Suo ran had woken up before dawn. The apartment was still dark, the city beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows hidden beneath a blanket of gray morning mist. For several seconds he remained lying on the couch, staring at the ceiling while the events of the previous night replayed in his mind. Blood on Cai Lang's shirt. The way he'd dismissed it. The way he'd turned away. The way he'd said go to sleep as if nothing had happened.
Suo Rran dragged a hand across his face and groaned softly. "What happened to him?" he muttered into the silence. His thoughts refused to settle. Why was he bleeding? Where had he gone? Why wouldn't he let me help? Did I do something wrong? Did I push too much? The questions circled endlessly. The more he thought about them, the more irritated he became. "And why do I even care this much?" he whispered.
Unable to fall back asleep, Suo ran pushed himself upright and wandered into the kitchen. The apartment remained silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the distant sound of traffic far below. He stood in the middle of the spotless kitchen and looked around suspiciously. "Okay!" he told himself, rolling up the sleeves of his oversized pajama top. "People cook breakfast every day. How hard can it be?" Ten minutes later he was opening cabinets like a criminal searching for evidence. "Why does he have seven kinds of tea but no instructions?" he complained quietly while reading labels. He found eggs, bread and Vegetables. He found things that looked useful. "I can do this!" he whispered with determination he absolutely did not feel.
Thirty minutes later, the kitchen looked like a battlefield. One egg had somehow ended up on the floor. Another had sacrificed itself to the frying pan. Something in a pot was making noises that seemed threatening. Suo ran stared at it nervously. "Please survive!" he said to the food. "I'm trying my best."
Before breakfast could completely die, Suo ran decided he needed backup. Or at least someone who could confirm whether the smoke appearing from the pan was normal. He wiped his hands on a towel and headed toward the hallway. The apartment remained quiet. He stopped outside Cai lang's bedroom door and hesitated. "This is probably a bad idea " he muttered. Then he knocked softly.
No response. Suo ran frowned. "Cai Lang?" he called softly. Still nothing. He pushed the bedroom door open a little wider and stepped inside. The room beyond was surprisingly simple. Dark wooden furniture, clean lines, neatly organized shelves, and not a single unnecessary decoration. Morning sunlight filtered through partially opened curtains, painting pale gold across the floor.
Everything about the room felt controlled, orderly, unmistakably Cai lang. And right in the middle of it, Cai lang was still asleep.Suo ran froze.Cai Lang never seemed like the type of person who slept. His dark hair was loose against the pillow, slightly messy from sleep.Without his usual guarded expression, his face looked younger, softer. The sharp edges that normally made him intimidating had disappeared. Long dark lashes rested against pale skin. His breathing was slow and steady.
The sight caught Suo ran completely off guard. For a moment he simply stood there staring. This is dangerous, he thought immediately. He looks entirely too human like this. His gaze drifted to the side where the injury had been hidden beneath blood-stained fabric the night before. Questions returned. What happened to him? Why was he bleeding? Why won't he tell me anything? Did I do something wrong? Is that why he's been avoiding the conversation? The thoughts tangled together until he felt annoyed at himself. Why am I even thinking about this so much? Because he cared. The realization irritated him even more.
Despite himself, Suo ean stepped closer to the bed. "Cai Lang;" he said quietly. No response. He cleared his throat. "Cai Lang. Wake up." Still nothing. Finally, he reached out and lightly touched his shoulder. That was a mistake. A hand shot out instantly. Strong before Suo ran could react,
Cai Lang's fingers wrapped around his wrist and pulled. Everything happened too quickly. Suo ran let out a startled yelp as his balance disappeared beneath him. One second he was standing beside the bed. The next he was stumbling forward. He landed awkwardly across the mattress, one hand pressed against the blankets to stop himself from completely collapsing on top of Cai Lang. Silence followed. Complete silence. Suo ran blinked. Cai Lang blinked. They stared at each other."Good morning?" Suo Rran Said.
For a second Cai Lang looked genuinely confused. His eyes shifted from Suo Ran's face to the hand still wrapped around his wrist. Then back again. Slowly, awareness returned. "You broke into my room."Suo ran pointed toward the door. "I knocked." Cai Lang released his wrist but didn't move away. "You entered anyway." Suo ran awkwardly pushed himself up on one elbow. "There was no answer."
Cai Lang raised an eyebrow. "You interpreted that as permission?" "Well, when you say it like that, it sounds bad." "Because it is bad." Suo ran let out an offended noise. "I was checking if you were alive." "An admirable excuse." "It's not an excuse." "Then it's a poor decision." "You make those sound like the same thing." Cai Lang stared at him for a moment before slowly sitting up. His dark hair fell messily across his forehead, completely ruining his usual composed appearance.
Suo ran looked at him and regretted it because the sight was strangely distracting. Cai Lang noticed the stare. "What?" Suo Ran quickly looked away. "Nothing." "That's a lie." "You literally just woke up and you're already accusing me." Cai lang dragged a hand through his hair. "You were staring." "I was observing." "That's worse." "How?" "It sounds intentional."
