(A/n: I know....late update! Forgive your author sweets... Happy Reading)
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"I wish to date you!"
"What!?"
"You don't have to answer me right now...how about you think and let me know in a few days?"
Zhan sensed the surprise of the opposite person but he could not just let this opportunity slide. His grandma had told him to make Yibo fall for him and he genuinely fancied the guy as well...so he had to make sure his thoughts were clear to him.
After composing himself Yibo replied with a short "Mn." which made Zhan wonder whether the person liked to talk so little or was his vocabulary truly limited.
Shrugging the weird thoughts away, Zhan enquired yet again,
"Are we going to eat or not?"
"Yes we are..even I'm starting to feel hungry now." Saying such Yibo waved his hand in the air.
Zhan looked around to check if anyone was present who would respond to Yibo's waves and surprisingly a person appeared in front of them a few moments later.
Piero, the waiter, greeted Yibo with a firm handshake while spouting fluent Italian.
Yibo responded with equal warmth in his tone also in Italian.
"And will you introduce me to the beautiful gentleman here?" Piero asked Yibo though facing Zhan with his hand already holding Zhan's as a greeting.
He started chattering away to Zhan in Italian about his eyes, his pale skin and his little mole under his lower lip.
Zhan blushed and thanked him softly but purposely answering in the man's tongue, which took both Piero and Yibo by surprise.
Yibo's jaw dropped but not because Zhan was speaking Italian fluently but because of the way he spoke. Zhan speaking Italian was something heavenly to look at. His thin but full pink lips opening and closing, he almost sang the words as if they were dripping with turquoise, the way his tongue from time to time wet his lips and how he unconsciously bit his lower lip showcasing the mole which defined seduction.....Yibo had to remind himself to pick up his jaw since it had been hanging open for quite sometime now.
Piero was surprisingly pleased by Zhan's words. He asked Zhan if he would accept a bottle of a very special vintage as a complement from him. Zhan thanked him profusely while Piero beamed and left them to their company.
"Where did you learn Italian."
"I spent a year in Florence to study Italian cuisine and decided to pick up the language as well." Zhan replied clearing Yibo's question.
They were busy chatting about their respective jobs when Piero returned and displayed a bottle of Chianti.
Zhan smiled as he poured a glass for the both of them, informed Yibo that he would get the food in a moment and with a last smile he backed away.
Yibo watched Zhan, almost breathless, as he picked up the glass, swirled the wine expertly, then lifted it up to examine it in the candlelight. He brought the glass to his nose and sniffed it with his eyes closed. Then placed the rim of the glass to his lips and tasted the wine, while holding it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. He opened his eyes and a wide smile graced his face and his eyes twinkled.
Yibo shifted in his seat, Zhan tasting wine was the most erotic thing that he had ever witnessed. Zhan wasn't just handsome, he was ethereal. His eyes reflected purity with a splash of innocence. He felt an attraction towards the man who he just met yesterday and was celebrating his birthday together with him today.
If it was any other person Yibo wouldn't even have made the effort to return the wallet let alone doing it personally.
He had to drag his eyes away from him as he adjusted himself once more, suddenly feeling ashamed of the reaction Zhan was eliciting within him. A reaction which he would have to take care of later. When he was alone.
Piero arrived with their dishes yanking Yibo from his dreams back into reality.
He dared not speak a word while they were enjoying their meal in silence. A silence that was disturbing both of them in its own ways but they still did not break it.
After the delicious meal they thanked Piero for his personal attention and also for the bottle of a 2016 Chianti DOCG which he presented Zhan when he learned that it was his birthday.
When they were back in the car driving towards Zhan's residence it was almost midnight. He closed his eyes while
re-living the entire day in his mind. He had never imagined to have celebrated his birthday in such a way.....at the most he would've had a day off work and a family dinner.
He might've dozed off because when he opened his eyes again, the car was in front of his house and Yibo's eyes were fixed on him. He got a mini heart attack when he turned his face and saw his cold eyes locked with his own.
"Ahhhh.......For Christ's sake.....Wang Yibo could you not stare at me like that. Do you want me in a hospital room?" Zhan uttered with his palm on his chest while breathing heavily.
