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Droplets of rain pattered on the sidewalk by the photo studio, tiny puddles of water trickled down the road, flowing into the gutter nearby.
Two men sat side by side, gazing out of the window, from inside the photo studio.
The usually cheerful one was uncharacteristically quiet. It was a common sight to witness when it rained. The white haired man had simply noticed his demeanour and made sure to keep him company. They hadn't spoken about anything, but neither seemed to mind their quiet bubble.
"Lu guang?" Cheng xiaoshi suddenly piped up.
"Hm?" The other man simply let out a sound of acknowledgement.
The raven haired man hesitated before opening his mouth to speak. "Sometimes it feels as if we've known eachother for a long time..." Cheng xiaoshi confessed a thought that'd been bugging his mind for a while.
His eyes deviated from the dark sky outside to the gentle yet mysterious gaze of his companion.
"Does it?" Lu guang countered the question.
Cheng xiaoshi was used to these type of answers of his already. "Mhm. It does." He nodded.
"Why do you think so?" The other asked, againest his expectations.
"Well..." Cheng xiaoshi pondered over the thought. "Don't you think it feels...a bit odd sometimes? It's as if we have a bond of...I don't know how to explain it." Cheng xiaoshi tried to explain. "I mean- of course, we have a bond, we're great friends!- I didn't mean it in a bad way-" he stammered though he caught himself from spiralling into a more painfully awkward sequence of nonsense, once he caught the other smile faintly.
"Eh? What's this. Smiling aren't we, guang guang?" Cheng xiaoshi flashed a foxy grin, elbowing the other. It was rare for the other to smile, and he couldn't help but try to embarrass him.
The white haired man appeared slightly bashful as he coughed, looking away from direct eye contact, after a moment, he regained his composure.
"So...What did you mean to say by the 'bond'?" Lu guang deflected.
Cheng xiaoshi resisted the urge to huff at him, 'leave it up to lu guang to change the subject!', regardless the man decided to grant him mercy.
Cheng xiaoshi glanced back at the window, the rain seemed to have ceased.
"Sometimes, I don't understand why you stick around with me here. Just when I think, that you've had enough of me, I find that you're standing right beside me, like a pillar. I'm reckless loads of times. I don't listen to your orders. I might even overlook you sometimes. I just don't understand this dedication of yours...I get that we're good friends but do you really gain anything...?" Cheng xiaoshi murmured, his hands fidgeting on his thigh. "Other than company? I mean, it's not as if the pay is grand either-"
"Cheng xiaoshi" lu guang refuted, in that oh-so soft tone that seemed to reassure Cheng xiaoshi everytime, without even needing to say anything else. "I told you, I'll be here with you. I enjoy my time here. I'm not going anywhere." He comforted, his hand coming up to lay on top of Cheng xiaoshi's to stop his fidgeting.
"Yeah...your right. I don't know why I keep thinking about...this stuff-" Cheng xiaoshi said rigidly, his fingers relaxing under the warmth of the other's hand.
"It's my promise to you, just like you did once and I'll always keep my end of it." Lu guang further emphasized, understanding that if he didn't clear this thought here and there, Cheng xiaoshi would probably keep mulling over it.
"Yeah." Cheng xiaoshi looked up directly at lu guang, straightening up his slouched back. "Thank you" He whispered.
"Always." The other said effortlessly, and Cheng xiaoshi couldn't help but stare, at the eyes that seemed to hide so much underneath and yet, be able to stand like an anchor for him, keeping his ownself at bay.
He'd seen lu guang be, reserved and composed, but at times like these, he was able to say such heartwarming words, that made it impossible to imagine that this man, could be anything but sweet as could be.
"You are so cheeky, guang" Cheng xiaoshi huffed out an amused breath, his fingers unable to find space underneath the others calming hand, but rather than suffocation, it felt like a safe cacoon.
"Stop...calling me that." Lu guang rubbed the back of his neck consciously.
The doorbell rung out of nowhere as a feminine figure stepped inside.
