Light Years Away

Story of best friends, Kang Sola and Xue Guangxi, as they traverse their journey through adulthood, amidst conflicting choices and internal issues within themselves and from their past. Will they be able to resolve their personal struggles and find a common ground towards happiness? Will they have to compromise to achieve it? Will they end up together and overcome the threshold of their friendship into lovers or remain as platonic friends and each other's family? ---- She balled her fists, getting ready to punch the man in the face if the situation requires. They are, after all, alone in the room. Sometimes she forgets that Xue Guangxi was of the opposite gender – a man more than capable of beguiling innocent women when he sets his mind to the task. ‘Perhaps he had been gone for too long that I had forgotten how his charms work. That fact never left my head, but experiencing it firsthand… Well, Nah!!!’ She tried to shake whatever silliness her mind entertains despite her prudence. But what her neutral poker face could hide, her berserkly widened eyes could not conceal. Nevertheless, even if he noticed, the young man did not point it out. He was more concerned and occupied by other matters. Matters of far greater importance… …For example, her safety. She blinked several times, trying to disrupt the connection their locked gazes somehow managed to forge. She bowed her head, still blinking, and darted her lowered gaze to the floor. She straightened up her sitting position and swatted both of the man’s hands on her shoulders without force. But Xue Guangxi held her in place. “Look at me.” “What is it now, Guangxi?” She whispered. Her voice, thin and fragile and barely audible. Perhaps more from the earlier adrenaline pushed a blush on her face. Perhaps, it wasn’t the adrenaline to be blamed. She tried to swat his hands for the second time, but his grip only tightened, making his point more pronounced. Either he obeys or she does. Most of the time, Xue Guangxi always gave in to Kang Sola’s whims. Even when his temper wasn’t too great to be proud of, at the end of every argument, he lets the girl win. But in this instance, he wanted to be more assertive. “You always make me worry, Sola.” He breathed with all solemnity, like a prayer. The clasp of his hands on her shoulders tightened. She could feel it. She winced. Then, without further ceremony or introduction, he pressed her into a tight embrace, full of concern. Any person would be able to discern if a form of skinship was of sincere nature or not. Kang Sola could tell his was of genuine care and concern for her. “You are far more delicate than you think. God, Sola!” He cradled her head with his right hand placed just above her nape. Some of her balayage locks laced his manly fingers. ---- Other Info: Light story about friendship, family, love, and adulting. No offensive, dark themes (just the backstory, hehe), **Can be considered the second book after Milady's Fine Gentleman, but the story is stand-alone. Reference to the first novel is minimal if not only shown in the backstory. BUT THERE WILL BE SPOILER FOR MILADY'S FINE GENTLEMAN (It's inevitable, sorry)** "You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars" -E.E. Cummings "Just like the moon, I go through phases." -Angie Weiland Crosby "Only in the darkness can you see the stars." -Martin Luther King Jr. ----- The author has a discord server and Instagram! Follow, connect, and share your thoughts. IG : author_midnight_bloom email : authormidnightbloom@gmail.com For kind appreciation efforts to the aspiring writer, please go to the following sites: https://www.patreon.com/midnight_bloom Ko-fi.com/midnight_bloom Disclaimer : Cover credits to Pinterest

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233 Chs

AT THE AIRPORT (2)

Xue Guangxi felt a small force tug his shirt from the side. "Uncle."

"Yes, Xiao Lihua?" He put one hand on the girl's head and stroked her hair endearingly.

"Come on, Uncle! Give Aunty a kiss, too! The three of us waited for you for a looooonnggg time! You have no idea how long!"

The little girl's innocent request made with her doe almond eyes put both Xue Guangxi and Kang Sola in an awkward spot. The twins must have observed that he showered both of them with lots of hugs and kisses, but Kang Sola only received a tight hug and felt that it was unfair.

Xue Guangxi laughed it off and said a dismissive, humorous comment, "Friends don't kiss friends."

"But Uncle, we're all family anyway! Aunt Sola is our aunty and you are our uncle. It should be fine, right? Come on, come on! Aunty must be disappointed not getting a welcome kiss, just a hug!" Chen Lingtian argued while flapping his limbs enthusiastically.

He circled the dog animatedly.

"Ahh, I'm okay, Xiao Lingtian! Honest-to-goodness! I'm not disappointed at all! He. He. He." The lady frantically raised her right hand in the air.

