"Oh, I thought you went out again." Chen, Yibo's manager remarks as he saw Yibo enters their shared room.
Yibo looked up at him then smiles bitterly, "Yeah. I just went to see the kid," he replies and sluggishly removes his footwear, bringing himself to take a seat at the chair at the corner of the room.
His manager tilted his head as if analyzing him, he's been acting weird since yesterday but Chen is too cautious to ask. He's worried that if he asked, it will affect his actor's performance. "You can always open up to me, just reminding you," he said, shrugging then bringing back his attention to his work.
Yibo looked at him, contemplating if he should tell him or not? He knew his manager is sharp to notice something is not right. But what should he tell him? His situation is too complicated. He cannot tell him but he needs some help, an advice on how should he move forward.
"Uhm..." he paused, making his manager stop what he is doing. That's Chen's cue to listen, Yibo is not an outspoken kind of person, he never really tell out loud that he has a problem(since he works efficiently and has fewer mistakes most of the time), he never once heard the latter complain about things or ask for suggestion or even initiate to talk when it's not work-related. he doesn't complain, a hard worker to be exact. It actually makes Chen's work easier but he's not a cold-hearted person that he doesn't worry about the actor's mental health. Sometimes, he's worried when he sees the actor space out all of a sudden, not like it affects his performance, still, he's worried.
"Well... uhm... Can I ask something? Like for a piece of advice?" he asks hesitantly, fingers fidgeting while his mind tries to compose the right words.
Chen puts down the papers he is holding, facing Yibo to show him that he's listening. "About what?" he asks curiously.
Yibo heaves a sigh as he continues, "Uh... it's for a friend..." he mutters.
Chen bit his lips to stop from tittering, well, he knows it's not for a friend but for himself. "What does that friend want to hear?" he asks.
"...Well, that friend is kind of... uhh.. an a-asshxle... well-- uhm he treated his ex--when they were still lovers-- bad... or something... and uhh... well, he kinda met that ex recently..." he paused.
Chen nods as he collects the details in his head.
"... and well, they didn't end well... now this friend, he kinda resent what he did... so-- uhm... he wants his ex back... do you get the picture?" he asks.
Chen internally chuckles, the look on Yibo's face was like a dog, being deprived of treats. he nods, "yeah," he replies.
"...well, you know. He wants to show his ex that he changed, that he wants him back. Uhh well, I don't-- I mean he doesn't know what he should do... and- and his ex hates him!" he grumbles.
Chen sighs, he noticed him slipped there, well anyways, if he heard it right, Yibo must be talking about his last ex, 'Must be actor Xiao Zhan' he thought. 'No wonder he's been coming back late after leaving the shoot right after it finished,' he added. 'Not surprised, the world is indeed small, I guess. I wonder how is that kid? I haven't caught an eye of him even if he's just in around this small town.'
"Hmm, well if that friend of yours treated him bad well it's natural for his ex to hate him," he shrugs. Chen knows they are lovers in the past and he kinda knows how Zhan was treated (not like he needs to pry to Yibo's private matters), well he manages all of Yibo's schedules and Yibo tends to accept them all, not even reserve a day off. He feels bad for the omega, but what can he do? It's a private matter that he cannot touch. He tries talking to Yibo about it but Yibo just shrugged them off.
"...right..." Yibo answered faintly, lowering his head. "...But I can't just give up... He wants him back badly, even if he's rejected millions of times!"
Chen smiles at Yibo, "You know, the regret is always late. It just occurs when everything has already fucked up," he scoffs.
"...I guess..."
"You should give him time, he must be still healing after the pain that was not resolved properly five years ago," he replies.
Yibo looked up at him, sighing, "... should I? Still, I want to show him that I'm changing for good... I-- he wants him back..." he bit his lower lip to hold his tears.
"While he's healing, you should think of a way to show him properly what changed you made for yourself," he replies. Well, as his manager, a lot had changed from Yibo. Yibo doesn't full his schedules anymore, though still always busy but he reserves time for himself, his crankiness and frowning when stressed had lessened, he speaks warmer, and he smiles a lot, not a professional smile but a genuine one.
"I guess I should," he smiled faintly. "Oh wait--" he immediately jolted when he realizes he's been pointing out his view instead of calling it as his friend, "I mean, I guess I need to tell him that.. hehe.." he laughs sheepishly as he grabbed his phone to pretend typing on it.
Chen chuckles, he won't tell him that he already figured him out. He shrugs, "Good luck on that," he remarks, bringing back his attention to the papers he was holding.
.
"Mommy is uncle Bo doesn't want to play with me anymore?" Sean asks while looking at his mother with his saddened eyes.
Zhan's hand stopped from stirring what he's cooking and looked at his son, he smiled to reassure him, "Maybe he's really just busy, baby. He'll play with you again later, hm?" he coos.
Sean pouted, "Maybe uncle hates Sean and doesn't want to play with Sean anymore," he sulks, slumping his face down on the dining table.
Zhan sighed, closed the stove since he's finished cooking then removes his apron. He kind of feels guilty and sad for his son, he's the one who drove the alpha away how could he not? Seeing his son this sad is making his heart broken, "I'm sorry, baby. We just have to wait for uncle to be not busy, okay?" he said softly, though he doesn't know until when. 'But what should I do if I see him again? It's already awkward between us, now it's even more awkward.
Zhan slowly nodded, gloomy and sad.
Zhan sighs once again, smiling at his son, and approached him, engulfing him in a tight hug then whines, "Why? don't you want mommy anymore?" he jokingly sulks, pretending to be hurt.
Sean frowns, "No Mommy! I love mommy a lot!" he retorts.
Zhan faked a cry as he buries his face in his son's belly, "No, you don't want mommy anymore. Now I'm sad," he pretends to sob.
It was a short silence before Zhan heard small sobs from the kid and received a tight hug on his head. "No mommy! I'm sorry I made mommy cry! I love you, mommy. I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologizes continuously, bawling his heart out.
Zhan was alerted and immediately got up to look at his son. He was just trying to tease him but he didn't think he'd cry so much. Zhan smiled fondly at his son as he watches him cry. His heart melted at the sight, he's glad to see his son feel empathetic of what he feels though he's just testing him.
Sean's tears keep falling as he wipes them with his little arms, he sniffles as snot runs down from his nose. Then he looks at his mother after calming a little, making grabby hands while he pouts.
Zhan chuckles softly, grabbing his son into his lap and hugging him. "I love my Sean Sean too," he coos, rubbing his back to calm him down from crying.
"Sorry I made mommy cry," he sobs, burying his face on the crook of his neck.
Zhan then released his comforting scent which Sean immediately rub his face into his neck.
"Now, now then. Sean should stop crying already so we can eat, okay?" he coos, letting go of his son and putting him down back to his seat.
"mhm," he nods, still pouting, and leftover tears are hanging from his cheeks.
Zhan chuckles then kiss his tears away before standing up. "Love you, baby. Stop crying anymore or you'll make mommy more sad," he pouted.
Sean cupped his mother's face, "I promise!" he declares, showing his pinky finger, Zhan then intertwined their pinkies.
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A/N: Hwehwe my head is aching bruh