"You two!" Their landlady made her way over to them. Lu guang removed his hand from the others. The raven haired man's fingers twitched from absense of his warmth.
"You were supposed to meet me for lunch!" Qiao ling puffed, her arms crossed againest her chest.
They'd planned to meet for lunch at a local restaurant but after finding out that it had been raining, she'd decided to come over herself, hoping that Cheng xiaoshi wasn't acting gloomy again because of it.
But she was blissfully surprised, to see that rather, he seemed like his normal self, and even smiled a bit. Qiao ling could only attribute it to the presence of a certain character. Her eyes fell onto the capable man beside her idiotic childhood friend.
"Qiao ling-jie." Lu guang said apologetically. "We lost track of time. Give us a few minutes to get ready." He politely added.
"Hah! You two-" qiao ling faltered.
"Please, Qiao ling??" The idiot dared to pout, alas, qiao ling decided to graciously bestow them ten minutes.
While Cheng xiaoshi decided to declare a race with lu guang for whoever gets dressed quicker, as he ran off like a hare. Lu guang was pulled back by qiao ling, who communicated her thoughts just with her eyes.
"He's not gloomy today." Qiao ling whispered with a tender smile.
Lu guang simply nodded, unable to resist a subtle smile himself.
"Now you get ready too, guang guang." She chirped with a mischievous smile, clapping his back.
"Not you as well..." The man simply shook his head amused, and proceeded to walk towards their bedroom.
He found their previously tidy bedroom in a state of disorderness, he could only internally sigh.
Cheng xiaoshi had thrown a bundle of clothes in every corner of their bedroom, he was currently hunched over some suitcase, looking for something specific.
"Ah- Lu guang. You should try this on." The determined man stood up, with a full outfit ready to wear, or more accurately made to wear.
He was holding up a white button-up shirt, paired with a varsity jacket and dark pants.
Lu guang simply blinked. "I have my own clothes, you know?" He responded calmly.
"Oh, come on! Wear it! You can only wear this or a reindeer outfit. Your choice!" Cheng xiaoshi proposed.
"..." Lu guang decided not to question the so-called 'reindeer outfit' and obediently took the set of clothes out of his hands.
While lu guang got dressed in the attach-in bathroom of their bedroom, Cheng xiaoshi padded over to his lower bunk bed, sinking into his mattress.
He reflected back on their earlier conversation, he'd felt much better after speaking candidly. Just how...could lu guang act so...seamlessly while he felt like a train wreck, worrying over stupid thoughts.
The way, his eyes looked at him so clearly, without a speck of hesitance. His assuring gestures, the way his hands just knew exactly how to calm him down.
Cheng xiaoshi, subconsciously, glanced at his own hands, his fingers could still feel the ghost of his warmth. It made him want to hold his hand again.. wait what...?
The door to the bathroom, flew open and startled Cheng xiaoshi out of this thought bubble.
Lu guang stepped out in his chosen outfit, and would someone believe if Cheng xiaoshi admitted that he'd forgotten how to breath at that moment?
There was something unfair about how easily he wore such ordinary clothes, turning simplicity into something worth staring at. No wonder, he was in that anime club, of course, anyone, would fawn over him.
"You haven't changed yet." Lu guang muttered.
"Oh- right! Yeah-" Cheng xiaoshi fumbled over his words as he made his way past him and strided into the bathroom.
Lu guang waited for him patiently outside. Qiao ling also ambled into the bedroom, after getting bored of waiting.
She noticed that lu guang was wearing her friend's clothing, alas, it wasn't the first time this happened. They both chatted until Cheng xiaoshi returned, in a new set of clothes.
Qiao ling took one look at Cheng xiaoshi and could Immediately tell that they weren't his clothes. Those were the clothes that she'd gifted lu guang on his birthday but they'd turned out a size larger than expected. She glanced between both men, was it some kind of 'swap your outfits' day?
Once the surprise wore off, she decided to, instead drag both of them, to make their way to the restaurant, before they decided to waste any more time. Though Cheng xiaoshi made sure to remind everyone that they were, indeed, not his clothes. Lu guang didn't seem to mind the revelation. Maybe he'd no energy to chide him.
