To My Youth [BL]

[8] To Lie to Yourself (3/3)

"I got hit by my father."

"You got hit by your fa—" Gu Xiao repeated before raising his brows, slightly gaping at his words.

This was not what he had expected, that all he could do was nod slowly and let out a quiet, "Oh."

At once, multiple notifications sprung from Gu Xiao's phone, which he didn't bother looking at since it was probably from his games informing him that his energy was currently maxed out. But after four vibrations, his ringtone sounded.

"I think you should pick that up," Lan Yuning said, scratching the side of his neck.

Gu Xiao grabbed his phone out of his pocket, but the moment he saw that name, his eyes narrowed.

Upon noticing that Gu Xiao was just staring at his phone, Lan Yuning slightly glanced over to see why he wasn't moving. When Lan Yuning saw that ID, his heart dropped.

【HE RONG】

Lan Yuning's heart swelled without warning, and his fingers tensed. That one person who used him and forced himself to have the utmost distrust in anyone. He was calling Gu Xiao?

He Rong was that one person who once deceived him while embracing him with such warmth, only to discover it was all an artificial mockery and leave him to suffer this judgement alone. He was that boy in that photograph that his father raged over.

Gu Xiao declined the call, but the messages wouldn't stop popping up at irregular intervals.

Puzzlement swallowed Gu Xiao's eyes before putting his phone on silent and slipping it back into his pocket.

"It's alright, I don't need to answer it," Gu Xiao said.

Lan Yuning's breathing slightly paused.

A slight curiosity regarding their relationship raised in his head, and he wondered if they were close friends or if Gu Xiao was doing the same thing He Rong did to him. Because of his stubborn denial, he didn't want to believe that the two were the same.

"Student President."

But knowing that He Rong and Gu Xiao were contacting each other regularly disturbed Lan Yuning. Perhaps it was his immaturity stirring in.

Lan Yuning was a fool who was easily blinded by the cunning words of anyone nice to him. He used to also enjoy being around He Rong, but what did that do? Only to have him realise how much time he wasted just to have him tossed and thrown around like a naïve fool.

"Student President."

Lan Yuning wanted to ask Gu Xiao, but he was afraid of what he would respond with.

Would Gu Xiao reveal everything to him, like what he would do with others?

Would he hide everything and lie?

Even now, Lan Yuning didn't know why he told Gu Xiao that he got hit by his father. Why he told him. Why he chose to follow him everywhere. Why he stayed. Why he didn't find him to be a nuisance despite acting like he was. Was he going to get pulled in once again and fall into the same trap?

"Student President."

Lan Yuning brought his senses back to where they were and whipped his head around to Gu Xiao, forcing the scared boy to lean back.

"Are you alright? You look... a bit pale."

"I should leave now. It's getting late," Lan Yuning said and stood up.

"Oh, alright. Bye."

His heart still ached, but the distance between him and Gu Xiao tore further and further, like a broken plate that couldn't be pieced together.