You Won’t Understand Me - Chapter 123

“Anyways, what’s your reason for being late today?” The senior asked.

JJ blushed and Yul raised an eyebrow at him. The younger man made an obnoxious noise that sounded something close to a giggle. “I woke up late.” He settled on answering, his hand rubbing the back of his neck that was bright red.

Was this man blushing?

Yul nodded at the irresponsible junior, opening a file. “Cool.. You are doing overtime tonight as your punishment.”

JJ eyes went wide in surprise, “What- no, I have a-”

“Blame yourself for being late.” The senior cut him off and when there was nothing more to say, excused him.

When Yul reached home after work, Yuan avoided him. Yul too had enough pride to not spare him a glance after all his attempts to be in the good books of the younger Xiao brother were washed down the drain.

“Did something happen?” Zeng asked during dinner, seeing how the table was oddly silent, not even the expected bickering was heard.

Yuan shrugged, taking a sip of water.

“You did something, didn’t you?” Zeng pointed his fork at his brother, voice light in humour.

Yuan clicked his tongue, “Why am I the only one getting questioned? It could have him too.”

Zeng looked at Yul, who was eating silently, then back at Yuan. “I know he wouldn’t provoke others needlessly.” He said with faith.

“Yul, did something happen?” He asked his boyfriend when his brother would not say anything.

Yul took a glance at Yuan and for a second, he caught the fear on his face, which vanished when he quickly looked away.

“It’s nothing, Zeng ge. We had a small fight. We will make up soon. Don’t worry.” Yul assured him with a smile.

Zeng signed, shaking his head. “Literal children.”

Both the said children frowned at him. Zeng couldn’t help but laugh heartily and squish their cheeks.

=====

Sunday was supposed to be their common holiday and Zeng had promised Yuan that they would be spending time together.

However, an emergency occurred at the hospital and since the doctor that was posted had taken a sick leave, head surgeon Dr Xiao Zeng had to fill in instead of him.

When the older Xiao brother was gone, the younger brother wandered around the house. Ultimately, he stood before the wall filled with photos and observed each one of them closely.

“You should keep your stuff in place,” Yul drawled from the back and Yuan turned around in annoyance to face him.

Yuan’s frown disappeared, seeing a silver lighter in the man’s hand. His mouth opened to give a false explanation, but really what was he supposed to say that he wasn’t a smoker when he kept a lighter with him?

Yul threw the lighter towards the younger man who caught it. He must have forgotten it in the laundry room. What if Zeng had found out instead? Stupid him! He should have been careful!

“Don’t tell my brother,” he requested, voice small.

“As you have said before, it’s your personal matter and so I don’t intend to tell Zeng ge,” Yul said, hands in the pocket of his trousers. “But if he asks me himself, I will have to tell the truth. I hate lying to him.”

Yuan gave a nod.

“Why not though?” Yul blurted out before he could stop himself, “It’s not like you are a minor. Why are you hiding it from Zeng ge?”

Yul thought for a while whether to answer it or not. He finally gave in since this man was aware of quite a few of his secrets and was helping him keep them safe.

“He still sees me as a child,” Yuan said, looking at the lighter in his palm. “I don’t want to change that by making him know that his little brother is now a smoker who sleeps around with strangers and keeps fuck buddies.”

Yul raised his eyebrows in exasperation. “Wow, you are wild.” He even snorted.

Yuan gave him a hard glare. Yul stifled his laugh and cleared his throat, “Don’t worry. I won’t tell him.”

Yuan looked away from him, eyes now on the many hanging photos. “Thanks.” He mumbled, barely audible.

Yul smiled. Maybe this kid was not that bad after all.

“You still have these photos,” Yuan said suddenly, trying to change the topic. Yul looked at where he was looking.

“They are memories,” he said. “They are precious to me and Zeng ge.”

Yuan did not understand… Investing so much into something like this. He never felt the need or desire to. Precious memories? Wasn’t everyone supposed to live in the present and dismiss the past?

“Look, you are here!” Yul pointed at a photo, taken with the Xiao family when he had visited them back in the years at the time they had recently started dating. “That’s one of Zeng ge’s favourites.”

He then picked up a frame from the side table, grazing his hands over Zeng’s smiling face. My angel, the words automatically formed in his mind. “And this one’s my favourite.” He put it back smiling.

Yuan watched the man being all soft over a simple photograph. It was amusing.

“Isn’t it nice?” Yul asked, admiring their work.

“It’s stupid,” Yuan huffed.

Yul looked at him with a scolding gaze, “Calling it stupid means calling your ge stupid. It was his idea after all.”

Xiao Yuan shrugged, “Sure. My brother is a stupid fool.”

Wang Yul crossed his arms. “Now you are just being rude.”

Yuan scoffed. He was not being rude. It was the truth. “But I am right though. He has a knack of stupidly getting his heart broken over and over again.”

Yul’s eyes widened. “He is not getting his heart broken this time,” he quickly said.

Yuan tilted his head, not believing a word, “Look at you, you look so sure… the last one was the same.”

The last one. His mention was enough to boil Yul’s blood. “I am not William… I am Yul.”

Yuan turned around, walking away. He mumbled as he took his leave. “Whatever, you all are the same in the end.” This conversation was taking a turn he didn’t want to take. “Geez, now I need a smoke!” He said in frustration.

Yul sighed. He jerked his head outside, “In the balcony.”