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You don’t have to be good at acting if it’s just a stage performance at the school festival, Xie Lian thought as he lay down on a bed made from a pallet used in factories, with a few pillows beneath his body so that his back wouldn’t hurt after laying down for so long.
With his eyes closed, he listened to the dialogues of his classmates and couldn’t help but feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins at the thought that in a moment it would be his and Hua Cheng’s confession scene, the final one, closing the event of the day—”Sleeping Beauty” performed by them and their classmates.
And you don’t have to be a woman to play a female character! Xie Lian thought further, trying to hold back a giggle from escaping his lips at the memory of his friends’ shocked reactions when they had found out that Xie Lian had been chosen to play the main character—the cursed princess. And later, as their shocked expressions had turned into anger when they had been told that Hua Cheng had been given a second main character—the prince, who would help Xie Lian break the curse with a kiss.
What a shame we won’t actually kiss… Xie Lian sighed quietly, disappointed that the chance to kiss his friend (and long-time crush) that he got in this play was shattered into pieces when their teacher had told them that all Hua Cheng had to do was simply lean over Xie Lian, close to his face, to make it look like a kiss, but...
Well, no kisses from Hua Cheng, it seemed. Of course he couldn’t be so lucky.
Xie Lian couldn’t count how many times they had to rehearse the final scene with breaking the curse, as everytime Hua Cheng had leaned over him, his long hair had fallen from his shoulder straight into Xie Lian’s face, tickling him, which always had ended with Xie Lian bursting into uncontrollable giggles.
Because of this, in the actual play they had to braid Hua Cheng’s hair to keep it in place, lest Xie Lian accidentally burst out laughing... but well, at least they had a lot of great memories from all those rehearsals, Xie Lian couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on his face at the thought. Even if the chance to kiss Hua Cheng slipped through his fingers, so be it—at least he would remember the day his friend “confessed” his feelings to him. Even if it was just for play purposes.
… yeah.
Xie Lian’s every thought stopped the moment he felt Hua Cheng’s presence beside him; here it was, the final scene of “Sleeping Beauty”. A shiver had always run down Xie Lian’s spine whenever Hua Cheng had confessed his feelings to the princess during the rehearsals; there had always been such passion in his words and his expression, as if he were a professional actor.
When they had first rehearsed this scene, and Hua Cheng had confessed his love to the princess, Xie Lian couldn’t help but be caught off guard, feeling as if his friend was truly confessing his feelings rather than playing the role. To Xie Lian, not the princess.
“What a beauty… am I dreaming?” Hua Cheng’s deep voice snapped Xie Lian out of his thoughts again, and he couldn’t help but steal a glance through his half-closed eyelids at the man standing by his bed. Even if it was just a school play, Hua Cheng looked ethereal, like a real prince; their classmates had worked really hard on those clothes.
Hua Cheng knelt and took Xie Lian’s hand in his own, squeezing it gently. “Not only are you asleep, but the rest of the servants in this palace are as well; just what happened to you? Who dared… to hurt you?” Hua Cheng asked through gritted teeth, his voice filled with anger.
Hua Cheng then placed Xie Lian’s hand back on the bed to gently stroke his face instead, his touch sending actual shivers down Xie Lian’s spine, but he used all his willpower not to move. Hundreds of people were watching them, he couldn’t ruin the show now!
“I met a fairy on my way; I was being told that a curse was cast upon you, and the only way to help you… was to share true love’s kiss with you. Would you believe me, my beloved princess, that I fell in love with you the moment my eyes saw you?”
Hua Cheng leaned over Xie Lian, one of his hands resting on the right edge of the bed, the other still caressing Xie Lian’s cheek with the utmost gentleness. With Hua Cheng on the left side of the bed the audience had a perfect view of what was happening on the stage.
“Will a simple kiss be enough… to wake you? Am I even good enough to be your special someone? Will you not be disappointed with me when you open your eyes?”
Xie Lian swallowed hard, feeling the need within him to assure Hua Cheng that yes, he was more than enough, that there was no one else in this world he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But wait, he chided himself mentally as it dawned on him. It was just a play; Hua Cheng was playing the role of a prince, and Xie Lian… was once more deceived by his friend’s great acting skills.
Now Xie Lian swallowed the bitterness lingering on his tongue, trying not to show the disappointment on his face.
“I promise to treat you like the most precious jewel; I promise to show you my love every day. So please… wake up,” Hua Cheng pleaded, his voice breaking with emotion—leaving Xie Lian speechless again—and he leaned down, his face close to Xie Lian’s.
And Hua Cheng kissed Xie Lian. On the lips.
Xie Lian immediately opened his eyes, unsure whether it was reality or the scenario he had dreamt of so many times; but it was real. Hua Cheng was so close to him that Xie Lian didn’t see anything but his friend’s long eyelashes. Hua Cheng kissed him as passionately as people did in romantic movies, pouring all his feelings into him, slowly moving his lips against Xie Lian’s.
And Xie Lian, both surprised and happy, couldn’t help but whine quietly, which was immediately devoured by Hua Cheng’s eager lips.
The people watching the performance, although they seemed quite bored at first, now were agitated, their countless whispers filling the hall.
“Are they kissing?”
“Woah.”
“No way they are kissing...”
“But it looks so real—!”
And more and more, but Xie Lian paid no attention to them. He completely forgot that they were in the middle of the performance as he focused on Hua Cheng, who was now slowly pulling away, his cheeks dusted with a faint blush, much like Xie Lian’s own.
“San La–” Xie Lian trailed off as Hua Cheng’s finger on his lips prevented him from saying anything.
“My beloved princess, the fairy’s words were true; you woke up because of my true feelings. Now that you are awake, you are free to do as you wish, but if there is any chance you will love me as much as I love you…” Hua Cheng spoke in a gentle tone, just like he did during rehearsals. Word for word, as the script said.
“My love,” Xie Lian sat up with Hua Cheng’s help, holding his hands tightly and not wanting to let go. “My beloved,” Xie Lian, absorbed in his emotions, completely forgot about his dialogues, so he said what his heart told him. “I promise to love you forever. In good times and bad, I wish to always be with you…”
.
.
.
People thought that the kiss was just part of the performance. But later, when rumours spread that Hua Cheng started dating Xie Lian—just a day after the school event—they suspected that perhaps it wasn’t just a play…
And that Hua Cheng wasn’t that great an actor, because every time he had confessed his feelings to Xie Lian during rehearsals, he had been stating the truth.