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Vein took good care of himself.
From waking up early in the morning at five-thirty to practicing his daily skincare routine to free his complexion from any blemishes, he always made sure to stick to his schedule. After putting his long red hair into a braid and applying matching eyeliner to his sharp lids, he was set for the day.
Despite his strange remarks commenting on how ‘tasty’ someone was and his fondness for raw meat, Vein did indeed follow a healthy diet. No, he was not the type of kid who stuck out his tongue and pushed away a plate of bok choy. He ate his fruits and vegetables, thank you very much.
The towering man was never one to fall ill or contract any sickness before. That just never seemed to happen with someone like him.
Vein smirked, thinking about a certain blond-haired man’s face.
Felix would like working with them. Their planned winter collection has many layers of clothing and doesn’t show a lot of skin. Hmm, I can already imagine that pleased look when he’s happy.
At that moment, another sting forcefully pierced his skull, causing his head to lower and his hand to reach towards the source.
Urgh, what’s with this? Maybe I’ve been staring at the screen for too long. I’ll just deliver this email to Mr. Anderson regarding Felix’s collaboration with one of their top models and take a short break. Surely, it’ll pass.
After clicking on send, Vein shut his laptop and rolled back in his chair, covering his eyes with his wrist. He let out a strangled noise and a cough, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. A shiver ran up his spine.
It’s so cold.
With shaking hands, he covered himself with his long black coat, wrapping it around his body for warmth.
Vein would rest. Yeah, he’d rest for a bit, then return to his other duties he’d planned for the remainder of the day. No problem.
Letting his eyelids flutter for a brief moment, he slowly drifted off to sleep.
~~~
The ringing of his phone abruptly awoke Vein with a start.
He jumped up in his seat, causing another intense throbbing in his head. Vein grumbled in annoyance. Allowing a few seconds to collect himself, he attempted to clear his throat and picked up the call.
“Hello?”
“Ah, Boss!” He winced at the loud voice of the caller. The manager of Felix’s recent photoshoot. “We just finished up with our latest photos. If you wouldn’t mind, would you come over to the studio to take a look at our final decision?”
He internally sighed. This decision could really be done without his aid, but Vein had no excuse not to refuse.
“Alright. I’ll be over there soon.”
“Thank you, Boss!”
Pushing himself up from his chair, Vein did his best to smoothen the wrinkles on his white hanfu and place his jacket evenly against his shoulders. The tinted, round sunglasses rested on top of his nose as he exited the room with the most confident stride he could muster.
~~~
By the time he got to the elevator to descend from the floor of his office, Vein was in a horrible mood.
The headache persisted, like someone was knocking on his head with a hammer. The urge to gag did not help as his body weight sat uncomfortably against the slow motion of the confined space.
Finally, the elevator made a ding and the doors opened.
With a few wobbles, Vein slowly made his way towards the entrance of a familiar room, where he encountered the manager who lit up in his presence.
“Good afternoon, Boss! Please, come right this way.”
He nodded.
His eyes immediately set his sights on the beautiful blond model in the center of the room. Golden hair slightly slicked back to show off his eyebrow piercing, wearing an open orange-toned suit vest with a tie loosely hugging his shirt collar. Despite there being the manager and a multitude of different models, his gaze only focused on him.
Vein wearily grinned to himself as if he’d made some kind of grand accomplishment.
I knew it would fit him…matches the color of his eyes just right.
“Boss…are you alright?”
Suddenly, everything became a blur. The monoblocs were far too bright, blinding his vision, and the people in the room morphed into blobs of color between flickering red eyes that refused to stay open.
Before he knew it, the room turned to its side, and he nearly blanked out before he felt someone catch him in their arms. The touch of a lukewarm hand made fleeting contact against his forehead before it was instantly pulled away as if it had been lit in flames.
“Oh my gosh, you’re burning up, Boss! Your forehead’s abnormally hot!” The manager cried out in distress.
Attempting to inhale air through his mouth soon became a struggle. “I’m…fine.”
The fatigued man was swiftly ignored.
“Felix, since your shift’s over, could you please help him? We still have to stay overtime to deal with some things left for this week.” The manager turned his attention towards the dressed-up model, whose eyes slightly widened at the mention of his name.
“Oh, uh. Sure, I’ll take care of him.”
“Great. You can change first and drop him off at his home or something then.”
