"General Feng, Your royal highness Wu. Please proceed to the royal court immediately. His royal highness Ho is awaiting your arrival."
General Feng then snaps out of his thoughts.
"Right...yes, of course. Your royal highness, shall we go?"Wu Xiao Chen nodded, and took Feng's hand willingly. The man didn't resist; perhaps this was more than just his way of calming Feng nowadays?
"Your royal highness Ho...?"
"Ho Yun Guang."
"Ho...Yun...Guang?"
"Feng Luo Xi, am I right?"
"Oh..uh, yes!"
"Try not to lose yourself in thought."
"Your highness Wu Xiao Chen."
"...Your royal highness Ho Yun Guang. It's a pleasure to meet you, especially after all these years of not being able to see you personally."
"How flattering, Wu Xiao Chen..."
"Did you say something, your royal highness?"
"It's nothing. I was just thinking of something."
"Please do share your thoughts regarding our arrival, unless it may be personal?"Yun Guang looked at him, observing his movements and his way of greeting.
"...Wu Xiao Chen. It's been a long time."
"Pardon?..."
All three men could only stare at each other for a few seconds, before Feng gazed back at Ho Yun Guang.
"Was I correct?Ah, I see. It is you, after all these years...how has it been since my unfortunate passing?"
"..."
(2 years ago.)
"Fengfeng, did you have lunch yet?"
"Xiao Chen, will you let go of my shoulder?"
"Why though? Am I too heavy for youuu?"
"Heavier than anything I've ever carried."
"Hah?! That just means you don't lift!"
"Will you shut up? Look, if you want to annoy me, now's not a good time. I'll lose my own seat in the library because of you, jerk."
"Hey! That's just mean!"Feng threw his hand back at him, and made a run for it. Xiao Chen was right behind him, and it seemed like he was having a little too much fun.
"Oomph!—"He had hit his face onto a familiar veneer, backing off as the impact landed a rather painful blow on his nose and jaw..."Feng Luo Xi, watch where you're going...!"
The man did not flinch, but he lowered his head towards Feng."Are you heading for the library?"Feng felt obliged to apologize, but then responded with a yes."Yes, apolo—"
"No need for apologies. If you just so happen to be in a rush, you don't need to worry; there remains lots of vacant seats. Now, if you'll excuse me."He walked aside, as the two continued their conversation and made their way towards the end of the hall, where the library was.
"Feng, I think you found someone the same species as you..."Wu Xiao Chen whispered into Feng's ear, but he wasn't amused and sped up his walking."HEY! FENGFENG, IF YOU REALLY WANNA GET SOMEWHERE WITHOUT STRIVING HARD, YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK ME FOR HELP!"
The young man ignored his words, kept his composure in tact, and proceeded to leave the man behind."Jerk."
Despite the hall being desolate altogether, Feng still felt a thousand eyes watching him in disgust. He couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, or was it something else?
(Poor boy has anxiety ಥ_ಥ)
He reached for the library doors; he felt a cold wind rush past his shoulder upon entry.
Feng meticulously paced over the rows and rows of filled seats, before handing over the librarian his access card. Were the man's words from earlier really believable enough?
He ended up having to stroll through the other end of the building, and he finally found himself a far more peaceful area. There was not much sunlight to strain his already damaged eyesight, which seemed to make the quality of the area a little less demeaning.
"This should do."He took a seat on one of the dusty old wooden chairs, turning on the night lamp sitting beside it. Surprisingly, it was still working quite well...how long has it been since anyone had ever sat on these chairs though?
Feng could only work with what he had, he just didn't take a liking the crowded areas at the front of the library. The atmosphere made him suffocate; he always seemed to feel uneasy around far too many people, especially if they were all cooped up in one tiny space.
"Okay, so...page 108, chapter 15...found it."
A man soon reaches for his shoulder, tapping it to catch his attention. Startled, he looks up at the same man from earlier."Huh?—oh, it's you! Nice to meet you, uh—"
"Call me Yun Guang."
"Oh..alright, nice to meet you...um...Yun Guang."
"Tell me. You don't prefer the front of the library?"
"Not at all..."The young college student's emotions always spiralled out of control every now and then, but he chose not to think of it as something that perturbed him far too much.
"I heard about your gaze, and I always wondered if it really was true."
"What about my gaze?"
"Nothing at all, but...do you have some concerns regading anything that involves one's mental state."
"I sense a thousand eyes watching me at all times..."
"A thousand eyes?"
"...Never mind. Please leave, I have to finish my studies.
"If you say so."
The man lifted himself from his seat, dusting off his pants. He glanced at Feng one more time before leaving. No goodbyes were told.
"Haah...now I just feel guilty. I'd better finish this up before he leaves; I might as well treat him to a meal."
His attitude portrayed a father feisty persona
to Ho Yun Guang, but he paid no attention to this. Regardless of what it portrayed, he was rather eager in proving his classmates wrong.
They just couldn't seem to comply to their mouths' needs everytime the young man passed by, and he felt that they needed to see him as just another person; what turned out the usual routine for the young man was to constantly bump onto him, starting from their encounter on his return from the library.
"Hey!" Feng called out to him as he was stepping out for some fresh air, sitting on what looked like a park bench in the middle of the courtyard."Oh? Yes?"
The man's focus switched to Feng incontinently. However, upon interaction, familiar footsteps began to approach them."I see you've become good friends now?"
"Wu Xiao Chen. It's none of your business, unless you want a free meal?"The young man smirked with a visible motive, but nonetheless, none could notice."Feng Luo Xi, shan't we just come to an agreement and have a meal together, as well as this...man."
"(He's a nuisance, a nuisance I say.)"(This is cWu Xiao Chen speaking.)"You really ought to perturb to other's personal matters. Clearly why I despise you."
His smile eventually faded, but then again, he did not show any sign of anger towards either of them."Fine then. But, you'd better treat me to a meal as well, I'll be waiting."
"Be careful on your way back, junior."
"I'm just as old as you, dumbass!"
Without another murmur, he simply stepped out of one's sight. Although he seemed mildly infuriated, the usual grin remained pasted onto his face again...
"Apologies for my friend's sudden interruption. Perhaps I could treat you to a meal, if I were to be allowed?"
"Apology accepted. However, the meal can wait. I have more matters to attend to, I'll set the time for our own meal time,yes?"
Feng nodded as the man left, tranquility having revolved up until the end of the conversation. It felt so that neither could really say what was to be told; there were but a few secrets to be spoken of, though.
Days passed by like snowflakes in cloudy sky, and it felt all too surreal."You don't prefer greasy food?..."
"Not at all...I'd rather have yogurt, thank you."
"And...whole wheat bread?..."
"Yes. I do so happen to be on a diet."
"Oh, I see."
"(Strange...he seems rather slender. Why the need for a diet?)"
"I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to speak of some secrets; why I happen to be on a diet, despite being slender."
"Oh? Not to worry, I won't press you for more details."
"That's good to hear."The man smiled openly, and it would seem so that his expression was more and more passionate than others appeared as. Was it just a coincidence, or did it feel as though a string connected each of their fates?
"People have always asked me why I go on a diet for no reason at all, but I haven't answered any of them."Feng eyed his hair, and strands were so thin it looked as if they were to fall off...
"Perhaps you've already guessed what situation I'm in, junior?"This man was always keeping to himself, and only bothered to respond if you respected his decisions. He couldn't tell if something was supposed to be wrong, or if it all just had to be a blind conclusion.
[To be continued in the next chapter, please be patient for the next one. Thank you for reading.]