They'd caught a cab on the way. The trio sat in the backseats of the cab, with cheng xiaoshi in the center, with the other two on either side of him.
While the lo-fi music within the cab played, Cheng xiaoshi suddenly perked up when he heard the word promise play within the song. It made him remember that he'd wanted to ask lu guang something.
Cheng xiaoshi tilted slightly to his left, to talk to the man, who seemed focused in staring outside the window. He touched his shoulder to grab his attention, and leaned closer to his ear.
"A promise. You mentioned- What promise were you talking about earlier...?" Cheng xiaoshi carefully composed his words yet, he didn't expect that he'd regret asking the question.
The words seemed to have an immediate effect on the composed man. His eyes, which had looked into his with clear skies, suddenly clouded with a fog of emotion, he couldn't decipher.
"It's...nothing. Nothing significant." Lu guang simply said and returned to gazing outside, cutting the conversation from proceeding, and Cheng xiaoshi could only wonder what hid within the depths of his companion's mind.
Beyond the outskirts of Bridon, where the city's crowded streets gradually gave way to rolling fields and aging railway lines, lay the town of Shuāngguǐ Zhèn, or also known as twin rails town. It was small enough that everyone knew everyone, yet distant enough to feel forgotten by the rest of the world.
Within the quiet murmurs of the town, often the piercing screams of a child would trickle through. Hurried footsteps would make their way from the midst of the town to the heart of the railroads.
The station had been abandoned for years, ever since bridon had been built and a new railroad closer to the lavish city was constructed.
The messy, white haired boy, sat between the tracks, his ankle unable to support himself from walking any further. His arms stinging from burns and purplish marks, that seemed to only worsen as time passed.
It was common to see this boy, straying over, at the railtracks, everyone knew of his pitable situation. The once dearly loved boy, lost his mother in an accident, at the mere age of four. Since then, three years had passed and things haven't been the same. Breaking of glass, the piercing screams and yelling seemed to always accompany the household.
Neither of the residents had the courage to stop it. The parent had gone mad from grief of his spouse and his victim seemed to be his only child. The residents could only extend acts of kindness of the boy with gestures and food.
Tourists were rare to come by, in this quiet town, so when a raven haired child, visited this abandoned railroad, the other child seemed to be surprised. He didn't recognize him as someone who lived here.
"Why are you sitting here alone?" The raven haired child asked curiously.
"..." The other looked away. The energetic child kept poking for an answer but received no response.
"..wait...? you can speak right?" The child stammered, after coming to his own conclusion. "I know a bit of sign language..." The child gestured clumsily, it was an amateur attempt.
"...I can speak." The famished kid murmured, his throat hoarse.
"Woah. You sound thirsty. Want some water? I have a bottle." The boy enthusiastically handed over his bottle.
"...thank you" he politely thanked.
"Anytime!" He grinned widely.
The white haired boy drank the water from his bottle carefully, ensuring not a drop fell.
"So what's your name? My name's cheng xiaoshi!"
"...Lu guang..." The kid, lu guang, murmured as he returned the bottle to it's rightful owner.
"Oh. So 'lu' is for land and 'guang' stands for light?" Cheng xiaoshi asked animatedly.
"Mhm..." He nodded.
"Such a pretty name...Your parents must have chosen it with such dedication" Cheng xiaoshi beamed brightly, while the other couldn't understand why he's behaving so...weirdly over a name.
"It's just a name..." The child's gaze fell to the ground.
"Oh...what happened to your arm?" He quipped apphrehensively. Cheng xiaoshi appeared to have no sense of personal space, the weakened boy, tried to stop him from touching his arm.
"Don't touch me." The boy scowled.
"Oh..right. It must hurt right?" Cheng xiaoshi spoke sympathetically. "You know, I actually learned how to do basic first aid from my dad! I could help you."
"...you don't need to."
"But your my friend!"
"When did I say we're friends?"
"Well, anyone in need, is a friend indeed!" He clumsily smiled.
