They spent fifteen minutes in the middle of a traffic jam. He slowed down after he entered the driveway that would take him to Alicante’s house.

There was no sound from Alicante other than tightening the embrace as they entered the area where the man lived and heard the barking of stray dogs welcoming them on the deserted path.

Alicante’s tight hug just now made Jackson aware that he was afraid of these stray dogs. Unbeknownst to Alicante, he secretly activated his werewolf eyes, signaling the stray dogs to stay away from them.

The barking of the stray dogs stopped quickly, along with the dispersal of the stray dogs that had tried to approach them just now.

Relieved, he averted his werewolf’s eyes as he continued to drive his motorcycle at thirty kilometers per hour until he stopped his motorcycle in front of a gray-roofed house.

The front yard was overgrown with vines, along with weeds around the house, which made the house look uninhabited.

The only sign that the house was inhabited was that the light in one room was on, but he did not know who the owner of the room was.

The last time he had been to this place was only when Alicante was alive, as he always followed him secretly to make sure that the man arrived home safely after he had bullied Alicante.

Unconsciously, he clenched his grip on the handle of his motorcycle until his knuckles turned white.

He cursed back at all the stupidity of the past that had come to his mind just now.

As soon as he realized it, he shook his head slowly, turning off the engine and calming himself. Then he gently patted Alicante’s hand.

“Alicante? We have arrived,” he said.

Alicante just mumbled at his words, letting go of the hug. To be honest, he still wanted to feel the warmth of Alicante’s body, still wanted to enjoy the cozy sensation as he embraced Alicante.

But he could not do so. He had to make sure Alicante got home safely first.

After all, he had returned to the past.

There would be so many opportunities to hug or do more things with Alicante for sure.

Alicante must have been tired from the beach earlier, and he wanted to give himself some time off, so Alicante could return to school tomorrow full of energy.

But he was rather surprised to find that Alicante was not at all relieved when he arrived at his home. The sad blue eyes just stared at the house.

He found the man’s eyes were fixed on the lighted room earlier with a look that was hard to describe. He sensed a range of emotions in Alicante’s gaze, but his scent was overwhelmingly negative.

Ah, if only I could read minds, he mumbled to himself. Instead of just smelling other people’s feelings, he continued with a languid sigh.

“Hey, Alicante?”

Alicante turned his attention for a moment from the room back to himself.

Jackson could smell the fear mixed with anxiety in his body.

With a wave, he beckoned to Alicante, who had been standing a short distance away since getting off his motorcycle, to come closer.

He then helped Alicante take off his helmet.

“Thanks,” Alicante half-mumbled to say. The worried expression he had seen on Alicante’s face when he took off the helmet just now turned to curiosity. “But how do you know my home address? I didn’t remember telling you that.”

“I have my way,” he shrugged as his answer. “But are you all right? You don’t look good.”

Alicante did not respond. His eyes returned to the room earlier, again emitting the same scent he had felt earlier. Restless, filled with fear, mixed with acute anxiety.

“I am fine.”

“Good.”

Jackson didn’t know what kind of response he should give, so he only agreed with Alicante. Even though he felt curious.

“Jackson?”

For the first time, he could hear Alicante’s voice calling his name without being annoyed or resentful, like the man always did. All the things that used to be his deepest desires.

It was as if the gods or anyone else had granted one of his wishes in the past. To be reunited with the most perfect person in his life and have him by his side for the second time.

It took a few minutes for Jackson to recover from his daydream.

“Yeah?” Jackson was trying to be as cool as possible in front of Alicante. Even though his little heart was screaming with euphoria, it told him otherwise.

For a moment, he found Alicante was silent after calling his name. Before Alicante finally shook his head weakly.

“Never mind. Just forget it.”

He immediately got off his motorcycle, holding Alicante’s wrist carefully. “You know, you can tell me anything, Alicante. I don’t mind.”

