Yu Han's words, a mere breath, a fragile whisper that could have been lost in the heavy silence, had landed like a thunderclap in Li Hao's heart.
"I love you too."
An electric current seemed to surge through Li Hao. His dopamine spiked, an overwhelming rush of pure, unadulterated euphoria. Blood hammered through his veins, a frantic, triumphant rhythm that echoed in his ears. His heart, usually a steady, unyielding drum, now throbbed with a ferocity he hadn't known it possessed. The sheer power, the raw, intoxicating sensations those four simple words held, were beyond anything he had ever anticipated.
Yu Han, trembling in his arms, could not have known the seismic impact of his confession on Li Hao.
For Li Hao, who had once sworn to maintain an insurmountable distance, who had rigidly disciplined himself to never fall for Yu Han, every single wall he'd painstakingly constructed had just crumbled into dust.
The bitter resentment, the searing hatred he had once nursed for Yu Han, now seemed a ludicrous, childish thing, a phantom pain that had evaporated in the warmth of Yu Han's embrace.
He had kept his distance for two long, agonizing years, believing that separation would cure him, would alleviate the inexplicable pull he felt towards this enigmatic boy.
How foolish he had been. Even the vast chasm he'd carved between them couldn't diminish the burgeoning feelings that had intertwined their fates.
The dopamine kick intensified, sharpening his senses. Li Hao's grip tightened instinctively, pulling Yu Han even closer, as if to absorb him entirely.
Yu Han's body shuddered against him, a different kind of tremor now – one of profound vulnerability and dawning realization. He had never imagined, not in his wildest dreams, that he would ever feel this way for a man.
Yet, here he was, melting into Li Hao's arms. Li Hao. He was the only one. The singular person in his life for whom Yu Han felt an absolute, unwavering sense of safety and comfort. Even though Li Hao had inflicted such deep wounds in the beginning, everything had shifted the moment Yu Han had been struck by that car.
The relentless, tender care Li Hao had shown him during his recovery had meticulously chipped away at his preconceived notions, transforming his perception of the formidable man.
He knew, intellectually, that this love he felt for Li Hao was unconventional, perhaps even "wrong" by societal standards. But in that moment, nestled against the solid warmth of Li Hao's chest, he fiercely wanted to be ruined, utterly and completely, but only with Li Hao.
It was truly ironic, almost comically so, how the person he had hated with such intensity was now lying beside him, his strong arms enfolding him, having just confessed his love.
"Yu Han," Li Hao began, his voice a low, rough murmur as he pressed a tender kiss to Yu Han's forehead. The gesture was worshipful, a silent promise.
"Thank you so much. You saved me… you saved me from drowning in an ocean I didn't even realize I was in. I was… I was utterly alone, Yu Han, until I met you…"
He swallowed hard, his throat inexplicably dry, rendering his voice hoarse, raw with emotion.
He continued, the words tumbling out, laced with a desperation he hadn't known he possessed.
"That night, when you fainted in that convenience store… I held you. You were in my arms, your face so tranquil, despite the sheen of sweat, and something inside me stirred. Something fundamentally shifted.
All the way to the hospital, you were in my embrace, so light, so fragile… and the way you kept whispering your mother's name… it tore at my heart. It was then I understood. You were like me, deprived of a mother's love, navigating this world alone. I wanted to hear your story so badly, to understand you. But destiny, it seemed, had other, crueler plans."
He pulled back slightly, just enough to look at Yu Han, his eyes clouded with regret.
"I was a bastard, Yu Han. A complete fool. I fell for misconceptions, for lies, and I hurt you like a beast. I owe you a good beating for all the pain I caused.
But more than that, I want to give you everything. Every single piece of me, my entire world, I want to lay it at your feet, if only you'll have it."
This long, vulnerable confession was an unprecedented act from Li Hao. His guarded, often ruthless exterior had completely dissolved, revealing a depth of emotion only Yu Han had the power to elicit.
His vulnerable side, carefully concealed from the world, was laid bare, exclusively for his love, Yu Han.
Yu Han's face remained buried deep within Li Hao's broad chest, but he heard every word, remembered every syllable.
The warmth of Li Hao's body permeated his own, and a strange new ache, sweet and profound, bloomed in his heart.
He finally stirred, lifting his head. His voice, though soft, was clear.
"Did you… did you take me to the hospital that night?"
Li Hao nodded, his gaze tenderly sweeping over Yu Han's features.
"Hmm. You were unconscious."
Suddenly, Li Hao's seemingly innocuous words sparked a forgotten question, a dormant unease within Yu Han's heart.
It was a question he had never thought he would dare to ask, a dangerous truth he had believed was better left buried.
But now, witnessing Li Hao's raw vulnerability, the emotional storm raging within him could no longer be contained.
He gently pulled himself away from Li Hao's embrace, sitting up on the bed to face him directly. His eyes, usually reserved, now held a glint of hesitant resolve.
