Six months to live (ZhanYi)

1

Yibo's Pov.

"It's been two years since they sentenced Zhan ge to prison." Our restaurant suffered for the first six months. I found solace in alcohol to numb the ache in my heart, but Zhan ge told me to live for him. It hurts me to see him there to replace me. I see him every Saturday, never failed a day no matter how busy I am, but three days ago they transferred him to maximum prison.

Lawyer Yang is coming to pick me up to visit Zhan ge and find out why he was transferred. I feel suffocated but because of Zhan ge, I wear a fake smile to see him.

As I get ready, I go over different scenarios in my head of what Zhan ge could be put up against. It could be a more emotional and open inmate, who isn't afraid to have a conversation which is ideal but probably not likely. It could be someone who's emotionally closed off, but not violent or mean. Or worst-case scenario, it's someone who is violent and mean.

I am lost in thought when my phone beep and I see a text from lawyer Yang "leaving in ten minutes to pick you up." I live on my own in the same small flat we live in years ago because of the happy memories we have here but about five minutes away from our restaurant."

I wore a green knitted sweater with black jeans and black converse. I left the house and walk to the restaurant and went straight to the kitchen, packed the food I made for Zhan ge and put it in a bag, and went to sit in the office to wait for lawyer Yang.

A few minutes later, one of the servers knock on my door and told me someone is waiting for me outside. I pick up the bag of food and sprinted out of the office, headed down to the car, gets in, and buckled before lawyer Yang zoomed off. I held the bag close to my heart like it was going to make a miracle happen.

"Ready?" Lawyer Yang asks as he pulls out of the restaurant parking lot.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm nervous but excited to see Zhan ge."

"When we get there, just follow me, okay? There's a few protocols we have to go through and a small lecture on rules and stuff. It's boring but mandatory."

Okay, I mumbled.

It was silent for a while before lawyer Yang spoke. "Yibo, how are you? ".

I'm okay, I guess. I gave him a fake smile.

How are you holding up? He asked, sounding concerned.

I'm coping with my new reality, I chuckled dryly.

He looks at me for a second and faces the road. The drive to prison was quiet, my eyes were glued to the window as my heart was throbbing with sorrow.

We are here Yibo, lawyer Yang spoke snapping me out of my deep thought.

Oh, okay. Thank you. I clutched the paper bag tighter and got out of the car. Clearing my throat to push the lump forming at the back of my throat and putting on a fake smile. Zhan ge can't see me sad. I used concealer to patch up my eye bags before leaving the restaurant.

Are you sure you don't want to wait for me in the car? Lawyer Yang asked again.

"Mr. Yang, I'm 19 years old, I can handle it. Please." I argue.

"It's scary there, and you're tiny."

I cross my arms over the paper bag, I'm not tiny. It's fine, I told you I can handle it."

"I'm sure you could, I'm the one that couldn't." 

"Why??" I ask, looking confused.

"I'm scared you'll get hurt," lawyer Yang turns to face the gate of the prison.

I sigh. "Mr. Yang, I won't get hurt," I promise.

"Those guys are dangerous, you never know what they'll do."

"They'll be cuffed, though," I point out. "And we will see him in their visitor's waiting room right?."

Alright, then let's go in. Mr. Yang took a long breath and started walking.

I walk beside him and I will admit that I am nervous but not because of the inmates. I am nervous that I won't like what Zhan ge will say or that I will do the wrong thing.

I know Zhan ge is a very empathetic person and he is my greatest strength and also my greatest weakness.

I follow lawyer Yang into the cement building that's clearly been worn down by the weather. The side door, only for employees had a card reader next to it.

And the other gate is for visitors. We walk to the entrance and lawyer Yang pulls his wallet out and shows the security his ID card, after a few seconds of examining it, he pulls his card out of his chest pocket and scans it, a clicking sound signifying that the door is unlocked.

He pushes the heavy metal door open, and we walk inside. As soon as we walk in, there's a metal detector. I take my keys out of my pocket and my cell phone also. Lawyer Yang does the same with his phone and other things. We put them in a plastic basket that's checked by a security guard and we walk through the detector.

The guard hands us back our things as soon as we are through and another security guard leads us down the hall.

It's cold in the building and I feel the vibes are off. I'm not surprised though, prisons usually don't have the best vibes but this one feels like an abandoned site.

I follow lawyer Yang through the wide corridor and into another open space, I guess that's the visitor's lounge.

Alright, so first take off any jewelry, loose strings, or anything an inmate could grab onto," a guard instructs.

I look over my body and check for loose strings. I know I'm not wearing any jewelry and I don't see anything else that fits the description aside from the paper bag am carrying. Lawyer Yang does the same.

"We Don't have any," Lawyer Yang says. and the guard takes his card out and scans it, causing the gate to unlock and slide open for us. We walk through, and the guard closes the gate behind us.

We walk to the counter and the lady at the desk looks up. Lawyer Yang told her Zhan ge's name and we seat by the corner while she told a guard to call Zhan ge for us.

I was nervous, my legs were shaking. My heart was racing. I was fighting a war inside but I had to put on a fake face or Zhan ge will worry about me and that's the last thing I want him to do.

A guard opens the door and lets Zhan ge walk through. He takes a deep breath, observing his surroundings before he spotted us and his face lights up. That smile breaks my heart, I want to jump on him and hug him so close to my heart but I can't. My heart sank and I held back my tears, he looks pale with heavy eye bags.

He made his way to us and sits on the chair beside me.

Oh, God, I missed him so much.

Zhan ge. My voice sounded coarse and I knew tears were next.

Yibo, Zhan ge calls my name quietly and stretched his hand to me on the table. I put mine on his and I couldn't hold back the tears.