In Between Us || Zhanyi

Untitled Part 28

Last Working: 18/09/2024

Zhan had returned from the trip with an unshakable urge to see Yibo. Without wasting a second, he drove directly to the university from the airport, anticipation building with each passing moment. He had tried reaching Yibo's phone, but each attempt met silence. Zhan thought of Yibo's disappointment, the misunderstanding he left behind, his gaze softening at the thought of surprising him after days apart. He was determined to bring Yibo back to home.

As he parked in the lane next to the university, he spotted Yibo stepping out of the building, a smile curved on his face as he was about to call him. But then, something unexpected happened. Yibo didn't head toward his side or the dorm—he was moving in the opposite direction, his steps purposeful. Zhan's brows furrowed, curiosity quickly outweighing his original plans. He slipped out of his car, following at a distance. Yibo's pace led him to a nearby café, and just as Zhan considered stepping inside to surprise him, he noticed another figure—a man—joining Yibo at the table.

Zhan's gaze narrowed as he recognized Professor Liu Haikuan. He hadn't known the two were close, but judging by the subtle smile Yibo offered and the way Kuan's eyes seemed to linger on Yibo's every word, it was clear there was familiarity here. Zhan assumed this meet must be something related to their formal status of student-professor relationship, and he had nothing to feel threatened.

But something unsettled inside Zhan, unease stirring in his chest, which didn't allow him neither to leave nor to stand the scene unfolding in front of him. Inside, Yibo's face softened, Kuan slid a plate toward Yibo, leaning forward with a familiar, gentle smile, as though they had done this countless times. A small, almost shy crossing Yibo's lips as he took a bite.

Zhan felt his jaw tighten. Yibo had always been guarded, rarely letting others in—but here he was, sharing an unguarded smile with another man, leaning into that warmth. Zhan's pulse quickened, jealousy thrumming as he watched Yibo glance up at Kuan with a look that was softer than Zhan had ever seen him direct at anyone else.

Zhan's rational mind whispered that he knew Yibo was faithful, that there was nothing to doubt. But witnessing his husband in such comfortable intimacy with another man had his heart pounding, frustration building.

He felt a surge of possessiveness well up as Kuan leaned in to explain something on Yibo's notes, their heads just inches apart. Zhan's blood boiled with each tiny gesture: Kuan's hand nudging Yibo's shoulder, Yibo's eyes lighting up at whatever advice Kuan was sharing, and—most of all—that rare smile from Yibo, striking Zhan harder than he'd expected.

He had never thought of himself as the jealous type. He trusted Yibo completely. Their relationship had always been built on a foundation of respect, understanding, and mutual affection. But seeing Yibo laugh, that soft, unguarded smile reserved for another man, had stirred something darker within Zhan. Something possessive. Something dangerous.

He could feel his heart burn as the jealousy festered. It wasn't just about Yibo smiling for Kuan. It was the realization that Yibo seemed... free. Unburdened. In a way, Zhan hadn't seen ever. That carefree smile was something Zhan always wished to witness out of Yibo, but now, it seemed reserved for someone else.