As Zhan didn't hear Yibo say anything, he asked once again "Yibo~ Isn't the sea beautiful?" he asked, turning towards Yibo. While Yibo hummed "Yes...Beautiful" he said looking straight at Zhan, while Zhan smiled and looked back at the sea. Yibo sat there almost looking like a statue, he held his chest and looked back at the sea, not only Zhan, it seemed like Yibo too had some thinking to do on his part.
"Since you took me to beach, let me treat you with dinner" Zhan and Yibo were coming back from beach, it was after a very long time that Zhan was able to enjoy under all that stress, pressure and the final year project that he was working on, a ride to beach was something refreshing for him and to be cherry on top of cake l, Yibo was the one who had taken him to the beach. Yibo smiled which Zhan caught a glimpse of from the rear view mirror, seeing him smile made him smile as well. Yibo nodded "Where are we going to get dinner from ?".
Zhan shrugged "What do you mean from where? I'm the one cooking, Bo" he said in a sweet tone, but then realized he had called Yibo as Bo to which he nervously fiddled his fingers. Yibo chuckled which made Zhan peak curiously behind his shoulder "I'm sorry" Zhan apologized, to which Yibo shook his head "It's cute when you call me Bo" he said smiling once again, Zhan heaved a sigh of relief seeing Yibo was comfortable.
An hour later ....
"You can refresh if you want, I'll quickly make something to eat" Zhan said walking towards the kitchen. Yibo nodded and began looking for the bathroom. It had been quite some time and he forgot where the bathroom was. He opened a couple of doors and finally opened Zhan's bedroom, it was a plain and simple looking one something he didn't expect from Zhan "I thought he might have a mini library and stuff being a nerd that he is" he said chuckling as he looked around the pictures that were on top of Zhan's cupboard "Aww, look at him in those braces" Yibo looked at one picture at a time and couldn't help but laugh at how adorable a kid version of Zhan was.
As he looked around his eyes fell on Zhan's high school picture, the picture wasn't anything special except Zhan still looked handsome, but what caught Yibo's eyes was that Zhan stood with Zifan, with Zhan's hand draping Zifan's shoulders. "This jerk is everywhere!" He said putting the picture down so that it wasn't visible anymore. He quickly used the bathroom and went back to the dining area where Zhan was setting the table for dinner. "You made sushi?".
Zhan shook his head as he laughed "I just managed to make some noodles, sushi is just the takeout" he said, placing the chopsticks and beer on the table. Yibo sat opposite to Zhan as they both began eating "Honestly the noodles that you made are much better than the takeout sushi" Yibo complimented making Zhan laugh.
There was silence once again and that could be heard was the sounds of them chewing and slurping the beer occasionally. "So..."Yibo spoke, making Zhan look up "What's the story of you and Zifan?" Yibo asked to which Zhan shrugged "Just a best friend turned boyfriend and a boyfriend turned ex" Yibo rolled his eyes "I know that, I mean, what's like the backstory, how did you guys meet and stuff?"
Zhan looked up and hummed "umm... Where to start.... Zifan is a family friend of ours, his mother and my mother were childhood friends and this is how me and Zifan happened to be close to each other and since we knew each other for all our life we were naturally friends, in fact me and Zifan used to be a lot closer than what we are now" Yibo nodded "How come you started dating then?" Yibo asked curiously, Zhan smiled.
"When I was in high school I realized I might be into guys more than girls, it was when I saw a guy who made me sure that I was in fact not confused about my sexuality, so I naturally talked to Zifan about it and that's when he said that he had always liked me and if I wanted he would love to date me, since I never dated, dating my best friend seemed liked a good idea, but when we started dating I could see Zifan taking over the relationship, I wanted something casual, but he wanted to be serious, I started to like that guy from school more and more and I realized I won't be able to keep the relationship with Zifan anymore hence we broke up, but he couldn't take it, so we ended both our relationship and our friendship"
Yibo sighed "Turning a friendship into relationship can go either well, either you could be the best couple out there or two most bitter people in each other's life, I'm actually happy that you guys atleast talk and stuff and not avoid each other awkwardly" Yibo smiled, while Zhan smiled as well "Well he sure was an amazing friend back when we were still friends, after all he is that one person who knows me better than anyone else" Zhan said putting his bowl down as he finished eating his dinner. As soon as Yibo heard Zhan say it. His heart fell, he didn't know what to hope for or why he felt sad, after all Zifan was someone whom Zhan had all his life and it was only natural for them to be close, but Yibo strangely hated the idea that Zhan and him shared a past or that they still talk even though they once used to date. Either way Yibo didn't feel merry about Zhan and Zifan's relationship, he simply nodded and helped Zhan with the dishes and as usual Zhan prepared Yibo's bed so that he could rest comfortably.
