Six Degrees of Separation [JunZhe]

5. Too Late

Warning: This chapter includes some underlying references to homophobia (very subtle) but please skip if you feel uncomfortable.

[Mom]

[What's wrong Xiao Han? Is it because of the news?]

[Mom, I love him... What should I do?]

[Follow your heart... Don't hurt the ones you love]

[He will never forgive me]

[Junjun has the kindest heart Xiao Han, give him some time]

[I'm writing him a song]

[Let me hear it when you finish]

[I love you, Mom. Happy Mother's Day]

***

Gong Jun opened his eyes slowly when his ears collected the familiar sound coming from beside him. The lights above him were turned off, the room was cool and dim; his hand tingled slightly at the injection and his head still carried some mild dizziness. The last thing he remembered was getting his heart and dignity stepped on by the person he loved the most.

He thought that the earlier familiar sound was a product of his wishful thinking, but then he glanced sideways to see Zhehan sitting on the armchair beside the bed, in his lap a pen and music sheets, humming a melody that Gong Jun had never heard before. He hummed for a while, then doodled some music notes, then hummed again, then scratched the music notes to replace them with new ones.

Gong Jun smiled at the sight before he remembered Zhehan's harsh words and his smile faded into a painful frown, "Zhehan..." He whispered.

Zhehan immediately abandoned his sheets and stood up to inspect Gong Jun's condition, his eyes were different, they were compassionate, they were loving, they carried the emotions that Gong Jun had longed to see. "My Junjun," Zhehan touched his hands, his face, his forehead, "How do you feel? Are you thirsty?" He hurriedly grabbed the water and placed the straw on Gong Jun's lips.

Gong Jun wanted to lean into his touch and stay like that forever, but a voice within him told him not to, Zhehan wouldn't want that... "Zhang Laoshi," Gong Jun swallowed the water, "why are you here?"

Zhehan was caught off guard by the sudden formality, "Junjun, you've been here for two days... I'm so worried, how can I just leave...?"

"Zhang Laoshi..." Gong Jun virtually clutched his broken heart, "don't... don't do it again..."

"It's all my fault." Zhehan confessed, "I lied...I said a lot of things... I shouldn't have... " He reached out to caress Gong Jun's face but he turned away.

"If you're here to apologize, I really don't want to hear any more of it..." Gong Jun said, "Where's my manager?" He changed the subject.

Zhehan retracted his hand and played nervously with the watch around his wrist, "They're all at lunch..." He cleared his throat, "your flight... was canceled."

"Canceled?" Gong Jun sat up, "canceled or postponed?"

Zhehan approached reluctantly, he placed his hand over Gong Jun's, "canceled for now..."

Gong Jun fumbled between his belonging on the nightstand, searching for his phone until he found it, but it was suddenly snatched away by Zhehan. "Give it back!" He demanded.

"Junjun..." Zhehan stepped backwards guiltily, "It's better if..."

"What?" Gong Jun slid the blanket away, and got up trying to grab the phone.