41 Starlight

"What's in there?" Yitian asked Chao, as soon as he put them on the kitchen counter. Chao blushed and coughed.

"Ehm. Surprise." He said and reached into the bag, but then he pulled his hand out and looked, still red, at Yitian. "Could you please go inside your room? And don't peak out. Please." Yitian was reluctant to go but when he saw the puppy pleading eyes, he sighed and went to his room, leaving Chao there.

Chao wasn't so sure about this plan. But he had to at least try, show that he will do something for Yitian too. One thing he hoped for, now, was that Yitian wouldn't get food poisoning from his cooking. It was his first time trying to cook for someone and something else than instant noodles. Chao started to pull out many different containers with food.

Just to be sure, if his cooking was not edible, he asked Lei's personal cook for some more dishes and desert. When he did that he noticed once more how bad of a friend he was. The cook asked him what was his friend's favorite food and Chao had no idea. Feeling bad, he thought of all his favorites that Yitian was cooking because he knew they were his favorites, so Chao was ashamed even more.

Chao carefully arranged the food on the plates and set up the table. He had everything. even side dishes ready. and there in the middle of the table was a small package that Chao prepared as an apology. He called in Yitian and waited a moment before he came in.

"Surprise!" Chao shouted and frightened Yitian, who halted in the middle of taking a step. He looked at the table and his mouth hung open.

"You did all of this? You cooked something?" Yitian exhaled, still in awe. Chao rubbed his neck and blushed a bit. He was a tiny bit embarrassed that he did all of this, but at the same time, an apology without astonishment would be nothing.

"Mmm, I tried something. I hope you will like it." Yitian sat down next to Chao, going over the dishes as Alice in Wonderland. "Go for it. We can talk later." Chao added and offered a bowl of rice to Yitian, who took it and placed it before him. Yitian was looking around what to try when a beef landed in his bowl. He questioningly gazed at Chao, who just smiled and said: "Try this. Please."

"Mmm." Yitian agreed and tried the food. It wasn't perfect, a little tough, but at the same time, it was the best food he ever tasted. He was nodding and then he simply stated: "Delicious."

Chao exhaled, relieved, and started to eat too. He was observing Yitian. What food he wasn't fond of. What side dishes he hadn't touched. But to his surprise, he did eat almost everything. Almost, the only thing that he was picking out from the food were mushrooms.

"You don't like mushrooms?" Chao asked, Yitian halted, his cheeks colored into slight reddish and he nodded. Chao took all the mushrooms Yitian set aside and put them in his own bowl.

"Just say it, whatever you don't eat, I will eat it for you," Chao said and smiled. Yitian blinked astonished, he placed his chopsticks down and took a deep breath.

"I'm really sorry about what I said. And I'm really sorry for getting mad." Yitian didn't care anymore that he was the one apologizing first, when he saw the effort that Chao made, he didn't care anymore. Chao stopped eating. He gazed at Yitian, then took the gift he put on the side, before eating and sighed.

"You don't have to be sorry. I should be the one apologizing. I was a shitty friend. I want you to take this as an apology from me." Chao offered the gift with both hands, in this manner Yitian took it the same way and didn't know what to do next. The whole situation was kind of awkward for him.

"Open it. I want to see your reaction." Chao smiled and gestured towards the gift. Yitian carefully opened the package and there was a smaller box inside, with the logo of the artistic shop he knew.

And Yitian had a slight idea of what was inside because on the black velvety box were his three characters, all in blue. He opened the box and saw the gloves he designed, but in blue color and smaller, to his hands.

"Now we have pair-gloves." Chao laughed, but then became serious again. "You will always be my partner. And I want you to know that even if I don't know how to take care of you. How to be a good friend. I will always be there for you." Yitian was touched. He never in his life would imagine hearing words like this. Chao became his sunshine, his starlight at night.

"I promise that I will think less about the game. And I will notice you more, both of you. You and Yixing are my only friends and I swear I will learn how to appreciate you two," Chao said and looked at Yitian, pleading look in his eyes.

"I promise, I will be a better friend too," Yitian answered and smiled at Chao, more like grinned at him, but Chao nodded and smiled back, looking happy.

"Will you come back with me? And never come back here? I don't want you near your mom ever again." Chao said, looking a bit menacingly. Yitian chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"Sure, I will come back with you, but she is my mom. If something happens to her, I will meet her." Yitian looked around. "Can you go and fetch the car? I will just take some things and I want to be alone here for a bit. Chao nodded, put all the things he brought, and the gift's into Yitian's backpack, put it on the cabinet in the hall, and walked out of the apartment. The door was just closing down when the elevator tinkled and opened on the same floor.