Xiao Zhan is like a zombie as he bursts out of the room and bounds down the stairs, completely lifeless and apathetic.
At some point, his knees crumble and only his vicious grip on the railing keeps him from falling to the ground.
"Xiao Zhan!" he hears Mei Li's panicked call from behind him, but he ignores it. Instead he picks himself up, and just then his friend appears at the doorway.
"Hey," Xiao Wu says, but this is all that registers. He pushes him out of the way despite Xiao Wu's violent grip on his wrist to stop him from dashing through the bar.
"Xiao Zh-" Xiao Wu nearly yells out but catches himself just in time.
"Fuck!" He curses under his breath and goes after him.
Xiao Zhan runs into two people on his way, and due to his haste nearly sends them both to the floor. There are a few gasps around him in response but he ignores them all, and soon the flat of his hand connects to the bar's glass entrance.
He shoves the door open and in no time arrives at his minivan. He dives towards the glovebox to retrieve his phone, however his hands are shaking so terribly that the moment he tries to turn it on, it falls to the floor. He lowers to retrieve it but in the dark of the car, it becomes a merciless game that the night taunts him with to find it.
"Fuck!" he roars murderously, and by the time he eventually retrieves the phone, he is near crazed with trepidation.
He is too close to losing his mind, so he forces himself to inhale a deep breath as he leans back to turn the phone back on.
His friends soon appear and crowd the open door.
"Xiao Zhan what's happening?" Li Ping asks, his eyes wide with worry, but Xiao Zhan barely hears him. The phone soon powers on and the barrage of notifications once again hit the screen.
He feels the first bout of tears well up in his eyes as he realizes now what they were about.
They had had nothing to do with the earlier released statement by the director, but instead were about how Yibo had been grabbed by the collar and forced to kneel down before the entire world by his own father.
He cannot believe it.
He still cannot believe it.
Immediately he dials Yibo, his breath struck in his throat and the moment it begins to ring, the bout of tears begin to roll down his face.
"Xiao Zhan," he hears a breathless, shocked call by his side but he ignores it. Instead he looks away into the darkness and to the seat beside him, a single prayer in his heart.
Please pick up... please pick up. I beg of you.
The call rings to disconnection, and a choked sound escapes him.
He tries again.
And again.
And again.
"A'Zhan," Mei Li calls softly, and it is only then that the chill of the night registers.
"I have to go," he says to the three worried faces by his side, and instantly grabs the handle of the open door.
"No!" Li Ping seizes it. "You're not driving in this state. I'll take you."
"Move!" he growls, his eyes blazing red however it is impossible to push Li Ping out of the way.
"He's right," Xiao Wu's hand clamps down on the door. "You can't drive in this state. We'll take you. Get down."
YOU ARE READING
Winter Wind (YiZhan)
RomanceIt's been a year since the world turned on Xiao Zhan, and just as long since he turned on Yibo. But what was the alternative? Now, Wang Yibo is back at his door and threatening to break it down if he doesn't let him in. The boy almost died today and...
