This only is a see you soon

"Come back immediately"

After those words, the camouflaged talismans burned and disappeared. Song Yewan and Xiao Qingchen exchanged glances as soon as they stopped hearing the voice of his shifu.

They did not speak. They know that the other is in the same situation.

Without stopping another minute, they both began to prepare to leave the place. While one quickly took a bath, the other put away all his belongings; then they swapped places, and, when they finished, they had breakfast together. Even so, they continued without speaking. What was there to say? Worry and sadness were reflected in their eyes; words are not necessary. As support, they only held hands to give each other strength in this way.

What is going on? For what reason should they return? They do not know; in the message, their teachers were not sincere. But the student is not stupid and he knows that behind the words that tried to sound firm and somewhat carefree, in reality, the misgiving was hidden, warning him about something... As if they feared a danger.

Supposedly, the return request is due to an interim problem of an urgent nature, for which they need all the disciples present; however ... why did listening to it not feel that it was totally true? Is this problem the danger noticed?

Thanks to this, they are now restless.

The sudden order to return, in fact, is due to a vision. The teachers had dreamed of the same foreboding scenario the night before: hard times and terrible war between the powerful cultivator sects of the mortal world would soon arrive.

In the dream, the immortals saw the earth burn and covered with blood and fire; the innocent died like despicable sinners, and the powerful being eaten by the poorest rats. Many people died under the sharp sword or beset by hunger, some from the exhaustion from fleeing. Children and the elderly, men and women, whether they are cultivators or not.

In the dream... not even after months did a victorious side arise or some hero arrived to calm the anguished hearts of the people.

There was only death.

Fearful of this pandemonium, they did not want their little disciples to become entangled in such matters of the mortal world, so immediately after awakening, they took it upon themselves to gather them all before further hiding the sect with spells. Of course, they did not forget that student, oblivious to all the problems that would happen: the first thing they did when they got out of bed was to send him that communication talisman.

Thanks to the vision, these immortals remembered the reason that caused them to disengage from the mortal world long ago. Now, history repeats, but they do not want their innocent disciple to open his eyes in the same way that they did. So, the shifus decided that it was best to pull him back to their side, keeping them pure and ignorant, close and insight; well hidden alongside their other martial brothers and sisters on the grounds of the sect.

And of course, to get them to return, they must not tell him about the premonitory dream. Otherwise ... they know he would stay to help.

—Qingchen? —Song Yewan stopped his walk when he stopped hearing the footsteps of the other and noticing that he was ahead. He turns around and watches him from his place. He knows why Qingchen had stopped, but, in his mind, still refuses to accept that it was time. He sighs—: Ah ... it's here.

In his chest, something trembled a little painful. He looks away, secretly biting his lip.

Song Yewan could not keep seeing his partner without feeling even more dejected by the separation. But what to do then? Distracting himself did not help either: when his eyes glanced at the horizon to his right, he feels a little bit jealous, and when he takes another bite of his zongzi —not very interested in enjoying it properly— he is disheartened at the memory of they bought it together.

—Yes ... From here, I ... I must go west.

Song Yewan is looking at the path which Xiao Qingchen would take.

—Hm...

Xiao Qingchen is crestfallen, nervous, furtively scratching the ground with the toe of his shoe to distract himself. He could not keep his gaze on his friend either, so he hides it behind the translucent veils that hang from his bamboo hat. His eyes are no longer shining, his eyebrows are drooping, and although a soft smile still hangs on his pale red lips, this is a bit sad.

—So... —One in pale robes could not find what to say; he did not want to be the one to say goodbye, but he did not want the other to do it first either!

Silently, a breeze rippled their robes and made them look like gentle waves of the sea.

—A-Chen.

A heartbeat skipped. The two gazes met once more, both faces suddenly feeling warm.

—Thanks for everything. —Song Yewan took the courage to say it now because there might not be another chance to do so—. Definitely, the best thing about this trip was meeting you. So... thanks.

Xiao Qingchen is open-mouthed; the stars shine again in the night of his eyes.

—Yewan...

He was still processing what his partner had told him when he was unconsciously approaching him. He felt happy, he felt sad. They were both having a good time in the company of the other, why must they part now? If only there was a way to keep in touch with each one at home, their sadness would not be much.

One more step separated the two bodies. Song Yewan did not move when he saw him approach; his feet were fixed on the ground, his eyes expectant of the contrary actions. When he felt fingers caress his cheek, without thinking, he tilted his head towards them; did not think they would be leaving soon. An authentic and amused smile played on the lips of Xiao Qingchen as Song Yewan looked at him in confusion.

—Hahaha! Yewan, you had some rice in there! —He says showing him what was said between his fingers—. Ahhh~ so distracted, will you really survive out there without me? Hahahaha!

Song Yewan feels attacked and frowns a bit in shame. Deep down inside, he is actually relieved to hear the laugh of his partner again; thinks it is a good way to comfort his heart before parting.

From his ink sleeves, he takes out a white handkerchief decorated with embroidered bamboos. With one hand he takes Qingchen's, and with the other, he carefully wipes the long fingers that touched the sticky grains of rice.

—That is dirty. Xiao-xiong must consider always carrying a handkerchief with him, if not… —When finished, he delicately folds the handkerchief, hiding the stained part inside. He takes again the hand of his surprised friend and leaves the cloth in his palm, closing it to indicate that now it was his—. What will become of him?

Smile. He shows that smile that, in addition to those who grew up with him, only Xiao Qingchen has been able to witness.

—I... I don't know.

He groans his answer smiling too. He guards the gift into the collar of his robe, at the height of his heart, and suddenly lunges toward his best friend. He hugs him and is immediately reciprocated.

—A–Zheeen– Promise me that you will remember me... Because I will remember you!

—Hm —He nods hugging him tighter.

—And when we can go out again, look for me! The first thing I'll do is look for you. Ah! And if I go out before you, wait for me, I'll definitely go to see you!

—Hm.

—But– Be aware when your sect says they dumped a cute boy off the grounds! That will be me! And you have to go tell them so they don't hit me too hard!

—... pff HAHAHAHAHAHA.

That was the first time Xiao Qingchen heard Song Yewan laugh so freely. The laugh is amazing, it has completely broken the natural seriousness on his face! They both fell to the ground when Song Yewan could not stand up on his legs anymore.

Amid the flat landscape full of flower buds signaling the early end of winter, a pair of teenagers are on top of each other. White overlapping black; two bodies are entangled in an embrace.

—Hm, hm. That, without a doubt, would be A–Chen.

—Yewan! —His cheeks were adorably stained crimson. He pulled away from him a bit so he could sit up and look at his face. The other also settled down.

—Yes?

They were so close that the bamboo hat managed to cover their heads from the sunlight; keeps porcelain faces in shadow. White veils billowed around, creating a very cozy intimate atmosphere.

—I will miss you. Thanks for being my friend, it's been a lot of fun being with you! —says and puts together both foreheads as if wanting to convey all your thoughts through contact—. Thank you for letting me be by your side! The best moment for me too was meeting you!

And they embraced once more.

Then, these predestined souls had to say goodbye with great sorrow.

Or rather... an 'I see you soon'.

During the time they spent getting to know each other, they kept no secrets and even gave each other the detailed location of the mountain they came from. At those times, they did not care much about the fact that, long ago, they swore to heaven to keep the information in reserve, as a way of thanking their shifu for having adopted him. They could not help talk about it! Something told them to reveal it without fear, this urge being stronger than their already deep loyalty to their teachers.

Knowing this, the young people hoped to go where the other to see him when they missed each other the most.

The problem was whether shifu would let them go again...