Sunset Clouds

25.

"Honestly, it wasn't even our fault!" LongYue complained, flicking a few pebbles off the path using her sword. "If anything, it was those people's fault! They tried to infiltrate- FengYin? Are you okay?"

She cast a worried look at her brother, who was steadily getting paler and paler.

"I'm alright," FengYin slowly enunciated, but his actions betrayed his words. He stumbled slightly, before righting his balance once more. "It's just-"

"Just?" LongYue cut in impatiently, a worried frown on her face. "If you are feeling unwell, then we should return back to the courtyard."

"No," FengYin shook his head. "I'm fine." It was a lie, his head was throbbing, as if it had been banged several times by a hard object.

LongYue did not buy his lie. She had on her face a look of uncertainty, and went to hold FengYin's hand. "Let's go see your master. See if he can help."

"I'm fine," FengYin futilely protested, and as expected, it fell onto deaf ears. "LongYue, I'm-"

"Definitely not fine." The younger of the twins forcefully asserted. "If you could look at yourself, you'd agree with me. You look sick!"

Xu Fengyin was ready to protest, but seeing his sister's dangerous expression, backed down. Reluctantly, he agreed. "No reporting to eldest brother," He warned. Longyue nodded, and dragged him away to Wanyuan peak.

It was silent there.

Longyue looked around, telling him to wait as she searched around for his capricious master. Fengyin sighed, he could have just gone off and searched for his master alone, but Longyue persisted.

Fengyin sighed, spotting a bench he could sit on underneathe one of the plum blossom trees. Even if it's not flowering, it was still beautiful nonetheless.

Now, if he only had a snack and tea...

Just then, he heard footsteps. He turned his head, wondering who it was.

Lu Yanshui's footsteps faltered, as he caught sight of Fengyin sitting underneathe the plum blossom.

Fengyin merely looked at him for a moment, before standing up and bowing his head, cupping his hands in front of him in a respecting gesture. "This disciple greets master."

"...Yes."

A full silence settled on them like a heavy cloak. Neither of them knew what else to talk about.

"...I heard from your sister that you were sick." Lu Yanshui started.

Fengyin raised an eyebrow at him. "Did she tell you that?" He sighed, shoulders slumping down slightly.

"No," Lu Yanshui denied. "I overheard."

"Oh," Fengyin replied, and did not know what else to say.

What was this silence? Even teenagers looking at their phones in the 21st century wasn't this silent!

Every minute the silence was stretched, Fengyin grew more and more agitated. Luckily, Lu Yanshui spoke up after a few minutes.

"Old man Ruo does not specialise in healing." The older man stated, and Fengyin looked up at him, confused about where this conversation was going.

"...Hu?"

Lu Yanshui hesitated, guilt colouring his every move. With a heavy tongue, he continued. "....But I can help."

Fengyin brightened up, leaning awfully close towards Lu Yanshui, eyes sparkling. He doesn't need to find that old man to cure his throbbing headache; this person right here can help him right now!

"Really? Master can cure my headache?"

Seemingly as if he had forgotten that this person used to hate him.

Feeling Fengyin's soft breath fanning him, and the slightly pleading eyes looking up at him made Lu Yanshui's heart flutter. A lump within his throat, he nodded, a faint blush on his ears.

"That's grea- urk!" The headache escalated, making him feel as if someone was stabbing into his brain with a dull sword. His hands reached up to clutch his head, his vision blacking out, white spots in them.

The faint rustling of cloth, as Lu Yanshui hurried to try to help him. He could faintly hear the questions of concern coming from the man, but his mind couldn't connect the string of words together. The only answer to those questions were his moans of pain.

And then, he blacked out.

___

i'm back, i guess
sorry for the short update? i meant to update it on my birthday, the 5th
but i guess the yearly sadness hasnt gone away at that time
anyways, heres an update! lu yanshui appeared again. i missed him. don't you?