Cai lang stood from the bed and adjusted the sleeve of his shirt, the fabric shifting over lean muscles as he rolled it back into place. Even after just waking up, his movements were controlled and precise, as if he never truly relaxed. Morning sunlight streamed through the half-open curtains, casting warm gold across the room and catching in his slightly messy hair. Suo ran remained standing beside the bed, arms folded tightly across his chest, watching him with a growing frown. "What happened?" he asked. Cai lang didn't even look up. "No." Suo Ran blinked. "That's not an answer." "It's the only answer you're getting."
Cai Lang walked past him toward the bedroom door. Suo ran immediately followed. "Why were you bleeding?" he pressed. "No." "Why are you ignoring me?" This time Cai Lang stopped. "I'm not!" Cai Lang said softly. The answer caught Suo Ran completely off guard. "You are! And what about injury?" Cai lang didn't answer. Suo Ran stared at him. "Then why won't you tell me?" Cai lang held his gaze long enough that Suo ran looked away first. "Because some things become dangerous the moment they're shared." Cai lang finally said.
Suo ran frowned harder. "That doesn't make any sense." Cai Lang opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. "It doesn't have to." Suo ran followed him immediately. "It does to me." A faint sigh escaped Cai Lang. "You worry too much." Suo ran stopped walking and threw his hands up. "You came home bleeding!" Cai lang glanced back over his shoulder. "And yet I'm still standing." "That's not the point!" Suo ran snapped. Cai kang's expression softened just slightly. "I know." The answer stole some of Suo ran's anger. He opened his mouth to argue again when a strange smell drifted through the apartment. Both men froze.
Suo ran's eyes widened instantly. Cai Lang slowly turned his head toward the kitchen. His expression became suspicious. Very suspicious. "Suo Ran." "Yes?" "What is that smell?" Suo ran immediately took a cautious step backward. "So before you get angry..." "Suo Ran." "I think breakfast might be on fire."Cai Lang stared at him. Suo ran smiled nervously. "Just a little?" Cai lang was already moving. "How long ago did you start cooking?" he asked, striding toward the kitchen. Suo ran hurried after him. "Time is complicated." "How long?" Cai lang repeated. "Maybe twenty minutes?"
Cai Lang stopped so suddenly Suo ran nearly walked into him. "Twenty minutes?" "Give or take." "Give or take what?" "Ten?" Cai Lang closed his eyes. "Incredible." "Thank you." "That wasn't a compliment." "Hard to tell with you." The smell grew stronger as they approached the kitchen. Suo ran winced. "Okay, maybe it's slightly worse than I thought." Cai lang pushed open the kitchen door and stopped. The pan sat on the stove surrounded by a faint trail of smoke.
Cai Lang stared at it in silence. Suo ran stood behind him with both hands clasped behind his back like a guilty child. "In my defense, I came to wake you up." Cai Lang turned off the stove. "You left it unattended." "Only because you were asleep." "So this is my fault?" Suo ran pointed at him. "Exactly." Cai Lang looked at him for several seconds. "I was injured yesterday." "Details." "I was sleeping." "Also details." Cai Lang looked genuinely speechless for a moment. Suo ran brightened. "You have no comeback." "I'm deciding whether you're brave or stupid." "Can't I be both?" Cai lang rubbed a hand across his face. "Unfortunately, yes."
Suo ran laughed, and for a second the tension from earlier eased. Cai Lang glanced at him, noticing how much lighter he looked compared to the night before. The worry was still there, hidden behind the smile, but it wasn't crushing him at the moment. That should have been enough. Instead, Cai lang found himself looking away first. "Sit!" he said. "I'll salvage whatever disaster you created." Suo ran followed him to the counter and dropped onto a stool. "So you admit I made breakfast." "You created a chemical event." "Harsh." "Accurate."
Suo Ran rested his chin in his hand and watched him move around the kitchen. "You know," he said after a moment, "for someone who got stabbed, shot, attacked, or whatever happened yesterday." "No." "You move around surprisingly well." Cai lang froze briefly. Then continued preparing food as if he hadn't heard anything.
Suo ran sighed dramatically. "See? You're doing it again." "Doing what?" "Ignoring me." "Correct." "You're impossible." A faint smile tugged at the corner of Cai Lang's mouth before disappearing. "And yet you're still here." The answer left Suo Ran unexpectedly quiet. He watched Cai Lang for a moment longer. After a few seconds, Suo ran looked down at the counter and muttered, "Yeah." Cai Lang glanced at him. "Yeah?" Suo Ran shrugged awkwardly and looked away. "Nothing." But neither of them believed that.
