In Love
Yuan Xinyi had grabbed the birthday cake, lighting the candles, walking towards Yuan Shun while singing happy birthday. The rest of the crowd sang along with her. Yuan Xinyi then paused to his side, placing it close to Yuan Shun's face.
Shi Yen was in front of him, smiling directly, and Yuan Shun grinned at her.
Yuan Shun blew the candles, and the guests went wild, raising their glasses, cheering him on. Behind the celebratory chants, there was a sudden sound of booming thunder that startled them.
Yuan Shun's smile died.
Shi Yen, who was smiling widely, frowned as she realized something was off. She darted her glance between him, Yuan Xinyi and Fang Qi, finding that they were not smiling either. Fang Qi and Yuan Xinyi looked as if they were shaking with rage and anger welling inside them.
"Who the fuck did that?" shouted Fang Qi. He stormed through the crowd, pushing through, heading outside—another boom.
Fireworks.
They weren't the ordinary fireworks that made crackling sounds; it was the kind that sounded like explosions.
Fang Qi went outside to find two guys lighting them up at the beach carelessly, laughing playfully. He grabbed one of the men by the collar of his shirt, and he punched him in the face. "I specifically said NO FIREWORKS!" he yelled.
Fang Qi was seething with anger, and Shi Yen didn't understand why. Since she watched the entire ordeal, she hadn't noticed that Yuan Shun disappeared.
Shi Yen turned to find him gone, and she immediately knew that something was wrong, horribly wrong.
Before she could even move, Yuan Xinyi swept in front of her, wearing a sad expression. She grasped her arms. "Listen," she began. "Shun might not want to see anyone right now. Give him some space."
She didn't listen.
Shi Yen passed Yuan Xinyi, running up the stairs. She saw Yuan Shun walking towards his guest room, and she propelled herself to move faster, knowing that he might lock everyone out.
She slipped past him, entering first. He then shut the door, resting his head over the wooden frame. "Yen, please leave," he pleaded.
"I don't want to," she said. She couldn't leave even if Yuan Shun begged her.
Whatever he's thinking about, it was tearing him apart inside. She knew something was bothering him.
Shi Yen had experienced moments of despair on her own, and it broke her. Despite wanting the loneliness, she yearned for company, for comfort, for assurance.
Yuan Shun turned. His expression was dark with anger and anguish. "Yen," he warned coldly. "Get out. I don't want you to see me like this."
She persisted. "I'm not leaving," she spoke softly, gently. "You can pretend I'm not here." She then went to a corner of the room, sitting down. "I won't make a sound. But I'm not leaving."
Yuan Shun's mouth quivered. He then went to sit on the floor, propped against the bed. For a long time, he stared at nothing, remaining silent, rooted in thought.
Shi Yen didn't move or make a sound. She didn't even watch. It didn't matter if he didn't open up to her. She only wanted to be present.
After some time had passed, she then heard a soft sob coming from him. Shi Yen itched to move, but she didn't want to disrupt him. She watched as he covered his face, his shoulders quaked, and he was completely falling apart.
Shi Yen didn't realize that she had already begun moving forward. She approached him, dropping to her knees. She reached out to caress his cheek, and he flinched.
She seated next to him, and he slowly, but surely, leaned over her, allowing her to touch him. Shi Yen collected him in her arms, embracing him gently. She smoothed out the strands of his hair, idling soft touches over his face.
He squeezed her, and she embraced him, tight, holding onto him.
Shi Yen found one of his hands, entwining their fingers together. She ran a thumb over his palm in soothing circles. He settled himself on her lap, and she bent down to kiss him lightly on the temple. Shi Yen continued to comfort him until he spoke, "I don't like the sound of fireworks."
"Then we're going to have to avoid them," she told him.
Yuan Shun frowned. Most likely, he was torn about not bringing himself to tell her that he wouldn't be able to take her to a festival or to view the parades with the dragons, drumming, and bursting fireworks.
As though she could read his thoughts, she said, "We can visit festivals early, or we can do our own traditional celebrations at home."
He glanced up at her unbelievably. "I can't ask you to do that," he told her.
She faced him with a smile. "Shun," she began softly, "I don't care what we do, as long as we do it together."
Yuan Shun's eyes widened. He wondered if it was okay to get his hopes up? To rely on her even if she didn't make her feelings for him clear? But the way she looked at him, it made him feel like he could trust no one else but her.
"I was there…when my brother died," he began to say.
Shi Yen looked at him with widened eyes.
"There was a small explosion. We didn't know where the blast came from. But many people died that night, including him. I was hurt badly, and I don't remember much of what happened after…" he trailed off. "All I knew was that someone pulled me out."
Shi Yen tried to register his words.
"No one else survived that night. Only me and the person that saved me."
Shi Yen squeezed him. She had endured many horrors, but nothing was as horrific as hearing the pain Yuan Shun went through.
"Sometimes, I thought…why couldn't it be me? My brother was far more important than I ever was. Everyone had so many expectations from him. They were proud of him. I was nothing but the second. I wasn't paid much attention to by anyone, not even my own father. Yuan Ning and I were always at odds, but he believed that I could be better. So he pushed and encouraged me to get to his level. He never left me behind, not until that night. And then I was left with a legacy that I never wanted or asked for."
Yuan Shun felt Shi Yen tremble as she clung to him. "Don't…" she said. "Don't think for one more moment that it should have been you. I'm sorry, Shun. I'm so sorry about what happened," her voice quivered. She faced him with watery eyes, "But I'm glad it wasn't you."
Yuan Shun couldn't believe what he heard. He reached out to wipe a fallen tear from her cheek. How he loved this woman so much. He sat up to embrace her tightly, and Shi Yen wrapped her arms around him, sobbing in his shoulder.
'Forgive me,' Shi Yen thought while holding Yuan Shun. 'Forgive me, mother and father, for I have fallen in love with someone I shouldn't have.'
Shi Yen finished crying. She then faced Yuan Shun directly, and she kissed him, soft and gentle. Yuan Shun stared at her, dazed.
"Let's go to bed," she said.
Yuan Shun nodded. He stood, recollecting himself. He went to his dresser to give Shi Yen one of his shirts to wear.
She changed, and in bed, Shi Yen opened her arms, inviting him. He laid down with her, and she held him, caressing him until he was able to fall asleep.
…
Yuan Xinyi had made sure that every guest left since the night went horribly wrong.
She gave Fang Qi an ice pack for his hand.
"Thank you," he said.
"I know you've tried your best. It's not your fault that two idiots decided to ruin the night," she told him.
"I should have been more diligent," he replied.
"Nonsense," she said. "Shi Yen is taking care of him now. Don't worry."
She then gave him a quick and fleeting peck on the cheek, surprising him. And afterward, she went to find Shizi, who had wagged her tail frantically.
"Let's check up on Yen and Shun," Yuan Xinyi told her.
Shizi followed her to Yuan Shun's guest room. She opened the door slightly, noticing it was left unopened. She found Shi Yen and Yuan Shun sleeping together.
Yuan Xinyi closed the door and said, "Sorry, Shizi. It seems that your parents are having a private moment. But you can sleep with me." She then picked up the silver-furred pet and headed to her room.
Earlier, she had told Shi Yen to stay away from Yuan Shun, not because she wanted to warn her, but because she wanted to see how deeply Shi Yen cared for her brother. If she had listened, that would have told her she didn't care enough. But when Shi Yen went after him without a second thought, it told Yuan Xinyi everything she needed to know.