Someone In The Crowd

Chapter - 25

               The last week of January was already breathing it's chilly breath on his neck as Wuxian made his way towards his last class of the day. The dinner with the Lan family was approaching. Since it was the starting of a new semester, things were hectic. Wuxian, too, along with all other professors was busy to get everything under control before February rolled in. They were busy checking up the answer sheets for the previous semester, dividing the syllabus for the new semester, getting a start at the course, and clearing the unending doubts of the students regarding their potential results, which was yet to be announced.

               Throughout the last month, Wuxian saw Wangji nearly everyday but had a handful of times where they could actually stop and say 'hi' to each other. Each too busy in their own stack of pent up works to grant the other anything more than a glance.

               As Wuxian was making his way to his parked car, he stopped for a moment and looked around, taking the scenery in front of him in. Snow covered the better part of the parking. The tree tops were white. A light breeze was blowing all the time carrying a shrilly tone with it, only heard when one is paying enough attention to it. Somewhere a snow pile fell from a tree, the 'thump' sound came to him, carried by the air. The sound of light snow crunching under numerous footsteps was there, but no one was in sight. He suddenly felt alone remembering his childhood days, when he used to play in the snow along with the whole family. 'How long had it been since we last played in the snow together?' He thought to himself, unable to find a satisfactory answer. A loud honking from the street ahead and the moment was gone. All the noises of the traffic outside, the students' loud noise of calling after their peers or just conversing with each other, the staffs closing the doors with a loud slamming, all these came flowing back to him. With a little shake of his head, he shook off his earlier feeling of loneliness and with another swift glance towards the empty grounds, he made his way to his car and drove away towards a garage.

               He had plans to put into action. If he had to talk things out with Wangji, he had to find a way to stay at his place on the day of the dinner. The most convenient way, he thought, no matter how cringe it might sound, was to not have access to his car. It surely would be inconvenient for him during the next Monday, but it was worth the result. He just needed one uninterrupted conversation with Wangji, that was what he convinced himself. Well, he was ready to give up his feelings for the younger if he would be outright rejected. He was never a pushover. Sure, it would take time, it would be painful, he would suffer but he knew that he would slowly move past these feelings, only that he wanted a closure. And if there was even a little hope of reciprocation, he would hold on, no matter how long, he would surely hold onto it. That was what he promised himself as he walked out of the garage, booking a cab to his home. The car would be fully serviced and returned to him on the next Wednesday, February 2.

'Perfect.'

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               Wuxian was leaning against the door of Wangji's car, waiting for the younger to come out. He had already texted the younger informing him about the unavailability of his own car. The younger was going to give him a ride to his brother's place and if everything went as Wuxian had planned then later to his own place. After another five minutes Wangji showed up, apologizing to the elder.

               The dinner was huge. Xichen and Qing had gone out of their way to make sure that they got every Chinese delicacy of their respective home towns laid out for their guest, a few dishes extra than the other years. It was a huge event for them, and probably the only traditional Chinese festival they still followed. The whole family was in a festive mood and Wuxian felt as if all his tiredness of the last month got washed away with the food and company of those few hours.