As Zhan stepped into the familiar warmth of his home, he was met with a sight that made his heart sink. Heesung, his husband, stood in the living room, his arms crossed and a scowl etched on his face, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity that seemed to pierce through Zhan’s very soul.
“Where were you?” Heesung’s voice was low and menacing, his words dripping with a sense of betrayal and hurt, the tone echoing through the room like a thunderclap.
Zhan hesitated, his mind racing with excuses, his thoughts tangled in a web of deceit and guilt. “I was… uh… where I usually am,” he stammered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the weight of his secrets, his voice barely above a whisper.
But Heesung was not fooled, his expression turning skeptical, his eyes flashing with anger and disbelief. “Don’t lie to me, Zhan,” he spat, his voice rising like a storm, the words lashing out like a whip. “I went to the restaurant, and your employees told me you left to get something from the supermarket. But you never came back. I waited for hours, Zhan. Hours!” The accusation hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down that dared Zhan to deny the truth, the silence that followed deafening.
Zhan’s confidence was short-lived, as Heesung’s glare intensified. “Why were you looking for me, Heesung?” Zhan asked, his voice laced with a hint of defiance.
Heesung’s response was immediate, his voice dripping with malice. “Answer the damn question, Zhan! Where were you?”
The words echoed through the room like a thunderclap, leaving Zhan shaken.
Zhan’s response was feeble, his voice barely above a whisper. “After work… I met up with an old friend…” He trailed off, his eyes fixed on Heesung’s menacing gaze.
Heesung’s laugh was cold, calculated, sending shivers down Zhan’s spine. “An old friend, you say? Is that why you’re dressed up like a doll? Trying to impress someone? Or maybe...that old friend of yours?” The sarcasm was palpable, each word a razor-sharp blade that cut through Zhan’s defenses.
Zhan’s pause was palpable, his lips sealed as if by an invisible force. Heesung’s sigh was heavy, weighted with a sense of disappointment. “Zhan, I’m trying not to be hard on you. I gave you rules to follow, but you disobeyed me. I told you not to associate with anyone without my knowledge. But you did it anyway… Zhan, it’s not that I’m trying to stop you from being close to others, but… I can’t take it when something that’s mine is taken away from me.” The possessiveness in his voice was suffocating, a dark cloud that loomed over Zhan.
Zhan’s scoff was bitter, his words laced with defiance. “I thought you wanted to divorce me? So where does all this possessiveness come from? Are you trying to control me, Heesung? Stop me from seeing who I want to see?” The words hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down that dared Heesung to respond.
Heesung’s frown was dark, his eyes flashing with anger. “I see you’ve learned to talk back, Zhan. But know this… if I ever find out that you’re doing exactly what I think you’re doing… trust me, it would end in a way you never imagined.” The threat hung in the air like a sword of Damocles, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked beneath Heesung’s calm exterior.
With a final glare, Heesung turned and marched away to his room, leaving Zhan shaken and alone, the silence between them deafening.
The door creaked open, and Zhan trudged to his bed, his legs heavy with the weight of his thoughts. He collapsed onto the mattress, his mind racing with questions. What was he thinking, provoking Heesung that way? He had always been the obedient type, never one to rock the boat. But something had changed, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.
His hand wandered to his lips, and a smile spread across his face, unbidden. The memory of the kiss with Yibo still lingered, and he couldn’t deny the thrill it had sent through him. But that was the problem – he didn’t feel even a twinge of guilt about it. And that scared him. Was Heesung right all along? Was he so desperate for touch, for connection, that he didn't care who he got it from?