Alicante was silent again. His nose smelled a human scent filled with anger from the direction of Alicante’s house.

“Ah, I think I know where the problem lies,” he said as he released his grip on Alicante’s wrist. “Do you mind if you let me into your house now? I want to make sure you are completely safe.

“I know you declined my offer at the beach earlier, but I can explain to your parents the reason you have come home late, so they won’t be angry at you. How about that?”

He was waiting for Alicante’s response and would honestly put his life on the line. To give certainty whether he could save Alicante, if something happened to the man in the house, or not.

According to a lot of man-made legends and tales from centuries that humans have believed from generation to generation, it is the vampires who need permission from humans or any creature to enter the house.

Vampires could not enter just like that if the owner of the house did not allow them to enter the house.

Unfortunately, the reality was not like that. It was the werewolves who would need permission if they wanted to enter the house or territory of other people or creatures.

Like the situation he was in right now. His eyes found a large dome-shaped barrier enveloping the house that prevented him from getting any closer than where he was now.

A barrier that could not be seen clearly by humans, but it was clearly visible to werewolves. Including himself.

“Sure,” said Alicante.

He saw the barrier around Alicante’s house slowly dissolving, finally disappearing completely, as Alicante’s response confirmed.

Great.

He was about to step into Alicante’s house. To be reunited with the most perfect person in his life and have him by his side for the second time.

Then suddenly he felt his left wrist being held by Alicante’s thin hand.

“I did say that I would let you come to my house, but not today.”

Obviously, Alicante’s answer just now made him frown in confusion.

“Hm? Are you sure—”

“One hundred percent ...”

Alicante’s thin hand holding his left wrist seemed to tremble, discouraging Jackson from asking Alicante a new question.

“I get it. Is there any contact that makes it easier for me to reach you? Email, LINE, WeChat, KakaoTalk––”

“KakaoTalk works for me,” Alicante interrupted, along with the man’s hand pulling out a five-inch object that appeared to be filled with cracks on almost all sides of the smartphone.

Quickly pulling out his phone, he scanned Alicante’s QR code and smiled in satisfaction.

He put his smartphone back in his trouser pocket, then patted the top of Alicante’s head, letting him do it.

“Great. Then I will take my leave. See you tomorrow.”

Jackson turned his body and turned to go to his motorcycle.

Suddenly, Jackson heard Alicante’s voice again, calling his name in the same way as before.

He spun his body back to face Alicante.

“Yes?”

“You forgot your jacket.”

Alicante tried to take off the jacket he had given to the man.

Jackson quickly approached Alicante to stop the man from removing the leather jacket while shaking his head slowly.

“You can have it. It is yours now.”

“But––”

“No buts,” he said, smiling when he saw that the leather jacket he had given Alicante looked too big on Alicante’s thin body. “It suits you anyway.”

“Really?”

He chuckled at Alicante’s response, which he thought was cute.

He noticed a slight blush on Alicante’s face, a blush that honestly made him reluctant to go home.

He still wanted to spend time with Alicante, holding his hand. The scent of Alicante calmed him.

It was obvious he was on the verge of losing control of Alicante.

Well, at least he could not do it for now.

“Do you think I am lying to you?”

“It’s not what I mean,” Alicante rubbed the nape of his neck, still unable to hide the blush that was getting more and more obvious on his face. “I just, err… still not used to your sudden change of attitude today.”

“Then you should try to get used to it.”

Jackson bent slightly to align with Alicante’s height, smiling gently at him.

Alicante now looked nervous, realizing the distance between them was too close.

“I have to go. Good evening, Alicante Watson. Sweet dreams.”

There was no answer from Alicante other than a soft nod, and that was more than enough for him.

He walked to his bike, slipped on his helmet, its lingering scent of Alicante lifting his spirits slightly, and started the engine.

Leaving Alicante, who was now walking into the house.

***

© Zhen Xin Xin. Do not repost. Read the official version only on Tapas