"...you do realize that isn't how the phrase goes right?" The boy sighed exasperatedly.
"So, my dear friend. Let's go get bandages. I have them where I live currently." Cheng xiaoshi said, not minding what he said.
"...where do you live? Did you just recently move?" Lu guang got up to follow, the pain in his ankle had gotten better with some rest, atleast he could walk now.
"Yeah. It's near a train station. We moved for my father's job." Cheng xiaoshi said rather proudly.
"...job? Hm..." He simply nodded, he thought it'd be better not to pry too much.
"Yeah! He's a teacher for an amazing school." Cheng xiaoshi chuckler.
The other kid kept nodding as the boy animatedly explained practically his entire daily routine or random incidents.
After a good amount of walking, they'd reached the heart of the village. "That's where I'm living right now!" Cheng xiaoshi pointed to the newly built guesthouses, that'd been built to attract tourists.
"...I see" Lu guang nodded. "Are...your parents home?" His hand awkwardly scratched his neck.
"No. Not right now" cheng xiaoshi shook his head. Cheng xiaoshi stepped forward to unlock the door, opening it for his friend.
Lu guang hesitated at the door frame. "Are..you really sure I can come inside...? I can stay outside..." His words punctuated with some underlying anxiety.
"Of course, you can." Cheng xiaoshi chuckled, patting his back, not minding that the boy's shirt seemed to be dirty.
The determined boy grabbed his hand as he led him inside. The inside of the house was neatly decorated, with prominent lighting and properly furnished.
The village boy blinked in slight awe, taking in his surroundings. No wonder, these guesthouses are built for tourists, they looked wonderful, both inside and out.
Cheng xiaoshi let the boy position himself on the couch, his scrawny legs dangling from his figure, unable to reach the floor.
Cheng xiaoshi left the room temporarily, while lu guang contemplated what to do in his unfamiliar environment. His fingers fidgeting anxiously, pondering over whether this was truly a good decision or not.
Cheng xiaoshi returned with a red box, with 'first aid' prominently written in white on top. He walked with a bounce in his stride, unable to hide his excited energy from his new friend.
"I promise I'll do a good job." Cheng xiaoshi reassured, as he bent down to first apply soothing cream to his ankle. Lu guang sat awkwardly, glancing down at the focused boy, who was gingerly applying cream.
"I can atleast apply the cream myself..." Lu guang refuted.
"Shush-! Your my guest." Cheng xiaoshi simply answered with a wink. His hand came to rest on top of the seated boy's hands, which instantly froze their fidgeting.
"Now, just let me do this for you, okay?" Lu guang's fingers tried to escape the heat of the other, but the other boy, simply squeezed his fingers in reassurance.
"..." Lu guang could only sheepishly agree.
For a few moments, it was pure silence. It was odd, lu guang was accustomed to heading out in the quiet village without anyone, but with the appearance of this new boy, after all that chatter had flooded his mind, it was uncomfortable to sit without him speaking. Had he gotten used to be lonely?
"So...how did you get like this hurt anyways?" Cheng xiaoshi asked.
"...I fell." Lu guang murmured, hoping his face didn't give him away.
"Oh...you sure..? I get the ankle...but your arm.." his eyes fell on the faint bruises.
"...I fell" he repeated.
"...did someone bully you?" Cheng xiaoshi sighed. "How old are you even? Why are you so thin?" He complained, as he got up to carefully run his fingers over the weaker kid's arms. Lu guang tried his best not to flinch, this was supposed to be his friend afterall right? Friends don't run away from eachother right?
It's going to be okay. it's okay. it's going to be-
"Yeah...I was bullied. I'm seven. You?" Lu guang mumbled, preferring this excuse.
"Oh. I'm almost turn eight soon in a few weeks!" Cheng xiaoshi beamed.
"Mhm..."
"You should call me gege. I'm older!"
The other rolled his eyes to the older kid's suggestion.
"Hey-!" He pouted.
"So...why do they bully you?" Cheng xiaoshi asked after a moment. He shifted closer to the kid, coming over to lay the kids arm on the couch armrest, so he could bandage them.
