Zhan was still sitting where he was in the room, his heart sinking deeply. Every now and then, he would steal glances at A-Bo. After nearly two minutes, A-Bo sat up from lying down, swung his legs to the floor, and faced a different direction in the room. He still couldn't recall everything he had said to I-Bo after being woken from sleep.
After a few seconds, he pulled on his head warmer and tied it. He forced himself to stand up and turned around. Their eyes met, and Zhan quickly lowered his eyes.
A-Bo frowned and said, "What happened?"
Zhan shook his head without looking at him, playing with the white carpet he was setting on, and said, "I just came to greet you."
Briefly, A-Bo said, "Greet me for what? Do we have any agenda?"
Only then did Zhan lift his head and glance at him, saying, "And I want to say thank you for the money and the apartment you got for me."
A-Bo headed to the door and said, "He...he...is lying to you. What do I have to do with you that I would pay for your apartment and dept? Just go and thank him..."
Zhan didn't know when he followed him with a glare until A-Bo left the room. Then Zhan pursed his lips, stood up, and headed to the door. Just as he was about to leave, he stopped after spotting something in front of the mirror in A-Bo's room. He walked slowly to the mirror and looked at his hair ribbon lying there. He picked up the ribbon, turning it over in his hands, looking at it.
Apparently, he had forgotten it there when he stayed in the room for two days. He headed to the door and left the room, holding his ribbon. As he reached the stairs, he spotted A-Bo downstairs standing in front of I-Bo, giving him a hard time like he was his father.
I-Bo was sitting, watching him keenly while eating chocolate from his hand. Then I-Bo said, "Where is your rod? Did you forget you didn't bring your whips? Just beat me maybe you'll feel better."
A-Bo gave him a look and said, "Seriously, don't do that again....I don't like it. I did everything I did because of you, not because of him. Just so the burden wouldn't be too heavy on you....I didn't do it for anything else. What do you mean by going to tell him...that I paid for the dept and the apartment? Did I send you to tell him? After I warned you not to tell him....you still went and said it. So now, what benefit did you get from telling him that I paid for it?"
I-Bo said, "So you've been unhealthy all this while? Where did you get this strength from all of a sudden?"
Zhan clicked his tongue and started coming downstairs. As he came down, A-Bo headed toward the stairs, his face twisted, about to go back upstairs. I-Bo followed him with his gaze, eating his chocolate.
Zhan also followed him with his gaze before A-Bo went upstairs, and Zhan said, "Goodbye for now, and thank you for everything. May Heaven open more doors for you."
A-Bo turned and looked at him and said, "You....don't thank me again. Or do you see me playing with you?"
As if about to say nothing, Zhan then said, "Since you did something I should thank you for, I must thank you. If you hadn't done it, I wouldn't thank you. Wishing you a quick recovery."
I-Bo smiled slightly, stood up, and said, "It's getting dark. Let's go...I'll drop you off, housemate."
Quietly, Zhan said, "OK. But why is he weird.?"
Then he followed behind his housemate, leaving A-Bo standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching them until they left the living room.
I-Bo looked at the ribbon Zhan was twirling in his hand after starting the car and said, "Where did you get that from?"
Zhan looked at the ribbon and said, "I saw it in his room."
I-Bo fell silent, looking at the ribbon. Then he said, "And it's yours?"
Zhan nodded at him, looking at him. I-Bo took the ribbon, looking at it without blinking, then said, "How did it get there?"
Quietly, Zhan said, "When you brought me to the room, and i stayed for two days."
I-Bo didn't say anything else. He returned the ribbon to Zhan without looking at him and started driving to leave their compound. After they left the house, he said calmly, "Where exactly did you see the ribbon in his room? Did he give it to you?"
Zhan shook his head and said, "No, I just spotted it in front of the mirror in the room."
I-Bo fell silent and didn't say anything else, driving calmly. They arrived at Zhan's apartment. After I-Bo turned off the car, he got out. Zhan also took his apartment keys and got out. I-Bo went around, opened the booth, and was about to unload the shopping he had done for him.
He just handed Zhan the bag of cosmetics and said, "Go with this...I'll get the rest."
Zhan bent a little, took it, and headed to the apartment door, opened it, went inside, and turned on the living room light. I-Bo made sure he put all the shopping in its proper place in the kitchen...what needed to go into the fridge, he put in the fridge, and he tidied up everywhere in the kitchen.
Zhan stood by the kitchen door, watching him. When I-Bo turned around, Zhan lowered his eyes, turned slowly, and left the kitchen doorway to go back to the living room.
After I-Bo came out to the living room, he looked at Zhan and said, "Send me your account details....let me send you money for transportation to school."
Zhan just looked at him and didn't say anything. I-Bo said, "I'm waiting. I'm about to leave."
Zhan lowered his eyes and said, "There's ¥9 million in the account."
I-Bo said, "Sean."