"Li Hao, can I ask you something personal?"
"Personal?" Li Hao repeated, a soft smile touching his lips. He reached out, his hand finding Yu Han's hair, gently stroking and patting it.
"From now on, there is nothing between us that is personal or even a secret, Yu Han. You can ask me anything. Anything at all."
His touch was reassuring, an unspoken invitation to trust.
Yu Han took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Actually… I wanted to ask you about that man… the man… whom you… shot down… in front of me…"
His voice wavered slightly, the memory still vivid, still chilling.
Li Hao listened carefully, his expression neutral, his hand never leaving Yu Han's hair. He instinctively knew not to scare Yu Han with any sudden movements or harsh tones. He remained perfectly gentle, his gaze steady and unwavering.
Finally, Li Hao unsealed his lips, his voice calm, measured.
"The man you are talking about is Wang Yuxi. He was accused of stealing our company's confidential information and documents. He was planning to send those to Shi Wang. That's why I had to take that step."
Yu Han's brow furrowed.
"Then why did you accuse me of sending those things to Shi Wang?" The pain of that injustice was still a dull throb.
Li Hao's hand paused in Yu Han's hair. "I… I found a note in your pocket when the robber injured your neck. It was a note meant for Wang Yuxi."
"Note?" Yu Han echoed, bewildered.
"Hmm… that note said that he had hidden those documents near the convenience store's restroom. But when I searched for them, I found nothing. I thought… I thought you were working with him, that you had moved them. It was a terrible assumption, fueled by my own rage and insecurity."
Li Hao's voice was thick with self-condemnation.
"So… only because of my mistake, because of my blindness and my readiness to believe the worst, those terrible things happened to you. I'm truly, deeply sorry, Yu Han."
Li Hao gently cupped Yu Han's face, his thumbs brushing lightly over his cheekbones. His eyes, usually so sharp and formidable, were now alight with raw, earnest plea.
"Please, please forgive me."
Yu Han's heart ached at Li Hao's profound remorse. He remembered the note, the confusion, the fear. He had been so lost.
"Why… why did no one ever find out about the shooting?" Yu Han asked again, his mind racing, trying to piece together the fragments of that horrifying night.
"How did you… get rid of everything so easily?"
A grim line formed between Li Hao's brows.
"Gang Zi took care of everything. That bastard is efficient. He even managed to delete the whole day's footage from the security cameras. Footage that… oddly enough, we need now."
"Huh? Why do you need that footage now?" Yu Han's confusion deepened.
"We're investigating the circumstances surrounding Wang Yuxi's actions more thoroughly. That day, just before his death, he actually came to my office and left me a cryptic note. If he was truly working with Shi Wang and planning to betray me, why would he visit me directly and leave a note? What exactly was it he wanted to tell me?"
Li Hao's gaze hardened slightly, a flash of his usual calculating intensity returning, yet softened by the presence of Yu Han.
"We're trying to find out if there was more to his story, if he was perhaps trying to warn me or reveal something, before…" He trailed off, the unspoken 'before I killed him' hanging heavily in the air.
Yu Han glanced at Li Hao's face, a profound realization dawning on him. He could see the conflict, the burden Li Hao carried. He reached out, his hand gently covering Li Hao's where it rested on his cheek. "Li Hao," he said, his voice firm, resolute.
"Could you promise me something?"
Li Hao's eyes searched his, full of an unspoken willingness. "Anything."
"Could you promise me that from now on, you'll… you'll never kill anyone?" It was a tall order, he knew, given Li Hao's world.
Li Hao's lips quirked, a hint of his old cynicism flitting across his features.
"You think I like to kill people on a daily basis?"
Yu Han shook his head, his grip on Li Hao's hand tightening.
"I don't know about your past, Li Hao, and I'm just beginning to understand your world. But from now on, I need you to promise me you'll never harm anyone again. At least not fatally. That's the only thing I truly want from you."
Li Hao's gaze softened completely, all traces of defensiveness vanishing. He knew the profound weight of this request, the moral compass Yu Han was asking him to adhere to. It was a challenge to his very nature, a demand for a different path. And for Yu Han, he would walk it.
He pulled Yu Han back into his embrace, holding him tightly, gently stroking his back. His voice was a solemn vow, imbued with the full force of his love and commitment.
"I can do everything for you, Yu Han. And I will do everything that you will ask of me. Every single thing. For you, I will change. For you, I will be better."
Yu Han's heart swelled, brimming with Li Hao's profound warmth and unwavering promise. A wide, incandescent smile spread across his face, lighting it from within.
He burrowed deeper into Li Hao's embrace, the scent of him, the feel of him, completely surrounding him. He tilted his head, his lips grazing Li Hao's ear.
"I love you, Li Hao." The words, no longer a whisper, but a clear, joyous declaration.