NÁNHÁI

e v i f 5

| F I V E |

cant face that face

Xiao Zhan had just gotten home from college and was about to approach his apartment door when the door opened on its own, more like a dishevelled Lulu banged the door open, he was confused, had she been behind him this whole time?

Despite the shock, he quietly followed her inside. Lulu without a word barged into Yian's playroom and turned the whole place upside down. After about minutes of continuous asking she finally told Xiao Zhan that the kid had been waiting for her in the park and she had come back to get his safety gear.

The prof freaked out, Yian was alone in the park?

This was news to him, Lulu kept asking him to calm down which he soon did but the worst part wasn't even Yian being alone in the park but the fact that his safety gear was nowhere to be found, Xiao Zhan started panicking even more, Yian had been holding up for this very day, how was he going to console him?

Knowing they wouldn't be able to find the gear anytime soon Lulu asked him to get the kid first, even if Yian wouldn't get a chance to skate in the skate park he'd be happy having his Papa accompany nonetheless, agreeing Xiao Zhan immediately rushed out and drove straight to the park.

Maybe because Yian was his only family, Xiao Zhan had always been very protective of him, you couldn't blame him, could you? He knew that people were dangerous, he knew the reality more than anyone else so wasn't it a given that he'd react the way he was?

After about minutes of searching, he finally spotted his son but the kid wasn't alone, Xiao Zhan hastily walked towards the two who seemed to be talking and rather well at that but why did the guy look so suspicious? He didn't look like any of Yian's older friends (brothers) from the skate park so who was that?

Without much delay Xiao Zhan called his boy out, Yian turned to look at him and before the latter could even process the whole situation he had already been dragged right in front of the scary-looking dude, the next thing he knew was his heart beating louder than anything in the world, he unconsciously backed down.

Yibo Gege?

The man who hadn't looked up the whole time finally lifted his head.

Xiao Zhan gasped. It was him.

He had imagined this scenario multiple times, and no matter how much he hated it, he knew that someday, somewhere he'd have this guy standing right in front of him, he knew he couldn't hide forever but wasn't this too soon, too sudden, too scary?

As if feeling the tension in the air, Yian kept looking at his Papa, not uttering a single word he waited for Xiao Zhan to say something but what was he to say, what was there to say? The man could feel his hands getting sweaty, were they going to act like strangers? Were they not going to talk? What was he supposed to do? What could he possibly do?

Soon breaking him out of his trance, Yibo lifted his hand, seemingly to take his mask off, he slowly reached out but Xiao Zhan couldn't contain his irritation anymore, "Stop!" He shouted.

I don't want to see that face of yours.

Surprised by the older's outburst Yian shook a little, "Papa" he mumbled.

Yibo couldn't take his eyes off the other now, he was feeling suffocated, thinking that maybe pulling the mask off his face would make him feel a little better he had wanted to pull it out but Xiao Zhan probably didn't want to see him, he probably hated him, hated him enough to get irritated just by seeing his face.

He difficultly shifted his eyes from the man before him to the kid holding the other's hand.

Xiao Zhan has a son, no wonder the kid looked familiar.

"You must be busy, we'll be leaving. Thank you for looking out for my son."

Yibo could say no more, he wasn't busy, but did that make a difference? He didn't want Xiao Zhan to leave, but would he stay just because he asked him to? His heart ached. Years of longing, years of denial what had he gained? absolutely nothing. He didn't stand a single chance, he was a jerk, had always been one. He didn't deserve to say that he was sorry, that he had wronged, that he'd now after so long make things better, after all, if anything, Yibo was a coward.

"Papa, why can't we.." Yian spoke.

"You should listen to him, we can always meet again, hm?"

Meet again? Did Yibo want to see them again, see him again? it already hurt so much, would it get better the next time, would he get used to the pain then? would he ever?

Xiao Zhan's eyes shifted, he asked Yian to pick up his skateboard and hand his phone back to him but the kid refused, he hesitatingly eyed Yibo, soon running to him, obediently giving out his phone to the latter instead.

"Why?" Yibo asked, confused.

Yian turned to look at Xiao Zhan, he looked like he'd smack him any second but despite the fear, he still nervously voiced, "Gege's number"

"What?"

"Xiao Yian!" Xiao Zhan was so close to losing it.

The kid pushed his phone further towards Yibo, bravely ignoring his Papa's fury he chipped, "Please?"

Yibo's heart immediately softened; an odd development, nothing he was used to. The tightness in his chest felt unfamiliar to him but before he knew it he had already taken the phone offered and saved his number on it.

Xiao Zhan didn't even look at him before turning to leave. Yian's reluctant steps were clearly dragging them down yet Yibo felt like the older was quickly getting further and further away.

---

Xiao Zhan looked at Yian who had already placed his skateboard on the ground ready to stroll off, the latter had refused to even let him hold his phone for him but Xiao Zhan couldn't let that number stay there, could he? he didn't want to see that guy again, this one time was more than enough.

As if he was physically pained, Xiao Zhan couldn't help but want to lie down somewhere, he wanted to get back home but he also didn't have the heart to ask Yian to stop playing, it was good enough for him to have forgotten about going to the skate park, wouldn't it be too cruel of him to ask for something more?

The more he tried to push his thoughts away, the more they kept knocking over, did Yibo manage to catch on? why was he acting so nice? he never really liked kids anyway, that unfeeling piece of shit was probably just pretending, fooling around like he always did.

Xiao Zhan's eyes fluttered, he wasn't this weak, was he? The little Yian before him was turning helplessly blurry, a lone tear rolled down his eyes, no matter how much he had tried, no matter how ... it still hurt.

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