Uncomfortable silence spread over the room, sweeping into every corner. Even Cheng xiaoshi, himself regretted asking.
"...because...I shouldn't- I can't...exist..." A barely heard whisper answered.
Cheng Xiaoshi met his gaze and gave an incredulous look. "Why not? Your standing Infront of me, aren't you?"
"I mean...I'm.."
"That's not up to them to decide. You were born to live your own life. Don't listen to them." The older huffed as he finished wrapping up the bandage. "You should tell your family about this. They'll help you"
"What...if they don't help me...?" The younger boy's voice cracked.
It got harder to let air out of his lungs. Harder to form words, which could roll out of his tongue.
"What? Why wouldn't they?" Cheng xiaoshi shook his head.
"Because.."
Inhale and exhale. Inhale and exhale. Inhale-
There was a knock on the door, and the entrance of two pairs of footsteps. In the blink of an eye, lu guang yanked his arm out of Cheng xiaoshi's grip, storming out of the house, running as fast as his legs could carry him.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exha-
"Lu guang!" His name tore out from his throat.
But, the boy didn't look back, his ears couldn't hear the panicked tone of the other. Nor the words of concern from his parents.
Lu guang was running too fast, Cheng xiaoshi wouldn't reach his pace so he called out instead.
"Let's meet again tomorrow! We're friends right? Get home safe!" Cheng xiaoshi yelled at the top of his lungs.
The boy kept running and running.
Inhale. Exhale. Exhale. Inhale. No- the order was wrong-
Tears ran down endlessly over the curve of his cheeks, dropping down onto the hard ground. His vision blurred from the water but he kept sprinting.
Just as his energy was about to reach its limit, he finally reached his house. His breath caught, unable to regain it's usual momentum.
He hastily opened the door, but crashed straight into a hard silhouette.
"Where were you?" A cold, thunderous voice demanded.
"Father..." He hiccupped.
Calm down. Calm dow-
"Fucking brat- I asked you a question-" The older man, in his early thirties, latched his hand onto the collar of the boy's shirt.
"Wait- father-" Lu guang tried to rub the moisture off his cheeks. "I-"
"Answer the goddamn question-!" The raging voice of the parent, rang through his ears, painfully enveloping him into a bubble of no escape.
Inhale. Exhale. Exhale. No- inhale.
"With my friend-" he breath out.
"You've learned to lie as well? You liar. You don't have any friends. We're shunned in this goddamn village because of you." His trip on the shirt got firmer as he slammed the boy againest the wall.
"You know why? Because they're scared of a devil child. Heck, I can't believe I have to call you my kid. A kid who murdered his own mother. What use were these devil powers if you couldn't even use them to help your own mother. Pathetic. Hah-" The man laughed hysterically. "So quit your fantasies. You didn't even bring dinner. What use do you even have?"
The man dropped him over the pile of broken shards from alcohol bottles. The shards pierced through the skin of his legs, as he let out a painful shriek.
Inhale. Insane. Exhale.
"Quit your whining. Get me a bottle." The weakened young figure, picked up a bottle, trying his best not to stumble over his own feet.
The man snatched the bottle right out of his hands. "Just go to your room. I don't want to see the sight of you. Get lost." The man puffed.
Lu guang didn't need to be told twice. The kid sprinted, despite the aching pain in his own legs. He practically crashed againest the door, as he unlocked it and stepped inside. He quickly shut the clasp of the door before his father changed his mind.
He finally collapsed onto the mat in his room on the floor. The room was bare with only a mat and a cabinet filled his his clothes and trickets in the corner.
Beside the mat, there was a picture frame. It was a picture of his family. Lu guang smiling, his parents holding his hand on either side.
Lu guang grasped the picture and held it close to his chest. "I miss you...mama." A heartbreaking cry, pierced from the base of his throat. He could only pray that his father couldn't hear him, as the flood of his emotions released.
