Remember me...

2. He needs you..

"How are you, Zhan?", spoke the man and Zhan felt his throat clog when he heard the familiar gentle tone. Wang Haikuan had always been so good to him. "I've been well. How are you?", Zhan locked the door behind him and heard Haikuan clear his throat before he spoke. "You must be surprised seeing me here. I tried to call you but you rejected my calls. Is there somewhere we can talk?" Zhan saw Haikuan looking around and Zhan sensed something was bothering his Kuan-ge. Haikuan was elegant, composed and poised. He wasn't shifty, uneasy and definitely not someone who would show up out of nowhere just to talk. "My place is just around the corner." Zhan found himself saying and led Haikuan to his house. It was a bad idea. He was letting Haikuan into his place but he was worried. Worried that something bad had happened and that had made Haikuan come to his door. Fifteen minutes later, Zhan had made them coffee and sat on his couch with his hands in his lap, looking intently at Haikuan. "Is everything okay, Kuan-ge? Is h-he....okay?" Zhan looked down at his lap, his insides twisted because of worry and when he looked up to Haikuan again, his eyes went wide. He saw fear on Haikuan's face and it rattled Zhan from within. "I didn't want to come here. I know how much my family has hurt you, Xiao Zhan. But...I had to. My brother...I am losing him, Zhan." The words had Zhan breathing heavy, his heart was thundering and his hands shook with fear. "W-What happened? Ge...Please tell me what happened to him? Ge!" Zhan blinked his tears away and kneeled before Haikuan feeling desperate. "He wasn't the same after you left. He was lashing out at me, our uncle but we all thought he was heartbroken and someday he might come back to us. He started making dangerous connections and refused to work for me. I tried to stop him but nothing worked. He got on the wrong side of a few people and a year ago, he was attacked." "WHAT?", exclaimed Zhan and Haikuan looked away. Talking about that day was still too painful for Haikuan. The image of his brother on that hospital bed would stay with Haikuan forever.

"He had severe damage to his head and he broke six of his ribs. It took two months for him to wake up. The wounds on his body healed but he...he lost his memory." Zhan felt the ground beneath his feet shift at the words. How could this happen? Got attacked? Lost his memories? Is that the reason the calls stopped? There were so many questions in his head but he couldn't get a word out of his mouth. "The last year has been horrible. He recognizes nobody. Treats us like strangers. Me and uncle tried to remind him and although he believes we are his family, he still doesn't trust us."  "Why did you leave him alone? You should've stayed with him, ge. What about the doctors? What did they say?",Zhan found himself asking question after question and the helpless look on Haikuan's face gave him chills. He had never seen Haikuan so afraid before. "He is losing himself, Zhan. All he thinks about is taking down the people who attacked him and he is out to destroy himself in the process. He's become unpredictable, volatile and I know if I don't do something now, my brother will die." Tears formed in Haikuan's eyes and Zhan thought of the days when this man was almost like a brother to him. Kuan shielded Zhan from his own uncle and was the only one by Zhan's side when everything went up in flames. He wrapped his arms around Haikuan as the man sniffled and Zhan let his ge cry on his shoulder. Reining in his emotions, Haikuan pulled back after a while and caught Zhan hands in his, his gaze focused on Xiao Zhan. "I need your help, Zhan. You need to come with me. You are the only one who can help me bring him back." Zhan was shaking his head, trying to take his hands back but Haikuan held onto him, his eyes pleading and tears flowing. "You were the one person he cared for more than anyone else in this world. I can trust no one but you, Zhan. Only you can help my Yibo. Please." Zhan closed his eyes when he heard the name, crying with Haikuan but he still shook his head in a 'no' and when the grip on his hands loosened, he moved far away from Haikuan.