“Really, I insist. I can handle myself…”
“Mmhm, sure you can,” Since when did Felix appear right next to them? “Come on, Boss. Let me help you when the rest of the crew are busy. You’re in no condition to walk on your own right now.”
“But-”
“Nope, we’re not doing this. I’ll be back in a sec, but wait for me here, okay?” The voice grew quiet and so did the footsteps that eventually drifted off into the distance with the sound of a door that shut loudly.
Vein sighed in utter defeat.
Cheeky bastard. He knows Vein couldn’t take one more step without collapsing in on himself. Where else was there to go when the manager was still holding onto him so tightly as if he were fragile glass that could easily break?
Well, whatever. Felix would just drop him off at his home and he’d be fine.
~~~
Xia Fei was a master at catching colds.
He’d need far more than four hands to count the number of times he’s been sick before.
As a child, body aches, runny noses, and dreadful coughs were all-too-familiar with the blond unfortunately. To this day, Xia Fei has no idea why. He was healthy, he swears! It just so happened that his immune system was far weaker and prone to illness than others. He remembers his youth. Coming back home from school in tears, crying about how he didn’t want to be sick, and his mother patting the back of his head, laughing gently.
Strangely enough, Xia Fei hasn’t gotten sick in a few months. New record achieved.
Everyone around him seemed to be in top shape lately with bright expressions and bodies full of energy to pose for exhausting hours.
So color him surprised when his strong boss appeared in the studio with pale skin and nearly fell just in time for his manager to catch him.
It honestly shocked him for a bit before his manager called out his name and volunteered Felix to help take care of the boss.
While he was alright with making sure his boss went home safely, he internally frowned at the thought that his manager’s gaze immediately fell towards him and assumed that he, of all people, knew where his boss lived. The rumors regarding the two’s relationship among the agency sitting in the back of his mind as an uncomfortable reminder.
Well, it’s not like there’s many people that his boss trusts anyway. His words, not Xia Fei’s.
Sure, bring it on then.
What was the worst that could happen?
~~~
He forgot.
Xia Fei forgot that at the end of the day, he was just a poor college student, and when he was finished with his modeling shifts, his boss regularly drove him back to his dorm in his limousine.
Vein was in no shape to drive right now, and although Xia Fei could, he was not about to take the risk of putting his hands on the wheel of such a fancy car.
So the only option was-
“Boss…you’re heavy…” Xia Fei heaved, his poor legs shaking.
“Are…you calling me…fat…?” The red-haired man huffed between labored breaths.
Usually, I’d feel threatened by that and expect a flick to the forehead, but right now, he looks like he’s about to die.
Xia Fei sighed. “Stop putting words in my mouth. I never said such a thing.”
Easy for him to say. Let him have a go at trying to carry a six-foot-one adult man who probably weighed more than 180 pounds around his shoulders. We’ll see who gets the last laugh then.
Thankfully, his boss said that his complex was not too far from where they were.
“You know, Felix…this shouldn’t have happened.”
“Yeah? Well, unfortunately, you have to put up with me,” Xia Fei quipped back. “Boss, everyone gets sick once in a while. You’re only human.”
“Human, huh…?” He thought he heard him mutter under his breath.
After a few moments of more tiresome walking, Vein lightly tapped on Xia Fei’s shoulder. “We can stop here.”
“Oh, okay,” Xia Fei did as he was told and halted, then turned his head from side to side. “Um, Boss? Where exactly is ‘here?’”
The man he questioned lazily pointed a finger in the opposite direction.
Xia Fei’s jaw dropped.
His amber eyes laid upon a tall pristine white building with at least three different balconies on the second story, and surrounding the property, elegant gates with a swirling design that resembled twin dragons breathing out flames that enclosed the area.
I fucking hate rich people. Xia Fei thought to himself, feeling the pop of a blood vessel. Surely, he would never hear the end of it if he voiced his beliefs aloud in front of Vein.
“Okay, then. Let’s get going!” The blond readjusted his grip on the redhead to ensure that he would not accidentally stumble and fall if Xia Fei did not grasp his wrist and shoulder tight enough.
As the two neared the gates, Vein reached out and pressed his thumb against this long rectangular machine, and the entrance noisily opened.
Of course he has some fancy fingerprint detector to scan his identity.
