Silence.

"I don’t mind if you end up hating me, after this, but I have to ask if you will in any way loathe yourself? If this will put additional weight on your shoulders, or make you hang your head…”

Yibo shakes his head.

“I'm not going to let that happen. So back out… right now."

Xiao Zhan stares long and hard at him and Yibo waits… too afraid to breathe.

The seconds tick by, and then he hears Xiao Zhan’s defeated sigh. His hand pulls out of Yibo’s pants and Yibo shuts his eyes to hide the tears that instantly rush in.

He moves to lie by Xiao Zhan’s side and turns his face away.

It is a long while later before Xiao Zhan speaks. “I’ve done everything that they said was right, and it has gotten me nowhere close to where I wanted to be.”

"I guess tonight… and for once…. I wanted to have something that I’ve always wanted. I'm sorry Yibo.”

He lets out another heavy sigh, and Yibo feels the mattress sag as he gets off it.

Yibo listens as he puts his clothes back on, and when he is convinced that he can speak without giving his grief away, he does.

”What are you sorry for?”

"For leading you on tonight, I guess.”

"You didn’t lead me on,” Yibo grits his teeth. “You did absolutely nothing wrong.”

Another stretch of silence ensues.

"Okay,” Xiao Zhan says, and Yibo finds that he can breathe a bit more easily.

He however senses Xiao Zhan begin to come around the bed, towards his side and he stiffens.

"Don’t,” he says.

"I just want to say goodbye.”

”Goodbye,” Yibo says, but feels compelled to explain. “If you come over here, I might not let you leave.”

Xiao Zhan however doesn’t listen.

"Laoshi,” Yibo growls in a warning.

Xiao Zhan still doesn’t stop, so Yibo sits up and sets his legs on the floor. He however still cannot bring himself to meet Xian Zhan's gaze, so he slowly speaks instead. 

“You must think I’m joking.”

Xiao Zhan stops then, but Yibo doesn’t let his guard down. 

It is only when he hears Xiao Zhan reach the door, slip his shoes back on and pull on the handle, that he allows himself to somewhat relax.

"If you ever truly need me, and have no one else to turn to, come find me," Xiao Zhan says.

A few moments later, the door clicks shut, and quiet tears roll down from the corners of Yibo’s eyes.