Chapter Text
Everyone’s up to somethin'
I find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings
Outside, they’re push and shovin'
You're in the kitchen hummin'
All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothin'
– Sweet Nothing, Taylor Swift
Jing Jing froze the moment she felt the heat of his lips on hers. She had wanted this for so long that her mind couldn’t even pretend to be in denial. The only thing she was aware of was that Yu Tu was kissing her, and it was glorious. It would not solve everything, but for this moment, it was glorious. So she reached up to hold onto his shoulders and lost herself in the taste of his lips.
Her tears that lingered on her lips were salty to the taste, but Yu Tu pulled her even closer, his heart calming when she did not push him away. He kissed her until he could not taste her tears anymore, and there was only the taste of her.
If this were a movie, they probably made a pretty picture, she thought, heads together, foreheads touching, noses brushing, against this twinkling backdrop of a Shanghai night outside the full length windows.
Yu Tu pulled away and Jing Jing looked numbly at him across the tiny space he had put between them.
“Why?”
“I can’t run anymore,” he whispered, his breath gentle on her cheek, intoxicating her. “The more I tell myself I should forget you, to let you go, the more I think of you. And tonight, I can’t find any good reason to resist you anymore.”
Jing Jing was still too light-headed from his kiss to make any sort of coherent reply. Her heart was still in a whirlwind, shifting through the layers of his words.
Yu Tu nuzzled her cheek with the tip of his nose, his lips brushing so slightly against the edge of hers. “I should have known that I would end up here with you in the end. I just needed time to figure it out. I’m sorry it took me so long.”
“Yu Tu,” she whispered, saying his name for the first time since he appeared on her doorstep. “If you really mean that, kiss me again.”
He caressed the back of her neck softly, playing with the soft hairs at her nape. At last, he smiled at her and said, “Happy birthday,” before leaning in to kiss her again.
It was the next morning when Yu Tu remembered that he never answered Xia Qing’s messages. He hadn’t wanted to go see her anyway, but his heart twinged with guilt nevertheless as he wondered how long she waited for him.
He pulled out his phone and texted her.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you last night. I was working overtime for most of the day and couldn’t have my phone with me. It was very late when I got out. I hope you didn’t wait for very long.
But Xia Qing, this is for the best. You did the right thing to cut your losses years ago. You needn’t think there should be any reason to look back or wonder what if anymore.
Yu Tu didn’t have to wonder what if anymore, either.