Yichen sat in class, glancing at Tian Tian, who was clearly still upset with him over what had happened yesterday.
Lu Nian nudged him and whispered,
"Yichen, look at me. Don't be angry, okay?"
Just then, Lu Nian's phone rang. He quickly answered it.
"Hello, Mama?"
His mom's voice came through the speaker, gentle but firm.
"Nian, your dad really misses you. Can you come home for just one night?"
Lu Nian hesitated.
"Mama…"
"Nian, I don't want to hear 'no.'"
He sighed. "Okay… I'll come."
After university ended for the day, Lu Nian went straight to his parents' house, leaving Yichen to return home alone.
The sky had already started to darken by the time Yichen stepped off the bus. He walked slowly, each step heavier than the last. Streetlights flickered on one by one, casting long shadows across the pavement. Yichen kept his gaze low, murmuring to himself.
"Why the hell did I take that envelope… I'm doomed," he whispered.
His mind raced with anxious thoughts as he dragged himself toward home. The silence around him made the weight on his chest feel even heavier.
Eventually, he reached the front door. He paused for a moment, inhaled deeply, and inserted his key. As the door creaked open, his eyes immediately widened in shock.
The lights were dimmed, and the soft flicker of candles illuminated the living room. A table was elegantly set with plates of delicious-looking food—steaming bowls, grilled meat, fresh vegetables, even dessert. A faint scent of roses lingered in the air, mingling with the aroma of the meal.
It looked like a romantic candlelight dinner straight out of a movie.
Zhaoyan, standing near the table in a fitted black shirt with sleeves rolled up, smiled warmly.
"Good evening."
"G-Good evening…" Yichen stammered, stepping inside hesitantly.
Before he could say anything else, Zhaoyan walked over and wrapped him in a gentle hug. Yichen stiffened, caught completely off guard. His heart began to pound uncontrollably.
"Go get a shower. The dinner is ready," Zhaoyan said softly.
He casually took Yichen's bag and placed it on the nearby couch. His voice was calm, but there was something deeper behind his smile—something that made Yichen's nerves stir even more.
"T-Tonight… Lu Nian is staying at his parents' house," Yichen muttered.
"That's great. Now we have a lot of time together," Zhaoyan said, grinning.
Yichen didn't know how to respond. Avoiding eye contact, he nodded quickly and hurried toward his room.
"I should shower first…" he muttered.
Once inside the bathroom, Yichen leaned against the wall for a moment, his breath unsteady. The water began to run, and he stepped into the shower, letting the warmth hit his skin.
He closed his eyes.
The flickering candlelight outside.
Zhaoyan's smile.
His hug.
The dinner.
Yichen stood under the stream of water, trying his best to calm the storm inside his chest.
After his shower, Yichen stepped out of his room, dressed in fresh clothes, his hair still damp and clinging to his forehead. The warm aroma of dinner lingered in the air.
He walked into the living room, where the candles still flickered softly on the table. Zhaoyan looked up from his seat and smiled.
"Come, sit."
Yichen nodded and carefully pulled out a chair, sitting down at the candlelit table. Zhaoyan sat across from him, pouring wine into two crystal glasses. The red liquid shimmered in the soft glow.
"Wine? Why?" Yichen asked, eyebrows slightly raised.
"It makes the mood romantic," Zhaoyan replied.
"Romantic…" Yichen repeated quietly.
Zhaoyan smirked slightly and handed him the glass. "Ahh, let's start."
Yichen picked up his chopsticks and began to eat quietly. After a few bites, he paused and looked at Zhaoyan, who hadn't touched the food.
"Why aren't you eating? Ah—wait, I remember… you can't eat," Yichen said.
"It's not like that. I was just waiting for you to taste it first. Tell me—how is it?" Zhaoyan chuckled.
Yichen chewed thoughtfully. "It's good."
"Great. I'm glad," Zhaoyan said softly.
The dinner continued in peaceful silence, though the air between them held a tension Yichen couldn't quite place.
Later, both of them moved to the sofa. The lights were dim, and a soft movie soundtrack began to play as the screen lit up. Zhaoyan pressed play and settled beside him.
"Last time, we couldn't finish this movie. So I thought… why not watch it together tonight at home?" he said.
Yichen nodded, pulling his knees slightly closer to his chest as he curled up in the corner of the sofa.
But Zhaoyan noticed something—something off about Yichen. His quiet responses, his downcast eyes. There was a strange awkwardness in the air, like something unsaid was sitting between them.
Zhaoyan turned his gaze toward the screen, but his mind stayed on Yichen's silence.
He slowly slid closer on the sofa. The warmth between them grew, the soft flicker of the screen casting shadows across their faces. Yichen's eyes stayed fixed on the screen, but his breath quickened—he could feel Zhaoyan's presence too close, too intense.
Without a word, Zhaoyan gently placed his hand on Yichen's shoulder.
Yichen flinched, startled.
"W-What are you doing?" he stammered.
Zhaoyan looked at him quietly, eyes searching.
"Did I do something wrong?"
Yichen hesitated, gaze dropping. "Nope."
"Then why are you acting weird?"
"I didn't," Yichen muttered.
"You did," Zhaoyan replied.
Yichen parted his lips to protest, but before he could speak, Zhaoyan gently cupped his face and leaned in, brushing a kiss against his lips.
Yichen's eyes widened in shock. He pulled back instantly.
"What the hell are you doing?!" he shouted.
Zhaoyan met his gaze, calm but intense.
"We're a couple, aren't we? So why am I not allowed to do this?"
Before Yichen could respond, Zhaoyan wrapped his arms around him tightly and pressed his lips against Yichen's in a deep, passionate kiss—one that didn't ask for permission.
Yichen's heart pounded in his chest, caught between confusion and the heat of the moment.