That night, the memory of the chase refused to leave Suo ran alone. As he stood at the kitchen sink washing the last dish, warm water running over his hands, his thoughts kept circling back to the same thing. He remembered footsteps, faces and certainty that danger had found him again far too easily. His hands slowed beneath the running water as unease settled heavily in his chest.
What if they come back? What if next time I can't run? What if Lian Ziho hadn't been there? He swallowed hard and shut off the tap, staring at his reflection in the dark kitchen window. The city lights glittered far below the apartment, beautiful and distant, completely unaware of the fear crawling beneath his skin. Drying his hands slowly, he tried convincing himself everything was fine. It didn't work.
Later, when the apartment had fallen silent and the faint hum of the city was the only sound filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Cai lang returned to the kitchen alone. he lifted the lid from the pan Suo ran had nearly destroyed. Steam rose weakly. He stared at it with obvious suspicion. "This is probably a health hazard." he muttered under his breath. After a long pause, he took a cautious bite. His expression remained unreadable. Then he chewed once. Twice. "...Not terrible!" he admitted quietly. Another bite followed then another.
The corner of his lips lifted slightly into a rare smile.He finished the food slowly, almost thoughtfully, as though the terrible breakfast carried more value than it should have. From the living room, Suo ran sat curled into the corner of the couch beneath a blanket, his phone resting uselessly in his hands. The screen had long gone dark. His eyes were unfocused. He wasn't looking at anything in particular. He was replaying everything again.
Cai Lang passed through the living room on his way back toward the hallway. He slowed when he noticed Suo ran staring blankly ahead. Cai Lang's gaze lingered longer than necessary. His expression remained calm, but something sharpened behind his eyes. He considered saying something. Instead, he remained silent.
After another second, he continued walking. Before disappearing down the hallway, he reached out and switched off the light. Darkness settled over half the apartment. Without looking back, he returned to his room. The door closed softly behind him. Suo Rran remained where he was, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts refused to stop. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself and squeezed his eyes shut. I hate this, he thought bitterly. I hate not knowing. I hate being scared. I hate feeling helpless.
He was about to sleep but suddenly television standby light vanished. The kitchen lights disappeared. Even the city outside seemed darker. Everything went black. "What?" Suo ran sat upright immediately, panic flashing across his face. Silence swallowed the apartment whole. "No, no, no..." he whispered, heart racing. He fumbled for his phone and switched on the screen.Looking toward the windows, he realized several nearby buildings had gone dark too. Power cut. Great. "Perfect,!" he muttered weakly. "Exactly what I needed."
Barefoot, he climbed off the couch and carefully made his way toward the center of the apartment. At the exact same moment, another figure moved through the darkness. They collided lightly. "Careful!" Cai Lang said calmly. "You scared me!" Suo ran exclaimed, clutching his chest. Even in the dark, Cai lang sounded unimpressed. "You ran into me." "That's because it's dark!"
Cai Lang paused for a second before replying, "...Yes." Suo ran crossed his arms immediately. "You don't have to sound so reasonable about it." A quiet huff of amusement escaped Cai Lang. It wasn't quite a laugh, but it was close enough. The darkness pressed around them. ".Power cut?!" Suo ran said. "I noticed!" Cai Lang replied dryly.
Suo ran shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. "So... what now?" Cai Lang considered the question. "We wait." "That's your plan?" "It's worked for every power cut I've experienced so far." Suo ran frowned despite knowing Cai lang couldn't see it. "You're annoyingly logical." "I've been told."
Then Suo ran glanced toward the couch. "I'm not going back there alone." This time Cai Lang didn't answer immediately. Even in the darkness, Suo ran could feel him looking at him.Cai Lang sighed. "Fine." Relief washed through Suo Ran so quickly he almost laughed. Together they returned to the couch. At first they sat on opposite ends, leaving an awkward amount of space between them.
Somewhere below, a dog barked. The darkness seemed endless. After several minutes, Suo ran shifted again. Then again. Then once more. Cai Lang said, "You move more than necessary." "And you sit like a statue." "I'm sitting normally." "No human sits that still." "Interesting. I've somehow remained human regardless." "Debatable." "You take up less space than you look." "And you take up more." "Rude." "Accurate." "Still rude."
Slowly, without noticing, the distance between them disappeared Thier shoulder brushed with each other and neither moved away. Minutes passed then Suo ran shifted again, Before he could stop himself, his head tipped sideways until it rested lightly against Cai Lang's arm.
Eventually Suo ran mumbled sleepily, "If you're going to complain, do it now." Cai Lang stared into the darkness for several seconds before replying quietly, "...Go to sleep, Suo ran." Something about the answer made Suo ran smile. A few minutes later his breathing evened out completely. He had fallen asleep. Cai Lang remained awake longer. Sitting motionless in the darkness, he listened to the steady rhythm of Suo ran's breathing.
After a while, he adjusted slightly, allowing Suo ran to settle more comfortably against him. His expression softened where nobody could see it. Then, eventually, the darkness grew heavier. His eyes closed.