Zhan lifted his eyes and looked at him.
I-Bo said, "Send me your details now."
Zhan fell silent, looking at him, then said, "I don't have your number."
I-Bo said, "Oh, I forgot. Where is your phone?"
Zhan said, "It's upstairs."
I-Bo said, "Then go get it."
Zhan went upstairs, and I-Bo followed him with his gaze, then looked away and sat on a chair. After a few minutes, Zhan came back to the living room, walked up to I-Bo, and handed him his phone. I-Bo took it without looking at him, dialed his number on the phone, then handed it back, saying, "Save it."
Zhan took the phone, paused for a moment as if thinking of what name to use to saved the number. After a few seconds, he simply put "My Housemate."
I-Bo stood up and said, "Send me your details now. I'm leaving." Zhan sent his bank details. After I-Bo saw the message come through, he said, "Alright then, you'll see the alert soon. If there's anything, just ping me via WhatsApp or WeChat."
Quietly, Zhan said, "OK."
I-Bo said, "Good night?"
Just as I-Bo headed to the door, Zhan couldn't hold back and said in a low voice, "You said you were going to travel?"
I-Bo turned and looked at him and said, "Sure, Sean."
Quietly, Zhan said, "Are you leaving tomorrow?"
I-Bo said, "Yeah, that was my plan initially, but I think if A-Bo is still sick, I'll postpone the trip to Wednesday or Thursday."
Zhan nodded at him.
I-Bo said, "Or is there something, housemate?"
Zhan shook his head slowly and said, "Will you be gone long?"
I-Bo said, "I'm going to the UK. Our cousin brother is not well....I'm going to check on him. If I see he is much better, I'll return to China with him."
Zhan lowered his eyes and didn't say anything. After a few seconds, he said quietly, "May Heaven give him health."
I-Bo said, "Thanks. But don't worry, housemate. A-Bo is around....if there's anything, I know he will help since I'm not here."
Zhan shook his head and said, "No, nothing. I'm okay. Safe travel."
I-Bo said, "Thank you. But if I don't leave tomorrow, we will meet at school."
Zhan just nodded at him.
I-Bo smiled at him and said, "Good night."
Zhan said, "Thank you very much, housemate. May Heaven reward you with good."
I-Bo put one finger on his lips, looking at him with his beautiful eyes. Zhan lowered his eyes. I-Bo turned and left the living room. Zhan went to the living room window, stood there watching him through the curtain until he left the garage with his car, then slowly drew the curtain again and turned around. After a few minutes, he dragged his feet to the living room door and locked it.
***
The next day, Zhan came out of the lecture hall because of the message from I-Bo....he had come into school and was waiting for him. Actually, they didn't have lectures; they just had a tutorial for one of their courses. Zhan had told Bin he was coming, and then he came out.
At the exact spot where I-Bo was used to waiting for him, Zhan spotted him sitting there during their exam break.
All of I-Bo's attention was on his phone, which he was pressing. The way he kept a serious face brought out his true handsomeness. He had no flaws at all. He was the real definition of handsome. Everything about him was just perfect. From a distance, Zhan was looking at him without realizing it until he found himself right where I-Bo was sitting.
I-Bo lifted his head and looked at him, then stood up, put his phone in his pocket, and said, "Good afternoon, Sean."
Zhan bowed his head, smiling slightly, because he felt so small next to him. I-Bo and A-Bo was way taller than him
I-Bo said, "I hope you don't have lectures?"
Zhan shook his head and said, "No."
I-Bo said, "OK. My flight is in two hours, if all goes well."
Zhan lifted his head and looked at him quietly. Their eyes met, and he lowered his eyes, saying, "So A-Bo is feeling better?"
I-Bo said, "Yeah, he's better. He's the one who told me to go."
Zhan didn't say anything else.
I-Bo said, "Have you had lunch?"
Even though he hadn't, Zhan nodded at him.
I-Bo said, "OK. And Yu-Bin?"
Zhan said, "Um."
I-Bo said, "Alright then. I came to tell you I'm leaving. Take care of yourself, housemate. And focus on your studies. If there's anything, just ping me via WhatsApp."
Quietly, Zhan said, "Will you be gone long?"
I-Bo smiled and said, "I won't be long, if all goes well. I know for sure we will go to China from there."
Zhan couldn't look at him because he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He held back and said, "Alright then. May Heaven bring you safely and protect you."
I-Bo looked at him and said, "Thank you."
Zhan didn't let their eyes meet and said, "Bin and I have studying to do....I'm going back."
I-Bo said, "OK."
Zhan said, "Goodbye for now."
Without waiting for I-Bo's response, he turned to leave, as the tears that had filled his eyes were about to spill over.
Calmly, I-Bo said, "Sean."
Zhan turned back. I-Bo walked around to stand in front of him, looking at him. Zhan couldn't look at him, wiping the tears that had started falling.