Once they made it inside the building, Xia Fei let out a heavy breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. The trudge up the stairwell to the boss’s room had been difficult, but after some hard work, he finally got to place Vein on a flat surface. Xia Fei tried the best he could to lay him down gently on the luxurious king-sized bed with enormous pillows and sheets.
He then proceeded to check the cabinets and thankfully found what he was looking for with a quick swipe of a thermometer.
Through slightly gaping lips, Xia Fei inserted the instrument inside and checked to see the source of the issue.
102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Yep,” Xia Fei stared at the number, popping the p. “Looks like you’ve got a fever.”
Vein groaned. “Haa…you…can’t be serious.”
“Come on now, Boss. Don’t tell me you’re going to ignore everything I just said before,” He took a seat beside the boss’s limp body on the silky bed sheets. “It’s no worries really. With some traditional Chinese remedies, a bunch of sleep, and pain medicine, they should all be enough to help cure you. I’ll go head down to the kitchen right now to see what we have.”
“You don’t have to do that,” The sounds he made were akin to a dying seal. “Go home, Felix. Finish your homework or do whatever it is you need to do.”
Who knew Boss could be so annoyingly persistent? And he says I’m the stubborn one. It’s honestly pissing me off quite a bit.
“I refuse. I’m going to do my job and take care of you, whether you like it or not. It’s not like you can physically stop me anyway.”
“Hah, who taught you to be so snarky, you damn brat?” A twinge of anger was veiled underneath that comment. Vein sighed. “Fine, do whatever the hell you want.”
You did. But no one had to know Xia Fei thought that in his own little mind.
Vein began to claw at his white hanfu. “It’s so damn hot…”
Oh, right. Another one of his symptoms.
“Felix, would you mind helping me take my shirt off?”
…
WHAT.
“Felix…?”
“O-Oh, um…YES! No problem. Haha…” Xia Fei abruptly stood up and reached over to the upper half of Vein’s body, face flushed with redness.
His boss was the one who was supposed to feel hot right now, not him…
Underneath the white hanfu was a tight black turtleneck sweater that wrapped around his muscular physique, showing off the alluring build under his large chest.
Boss’s abs…they’re practically staring right at me…
…?!
NO! What the hell are you thinking, Xia Fei!? That’s your boss right there! Absolutely no improper thoughts must taint your mind!
If he wasn’t in this very boss’s room right now and anywhere else, Xia Fei would’ve slammed his head against a desk repeatedly.
“Could you take the rest of my clothes off too? There should be some sets of sleepwear in that wardrobe over by the door. Pick anyone you like.”
“Sure…”
This day would be the death of him, he swears.
Rummaging through the lavish garments, Xia Fei finally settled on a black pajama set with rose-red accents and a tiny Badtz-Maru peeking out of the front pocket.
The blond smiled to himself. How cute.
The entire time he was removing Vein’s clothes, Xia Fei was constantly shifting between focusing on making sure he put on the sleeping set with care and turning his head away from his boss’s naked body.
“Thank yo-”
“Okay, got your new clothes on, right?” Xia Fei hastily cut him off, feeling the air in the room getting stuffy. “Alright then I’m just gonna go downstairs to see what I can do and work my magic. You just stay there and relax. Sound good? Perfect. I’llseeyousooninabitbye.”
The door slammed shut.
~~~
…Xia Fei was the worst.
Ever since he arrived in university, nothing seemed to be going his way. He tried to keep up with his middle and high school gimmick of maintaining a nerd persona. Blending into the background with his thick-framed glasses, absolutely horrendous fashion choices, all of that. But no matter what, he always managed to garner attention.
Wow, you’re mixed? That’s so…interesting!
Hmm, what a handsome young man you are. Too bad you want to hide it.
An applied physics major? But you could score a job that pays big bucks with a face like yours!
Everyone wanted a piece of Felix . The man on the billboards of Bridon, the social media posts with thousands of likes. They used every single ‘compliment’ they could. Handsome, sexy, hot, dashing. All terms he was uncomfortable with. Because they were never genuine.
There was no room for Xia Fei. The boy who loved money despite his dislike for ostentatious people, who spent all his free time watching movies, who had a weak immune system that always fought to get back up, who cried and laughed like any other human would.
No one wanted him.
But Vein wanted him.
