𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮

epilogue

4 YEARS LATER

"So, there are different way on how you cook eggs; hard-boiled, soft-boiled, hard scrambled, soft scrambled, sunny side up, over easy, over medium -"

"What are you doing?" Peiyao asks, interrupting Jeffrey's explanation over eggs.

"I'm teaching the kid how to cook eggs," He answered pointing at Yijun who was sitting beside him.

"Jeffrey, he's 5. The only egg that's going to be cooked is yours if you don't stop lecturing him about eggs."

"Ruibin would never dare cook my eggs,"

"Really?" Peiyao raised an eyebrow. "Then I wonder whose eggs are being used for today's event?"

Jeffrey hungs his mouth open and stood up, "My babies! Daddy's coming!!!!"

He quickly rushes out, probably off to find Ruibin. Peiyao found Yijun a bit confused.

"You don't need to understand anything right now," He says, sitting beside the child.

"Uncle Peiyao..." Yijun calls out. "Is Daddy going to be alright?"

"Your dad's going to be fine. Jeffrey might be buff, but his punches are weak."

"That's not what Uncle Yanchen told me."

"That's because your Uncle Yanchen is weak and puny."

"What's that about me being weak and puny?" Yanchen suddenly arrived, making Peiyao bite his tongue.

Peiyao smiled at him, "I was talking about the other Uncle Yanchen."

"I have a twin?"

"Uncle Yanchen!!!!" Yijun pushed Peiyao a bit and ran to hug his uncle. "Where's Aunt Mingzhu? And the twins, Huiyin and Jingyi?"

"They're outside, playing with your sister, Lian." Yanchen answers, patting the boy's head as he excitedly exits the room, finding his friends.

Peiyao and Yanchen met face to face. They never once talked about Peiyao's feelings for Mingzhu, because he decided its better not to dig deep about it.

"Glad you arrived on time," Peiyao says first, breaking the silence.

"There weren't a lot of patients and the doctor says to let Huiyin rest since her throat doesn't hurt that much anymore."

Peiyao nods, "We should probably go. They might be looking for us."

.·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·.

"Happy birthday Lifen!!!" Everyone cheered as they raised their glasses together.

Lifen smiled, tearing up a little, "Thank you guys!!!"

Ruibin kissed her forehead, "Sorry Minghao couldn't come. He said he had a tight schedule,"

"Hey, it's okay." She looked at her friends together with their little ones surrounding the table. "I'm lucky enough to be celebrating this with you, with all of you."

Everyone was complete, including Jin Jihyu who joined the group late and He Changxi who explained why he left in such a hurry from the resort that day after 3 months, and the crew welcomed him again with open arms.

The oldies were also there, Yilong who was carrying  Chunhua's child, Weizhe. Fen and Mubo also joined in, despite the meetings they needed to attend to. Zhou Rui even went straight from his gig to attend Lifen's party.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat up!!!!" Yanlei exclaimed, handing some of the food.

"Yanchen, sweetie, can you change Huiyin's drink to something warm?" Mingzhu says, as she puts some rice on Jingyi's plate.

"Is her throat still sore?" Shuzhen asked in front of her. She was pouring some juice on Xuiying's glass.

"Not anymore, but the doctor said to be careful."

Yanyu agreed from beside them, "That's what happened to Zhihao before. Now we only allow him to drink warm water."

Shuzhen was about to say something when he spotted Zimo with their son, Jiahao running around with a hockey stick, "Qin Zimo!!!! Get back here!!!!!"

Lifen laughs, "Same old, Zimo. Even if he has a son, he still doesn't change."

"You know sometimes Zimo is more of a kid than Jiahao."

The night was filled with laughter as they reminisced everything that has happened from the first time they met and as of today.

The Crew might've had difficulties and misunderstandings in the past, but it just made their bond stronger.

"Ge, you're smiling," Jihyu points at as Peiyao goes back to his emotionless face.

"Hmm? Oh it's nothing," Peiyao answers. "I just thought of everything we've all been through ever since the start. It was a great journey."

"How about that new thing you wanted to try out, ge? You haven't told me anything about it."

Peiyao looked at him, closely. His eyes full of sincerity, waiting for an answer. The younger had never left his side ever since. He was the one always cheering him on and supporting him on whatever he does. "You know what? I think I'm willing to take a risk. See if it works out."

Jihyu widens his eyes, his heart beating twice as fast. "You're not joking...?"

"I'm not, Jihyu." Peiyao answers honestly, resting his hand on Jihyu's. "Let's give it a shot."

And with that, the night ended with fireworks litting up the sky and sounds of laughter filling the air.

∞ THE END ∞