Chapter 16 - Finally Together

Liao Yucheng was the one who got felt up last night, but somehow He Bing was the one getting shy first. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Liao Yucheng's eyes, heart pounding. He knew Liao Yucheng was understanding, but anyone would have complaints after something like that happened. Yet not only wasn't Liao Yucheng angry, he hadn't said a single word of blame. Wasn't that a bit too unusual? Based on what He Bing knew of him, Liao Yucheng wasn't some pushover who swallowed his grievances.

He Bing remembered the incident at the bar—he'd called that guy a pervert, claimed he himself was decent. But he'd turned out even worse than that guy. He was absolutely mortified. He remembered how Liao Yucheng had wanted to move out last time because he worried He Bing would be uncomfortable. Suddenly nervous, he said, "Yucheng, I was too much of an asshole last night. I can't forgive myself. Whatever you're thinking, don't bottle it up. Hit me, yell at me—I deserve it. Just... please don't say you're leaving again." 

Liao Yucheng thought, This place is mine, and you're going to be mine too. How could I possibly leave? Seeing He Bing still gripping his hand, Liao Yucheng gently squeezed back, palms pressed together, fingers intertwining. Warmly he said, "You don't need to blame yourself so much. I'm not mad at you. Actually, I..." He trailed off.

"Actually what?" He Bing's eyes went wide.

Liao Yucheng held back, lowering his head. "Never mind. Don't worry about it."

But He Bing WAS worried! He tightened his grip on Liao Yucheng's hand, staring intensely. "Yucheng, what were you going to say?"

Liao Yucheng forcefully pulled his hand back and turned away. "It's nothing. You wouldn't want to know."

He Bing desperately wanted to know! He tried to grab Liao Yucheng again. "Wait, Yucheng..."

But Liao Yucheng stepped back. "Just eat your breakfast before it gets cold." He turned and went into the bedroom, leaving He Bing alone in the dining room, dying of curiosity, chewing his bun without tasting it.

Liao Yucheng huffed internally. Let's see how you like being left hanging mid-sentence. Now you know how frustrating it is.

He Bing noticed Liao Yucheng spent almost the entire day at his computer working. He didn't dare disturb him. He didn't know if last night's incident was settled, but he definitely wasn't over it. It felt like he'd swallowed a piece of iron—couldn't cough it up, couldn't digest it, just weighing heavy in his gut. And that half-finished sentence—what had Liao Yucheng wanted to say? 

He Bing felt so uncomfortable, he thought withdrawal symptoms couldn't be worse than this. Finally Liao Yucheng got up from the computer, only to immediately disappear into the kitchen to make dinner, like he was avoiding He Bing. During the meal, both were lost in their own thoughts, neither speaking, occasionally sneaking glances at each other. The atmosphere had never been this awkward between them.

After dinner, He Bing couldn't take it anymore. "Yucheng, you're not busy tonight, right? Want to go bike riding?" 

Liao Yucheng thought about it. "Okay, let's go."

Although getting a transit card wasn't complicated, Liao Yucheng still hadn't done it. So tonight they'd still be sharing one bike. 

He Bing had been holding back all day, and by now his courage had suddenly swelled. He seemed to stop worrying about breaking through that barrier, even hoping Liao Yucheng would understand his feelings. The moment Liao Yucheng sat on the back of the bike, He Bing grabbed his hands and wrapped them around his waist. "Hold on tight. Here we go."

The long day was ending, the sky a deep, dusky blue. As the midsummer evening breeze hit their faces, He Bing felt like he'd travelled back to his youth. Riding a bicycle with someone you loved in the back seat—this textbook symbol of pure, innocent romance that appeared in so many movies—he'd never experienced it with any of his past relationships.

The person on the back seat was someone he'd grown up with. They'd known and accompanied each other for so many years, but he'd just realized he'd fallen for him. After all those detours with other people, fate had brought him back to the most familiar person from his childhood. It's you. I never imagined it would be you.

Just as He Bing was lost in these thoughts, he felt Liao Yucheng gently rest his head against his back. He Bing smiled secretly, a shy smile like a boy who'd never grown up. At least in this moment, he could pretend Liao Yucheng liked him too.

They rode to a quiet stretch of road with hardly any pedestrians, just the occasional car. Suddenly Liao Yucheng said, "Shouldn't it be my turn to ride?" 

