Thinking of the other one, they try to name their feelings

—Be honest… you like him, right?

After dragging the youngest of their family into the office of shifu without explanation, sitting him in the middle of the great room and serving him delicious tea for him to drink during the two long hours that it took to present the problem and the points of view of each one along with their testimonies… they finally gave him time to speak. 

Ah. Not without first leaving him a question to answer, of course.

"Do you like that other boy?"

There were only two options: yes and no. It is easy, right? Ha! It's good that at least they quickly understood that it was not. The boy is remarkably lost, his nervous gaze fleeing from side to side, slowly processing everything he had just heard. After half a minute of silence, the sudden burst of blush on his face and his mouth suddenly opening and closing without knowing what word to say was the clear sign that xiaodidi already understood everything and that...

He did not know anything! 

He does not have really noticed his own obvious crush! Just after listening to his shixiongs and shijies, he was becoming aware of what was happening with himself. 

Static in the middle of the room, he joined strings and understood certain things; he looked very doubtful about the possibility of having fallen in love with his friend, but at the same time he considered it.

And so it gave rise to another option: yes, no and...

—I don't know… 

Plop!

In truth, what else did they expect? That this brother of theirs says yes? Says no? Well... this is just an "I don't know"! Those shixiongs and shijies must understand, that for the younger, everything was so sudden! With so much information received and a horizon open, they needed time to collect all their thoughts before reaching a conclusion about their true feelings. 

However, his martial siblings were still leaning forward waiting for another answer. What to do? TTATT)

—You can leave, —said his theacher suddenly, coming over to pats his head and smiles tenderly—. Think about it and take the time you need. If you have any questions, you can come.

The youngest disciple could only thank and say goodbye to his master with a quick bow before fleeing the place directly to his room.

Later, they did not even go out to dinner. 

Each one locked in his own bedroom, trying to give another name to that set of feelings that fluttered happily in his belly. There must be one who is not "in love"!

Song Yewan thinks: «Admiration. What I feel for him is only deep admiration. Because Xiao-xiong is small, slim, and has the most charming and beautiful face I have ever seen, but he is the fiercest warrior in fighting and that is very captivating. And he is so agile that he appears to fly and so delicate that he appears to dance when handling Mingyue. Xiao-xiong is so strong… and so kind. I have never seen a person smiles more than shifu, and even then his smile is not similar to his. The smile of Qingchen is adorable; he is adorab- Oh my Goddess, why does he have to be so cute? I want to hug him». And Song Yewan sinks his red-lit face between the palms of his hands.

At the same time, at the other end of the compass, Xiao Qingchen thought: «Maybe it's... hmm... dependency? Has Song Zhen babied me so much that now I can't go on without him? Hahaha, it's not that bad, but I miss him too much anyway! Tsk, tsk! Why did he have to indulge me with what I wanted? Currently, I miss the taste of his dishes... And watching him cooking... AAAAH, why does he have to look so handsome while cooking? I mean- While everything! Back then, I just wanted to see his feminine side and made him do so many things... How was I to know that A-Zhen is so manly that even sewing and cooking would make him look great? AAAAH, it's because of that beautiful face of his! With his serene beauty and his pretty sharp eyes, ahh~ Really very handsome. And so shy… He's too cute when he is self-conscious, too cute for my heart. Ah! I would like to see him again! I need to tease him one more time and I will sleep happily after seeing his expression». Xiao Qingchen leaps up onto his bed, being greeted especially by a large black coat with an almost disappeared lotus scent, which reminds him of why he is thinking about all this. 

Inevitably he blushes explosively and falls out of bed after screaming in silent shame.

After the afternoon hours and past midnight, when that ideal calm time arrived where sincere thoughts flow like crystal clear river water, they finally found an answer. They thought a lot about the other and carefully ruled out option by option, thus confirming that… yes, that because of that boy they cannot stop thinking about, he is someone they feel more than friendship for. His first friend and his first love, who would say?

Following this thought, snow fell in front of the eyes of the young. Beautiful white flowers that seem to be thrown by the moon that takes care of both, the same that saw them meet each other.

They smile.

Then their cheeks turn red when thinking more sweetly and they have to cool them to calm their excited heart. How many times has it already been? This being (consciously) in love is problematic...

No! It is not like they are in love! They are not in love! They just… they like each other a little too much. But that is not being i-i-in love, okay? Because it is not like it's a very, very deep, romantic liking, the kind he finds in the love stories in the library of the sect. The protagonists of these are of legal age, so only adults can feel the love of that type... right?

Although... maybe...

No, no, no, no, no. Definitely, only those who are in their twenties can fall in love, because... otherwise... those protagonists... they would not have been able to get married or have those children running between their legs! 