Xue Guangxi sighed while smiling and thinking, 'Some things never change! She still gets flustered by a kiss.'

With an old friendship such as theirs, certainly, there's a thing or two that would touch the sensitive topic of intimacy during their younger days. For them, for instance, it caused such a huge rift between them at the time. It was about a simple kiss.

Kang Sola's first kiss, to be exact. They were around sixteen or seventeen. It originated from an error that had almost ended their friendship.

He certainly remembered quite clearly as if it happened yesterday, but he did not dare comment about it, not wanting to be branded as the jerk that he used to be, nor intending to open closed wounds.

After all, it was all his fault.

'Oh no, I'm a changed man! I'm no jerk!' He confidently boasted in his mind. To prove that, and to ease Kang Sola's predicament, he urged to settle this small matter at hand, his way.

"Those kids will not stop if we don't oblige. You know where they get their tenacity from." Xue Guangxi winked as he played his cards well. He referred to his side of the genes – from the twins' mother, his sister.

Kang Sola's face turned purple although she managed to keep her neutral poker face. It was the same shade of purple as Xue Guangxi remembered it. He nearly chuckled. He knew Kang Sola was getting worked up although he admitted that she's getting better at handling it. He raised his brows with an underlying message of, 'The kids are waiting. It's no big deal anyway.'

The two obliged, and with all awkwardness, Xue Guangxi planted a quick smack on Kang Sola's cheek and released her immediately afterward. To avoid any accidents from happening, he even went further into the efforts of firmly holding Kang Sola's head in place. He couldn't afford to be accused of taking advantage of her at the twins' harmless and innocent provocation just to have a taste of her luscious seductive lips.

Besides, they were still at the public receiving area at the arrival section at the airport.

'No, Sir! I know exactly what 'off-bounds' mean!' He had learned his lesson well from the past. Kang Sola must have done something extremely traumatic to the younger version of Xue Guangxi to be this… prudent around her.

He felt his blood rush into his head, in spite of, but the lady only turned placid.

'Indeed, it's no big deal.' Kang Sola thought, keeping her countenance as calm as possible. She stabilized her quickened breathing.

No one could ever tell what kind of turmoil she's experiencing inside. 'Hmph, those kids!'

The bystanders in the airport offered no help in dispersing the awkward atmosphere. If anything, they did help in pushing the two adults even closer together through their unsolicited comments about how awesome their loving family is.

"Such eye-candies! What a good-looking family! How nice would it be to go home to your loved ones after an arduous journey!"

"Fantastic!"

"They're so loving with each other!"

Xue Guangxi and Kang Sola exchanged looks, in the lines more revolting than pleased.

"Uhm… Loving??! How?!" Faced scrunched with confusion, Kang Sola muttered under her breath. Upon reflection, all they did was banter with each other.

---

Inside the car on their ride home, Xue Guangxi, in a more serious tone, clarified, "I'm really just kidding, alright? I missed messing up with you. Hahahaha! Don't take it too much to heart."

He was referring to his little slip up of sweetness earlier when he had uncontrollably uttered, "I missed you." It was totally uncalled for. He worried that it had unnecessarily burdened Kang Sola.

The lady only shrugged. She stroked the two heads that rested on her lap. "How about a night out at the bar later?" Kang Sola invited. "I'll invite some of my friends so it wouldn't be awkward with just the two of us. You'll enjoy being with my circle. They're fun to be with."

"Sure. All girls, I presume?"

"You wish. It's a mixed party of young men and women. I'm warning you, don't hit on my girls."

Xue Guangxi grinned, "I cannot promise. What if one of your friends ends up liking me? It's quite inevitable. I'm well-aware that I'm pretty much likable. In that case, you cannot oppose a love story that is yet to blossom. As they say, you can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep the spring from coming." He winked.

"Ughh… I cringe." She shuddered. "Ughh! I suddenly feel the urge to puke. Don't! Please don't! I'll hold you accountable. If you cannot promise, then I won't bring my girl-friends later, just the guys."

"Okay, okay, miss! I promise! Pinky promise! Geez." He exhaled sharply. "You're no fun."

Kang Sola smiled. "Looks like you're really back! Welcome back Guangxi!"

And in a more modest, subdued voice, she added, "I missed you too."

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