He saw his ‘talent’ for keeping up appearances and recognized that Xia Fei only continued modeling to support himself financially. He didn’t urge him to pursue a path he didn’t want to take like other people tried to. He utilized it, wielded it as a weapon because that’s how harsh of an environment the fashion industry was. It didn’t matter if the name Xia Fei never fell on the other’s tongue. His actions and mannerisms spoke volumes enough to show that he cared for the man.
And now that there was someone who wanted to see the true him and treated him the way he wanted to be treated, what did Xia Fei do?
He was looking at his savior who only gazed at him with innocence with disrespect!
Shame coursed through his veins.
The rumors that Vein and Xia Fei were…sleeping together were already bad enough. When people discovered how much Vein favored the blond and often chose the clothes he modeled himself, sharp whispers filled the agency. It got bad enough to the point where slurs were thrown at Xia Fei, accusing him of seducing the boss with offers of ‘favors’ so that he could rise above the rest.
(Of course Vein shut them up before any more bullying after the drowning incident could occur.)
It angered him to no end, but…there was no time to feel bad for himself.
Xia Fei wasn’t pure at all, he knew that a long time ago, but he had to put his boss in better condition first before anything else.
The kitchen appeared as pristine as the outside of the building, almost as if it had been hardly used by its owner. Not a trace of dust layered the counters and stove, being so shiny that he could see his own reflection through the crystal-clear marble.
Xia Fei made his way over to the refrigerator and checked to find anything he could make.
Lots of raw vegetables, meat, and fruit it seemed.
Perfect. He smiled.
He helped himself to the necessary ingredients he needed and took them out to place on the counter. His boss wouldn’t have minded, right? He was always rich enough to buy more food anyway, Xia Fei supposed.
The blond quickly got to work, taking off his blue jacket and rolling up his black sleeves.
Growing up sick, it was common for Xia Fei to digest bland, and sometimes disgustingly, healthy foods. Applesauce, citrus fruits, plain crackers—you name it. Xia Fei has probably begrudgingly eaten it before. But one of his comforts which he’s always had the pleasure of tasting was his mother’s homemade chicken bone broth soup.
Humming to himself, he proceeded to chop up bits of carrots and celery with ease, placing them in red and white porcelain bowls.
As he began to prepare the broth, nostalgia filled his senses, pleasantly tickling his nose with a soothing scent.
Hmm, I hope Boss likes it!
~~~
Being ill was the most terrible experience that could fall upon him. Vein evaluated.
The same cutthroat man who had conquered Chinatown, had slaughtered a hundred men, could hunt, kill, and cloud any evidence that led to the slain traitors’ deceased bodies, all reduced to this due to a common fever.
– – – – – – – – – – – , how weak have you become?
Why…?
Why was this all coming back to him now?
Shut the hell up…you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Oh, but you do, don’t you? Come on, – – – – – – – , don’t you remember? The dinner table, the thrill of the final battle, you loved it, didn’t you? How else do you explain the smile on your face as you caused them all to perish?
I don’t regret a single thing that happened. They all got what they deserved. Should’ve seen it coming.
Fine. If that’s what you choose to believe, there’s no need to press any further.
But now that you’ve been reduced to this state, how does it feel? They were all right all along, weren’t they? You are weak.
What’s the use of a weapon that loses its edge?
It gets disposed of and replaced with a new one.
A sharp one. A weapon that isn’t as worthless as its predecessor.
There is no one worthy enough to replace me.
Is that so? Let’s see about that…
Weiying~
A guttural scream escaped his throat.
Loud stomps increased in volume as they neared closer and closer, until Vein saw Felix slam open the door, tray in hand. “Boss!?”
The blond immediately hurried over to his bedside, setting down the tray on the nightstand.
“What happened? Are there any pains? Do you need anything?” The sudden burst of questions erupted from Felix and broke any train of thought.
Vein took a moment before answering, analyzing every detail that lay itself bare on the other man’s face. The perturbed knit between his eyebrows, the single drop of sweat sliding down his cheek, his wavering lips. Those eyes. Not those eyes that screamed understanding.
Don’t look at me like that. Not with that face.
“It’s nothing,” The red haired man croaked out, throat a little sore. He peered over to the nightstand where the filled tray lay. “What’s this?”
“Ah, I was hoping you’d be a little hungry after everything, so I have some broth for you to drink. The ginger tea should also help ease your nausea and stabilize your blood pressure.” Felix innocently smiled.