Like them, who clearly cannot...

Because they are not of legal age yet, duh.

And because this is just an innocent feeling that makes them want to see each other and hold his hand. And also hug him... and kiss his face... and his lips... Maybe bite them? 

Ah! No! What was that?! Why is his heart suddenly beating faster? And what about those other thoughts that got in without permission? Oh, gods! This is so confusing! His own mind is in chaos! Now they just want to see that person who has turned them this way and, and, and... holds him responsible!

Because otherwise…!

Otherwise…

Now that they think about it, they do not even know if can see him again...

An hour later, they slept with their hearts still a little aching from sadness. 

The sun rose pale behind barely translucent winter clouds.

The place was still sleeping and the dew was just beginning to form when both Song Yewan and Xiao Qingchen were on their way to the home of his shifu. They were stealthy when going, fearing to wake up the rest of the disciples and cause an unnecessary ruckus. Upon entering the room of shifu, this one was already awake looking at the entrance from their bed, as if waiting for his arrival. The senses of the immortals are excellent due to their high cultivation, so the little student is not surprised to meet his master like this and they just greeted them and came in to snuggle against them.

They still feel lost… They have found a name for their soft and new feelings, but now they do not know what to do with them. They feel as disoriented as children knowing their surroundings so they need the guidance of who is like a father/mother to them. The familiar warmth reassures them and fills them with the confidence necessary to start the conversation and tell about their new "discovery", how they came to it, and their thoughts aside.

Sure, omitting certain daring ideas that they had too many (fault of their rampaging teenage hormones).

Their masters listen to them and do not speak unless it is to give brief momentary comments or nods that demonstrate the full attention they pay to their younger disciple. When he ends, they do not hesitate to hug him.

Oh, my little chick. You have grown so fast! He is even going through his first crush already.

Caressing the head of the younger, the immortal speaks softly to their disciple revealing everything they know about this stage. They remember the words that their own master said to them at the time and they repeat them; they thank him in their hearts because he helped them then and now he does it again. In addition to the theoretical, they also share with their young student their point of view, based on their own poor experience in this field.

Everything is so adorable until...

—Shifu, could this disciple ask for something?

—This master hears you.

—This disciple wants to say to shifu... is if shifu would allow me... —He is slightly nervous, enough that he does not order his words correctly when he speaks—. If shifu... Could shifu permit me to go see him? Because, now that I know all this, I want to see him more than before. Shifu seems to be happy for me, so does it mean that shifu would support me? Could shifu allow me to go down the mountain again?

Shifu, shifu, shifu, shifu. Shifu just freezes as smiles at him without response. Because ah, of course, how can they forget that the boy whom their poppet likes is from the mortal world? Or at least that is where those two met. And these immortals who have agreed with all this, encouraging their son to live this beautiful stage full of illusion... with what face can they say no now? Right after uploading them to a soft cloud?

Oh, dear.

—Shifu, I promise not to take long!

Xiao Baishan mentally answers him no.

—I will go directly to his sect, meet him, and then return.

Song Baihua thinks of the same answer: no.

—If he wants, could I bring him with me? —He laughs shyly.

No.

—I will not spend an unnecessary second in the mortal world, I promise.

No.

—Please, shifu. I... I just want a chance to tell him how I feel.

Oh, dear.

—Okay. —The immortal sighs in surrender, but quickly regain their soft smile—. Just let this master fix a few things first.

The eyes of their young disciple become so bright and his face lights up after these words. He is the happy little boy again. Seeing this transformation, it seems incredible to the master the depth of the feelings of their student. This being the case, they cannot bear to turn off his emotion, especially after these last weeks seeing him so sad and down... an image that they had never seen before at him and that they never want to see again.

—Come on, get some more sleep. It's too early yet.

Wrapping him up in their blankets, the master hugs their disciple so that he can sleep peacefully, in the same way, they did when the youngest was only a small infant who did not know the numbers from fifty. They hug him trying to protect him from all bad emotions or moments, like those that happened when he was a child abandoned in the streets.

Sighs. 

He will be fine.

What worries him most at this time is the course that the life of the child will take after this decision that should be more difficult to make. Because… is not he afraid that things will not turn out the way he imagines? A rejection, a disappointment, and the sadness that comes with them are as likely as a mutual feeling and a happy "me too".

They also wonder: what is their disciple expecting with this?

After confessing, whatever the result, he must immediately return to the mountain. So what will happen to the relationship of those two? Is there a plan after that do not know about?

How did it all end up like this? Is this a work of destiny?

Hah... Now, the immortal should think more about this matter instead of sleeping.