To My Youth [BL]

[18] Swallowing the Ashes (1/4)

𝘊𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

The sky soaked a brilliant red, which washed their skins with the tints of orange, as though a tropical drink drenched the world with its colours and scent.

The breeze wasn't humid, but it wasn't frosty either. When the wind brushed past their skin, the aromatic scent of chlorinated water entered their senses.

The two walked out of the centre, and the comforting ambience instantly died once a voice called out to them.

"Gu Xiao?"

A piercing abscess swallowed both Gu Xiao's and Lan Yuning's heart when they heard that asphyxiating voice.

At first, Gu Xiao thought his ears were still clogged after all that water entered them, so this voice was just someone else's, but when he said the following sentence, he was sure it was him.

That boy he never wanted to see ever again was standing before them.

"Gu Xiao? Is that you?"

Gu Xiao raised his brows and uttered, "He Rong?"

Lan Yuning immediately put on his hat and stepped back, though Gu Xiao didn't realise how anxious or thrown off he was.

Even though a mere hat wouldn't hide who he was, Lan Yuning still needed something to block his view.

Just picking up this shrilling voice of He Rong and knowing he was in front of them forced all the energy within Gu Xiao to flow backward and escape through his feet and fingertips, leaving them with a sense of numbness.

"I almost didn't even recognise you because of your hair," He Rong laughed. "You look... different."

He Rong was shorter than Gu Xiao, though it was only by two inches. He was well built and always had a clean buzz-cut, never growing his hair past a few inches.

His grinning face was nothing more than a clownish gesture that produced such uncleanliness and nauseating triggers for both their stomachs.

The boy's face utterly lacked depth, that if one was to take a glance at him and close their eyes, they would simply just forget about his features.

"What are you doing in Beijing?" Gu Xiao asked.

He Rong hesitated on answering, but in the end, he responded, "We're here for a holiday."

Gu Xiao always received He Rong's expressions to contain that profound patronisation with every word he spoke.

It strained his heart.

However, it was ironic for Gu Xiao to think like this, as he was the same.

"To think we would meet here," He Rong smiled solemnly. "You stopped going to cram school and even moved to a different city."

"...Ah, yeah."

Gu Xiao's dismissive tone surprised Lan Yuning that he took a glimpse up, only to see eyes filled with a bottomless dread.

It was definitely not how one would speak to someone they had a good relationship with.

However, He Rong's words weaved through many strands of complexities that it was impossible to decipher the meaning behind his words, yet also his expression and intentions.

"Hey, why are you so cold?" He Rong asked and walked closer to him. "We used to be so close, you know. Us and Zhang Yongyin. I just wanted to check how you were doing."

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Gu Xiao asked.

The boy with the buzz-cut stopped in his steps, and his smile somewhat faded. "Are you still mad about that?"