The lids of Vein’s eyes narrowed. “I know I told you to do whatever you wanted, but I don’t need you to go through all this trouble for me.”
“Trouble? But you’re always catching me in lots of different kinds of trouble, Boss! Why don’t you let me take care and help you for once?”
Vein gritted his teeth, feeling his canines bite into his lip, drawing the familiar taste of bitter iron into his mouth. “ Because I can take care of myself just fine. But you? You know what’s your problem, Felix? You never listen to a damn thing I say! How many times have I told you to stop getting yourself into the slightest inconveniences? And even when I scold you, you expect me to save you every time you get into trouble.”
“What does this have to do with anything!?”
“Do you think I’m incapable of handling myself?”
“I never said that!” Felix’s voice bounced harshly against the room. “Urgh, why are you like this? You say all that, but in the end, you’re acting just like me! Stubborn, rude, and always so insistent that you’re the one in the right!”
Listen, Weiying. In this world, you have to live with the entire world against you. No one will be there to coddle or indulge you. You’re on your own.
“I want to help you, Boss! I really do! Why won’t you let me do this for you?”
Get out.
“I know you may think I’m helpless, but that’s because you never let me show you I’m reliable. I’m more capable than you think! You-”
“GET OUT!”
…
The broth and tea had long grown cold.
Vein was the first to break the silence with an exhausted sigh. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Felix shift his eyes towards the door, wearing a passive expression.
“Alright,” He spoke softly. “It’s…whatever. I’ll leave you be. You must be tired since you’re sick, so…I’ll be back later.”
Vein wishes he could say something —anything— but not a single word escaped his lips. The only thing he could do was resign himself back to lying down on his bed, watching as Felix gently closed the door.
He rested a hand on his hair.
That was…the first fight he ever had with Felix.
Vein sighed.
Why did things have to get so complicated?
When he was a young boy, Xiao Weiying never knew what it was like to have a ‘normal’ childhood. Words like ‘kill,’ ‘hunt,’ and ‘dispose of’ were customary language in the world of the Chinese mafia. There was no room for playtime or pure, naive joy.
He had to grow up fast, and fast he did.
If everyone would treat him as an adult, then he would act the part. Xiao Weiying didn’t need anyone. He’d come and go like a bloody storm and knock everything down in his path like what the future heir of a mafia boss would do. Close companions? Everything relied on transactions with people who dared to encounter him. A lover? Don’t make him laugh.
Then why? Why did that one blond-haired model who he decided to save become so attached to him?
Vein wasn’t oblivious. He knew. The stars in Xia Fei’s eyes illuminated in admiration every time he gazed at the slightly taller man. Like he was a god and Xia Fei, his devoted follower.
Vein couldn’t take it. How could he? This feeble puppy had no clue who he was looking up to. Others called him a monster (they were right of course), but he called him warm-hearted. Warm-hearted . Hah, that couldn’t have been far from the truth.
Felix…you’re blinding.
You shine as bright as the sun. Perhaps even brighter. I promised myself that I’d never let anything, anyone , dim your light.
Even me.
~~~
Just as he said he would, Xia Fei returned to his boss’s room, standing outside the door, about two hours after he left. He thought it would be best to let Vein cool down when he argued so fiercely with him earlier. His boss was quite scary when he was angry.
He gave a firm knock. “Hey, can I come in?”
“Yeah.”
Xia Fei clicked open the door and saw Vein’s stoic face looking outside the window to his right. When he turned his head back, their eyes made contact. Xia Fei slowly made his way towards the bed, taking a seat on the blankets and twiddling his thumbs.
They sat like that for a few minutes before Vein spoke up.
“I’m sorry,” He began, letting out a controlled breath. “I didn’t mean to get so angry with you earlier. I’m just…unfamiliar with that type of treatment. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Xia Fei has heard the boss apologize to him lots of times before. Playfully saying sorry with a laugh after he would flick his forehead or pinch his cheek as a punishment for messing around with clients or even getting into heated fights with random strangers in bars.
But this apology was different.
Xia Fei felt as though Vein was coming undone in front of his very eyes.
“It’s alright,” Xia Fei sighed. “I’ve also been meaning to say sorry too. I shouldn’t have pushed you so much when I knew that you were so angry.”