I-Bo stood silently, watching him. After a few seconds, he slowly looked away and said, "But you have Bin here, housemate."
Zhan nodded at him, smiling forcefully.
I-Bo said, "If all goes well, I won't be long, I promise." Zhan just nodded at him again. I-Bo said, "Or will you come with me to the airport?" Only then did Zhan lift his head and look at him, still smiling, and shook his head. I-Bo didn't insist, remembering that A-Bo would be the one dropping him at the airport.
Just then, his phone in his pocket began to vibrate. He took out his phone to see who was calling. Seeing it was A-Bo, he answered and put it to his ear. After a few seconds, he hung up, looked at Zhan, and said, "Let's go....you can walk with me to the car. Our car is somewhere around here."
Zhan nodded at him, and they started walking toward the car. From a distance, Zhan spotted A-Bo standing by the car, waiting for I-Bo, his phone in his hand as he pressed on it with full attention.
Zhan glanced at I-Bo. Only then did he see more resemblance between him and A-Bo. They look so much alike...like identical twins with few things to recognize them.
I-Bo looked at him, speaking slowly: "Or should you go back from here?"
Quietly, Zhan said, "OK. Save journey."
I-Bo said, "Thank you, Sean." Then he hold Zhan's hand staring at his worried face, Zhan smiled feeling like to bust in tears.
As if on cue, A-Bo lifted his head and shot them a piercing glare with his eyes.
I-Bo looked away, looking at Zhan, and said, "I will drop you a WhatsApp message when I arrive. Just go now."
Zhan nodded at him, then glanced at A-Bo, and their eyes met again. Then Zhan couldn't walk. In a very low voice, he said, "Should we just go to the car so I can greet him since he has seen us? Je move closer to I-Bo's ear....because, he's glaring at us."
Without looking at him, I-Bo said, "OK, but don't mind his glaring, he's just jealous of you." He laugh.
So they went to the car. Zhan looked at A-Bo, who continued pressing on his phone, and said, "Good afternoon."
I-Bo went around, opened the front seat, got in, and locked the car. Zhan stood there because A-Bo didn't respond to his greeting and didn't even look in his direction. After a few seconds, A-Bo lifted his head and looked at him, saying, "If you've greeted I-Bo, that's enough. Stop greeting me."
Zhan looked at him and said, "Why?"
A-Bo put down his phone, looking at him with surprise, and said, "Did I start playing with you?"
Still looking at him, Zhan said, "Well, so that you don't say one day that I don't greet you, that's why I'm greeting you now. Once again, thank you for the new apartment and...."
A-Bo said, "I will slap you if you don't get out of my sight."
Zhan gave him a look, turned, and started walking away muttering "Weird guy".
A-Bo followed him with a surprised look.
Zhan turned again, and their eyes met....A-Bo was just staring at him. Zhan pouted and walked off.
Only after he was out of sight did A-Bo open the driver's seat, get in, and start giving I-Bo an earful, saying, "You see, stop bringing me together with that child, I-Bo. Because I've noticed that ever since he experienced what's marriage.... he has developed a special kind of shamelessness."
I-Bo stopped him, his face firm, and said, "Please, I don't want any drama, allow me to miss him in peace."
A-Bo started the car and began driving. After a few minutes, he turned and looked at I-Bo, saying, "What happened? Who upset you?"
I-Bo was pressing on his phone and said, "Never mind."
A-Bo didn't say anything else and continued driving.
***
Zhan smiled, opened his bag, put his phone inside, and stood up, saying, "Well, you go ahead. I don't think it's necessary for me to go to some get-together, is it?"
Bin held onto Zhan's clothes, not happy, and said, "Honestly, it is necessary, Zhan. Why are you like this? Why are you so stubborn? When will you learn to start doing things like civilized people? I'm getting tired of your behavior. No one can give you advice and you to take it....what do you mean?"
Zhan laughed and said, "Today I'm seeing the power of Heaven. Just because I said I won't follow you? Fine, I heard you...I will go, but I won't stay even thirty minutes."
Bin, whose face had been serious until then, said, "I hear you. Let's go to your apartment and get ready."
Zhan said, "What's wrong with the clothes I'm wearing that I can't go like this?"
Bin said, "No, honestly, to see you from morning in one outfit and then see you again at the get-together in the same outfit? I also have clothes to change into in my laptop bag. Let me order an Uber so we can go to your apartment."
Zhan just clicked his tongue and didn't say anything. Bin finished ordering the ride, then stood up, still holding onto Zhan. Zhan said, "let go of me....I won't run away"
Bin said, "I don't believe you"
Zhan just laughed, and they went to wait for their Lyft.
Around four o'clock, they arrived at Zhan's apartment. They got ready. Bin even did his makeup. Zhan didn't even allow powder to be applied to his face. Bin let him be with his stubbornness because he was pleading with him not to change his mind. So they left the house around five o'clock.
💚💙❤🖤