Lapsus

Same Mistake

The characters belong to their rightful owners. This is just for fun, not for profit. AU and OOC for sure.

Author's note 1: Thanks a lot to my awsome editors @JJSin2020 and @CALActorsTypist on Twitter.

Author's note 2: The song is Same Mistake by James Blunt

Author's note 3: Thank you for your votes and comments, you are so kind to me!

He arrived early as it was customary for him. He didn't mind waiting so he took a table and ordered some green tea for himself. The waitress was coldly polite while taking his order, it seemed that they had picked a rush hour at that particular café for their rendezvous. A neighboring table was occupied by a quarreling couple and their unintended loud voices had him on the verge of a headache. The waitress serving his table appeared to have already reached that state judging by the way she rubbed her temples as soon as she left his order on the table.

He looked up towards the entrance and there he was. The person at the entrance looked at him and waved amicably. If someone told him five years ago we would be meeting with Jin Zixuan, his former fiancé for coffee, he would have deemed that person delusional. Time, as unforgiving as it was, did change them.

"Wangji," Jin Zixuan said as a greeting. "It's been a long time."

"Indeed," Lan Wangji responded, "we haven't seen each other since your wedding. How is your wife?" He still struggled with small talk, but for Jin Zixuan he made an effort, it was not like he had many people to talk to besides his brother and his uncle.

"She's well, thank you. Just busy with Jin Ling. He took his first steps just days ago," he said and proceeded to search in his cell phone memory for the most recent pictures of his child to show them to Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji looked at them with genuine interest, some of them almost succeeded in making him smile. Almost.

"How are you Lan Wangji?" Jin Zixuan asked, sincerely. He never resented the fact that his fiancé since childhood had stood him up and went to marry a completely unknown person out of the blue. In fact, he had been relieved. It was not that he hated Lan Wangji, they knew each other practically from cradle, but his affections had only grown to a fond companionship, something akin to friendship but not quite there.

"I'm well. I returned a year ago from London. I just took the Finance Vice-President position for Lan Enterprises."

"Is that what you really want?" Jin Zixuan asked, sounding genuinely interested.

That question took Lan Wangji by surprise. Never before had Jin Zixuan expressed any interest in his likes or dislikes. There had only been one person interested in such things, but he hadn't seen him or heard from him in almost five years.

"It's what's expected from me," he stated without any signs of emotion in his voice. It was so ingrained in his being that following his designated path was a natural choice to make and he didn't really look for alternatives. He didn't see the need.

"I see," Jin Zixuan understood him well enough to abstain from pressing on for more explanations. He had also had to deal with expectations about him all his life. Luckily for him, he had found a strong source of support and solace in his wife.

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them. Even after years caged in an engagement neither of them had wanted in the first place, they had never grown comfortable enough to carry a fluid conversation.

"I have a question for you," Jin Zixuan suddenly broke the silence. He seemed hesitant to express whatever he had in mind. "Did you know that your ex-husband grew up with my wife?"