SCREEN PARTNER

CHAPTER 08

To maximize their space, the same place that Ah Li and Xiang were using in the morning as their 'cohabitation residence', with the replacement of some furnishings and a quick redecorate, would immediately transform into Xiao Zhan and Yibo's love nest.

After getting his makeup done, Xiao Zhan went out to the unoccupied balcony, and read through the script again.

Today's announced itinerary only included a glimpse of his and Yibo's so called daily life. In order to avoid a mistake like during the audition,  Zhan wanted to commit every single detail of the script in his hand to his memory.

The balcony door was opened roughly at that time. Xiao Zhan looked back out of the corner of his eye, and his muscles reflexively tensed up. It was Yibo.

"Hey," Zhan called out with a stiff smile.

Yibo looked at him, nodded indifferently, and then went off to the side to smoke. Zhan tried to force his attention back onto the script, but his eyes could not be controlled, and drifted towards Yibo. He wanted to be 'normal', but his mind kept flashing back to a naked Yibo, and he began to regret watching the film.

"Do you want to smoke?" Feeling Zhan's wandering eyes, Yibo cocked his eyebrow, misunderstanding that he was also a smoker. Zhan failed to admit that he was not one, and accepted the offer with a thank you.

The two men stood very close, and Yibo bowed near Zhan in order for him to light up his cigarette. In such close proximity, Yibo's breath managed to tickle Zhan, and caused his hair to stand up on end. He was therefore a little relieved, see, I'm freaked out, I'm definitely still straight.

"It may be a little late to introduce myself, but I want to anyways," Zhan said as he adopted the most friendly smile that he could muster, "Hello, I am Zhan." Yibo, however, was ungrateful and responded coldly, "I know, it's written in the script."

Zhan unconsciously revealed a few facial convulsions, "Usually at this time you should also introduce yourself."

"Why?"

Because that's the basic etiquette, right? Xiao Zhan, in silence, resolutely skipped this topic, "I wanted to apologize for the last performance," Zhan said, "I'm not used to men touching me, so if possible, I hope we don't have to have physical contact other than the script's requirements."

"Oh," was the only answer he got.  Zhan could not help looking up at Yibo through one eye, he had the feeling that his reply was not that simple, but the latter was still so impassive he could not get a read. So, two people stood in earnest, smoking in silence.

Just as Xiao Zhan was about to find an excuse to leave, the executive producer came to ask them to sit down on the sofa. The scene was ready to film and the director had finished the last lighting adjustment. Once they were seated, he signalled for the start of the take with a slap of clap-board.

In front of the camera, Zhan had to keep a smile pasted on, and endured the urge to frown. He felt that the man next to him kept leaning on him, to the point that he had put all his weight on him. He had to move his right elbow naturally between him and Yibo, trying to put a little distance between them.

"How long have you known each other?" The director asked the first question.

"We've known each other for almost a year, and we met at a friend's party..."  Zhan began to recite his lines, but suddenly he could feel something was wrong. A hand slowly traced up his back, all the way, gently following his spine. Goosebumps erupted over his entire body, but he somehow managed to keep up a strong smile.

Oh, man! Xiao Zhan could not help but give Yibo a giant middle finger from the bottom of his heart, "Yibo, what's your ideal in a relationship?" The director asked, and the camera was directed at the Yibo.