Yi Chen’s room was very tidy, with only a half-open suitcase by the bed, as if nothing else had been touched.
Yi Chen poured a glass of water for Yu Xi.
He didn’t use the hotel’s cups or kettle; they were all his own.
Yu Xi took the glass and asked, “Do you want to be in front or behind?”
In this pose, the person in front had it a bit easier—just find the right angle, make a half-heart shape with thumb and index finger. The one behind had it tougher and could easily lose balance.
“I’ll take the back one.” Yu Xi decided without waiting for Yi Chen’s answer.
After all, he was the one who asked Yi Chen for the photo; he couldn’t screw him over again.
“Sure.” Yi Chen didn’t object. He set up the tripod, then went inside to change clothes.
When Yi Chen came out after changing, Yu Xi said, “?”
Yi Chen wore a T-shirt, a very common style, but the design on it matched the one Yu Xi was wearing perfectly—they were a pair from the same anime.
Yu Xi: “Why did you wear this one?”
“Didn’t you ask me to take a photo?” Yi Chen said. “For the heart gesture, this one’s perfect, right?”
“No, no, that’s not the point.” Yu Xi’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Do you carry couple outfits around? Wait, how did you know I’d bring this one?”
Yi Chen had studied his fashion sense and had matched styles with him even during the preview period. Matching styles could be brushed off as coincidence, but this T-shirt was randomly packed. He’d only just bought it and received it right before departure. He’d never mentioned it to anyone—not even Guan Zifan might know he had this shirt. How could Yi Chen coincidentally bring the CP-printed matching version?
Was that reasonable?
“Coincidence.” Yi Chen stayed calm. “I like this anime too.”
Yu Xi didn’t buy it. He thought for a moment. “Did Xiao Chen tell you?”
“No.” Yi Chen’s gaze drifted.
“What did you give him in return?” Yu Xi held out his palm, signaling Yi Chen to show their chat history.
“I said no.” Yi Chen was stubborn, his hand not moving an inch.
Yu Xi was now completely sure. “Well, damn, turning against your own people, huh?”
Back in his room preparing to change and shower, Xiao Chen: “Achoo!”
He shivered and looked up at the AC temperature, puzzled. It wasn’t set that cold—why did his back feel chilly?
Yi Chen forcibly changed the subject. “We’ll talk about that later. Let’s take the photo first; the equipment’s all set up.”
Yu Xi set the matter aside for now and focused on figuring out the pose.
The heart-shaped photo looked tricky, but it wasn’t simple at all.
The person in the back couldn’t force the pose—the body’s curve had to be just right, natural.
They even searched for online tutorials together, full of confidence as they followed the instructions and tried a few shots. Either the halves didn’t align into a full heart, or the curve looked unnatural and weird. Finally, one looked decent on the screen, but burst mode had somehow turned off, leaving only a single shot with a hilariously distorted expression.
After some time, they finally got it. Yu Xi and Yi Chen both sighed in relief, leaning back together, one collapsing onto the bed.
The room’s AC was at a perfect temperature. As they exhaled deeply, the wind speed kicked up with a “hum,” blowing cool air gently over them.
Yu Xi and Yi Chen both laughed out loud.
They’d taken plenty of photos before, tried all sorts of high-difficulty poses, but occasionally goofing up and failing was still pretty fun.
No staff around, no pro equipment—just a tripod, a phone, same as always.
Back at the high school sports festival, for the class photo, the Class Monitor picked an insanely goofy pose: five people, ten hands crisscrossing, some squatting, some standing, forming a pentagram. They followed the tutorial, but the crosses were a mess, impossible to get right. Such a simple photo took forever, and everyone ended up laughing and sprawling on the grass, surrounded by a cool breeze.
Yi Chen lightly bumped Yu Xi’s shoulder, patted his own leg. Yu Xi rested his head on Yi Chen’s thigh.
The sky had been so clear back then, the night’s cool wind carrying autumn’s scent, ears filled with light laughter and chatter. That simple, pure moment, along with the hazy moonlight, was etched into his memory.
Yu Xi was editing the photo.