"Gege, I can't. I can't do it." "Please..Zhan. You are my only hope. This is killing me. I get nightmares. I find him cold and dead every damn night in my dreams and I know it will happen if I don't help him now. You have to do something." "How do you expect me to do that, ge? You said he forgot everything. He doesn't even remember me. How can I be of any help? Why do you want me there, ge?",he asked helplessly. "Because even when he doesn't remember himself, he calls for you, Xiao Zhan." Zhan looked at Haikuan with his teary eyes, broken and perplexed and Haikuan walked to him and held his shoulders. "The doctors told me his memories might never come back. He stared at the doctors blankly and when he slept, he called for you. Two words, Zhan. He forgot his entire existence but he couldn't forget your name. I know I am asking a lot from you. I shouldn't be so selfish but I love my brother too much. The only person who loves him more than I do is you, Xiao Zhan. I beg you....please save him." Zhan saw Haikuan get on his knees and he immediately tried to pull the man back, his face pale. "Ge...don't. P-Please get up. Don't do this." "I will do anything you ask of me, Zhan. I can even give my life up but please save my brother. He needs you, Zhan. Please." Haikuan broke before Zhan and Zhan clutched at his aching heart. Why were the gods punishing them like this? Seeing Kuan on his knees hurt too much and Zhan pulled the man up, rubbed his back and got him a glass of water. He wiped his own tears away and sat before Haikuan speaking gently. "Ge..I need you to listen to me." Haikuan was about to speak but Zhan covered his mouth with his hand. "Please." At Haikuan's nod, Zhan let his hand slip away and held Kuan's hand instead. "Yibo might not remember you but I know how much he loves you, ge. You are his hero. He will come back to you so please don't lose hope. I know he will. I want to help you but I don't know how to, ge. Yibo asked me to leave. I lost him three years ago. I can't face it all again. Uncle Wang and Yifei will not be happy with me coming there and it might not even work, Kuan-ge. I don't want to do more damage than good. You are putting too much faith in me and I don't deserve it. Maybe, Yifei can help. She was the one Yibo chose. I need you to know that you have to have a better answer to this problem, ge. Yibo won't even let me be near him now." Zhan's words were soft but the pain in his voice could be heard loud and clear. Zhan had been erased from Yibo's life. Everyone who was against them had finally won. His Yibo. No...Yibo wasn't his anymore. Zhan felt a sharp pain in his chest and tears rolled down freely from his eyes. It hurt knowing Yibo had forgotten all about him. Zhan wanted to scream out in pain and frustration but he couldn't because Haikuan needed someone right now.

"Gege, you need to find a solution. This won't work. Something else has to be done-"
"Nothing else will work, Zhan. I know this. Soon, uncle and Yifei will also realise this. Yifei tried to reach Yibo but he pushed her away. He can't even tolerate being around her. Me and uncle are complete strangers to him. There is nothing I can do. No one else can help him. I came here because...I don't have any other answers, Zhan. I am being selfish and I know this. I am asking too much from you and I know I am an asshole to expect this from you. But, I can't watch on as my brother destroys himself. Please, Zhan. Please." Zhan swallowed at the words and his resolve was broken. Haikuan knew this as well. He knew how Wang Yibo was his weakness. Zhan loved Yibo more than himself. Zhan would do anything to help Yibo and Haikuan knew only Zhan could move Yibo's cold, hardened heart. He hadn't lied to Zhan. Yibo really was on a path to self-destruction and the only way to save him was to bring Zhan into Yibo's life again. "I need to think about this, Kuan-ge." Zhan spoke softly and another plea was on Haikuan's lips but Zhan stepped away. "I barely survived him the last time, ge. If what you say works...you will get your brother back, he will get his memories back but I will lose everything. I will have to walk away again with nothing but my shattered heart and I need to know if I will be able to do it. You knew, I wouldn't say no. I can't. Not where he is concerned but I have to protect myself too. You both have done so much for me...I thought I wouldn't be able to repay you in this life. But, if I do this...I will have paid off my debts to your family. Please just give me a few days to get myself together. I will call you. Until then, please keep him safe." Haikuan hugged Zhan to him and thanked him again. "Thank you, Zhan. I know we don't deserve this kindness. I am sorry to do this to you but I am desperate. He needs you. Please just help him." Zhan wordlessly nodded at his words and offered Kuan a room if he wanted to stay but Kuan said he had to go back. Yibo was alone and Haikuan had to be there for him. Haikuan apologized to him again and again, asked him to keep in touch and Zhan agreed that he will call him soon. Kuan hugged him again and left his house and as soon as Zhan closed the door, he slumped against it and burst into sobs.