The next day ...
"So...What happened? You talked to Zhan-ge? Is he ready to go to US or is he staying back ?" Ziyi asked curiously. Yibo shrugged " I did talk to him, now it's upto him to make a decision, either way I hope he's happy with whatever decision he takes" Yibo said with a smile while Ziyi sighed "I guess you're right, anyway a girl gave this to me ..." Ziyi ruffed her pockets searching for something, while Yibo looked at with a blank expression.
"Here" Ziyi said handing the paper to Yibo looked at it and chuckled "That might be a love letter for you Yiyi" Yibo said opening the paper, while Ziyi rolled her eyes "Oh please, I wouldn't even accept it cause I have someone I like" Yibo raised his brows "And who's that ?" He asked with a smirk on his face. Ziyi hit him on the head "I will tell you when the time is right and moreover I haven't officially said to that person yet, so when she's comfortable I will tell you who she is".
"So it's a she" Yibo smiled while Ziyi chuckled "Duh! Woman are hot, how can I even have eyes for men" Yibo laughed nodding at her point "Women sure are hot I'll give you that" he said opening the paper, his eyes scanned through the paper and more the words he read, more his expression began to change, seeing his expression change Ziyi inches closer "What happened? What's in the letter?" Yibo looked at Ziyi and closed the paper "It's Meiyu".
As soon as Ziyi heard the name she rolled her eyes "What does she want now?" Yibo shrugged "She says, she can't stop thinking about me since the day I proposed her and if I have some time, she wants to talk to me at the university cafe" Ziyi rolled her eyes "I hate her, wasn't she telling how much she had crush on Zhan-ge , but now she suddenly has a thing for you" Yibo patted Ziyi's head to which she swatted his hands off "Don't worry, I'll just go and talk to her" Ziyi sighed "Let me come" Yibo laughed pushing her off "No, it's something I should do alone".
Half an hour later ...
"Hi Meiyu, did you wait too long ?" Yibo, who had just come to the cafe, saw Meiyu scrolling through her phone, he stood beside her and smiled at her, while he proceeded to sit in the chair. "No Yibo, I just came as well," Meiyu said smiling at him. Yibo straight away came to the point "Why did you start having feelings for me all of a sudden?" Yibo questioned, while Meiyu blinked, she smiled taking the coffee cup in her hand and looked at him "I know I had some feelings for Zhan, I thought I did, but after you confessed to me I realized the feelings I had for Zhan were just admiration for someone, so when you distanced yourself from me, I started to miss you more and more and eventually when the feelings caught up to me, I realized I actually liked you" Yibo sighed.
"Then why didn't you tell it to me earlier?" Yibo questioned to which she rested her hand upon Yibo's hand and smiled "I tried to, numerous time, this one time I came to meet you outside your dorm room, but your roommate told me that you were staying over the night someone else, I tired to meet you now and then in your classes, but as soon as classes ended you would disappear and this one time I tried to call your name when I saw you in cafeteria, but you dashed past me and didn't notice me at all, seemed like you were in a hurry, moreover I tried to contact you, but you never reached out to me".
Yibo thought of all the instances that Meiyu had mentioned and all of them happened because he was with Zhan, though he had stopped giving thoughts about it, it did seem like he had spent more time with Zhan recently than anyone else, in a crux of time Zhan had become a bigger part in his life, he smiled at the thought of it, but stopped smiling and spoke once again "I'm sorry Meiyu but..." Meiyu held Yibo's hand as soon as he began to speak, maybe she sensed he was about to reject her "Yibo... I know you might say no, since feelings usually tend to change over time, but give me some time, can you give us a try, can you give this a try" she said, still holding his hand.
