Frost [BL]

Chapter 20

The brothers arrived at the base an hour earlier than Xiao Qiu had said they'd be there due to his sleepless night so while the other members were still doing their daily matches, Lee brought the two to the meeting room.

Lee couldn't keep his eyes off Xiao Yi, even when he was talking to Xiao Qiu. Xiao Yi could swear that he looked like a kid in a candy store which was strange to see from a CEO and captain with a pretty stoic face.

Just how was this the scary captain that Xiao Qiu always complained about?

Xiao Yi made himself comfortable, his back facing the glass that overlooked the training room, leaning back in his chair with one leg propped up while the other dangled off the floor as the chair tipped. Xiao Qiu was to his left, sitting in the best posture he'd ever seen his brother pull off, and Lee sat across from them looking graceful with eyes that contradicted his noble appearance.

Moments later, he tore his eyes away and turned to Xiao Qiu with a stern expression. "I see you finally found the ability to act like a human. Are you going to stay long term?"

Xiao Qiu sat back in the chair and sighed. "We'll go back when everything calms down."

Xiao Yi sat patiently as the 'adults' spoke, he had a feeling that he was the child in this relationship between two married elders.

Lee frowned. "Do you still remember you're on a team? You barely show up, Hei has only seen you a handful of times since you joined - it feels like we're in an online relationship with you half the time!"

Xiao Qiu started to speak, but Lee interrupted him before he could even get a word out. "I understand you care for your brother, but he can live here or in the apartment. How can I help you improve when I can't see what you're doing? Do you even know how many meetings you've missed?"

Xiao Qiu looked down at his hands like a reprimanded puppy while Xiao Yi stared straight ahead, agreeing with Lee.

If this happened on his team... He'd probably have kicked the person out by now. Four years may not be a long time in a normal career but in the esports world, it could be the difference between winning a medal or retiring due to growing older.

As much as he respected Lee for everything he'd done for the two of them, he certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him kick Xiao Qiu out. Xiao Qiu had used up too much favor.

Xiao Qiu seemed to grasp this as well, he sat silently playing with his fingers in his lap.

Lee sighed and bitterly glanced away from the other man. "Liu Haoyu went back to his hometown, did he tell you? No, because you went and distanced yourself so well that he felt like you wouldn't care!"

Liu Haoyu was originally the fifth person on the team but was the first to leave due to a wrist injury. Hei had only joined the team three months before, flying in from Korea with the prospect of being part of a team from one of his homelands. His father was Chinese so he always wanted to return to China, if only for a short time.

Xiao Yi now understood how powerful Lee was and decisively shut his eyes as he leaned back in the chair, looking as innocent as ever despite being the reason Xiao Qiu neglected his profession.

Xiao Qiu glanced at his younger brother and poked his arm. When they locked gazes, he waved his hand and spoke while hiding his expression. "Go unpack. It's the house outside."

He didn't have to be told twice, he pushed himself off the chair and left the windowed room having heard enough. His brother deserved the scolding, and he was happy that someone else gave him a reality check.

As much as he loved his brother, he couldn't help but feel guilty for becoming a burden to him. He was well off, old enough to live on his own, and he didn't need nor deserve all the attention Xiao Qiu gave to him.

He couldn't say that he didn't understand where his brother was coming from, though. They had grown up close, then they parted and hardly saw each other after their parents moved him away. Xiao Qiu had missed seeing him grow up, missed important events, and wasn't part of many memories.

Then, a few years after they became brothers again, he found his younger brother in the hospital.

Xiao Yi dragged his suitcase outside of the main building and pushed open the door to the small bachelor pad outside while typing on his phone.

[X]: Give me an earlier flight.