“Don’t apologize. You look so sad right now, like you’re about to cry.” Vein brought a hand towards Xia Fei’s face that was lightly smacked away.
“I’m not crying! Who’s crying!?” Xia Fei shouted, a slight puffiness of red surrounding his amber eyes.
Vein laughed.
“So…are we fine?” The blond looked up at his boss expectedly.
The redhead nodded. “We’re fine.”
Xia Fei let out a sigh of relief. “Whew, thank goodness. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if you hated me because of an argument we had.”
“Nothing could make me hate you, Felix,” Vein reaffirmed. “Of course, do try to maintain your temper and stay out of trouble when you can. I wasn’t joking about that.”
“Yessir!”
Xia Fei then turned his head to the nightstand, where he noticed something different on the tray.
“Oh, the bowl and cup are empty!” He exclaimed in surprise, then paused. “Wait, you drank your soup and tea when they were cold!? Don’t you know that could’ve made you more sick?”
“I didn’t want to waste the food that you made.” Vein simply responded with a shrug.
“I could’ve just come upstairs and reheated it for you!”
“But you left me alone for a while and like you said, I’m in no condition to walk on my own since I’m—as you put it— so deathly ill .”
“Urk-!” Well, he’s got Xia Fei there. The blond pouted. “But you were so upset…I didn’t want to overwhelm you any more.”
“How thoughtful of you~” Vein teased. “Don’t worry your pretty little head over me. I’ll take a rest if you really insist.”
“That’s right! You still have a fever, so go get some sleep!” Xia Fei grabbed one of the many enormous pillows and stuffed it into Vein’s arms, along with pulling the plush blankets up to his chest to cover his body.
Vein smirked. “Okay, okay. No need to be so fussy.”
A content smile traced Xia Fei’s lips.
Just as he was about to leave the room once again to finish some coursework for his classes, he turned around. “Hey, Boss? Thank you for relying on me. I’ll be back soon, okay?”
The older man returned the smile with one of his own. “Of course you will.”
The door shut with a quiet click as Vein pressed himself further into the mattress, soon drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
~~~
The world was black. Weiying could see nothing, not a sliver of color at all. It was as if someone were closing his eyes with their hands, shielding him from whatever was beyond his line of limited sight. But that didn’t sound right at all. No one would do such a thing for him.
Suddenly, the invisible hands were lifted, and Weiying gazed upon a sight. An all-too-familiar scene that often played over and over in his head.
Meaningless chatter filled the luxurious room, the long table stretching endlessly into the distance. Only now did Weiying realize the childlike state of his body. All of the other adults surrounding him, drinking wine and smoking without a care, seemed to mock him. As Weiying was reaching towards a plate of Peking duck with his chopsticks, his stomach growling, a large hand grasped his wrist.
“Weiying, curb your appetite.”
Ah, it was ‘Father .’
The elder man waved a hand at a restaurant worker who turned around and approached their table. He pointed directly at Weiying. “Take away his plate. He is finished eating.”
But he was still hungry. Those words remained unspoken.
The pain was unbearable. Weiying desperately wanted to clutch the sides of his stomach to stop the clawing emptiness inside, but he wouldn’t. Couldn’t. He couldn’t show any signs of weakness.
To be a leader, you must have self-control. Weiying’s father always told him.
Yet when it came to his brothers, he never said anything.
An infuriating reality, but Weiying accepted it.
“Boss…?”
He snapped open his red eyes in alarm.
That couldn’t be…
He abruptly stood up from his seat and turned around to see the room completely shift from bright chandelier lights illuminating gold to black boundless walls. Weiying ran and ran, but there was nothing. No doors or exit to be found.
At last, he stopped.
He could finally see the back of the blond and black hair of the younger man with his signature blue jacket and silver earring standing before him.
“Felix…” A step forward.
“Don’t come near me.”
Huh?
“Is this who you truly are? You’re not my benevolent boss, are you? You’ve never been. You murderer,” The blond finally turned around, a foreign look of disgust on his face. “Did you have fun making me your dog? I bet it was a real blast, wasn’t it?”
“Felix, listen …”
Why was he saying this? How did he find out? He wouldn’t say that. The Felix Weiying knows would never be so cruel and unforgiving. Why is this happening? What’s going on?
An endless string of thoughts ran through his mind.
