Falling Into Your Smile

Beautiful Moments Of Silence

I quietly ate, afraid to break the peaceful silence. I looked at Cheng's gacha on the hot water bag, and glanced at him. He did everything for me. "Cheng.. I'm sorry. I was supposed to take care of you, instead, you're the one taking care of me." I said, putting down my bowl of porridge. "When did you say, you were taking care of me? You came back because you had a stomachache." He replied, which somehow made me feel worse. I touched his forehead, and felt a sizzling burst of heat.

"Why hasn't your fever subsided yet?" I asked myself aloud, as he scoffed lightly. "Do you think the medicine you gave me, was a magic pill?" He answered. It was rhetorical, Cheng. Rhetorical. You don't need to reply. But, I felt guilty nonetheless. He did so much for me, and I couldn't do half of it. "Let's go. It's my turn to take care of you." I said, pulling his arm. He stopped, and looked at me. 

"Is your stomach not hurting anymore?" He asked, as I sighed. "No. It does." I replied, to which he just continued eating. "Forget it. I don't want a person with a stomachache rolling on my carpet." He said coldly. "But you have to be taken care of." I added, as he refused. "I don't need that." He said, though I barely believed it. "You do." I insisted, as he lookes at me. "I don't." He refused again. "You do." I protested. "I don't." He said for the fourth time, yet I didn't give up. 

"You do. Let's go." I said, forcing him to stand. "I don't need that." He protested, as I pushed him forward. "Shut up. You do. I could fry an omelet on your head." I finished, continuously pushing him. 

I pushed him up the stairs, into his bedroom.

+---×---+

The team returned to the base, and Chubby skipped into the hall. "We're back! We brought food too!" He called out, as everyone followed him in. He got no reply, and the base was deserted. Yao wanted to have a talk with Chen, but wasn't able to call her for the last hour. "Where are they? Don't tell me they fell asleep after taking the medicine." Chubby complained, sighing. 

"I need to see how Brother Cheng and Chen are doing. God Ming." He said, giving his backpack to Ming. He rushed up the stairs, as everyone unpacked, removing their bags. 

Five seconds later, he ran down the stairs. He almost fell at the end, with an expression of horror, and shock. Everyone stared at Chubby, as he panted, regaining his energy. Yue had a stupid and a little worried grin on his face, but he acted casual. "What are you doing? Did you see a ghost?" Yue asked, scoffing. "I.. When I went upstairs, they.." Chubby said, pointing to Cheng's room, almost crying in terror. Rui stared at the room.

"It couldn't be that my brother died, could it?" Yue asked, before running up the stairs. "Are you serious?" Yao sighed, as K elbowed her. "Let's take a look." He said, as everyone followed Yue. "I'm staying back. I need to drink something. Tell me later." She said, as she sat down in the living room. 

Yue opened the door, and looked inside, aghast. He closed the door immediately, as his expression looked exactly like that of Chubby. His body went rigid. "What are you doing? Did you see a ghost..?" Rui asked, as Yue struggled and hesitated to reply. "It's more terrifying than a ghost." He said, fidgeting. Chubby nodded violently. "What is it?" Ming asked, as Chubby went back to almost crying. Yue stared at the floor.

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Chen stirred, half-asleep. She felt something like a teddy bear under her hand. But she didn't have a teddy bear, since she was eight. She opened her eyes, to find Cheng beside her. She froze, surprised, no, shocked. Her hand was on Cheng's chest, which she immediately moved. What.. no, how? What if someone came inside? What would they assume?

Cheng turned in his sleep, and touched Chen's shoulder, thinking it was a pillow. He pulled her closer, but realized it wasn't a pillow. He opened his eyes, to see Chen lying beside him. He stared into her eyes, as she hesitated.