It wasn't long until exhaustion overcame him and he fell into a deep slumber. The frame never leaving the tight grip of his arms. The moonlight trickled in from the open window, shining over the moisture gathered over his cheeks. Only the chilly breeze could help him withstand the warmth of the hot days.
Just as the birds began to chirp, early in the morning, lu guang awoke from the light of the sun, shining over his eyelids, plunging him out of his sleep.
Lu guang sat up on the mat, disoriented, blinking at the bare wall, until he regained some composure. His stomach growled from scarcity of food. He positioned the frame onto his hand instead.
Despite the lingering pain in his legs, he forced himself to get up on his feet. Before leaving, he quickly changed into a new set of clothes and hid the precious frame inside the cabinet, in between his clothes.
He found himself walking towards the school. Bright school. The only school in the entirety of the village. Lu guang was never unable to enroll in it, since his father hadn't wanted to waste money on it.
So instead, lu guang would secretly watch and take notes from the window of the building. Well, it wasn't much a secret, since the teacher knew about it but she never reprimanded him for it.
He'd reached before anyone else did and found his usual spot, which gave him a perfect angle to watch the lecture from outside.
He waited patiently for all the students and teacher to arrive. Class started soon enough, and he focused on the lecture. He could always feel the gazes of the students but never paid them any mind.
The teacher sometimes reminded him of his mother, who'd help him write the alphabet in this very same notebook, when he was younger.
As usual, whenever recess would start. The teacher would leave out food like sandwiches outside the door, wrapped in a newspaper. It was obvious that she'd leave it on purpose, and he was grateful to her. He'd pick it up and munch on the delicious food.
While the villagers didn't talk to him, some of them did try to help him in this way, he wished he could repay them. The children, as always, made sure to stay further away as possible, he'd gotten used to the sight. Who would want to anyways?
Well...
Well, that was until yesterday, he'd...gained a friend. A friend who didn't move away from him. A friend who didn't give him dirty looks. A friend who kept chatting and helping despite getting nothing in return.
But what was a friend truly?
Why would Cheng xiaoshi want to be friends with him?
His father was right. Why would someone so...bright approach him?
Lu guang couldn't understand.
As classes resumed, lu guang returned his attention to the lesson instead. Hours passed by, and finally classes came to an end. Lu guang gathered his stuff and made his way towards his spot.
The twin rails.
Most people stayed away from the place, since it was abandoned, but once upon a time, it used to be the most famous tourist place of the village.
Just as he was crossing the fields, to reach the meadows, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his neck from behind. "Finally found you! I've been waiting for you all day!" Cheng xiaoshi beamed with joy.
Lu guang froze, unable to react. "Get off me!" He abruptly yelled. "Don't...come close" he yanked the boy's arms off his neck, and stepped away.
"Woah...okay. okay. I won't...i know you don't like touch.." Cheng xiaoshi stepped away, understandingly. He appeared sheepish, as he rubbed his arm. "I'm...sorry for pushing you too much yesterday."
"What?" Lu guang looked at him bewildered. "No. That...that wasn't your fault...it was me..." He sighed. "Sorry" He added.
"...well then." Cheng xiaoshi regained his cheeky self. "I'll only accept your apology if you share this with me." He pulled out a lunchbox, from the bag slung across his shoulder.
Lu guang opened his mouth to refute but his stomach growled in response instead. So instead, he agreed.
The two boys sat down together, near the meadows. Lu guang showed him around the fields. They chatted about insignificant things. Cheng xiaoshi never let the conversation cool down, and perhaps that was what lu guang needed to keep his thoughts at bay.
As night the night deepened, and the lunchbox emptied out, the boys laid down on the grass.
"My mother...and I used to come here often" Lu guang initiated the conversation, but quickly turned to look away, embarassed.
"That's so cool!" Cheng xiaoshi smiled brightly.
"...it is?" He asked carefully, as his head tilted towards the other boy.
"Obviously. I get to see my parents less because of their work. So it's pretty cool that you got to do that" Cheng Xiaoshi responded.
"Yeah...it's...cool." Lu guang murmured, a faint smile on his face, as he glanced up at the sky, it's dazzling light shining across the galaxies.
