered so wait here."

Jingyu stares dumbfoundedly at the back of Zhouzhou's figure who left the bedroom for preparing their baths. Judging from the younger's attitude, he is not sure if Zhouzhou is really okay.

But, who'll be okay anyway when you know you'll be separated with your lover for the whole three months?

Jingyu really doesn't like the uneasy feeling in his gut right now.