Before he could move any further, Weiying felt a sharp pain in his chest. He slowly looked down to see a knife twisting it into his heart.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
“Does this hurt, Boss? I sure hope so because this is how hurt I felt.” Felix spat out.
“Xia Fei… please …”
He smiled harshly, leaning into the other man’s ear with a tone laced with malice and hatred. “Good night, Xiao Weiying. May we never cross paths again.”
~~~
Writing down the final answer, Xia Fei set down his pencil on the rosewood desk and stretched his arms, leaning back into the comfortable office chair.
Alright, finally finished my calc homework!
Hm, I should go check to go see how Boss is doing. I’m glad he’s finally resting.
He left the room he was working in and made his way through the long hall. Once he approached Vein’s room, he opened the door and saw the red haired man sleeping in the king-sized mattress.
His lashes really are so long and pretty. Xia Fei thought as he neared Vein’s slumbering form. He looks so different from how he usually is at work.
Suddenly, his face contorted into a grimace, brows furrowed and sweat masking his pale skin. He was slightly moving around in his bed from side to side.
What’s going on!?
Xia Fei, startled at the abrupt change in behavior, didn’t know what to do. He’d never seen the boss so vulnerable before.
After panicking for a moment, trying to see if he should wake him up or something, Vein’s lips began to move.
“Xia Fei… please …”
The blond was stunned.
Xia…Fei…?
A slight blush bloomed on his cheeks before he shook his head and brought his hands together to hold Vein’s, clutching them. A promise to assure him that he would never let go.
“It’s me, Boss. I’m here. I don’t know what you’re going through right now. But just know…I’m by your side. I’m here…” He chanted that phrase over and over again until his boss’s features eventually turned back to their original peaceful state.
Xia Fei watched as Vein slowly opened his eyes and regained consciousness.
Well, that was fast.
“Felix…” Vein awoke groggily, lifting himself up into a sitting position. “What time is it?”
“Ah, it’s 5:48. The sun’s going down soon,” The younger man answered. “But…you were just having a nightmare, right? If you do remember it. No normal dream would have you like that,” A pause. “Um, do you want to talk about it?”
…
“I’ll tell you later.”
Liar.
They both thought.
Vein hated liars. Everyone at the agency knew. That no matter what, it was best to tell the truth. If you screwed up, arrived late on set, it was better that Vein deduct part of your pay for a day than to have him mark you down for dishonesty in his book. Because he could always tell when someone lied. But when Xia Fei innocently asked about that nightmare of his, he couldn’t help it. His throat would not budge.
I’m sorry.
I know you want to help me. Of course you would. But I can’t do it. And I’m not sure if I’ll ever get to tell you.
Maybe one day. But not today.
Xia Fei sighed, but chose not to press further, knowing that his boss would not appreciate it, and he would choose to tell him when he was ready. Whether that would be a few days from now or maybe even months. Only time will tell.
Still, he smiled to himself.
Boss, you’re dazzling.
Always looking so cool and confident. I’m so glad I got to see this side of you today, even if you didn’t want me to.
~~~
“You know, Boss. I don’t care what anyone says. You’re the strongest person I know.”
Those words were supposed to comfort Weiying. Prove to his family, his brothers, that yes, he grew up strong. He wanted to laugh in their faces, tell them that they were all foolish to believe that Weiying was a weak weapon.
Wanted to curse them all in hell, anything. Anything at all would have sufficed. But the only thing that he could think of was…
…Idiot.
That’s what I’m supposed to be saying to you.
Instead, he smirked and gave a playful flick. “Of course I know that, silly. Who do you think I am?”
“Ouch! What did I even do this time?!”
Weiying laughed—a genuine laugh—gently thumbing over the injured area where he flicked Felix to relieve him of the pain.
Would it have been selfish to keep this ray of sunshine by his side? Vein mused. To favor him above the rest and have the younger be happy to call him his benevolent boss?
God, Weiying was so greedy.
Even after all these years…you haven’t changed a single bit.
The towering stack of porcelain plates with remains of bone and oil could never quell his hunger before, but then what of love? The sickening concept of love used to make him bark out in laughter. Sweet, tender feelings of affection were of no use in training cold-blooded killers who only existed to snuff out traitors.
Weiying knew all that, yet he pondered.
But if we could stop time…if we could just stay in this moment forever…
I want you to stay.
Even if it’s just for a little while.