At the same time ...
Even though Yibo had said Ziyi not to follow him, Ziyi decided against it, she sat outside the cafe, a few tables away from Yibo's carefully avoiding his line of gaze. She watched as Yibo and Meiyu talked, she could faintly hear what they were talking and balled her fist in anger "Now she has feelings for bobo! I hate her!" she mumbled to herself and rolled her eyes "This fool better not accept her" she cursed to herself. As she mumbled to herself, she heard another voice "Ziyi!" she immediately turned around and smiled seeing a familiar face, standing in front of her "Zhan-ge!What brings you here?" Zhan smiled and waved a white plastic bag in front of her "I remember Yibo said his wrist hurts after playing games all night, so I brought this hand warmer" he continued smiling.
Ziyi smiled and looked at Zhan, while she gestured to him to sit beside her "You spoil him Zhan-ge" she chuckled looking back at Yibo and Meiyu who were still talking, Zhan then noticed where Ziyi was looking. As soon as he saw Yibo with a girl, he lost his smile, he looked at Yibo and the girl for a couple of seconds and then looked back at Ziyi "Who...Who's with Yibo?" Zhan asked, not to sound like he was prying or anything. Ziyi rolled her eyes "That's Meiyu, someone who Yibo confessed his love in the past and now all of sudden she has feelings for him, I hate her though".
Zhan's heart fell when he heard Yibo had confessed his love to her in the past "So...Is he...like going to accept her?" Ziyi shrugged "I don't think so, I'm trying to listen in their conversation, but their voices are getting frail" she said, Zhan's interest piqued as well "Maybe we should just wait and see what happens ?" Ziyi said to which Zhan just hummed.
Yibo looked at her, looked straight in her eyes, her eyes didn't seem to lie but tell truth in fact, that's what he feared, his heart skipped beats, no because he was in love or feelings were getting reciprocated, but he feared he was in no position to like Meiyu at the moment, but since he felt bad rejecting Meiyu, he sighed to himself. "Fine...Let's do this, but I can't guarantee anything" Yibo said to which Meiyu nodded "I'm happy that you are giving me a chance, thank you Yibo" she said hugging him.
As soon as Zhan saw Meiyu hugging Yibo his heart fell, he felt he was getting crushed inside. Ziyi sighed as she hit the table with her hand "Damn it Yibo!" she mumbled angrily. Zhan got up "I...I have to go, I have some packing to do" he said taking the bag he got with him, Ziyi nodded "But where are you leaving Zhan-ge?" she asked, at the same time, Yibo and Meiyu exited the restaurant . Yibo saw Zhan and Ziyi and walked towards them with a smile along with Meiyu beside her.
"Zhan!Ziyi!What are you both doing here?" Yibo smiled once again looking at Zhan. Ziyi looked at Zhan and then looked back at Yibo, even though she hated Meiyu she didn't want to look rude. Yibo realized he had to introduce Meiyu to others "Meiyu, this is Ziyi and Zhan and guys this is Meiyu" Meiyu smiled "I know Ziyi and I definitely know Zhan" she smiled seeing Zhan. Meiyu slowly wrapped her hand around Yibo's arm. "We are dating" Meiyu beamed with joy while she announced that Yibo and her were dating.
Zhan's eyes fell upon it, words failed to escape out of his mouth as they inched his lips, he tried hard to say what he had been hiding in his heart the entire time, yet he failed even though he had numerous chances, now he knew he never had any chances to begin with since Yibo was never his to start with.
Yibo looked at Zhan and then looked at the cover in his hand "What's that in the cover Zhan?" Yibo asked curiously, diverting the topic. Zhan looked at the cover and then looked back at Yibo "Oh...This is for you" without saying anything further Zhan turned around ready to leave. "Where are you going?" Yibo asked as Zhan slowly turned around "I'm leaving" Yibo chuckled "Yeah you are but st..." Zhan shook his head "No you don't understand, I'm leaving for US" Yibo was stunned and so was Ziyi "When...." before Yibo could say anything, Zhan spoke once again "Next week" Yibo's heart sunk "In seven days ?" Zhan nodded "I have to go" Zhan said walking away from Yibo.
To Be Continued ...