The steps weren’t complicated—adjust the colors, smooth the lines a bit. Yi Chen’s room was so neat, and they’d deliberately stood by the window view with no clutter, saving a ton of work.
“Take a look?” Yu Xi handed the phone to Yi Chen.
“Hm? Where?” Yi Chen turned his head, and then both froze.
Lying there each on their phone earlier felt nothing, but now they realized how close they were—close enough that a slight tilt of the head would bring their lips together.
Warm light fell from overhead, casting a faint glow over their intertwined gazes.
This wasn’t a moment for kissing. They were too clear-headed—no precursor heat, no secondary differentiation symptoms. Yu Xi had no excuse, and right now, they had no reason to be this close.
Yi Chen moved first. He tilted his head up slightly, his lips drawing nearer.
Yu Xi turned his head away.
“I just wanted you to see the photo.”
“It looks great. You can print it out and sign it straight to ‘To’.”
“You didn’t even look.” Yu Xi raised his arm over his eyes, blocking the light.
“I did.” Yi Chen turned toward him too.
The atmosphere between them suddenly turned silent.
That lump in Yu Xi’s heart—the breakup reason he didn’t know about—Yu Xi still hadn’t figured it out.
So why, back then, had Yu Xi insisted on breaking up?
They’d been great the whole time, no one stopping them. They even lived together every day, planning to study abroad together, huddled by the bed after evening self-study mapping out their future.
But one day—something happened that he didn’t know about, something Yu Xi wouldn’t say. Or maybe it wasn’t sudden, maybe it was a buildup of negative emotions. Either way, that day their relationship tore apart like ripped paper, creating a huge, irreparable chasm.
They sat in silence a bit longer. Yu Xi stood first. “Then I’ll head back.”
Without his weight, the soft bed rebounded slightly, the mattress springs’ movement clear. Yu Xi got up, slipped on his slippers, footsteps fading away.
Damn.
Why didn’t he know?
He was a party to it too. Why wouldn’t Yu Xi tell him once, twice, three times? Why keep pushing him away?
The more Yi Chen thought, the more unwilling he became.
He lunged forward in one stride, grabbing Yu Xi’s hand just before it touched the doorknob. He pinned him against the door, no warning, and lowered his head for a forceful kiss.
A completely abrupt, out-of-context kiss, giving no time to react.
But it happened. The teeth that had once bitten through Yu Xi’s gland, injected pheromones, and left marks on his nape—now bit hard into his lip.
Yu Xi shoved Yi Chen away, arm blocking his bitten, reddened lips. “Are you a dog or what??”
Yi Chen didn’t care about the jab. “Not the first time I’ve been a dog anyway.”
Yu Xi: “?”
Yu Xi: “Unreasonable.”
Yu Xi dropped that line and stormed out, slamming the door.
This time, Yi Chen didn’t stop him. He silently watched Yu Xi leave. With a “bang,” Yu Xi slammed the door shut.
Yi Chen sighed, about to close the door and retreat, when Fu Le quietly cracked open his door across the hall.
From Fu Le’s angle, he couldn’t see Yi Chen’s slightly open door, but Yi Chen saw Fu Le’s actions clearly.
Fu Le raised his phone, camera aimed toward Yu Xi’s direction, earbuds in, like he was on a call.
Fu Le: “Yu Xi’s definitely got something going on. He just stormed out slamming the door.”
Fu Le: “I’ll film a few more clips. More credibility for the exposé.”
Fu Le: “Whatever. No matter what happened tonight, pics or it didn’t happen—it’s whatever I say it is.”
Yi Chen let out a cold laugh.
–
Yu Xi slammed the door shut, back pressed tight against it.
The bitten sensation on his lip lingered, a bit painful.
He couldn’t figure out what had gotten into Yi Chen all of a sudden, but…
Yu Xi slowly squatted down.
For a split second, he’d wanted to bite Yi Chen back hard, to lick and suck.
Yu Xi lowered his head, thoughts drifting to another door. Then, he suddenly looked up.
Wait a minute.
What had Yi Chen just said?
That the photo could be printed out and signed straight to “To”?
He hadn’t told Yi Chen it was for signing “To,” had he?