"Why can't I stare at you?" Yibo asked with a neutral face as if he just hadn't sent Zhan's heartbeats racing enough already.
Zhan had trouble breathing because of that stare and those words. Was this man even real? Flirting with a straight face!
"Thank-Thank you for the beautiful surprise and also for driving me home." He said while opening the door and stepping out.
As soon as he started walking towards the gate he felt a warm hand holding his wrist and stopping his movements. He turned around with a "yeah?" written on his face.
Yibo held his hand as gently as possible, raised it to his lips and placed a chaste kiss on it. That little action made Zhan see rainbows at night. His face reddened to the point that people would've mistaken him to be sick. With all of his senses focused on the palm which was secured in Yibo's grasp, he did not seem to have the energy left in him to try and retract it.
"I want to date you Zhan. Will you be my boyfriend?"
Zhan did not had to be asked twice.....once was enough for him say yes.
But he did not say it out loud instead he embraced Yibo and hummed on his shoulder.
Both of them were silently embracing each other when Zhan's cellphone rang disturbing the new couple. They parted hesitatingly and quickly exchanged phone numbers before saying goodbye. Eye contact still intact, Zhan watched Yibo drive away and while floating among clouds of bliss he entered his house.
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He went and checked on his siblings and his grandma who were long asleep. Then tiptoed to his room. After freshening up,as he walked to his bed he saw a small red box on his bedside table with a letter underneath it.
He opened the box and in it he found a pendant designed as a vial filled with red liquid.
He carefully kept it back inside the box, picked up the letter and started to read.......
Happy Birthday ZhanZhan,
If you are reading this letter then it means that Ma and Pa are not there to personally wish you. Darling, I do not know how old you turned today but I hope you're happy. I truly wished that I could've told you about your gift personally but fate had other plans. I hope your grandma has cleared all your doubts and questions, since you're reading this letter I think she did....
I know you must've thought that she was spouting nonsense but you might've had atleast one hallucination that proves her words. Don't worry about it sweetie...You'll get used to it.I've been through all of it myself. But your father was worth it all.
All the insecurities and fears vanished when we became one.
Know one thing Zhan, this gift is an equal curse as it is a blessing. Hallucinating about your soulmate dying in different ways is not something to boast about. But it also gives you the opportunity to prevent it.
Until you get married your powers should stay a secret. Under no circumstances may you reveal them, even if you have fights and misunderstandings because of it, you should still not reveal it. Because if you do, you both won't be two halves anymore. You would be two separate souls.
The vial in the box is meant for your soulmate. The day you are fully confirmed that he truly loves you, will be the day you hand the vial to him as a gift. I know you're wondering why it's for him. It's because the vial contains your blood and can guarantee your chance of surviving one single battle with death.
If only he loves you...
Treasure him honey, love is beautiful. It holds the capacity to make you lose yourself in its intoxication and still not get enough. Speak your heart out for words of your mouth may not make sense.And yes we know your soulmate is a man but that man was made only for you.
You both have of our blessings.
Be happy Zhan.
Ma and Pa love you!
Zhan's eyes were glazed, he was tracing his mother's penmanship over and over again. He could hear her melodious voice ringing in his ears as he neatly folded the letter and kept it in his bedside drawer along with the box.
He was sure that he can never forget his 24th birthday. He felt so overwhelmed by everything that happened today that he drifted off to his dreamland as soon as his head hit the pillow. His dreamland had only one person in it....
Wang Yibo.
My Dearest Readers,
I had a really long day and I wasn't planning on updating it today but then I remembered that some of you are really invested in the story so here is an update.
Forgive me for not updating sooner.
I hope this chapter was not draggy and boring and that I was able to convey the emotions properly.
I decided to not make them go head over heels right away so stay with me, I promise YiZhan scenes are on the way😉
I need everyone to have a strong idea of the plot so I'm creating the base first. Hope you'll will not abandon this halfway. 🙏
If you'll like this chapter please vote and recommend it to others who may like it too.
I love reading comments so feel free to use the comments section. ❤️
You'll are the reason why I feel motivated to write.
Thank you for reading🥀
See you next chapter ❤️