TIAN DI【天地】

ch.7: opening up

p.o.v. xianliang

,,Hanyu?", I heard Xuxu repeatedly calling out my name.

,,Yes, uh, what is it?"

,,Where's your mind? You seemed spaced out.."

,,I was just daydreaming a bit.."

,,I see... So, what I was talking about just now was that we'll go to the place where the opening ceremony will be held."

,,I thought it starts in the evening?"

,,Well, it's quite a long way to get there..about six to seven hours. It'll be held on a mountain which has a beautiful view and it's filled with many flowers and cherry blossom trees."

,,I see, but why is it held so far away?"

,,It's an old tradition of the Qin Clan for public events or clan leader's birthdays. On the top of that mountain is the Qin Clan's Temple."

After many exhausting hours of walking and just two short breaks, we finally arrived at the bottom of the mountain. I was closing my eyes for the last few metres from being very tired by now. As I was opening them again my heart skipped a beat, my breath stopped for a second.

,,This...can't be...", I mumbled to myself before breaking down to the ground in tears.

,,Hey, Hanyu, what's wrong?", Xuxu asked concerned and knelt down next to me.

,,This...this place...", was all that I was able to say due to sobbing so hard.

,,Calm down...I'm here.."

,,Aren't you two coming with us?", Yusheng asked while walking by us.

,,We'll come a bit later." Xuxu waved him away and softly put his arm around my shoulders.

A little longer while later I finally calmed down and managed to breathe properly.

,,Do you want to tell me what happened?"

,,This is the place where I...lost..the love of my life. This is where he died. I swear it's this exact place, I remember it so clearly.."

His eyes widened for a split second, but he quickly looked down and seemed as if he tried finding words to answer to this. ,,Are you sure?''

Confused I looked up at him. ,,I just told you...'' ,,Nevermind, I must be confusing it..'', he mumbled to himself. ,,Xuxu?'',,Hm..?"

,,You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"

Without saying anything he stood up.,,Let's go to the ceremony..."

,,I thought we're friends."

,,What makes you doubt that?"

,,You're lying to me. I don't know why or about what, but I just know it, Xuxu."

He let out a deep sigh and grabbed my hand to pull me up.,,I don't want to talk about it..."

I didn't want to cause a fight or make him feel uncomfortable, so we just went up the mountain's path to the temple. There were a lot of people, some musicians, food stalls and pretty decorations everywhere. Yusheng's father was sitting on a big throne in the middle of the temple, Yusheng and his mother were sitting next to him.

Xuxu and I sat down at a table that was filled with many dishes, since it was the Clan Leader's family's one. Just a few minutes later Yusheng joined us and looked at me with a confused look.

,,What was wrong with you just now?"

,,He was just exhausted."

,,Xuhuan-jun, I don't want to be disrespectful, but I asked Hanyu."

,,And he isn't in the state to answer you right now."

He's quite cold and acts so tough in front of Yusheng, how come? Is it because he's his senior? Why is he even defending me? All these questions and I don't know how to answer any of those.

,,But Xuhuan-jun-"

,,Start eating now."

,,Mhm.." Yusheng awkwardly looked down into his bowl with soup and stirred in it with his spoon.

Very late in the night we went on our way to an nearby inn, since the Qin Clan is way too far obviously. I stayed in a room with Xuxu and fell down onto the bed exhausted after we stepped inside our room.

,,Are you going to sleep now?", he asked.

,,Probably..This was a very...tiring day.."

,,I'm very sorry for acting like that when you had your breakdown.. That was just insensitivite and inappropriate of me."

I sat up and faced him, who now sat down on the bed next to me. He looked quite ashamed..

,,You were just overwhelmed by that situation, I totally understand. Please don't be so hard on yourself over something so small like this..", I reassured him while softly brushing over his shoulder.

,,Thank you..You should go to sleep now, Hanyu."

,,Mm..Won't you sleep now, too?"

,,I will take a bath first. Sleep well." Xuxu fondly smiled, blew out the candles and went outside while tiptoeing through the dark. I followed his movements with my eyes until the door closed. Even though we've talked and spent time every day since I came here, I still don't know anything about him. What does he think about? Why did he react so sensitive about the situation at the mountain today?