He Bing stopped and and let him take over. But the moment Liao Yucheng got on, before He Bing could sit on the back, he took off mischievously. He Bing chased after him. "Hey! Why'd you leave me? You're bullying me!" 

Liao Yucheng laughed ahead. "Yeah, I'm bullying you! Catch me if you can!" 

Liao Yucheng rode fast ahead. while He Bing ran after him, like two mischievous boys playing chase. He Bing shouted, "Liao Yucheng, you're so mean! You tricked me! Stop right there!"

Liao Yucheng shouted back, "So what if I tricked you? It's fun!"

He Bing laughed despite his frustration. "Just wait till I catch you—you're in for it!"

Liao Yucheng challenged him. "Can you even catch me?"

Liao Yucheng had once been a sore spot for He Bing. Better at everything—just a bit. Better grades, better looking, more likeable, smarter. He'd tried so hard to catch up but always fell just short. Back then, Liao Yucheng's excellence made him pull away. Now it made him fall in love. Even though he still couldn't catch up, he wanted them to be closer, more intimate. Right now—he wanted to catch him. Wanted to have him.

He Bing ran with all his might until they were just inches apart. He grabbed the the back of the bike and forced it to stop. The bike wobbled and Liao Yucheng quickly put his feet down. Before he could say anything, He Bing wrapped his arms around him from behind.

"Caught you." He Bing was breathing hard, arms locked tight around Liao Yucheng, face buried in his neck.

Liao Yucheng felt the hot breath on his neck and the pounding heartbeat against his back. His body went rigid, his own heart racing. He tested the waters. "He Bing?"

"I like you." Exhaustion stripped away all He Bing's worries and hesitation. He finally said what he'd been wanting to say. "Liao Yucheng, I like you."

Liao Yucheng's eyes immediately burned. All the exhaustion and bitterness of years of secret love threatened to overflow. He quickly closed his eyes, voice trembling. "You said... you said you like..."

He Bing finished for him. "I like you." His embrace was so tight it could crush Liao Yucheng. "Yucheng, be with me. I'll be good to you, devoted only to you. I won't disappoint you, and I definitely won't make you so heartbroken you have to get drunk at bars." He kissed the back of Liao Yucheng's neck. "Be with me, okay?"

Liao Yucheng was silent for a long moment. Just when He Bing thought he wouldn't get an answer, Liao Yucheng spoke. His voice was soft, calm now. "He Bing, even though you didn't know me, I'd been quietly watching you for a long time. I watched every game you played but never dared hand you a towel or water. I loved watching you ride away on your bike on the way home. I knew you wouldn't wait for me, but I always hoped I could sit on the back of your bike..."

At first He Bing was confused—why was Liao Yucheng suddenly saying all this random stuff? But the more he listened, the more these words overlapped with something in his memory. That first love letter. The words that admirer had given him, those words of encouragement and comfort.

He Bing's eyes went wide, his breath stopping for several seconds in shock. He forcefully turned Liao Yucheng around to face him, asking in disbelief, "That person was you?"

Liao Yucheng could usually act and pretend, fake nervousness, play innocent. But now he couldn't control it—he looked like a shy teenager confessing to his crush for the first time. His whole face flushed red, like a heavy weight hung from his neck pulling his head down, voice embarrassed. "It was me."

He Bing thought of something else, gripping his shoulders in wild joy, asking incoherently, "That person was me?"

But Liao Yucheng understood. He lowered his head further, saying quietly, "It was you."

"You...!" Looking back on their time together, Liao Yucheng's feelings seemed to have been there all along. He Bing remembered the pain he'd suffered from this secret love, remembered him smiling and saying, "I don't want to change." His heart ached so much his eyes grew moist. He hugged Liao Yucheng tight again, cursing. "Liao Yucheng, you idiot!"

Liao Yucheng hugged him back, resting his head on his shoulder. This was the happiest scolding he'd ever received. He admitted it with a smile. "Yes, I'm an idiot."

He had been clever and calculating, setting one little trap after another for He Bing to fall into, even capturing him successfully. But even though He Bing had been clueless and manipulated the whole time, Liao Yucheng had to admit that in some ways, he really was more of an idiot than He Bing.

Their surroundings were quiet and dark. Under the streetlight, they kissed each other deeply. When their lips parted, He Bing pressed his forehead against Liao Yucheng's, looking at him with sincere eyes, smiling contentedly and a bit goofily.

Liao Yucheng took his hand, intertwining their fingers, and kissed those eyes he loved so much.

—End—