Another Chance

Chapter 9- Lovers

    Xingchen shivered as the scream played on repeat in his head. Xue Yang's voice was thick with pain and it was heartbreaking for the man, he wished he had stayed but he knew he couldn't.
    The three walked along the path if trees and soon stopped, "Let's stop here for the night and  rest," Song Lan said, "a-Qing can you go get some water at the nearby stream please?"
    "Sure," the girl said before picking up a basin and walking away. Once she was out of earshot Song Lan turned to the man in white and looked at him concerned.
    "Xingchen, are you alright? You've been a bit shaky ever since we left," he said, "if it's about Xue Yang then don't worry."
     "It's just..." Xingchen trailed off.
     "What is it?"
     Xingchen turned to Song Lan with a serious face, "I love him too," he said with a steady voice.
     Song Lan choked on his salvia and coughed, "You-you what?!"
     "I love him too, I fell for him when we were together all these years," Xingchen said, he sounded sure and strong about what he was saying.
     "No, you love the person he showed you," Song Lan said, "you don't love the real him. You don't love that murderer, you don't love that psychopath, he's evil and he tricked you."
      "But what if he isn't, what if he's a kind and sweet person in reality and he just uses the murder as a cover. What if he just wants love?" Xingchen said.
      "Xingchen, he's not. The real him is evil and you don't want to love someone evil, you need to love someone who truly loves you and is kind and will take care of you no matter what. It doesn't matter who that person it but it isn't  Xue Yang," Song Lan said before walking away to look for sticks to make a fire.
I need to love someone who will truly love me huh? Xue Yang loved me didn't he? He said so himself, he loves me, so why can't I be with him? He's evil, but if I can't love Xue Yang then who can I love? He thought for a long time before suddenly thinking of something, more like someone. Zichen! He loves me doesn't he? But I don't...what if I do? Maybe I loved him all this time and I just never realized it. Maybe he's the one I'm meant to love.
     "Zichen! Where are you?" Xingchen called out, he needed to ask if Song Lan still loved him. 
     "Yes? I'm right here!" The man called back, "Do you need something?"
     "Come here for a moment," Xingchen said, the man obeyed and stood in front of him.
     "I'm here," he said.
     "Zichen I have a question, do you still love me?"
      "Of course I love you, everyone does," Song Lan said.
      "No, I mean in a romantic way," Xingchen said getting frustrated.
      "Oh! Uh yeah, why?" Song Lan said shyly rubbing the back of his neck.
       "I was just thinking that maybe we could give it a try," Xingchen said smiling, "I'm not absolutely positive that I love Xue Yang so I need to check, also I might love you that way too and I never realized."
      Song Lan's jaw dropped, "You...you mean you'll give me a chance?" Xingchen nodded and Song Lan smiled widely, "Thank you! I'll make sure to make you realize you don't love him, I promise."
     Xingchen chuckled at the other man's excitement, "Sure Zichen, we'll see about that."
    Song Lan laughed slightly before leaving and gathering more supplies with his now lover. He was so happy and couldn't believe it, Xingchen accepted his feelings AND returned them! This had to be the best day ever, he only had one small doubt. What if Xingchen loved Xue Yang and not him?

     It was the next morning and a-Qing woke up to Xingchen shaking her shoulders softly, "A-Qing, wake up," he whispered.
     "What is it?" She mumbled turning around to face him.
      "Do you want to go for a walk with me?" Xingchen asked softly, "I was going to ask Zichen but he went to get some food."
The young girl nodded, "Sure, I'll come." Xingchen smiled and nodded before standing up and walking away. A-Qing stood up and grabbed her bamboo stick before trailing behind Xingchen, she never went on a walk with him before, it had always been Xue Yang.
They walked together in the woods before stopping at an open area, Xingchen lifted his head and faced the sky with a smile on his face, "A-Qing, have you ever been told what the sky looked like?" He suddenly asked.
"No, why?" A-Qing said thinking quickly.
"Well, since you haven't I want to describe it you. Before I lost my eyes, I loved looking at the sky, especially at night. The stars were beautiful and the moon was bright, I would talk to the moon when I was younger you know. I got lonely every once in a while and talked to the moon and stars, all I needed was my sun.
"A sun to admire and love, a sun to shine with me," he stopped when he felt arms being wrapped around his waist, "a-Qing, what is it?"
"You just want love don't you? That's all you ever wanted in life, you never cared about money and success, you only wanted love," the girl said hugging him tightly.
Xingchen laughed softly, "I guess I do, but doesn't everyone?"
"No, not me," a-Qing said, "I only want you to be happy...and food." They both laughed together before Xingchen spoke again.
"What do you think about Zichen and I?" He asked.
"I don't really care who you're with, it's your life and I don't control it. So you can be with whoever you like," she said, "but, I don't really see any love between you and him. It isn't even, it's a one sided love but I don't know who's side it is from."
Xingchen pondered over her words for a minute, what does she mean 'one sided love'? Zichen and I love each other, we are even lovers...right?