"You know...you are like a star too, you know?" Cheng xiaoshi suddenly whispered.
"What?" Lu guang gave an incredulous look.
"Your name! It literally means light on land. So you are like a star! Shining it's light on Earth's land!" Cheng xiaoshi shook his head, amused.
"Oh...that's...uhm.." Lu guang dared not to look at him, his cheeks feeling warm. "I..never thought of it like that." He confessed.
"Pfft. You idiot" Cheng xiaoshi elbowed him and the other chuckled.
"You are the idiot!" The other turned to his side and tickled his stomach. Their limbs tangled over the grassy meadows. Cheng xiaoshi, with a burst of strength, flipped over to pin the younger one, as he tickled him back relentlessly. The sounds of crickets chirping was overcome by the clear, unashamed laughter of the two boys.
The days passed like a blur for lu guang. Everyday, he'd go over to the fields, by the rails, to play and chat with Cheng xiaoshi.
His friend.
They'd play around the tracks. Stare at the stars. They'd do homework togather (Cheng xiaoshi's homework) and even eat togather.
Lu guang couldn't have been happier. It felt as if his mother had sent him a companion for him, in her place.
It was another day, even the beatings from his father didn't hurt as much like before. He knew that Cheng xiaoshi would be there to care for him.
He'd arrived at the field like usual, with bruises on his face, but he couldn't seem to care, if anything, he was rather flattered when Cheng xiaoshi fret over him. He felt...loved. cared for.
On one of those evenings, rain drops fell from the sky, the grassy meadows, shining with the wetness of the droplets. They couldn't sit there, or else, they'd get wet. Lu guang didn't mind getting wet, but Cheng xiaoshi seemed to be repulsed by the idea.
Lu guang had picked up on the fact that Cheng xiaoshi would be much quieter on rainy days. He never tried to ask why, but it was okay. He tried to be a silent companion. He'd realized that Cheng xiaoshi liked having company on these days. As long as he could comfort him, with his presence, he wouldn't dare try anything else.
Underneath the shade of the station roof, they sat on the pavement beside the tracks.
"I'm gonna save you one day." Cheng xiaoshi declared, once, he'd figured out the truth behind lu guang's problems, and since then, he'd been quite apologetic as well, for being unable to understand his predicament earlier.
"Save me?" Lu guang asked curiously.
"Yeah. I'm gonna take you away to my house. And we can live togather. However, we want!"
"You don't need to do that. You already saved me" Lu guang chuckled, a rare occurrence.
"Eh? I didn't do anything."
"You did alot. Your...my friend right?" Lu guang could finally utter 'friend'.
"Yeah, friends forever!"
"Then I have to return the favour" lu guang said determinedly.
"Return? How will you?"
"When I grow up. I'm gonna save you too. It's a one time offer!"
"You sure?"
"Hundred percent."
"Then I'll be waiting for you." Cheng xiaoshi smiled.
Both of them joined their pinkies to seal the deal, letting the twinkling stars witness their union.
Lu guang clapped his hands togather, to dive into the picture, unable to bear with the loss of his partner.
He'd returned to the basketball match, during high school. One of Cheng xiaoshi's friends hit him in the nose, blood trickled down from his nosal cavity. Yet, the blood didn't bother him, what bothered him was Cheng xiaoshi moving away from him.
He latched onto his arm, stopping him in his track.
"Cheng xiaoshi. I've been waiting for you. To fulfill my promise." The white haired man, earnestly looked up the raven haired man, unable to believe himself that he could feel his breathing flesh underneath his fingertips, rather than his cold body in a pile of blood.
Cheng xiaoshi, awkwardly, slipped his hand, out of the unfamiliar man's grip.
"Do we...know eachother?" Cheng xiaoshi muttered, rendering the white haired man speechless.
That night after the trio had returned from the restaurant, lu guang had gone straight to his bedroom to sleep. Only one thought swum through his head.
"I wish you remembered. But even if you don't, I'll save you this time."
This time, he wouldn't let go. He'll wait for as long as it took.