Yang Luoya and Yang Wei kept reading the diary.
The sky outside had already turned dark, yet the streets were growing louder instead of quieter. Voices overlapped, footsteps echoed, and somewhere in the distance, laughter mixed with the occasional crack of fireworks.
But none of it reached them.
Both of them were completely absorbed in the diary.
[Everything felt peaceful… just like always.]
[I truly believed it would stay that way forever…]
[But everything changed…]
[That thing… that creature appeared.]
Yan Rui walked through the endless field of flowers, the wind brushing softly against his clothes. Petals swayed around them, dancing gently in the air.
His small hand held tightly onto Su Yan's.
Su Yan looked… at peace.
As if he belonged here.
As if the flowers themselves had grown just to frame him.
"Thank you for coming with me, Brother Su Yan," Yan Rui said, letting out a small sigh. "The neighbor's kid ran around again and fell… I needed to gather herbs for him."
Su Yan chuckled softly.
"Children are always like that."
Yan Rui glanced around, taking in the view.
"I didn't know walking through a place like this could feel so calming."
"That's why I come here often," Su Yan replied, his voice gentle.
They kept walking.
Until—
Yan Rui suddenly stopped.
"…Brother Su Yan… what is that?"
His grip tightened slightly.
Not far ahead, something lay among the flowers.
A small body.
Covered in blood.
Su Yan's expression changed instantly.
Without thinking, he rushed forward.
"Brother Su Yan—!"
Yan Rui followed, his chest tightening with unease.
Su Yan knelt beside the child and carefully lifted his head.
The moment he turned the child's face—
Yan Rui froze.
"…That's not human."
His voice came out quieter than he expected.
Shaky.
Two small horns curved slightly from the child's head.
His skin was pale—almost gray.
Too pale.
Too wrong.
Long black hair covered most of his face, hiding his features in shadow.
"He's still alive," Su Yan said quickly. "But he's hurt badly."
He didn't hesitate.
"We can't just leave him here."
Before Yan Rui could say anything, Su Yan had already lifted the child into his arms.
Yan Rui followed behind in silence.
Something in his chest felt… off.
Back at Su Yan's house, the child was laid gently onto the bed.
Su Yan moved quickly, searching for medicine, cleaning the wounds, wrapping them carefully.
His movements were practiced.
Gentle.
Kind.
Yan Rui stood to the side, watching.
The more he looked—
The more uneasy he felt.
Even after the blood was cleaned away, the child didn't look human.
Not even close.
When Su Yan finally finished, he let out a small breath.
"It's done."
He picked up the basin of dirty water and stepped outside.
Yan Rui stayed behind.
His gaze didn't leave the child.
Something about him made his instincts scream.
When Su Yan returned, he immediately noticed.
"Rui…"
He walked closer and gently placed a hand on Yan Rui's head.
"Don't tell anyone about this, alright?" he said softly. "Even if he's not human… he's still alive."
Yan Rui hesitated.
His fingers curled slightly.
"…Brother Su Yan…"
He looked at the child again.
Then sighed.
"…Alright. I won't tell anyone."
The next day—
When Yan Rui stepped into the house again, he stopped at the door.
The child was awake.
He stood close to Su Yan, as if he had just been talking to him.
But the moment he noticed Yan Rui—
He quickly hid behind Su Yan, clutching his clothes.
"Ah, Rui, you're here," Su Yan said with a smile.
Yan Rui forced himself to step closer.
"Yeah… um… hello…"
He felt awkward even saying it.
Su Yan gently patted the child's head.
"This is… Mo Yue."
Mo Yue.
The name echoed faintly in Yang Luoya's mind.
Somewhere deep.
Familiar—
but out of reach.
A firework exploded outside.
The sound snapped him out of it.
"Big brother?" Yang Wei's voice came from beside him.
"…I'm fine," Yang Luoya said quietly. "Let's keep going."
Back in the diary—
Yan Rui extended his hand, trying to greet the child.
But Mo Yue shrank back even more, hiding completely behind Su Yan.
His long bangs fell over his face, hiding his eyes again.
He didn't speak, Not a single word.
"He's a bit shy," Su Yan said gently.
Yan Rui smiled.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
"…I'll come back another time," he said, stepping back.
He left faster than he intended.
When he got home, Yan Zhiyu was already there, carefully polishing his weapon.
"Rui, you're back."
His voice softened immediately when he saw him.
Yan Rui sat down beside him.
"I didn't feel like going anywhere today."
Zhiyu nodded, then suddenly said—
"We should start boiling water for baths. Proper ones."
Yan Rui frowned.
"Why? Washing at the well is fine."
Zhiyu's expression turned serious.
"Someone in the village is sick."
Yan Rui stiffened.
"His skin is turning black," Zhiyu said quietly. "And there's a smell… like something rotting. He's still alive, but…"
He stopped.
"…I don't know what's happening."
"Is it contagious?" Yan Rui asked, worry creeping into his voice.
"I don't know. But everyone's starting to clean up the village, just in case."
Silence settled between them.
Then Zhiyu spoke again, softer this time.
"…Tomorrow, I'm going to confess to Su Yan."
Yan Rui blinked.
"I learned how to grow flowers," Zhiyu continued, a little embarrassed. "They turned out… pretty well. I want to give them to him."
Yan Rui smiled.
A real one this time.
"That's great, brother."
The next day—
When Yan Rui returned to Su Yan's house, he stopped again, he was shocked.
Mo Yue's hair had been neatly combed.
For the first time, his face was visible.
And his eyes— Red, Bright, Unnaturally vivid.
They didn't look alive and They didn't look human.
And yet—
they were locked onto Su Yan.
"Rui, you're here," Su Yan greeted warmly. "Come in. Want some tea?"
"No," Yan Rui said quickly. "I just came to tell you—Brother Zhiyu wants to meet you at the flower field this afternoon."
Su Yan looked surprised.
"Why didn't he come himself?"
"…Just come," Yan Rui said, already stepping back.
He didn't want to stay.
Not with those eyes watching him.
That afternoon—
Su Yan stood alone in the flower field. Waiting for Zhiyu. But No one came.
Then—
A hand tapped his shoulder.
He turned.
Zhiyu stood there, face red, holding a flower with slightly trembling hands.
"You might already know about this but.... I… I've liked you for a long time," he said, voice unsteady.
"I grew this myself… I wanted you to have it."
Su Yan's face warmed. He accepted the flower carefully. The moment felt soft, Gentle, A little awkward, But peaceful.
And hidden behind a distant tree—
A pair of red eyes watched everything.