For the next half month, Essen Reed and Alexander Gale kept in touch online, exchanging only a few messages, sharing bits of their daily lives. They became familiar with each other but nothing flirtatious.
On Christmas Eve, in the evening, Benjamin Reed came back to the Parisian spa resort after work and entered Essen Reed's room, saying, "This New Year, we're going back to London."
Essen Reed, who was sitting on the carpet drawing, didn't look up, "Hmm."
"The day after tomorrow, I'll have my assistant pick you up. It's colder in London, wear thicker clothes."
"Hmm."
Benjamin Reed sat on the sofa, pressed down a tuft of hair sticking up on his head, "Not happy?"
Essen Reed drooped his mouth, "Don't know."
"You don't know if you're happy?"
"I don't know what Alexander Gale feels about me."
Benjamin Reed's face darkened, "You've been in contact with him?"
He scrolled through the Facebook messages, which were quite mundane, "Pretty much like any online friend."
"..."
"But he asked me to come back to London."
Benjamin Reed's temple twitched, "And after you go back?"
Essen Reed shook his head, "Don't know."
Alexander Gale had never made any promises.
Benjamin Reed lightly patted his head, "You're just stubborn, even when reality is laid out before you, you still want to hit the south wall."
He looked up, his eyes determined, "I've backed down once before."
At 16, naive and unknowing, the first time he saw the dazzling Alexander Gale, he was captivated.
At 18, he had mustered up the courage to confess his feelings, but then he heard Alexander Gale say, "Homophobic, don't bother."
Back then, he wasn't brave enough, those four words drove him back, and he buried his feelings, coming to Paris.
Five years later, seeing Alexander Gale again, his desires were nearly uncontrollable, and Alexander Gale, knowing his feelings, showed no disgust.
He thought, he needed to be brave once more, even if the outcome was undesirable, at least there would be no regrets.
Benjamin Reed sighed, "Alright, do whatever you want, your brother will always have your back."
Essen Reed smiled, his eyes curving, "Bro, you're the best."
"Hmph, just don't cry when you're rejected."
"I won't cry."
Benjamin Reed looked at the time, stood up, "It's late, go to sleep, I'm leaving."
"Hmm, bye."
After sending his brother off, Essen Reed, having finished his routine, lay on the bed and for the first time made a voice call to Alexander Gale.
The call was quickly answered, the voice sounded tired, "Hello…"
He placed the phone on the pillow, hands propping his cheeks, "What are you doing?"
"Working overtime."
"Oh, then you're busy."
After saying that, he hung up.
In London, in a private villa, the brightly lit study room.
Alexander Gale looked at the hung-up call, smiled, leaned back on the chair, and redialed.
"Hello…"
"Essen Reed, can you stop hanging up on people like that?"
Essen Reed's eyes curved, "Aren't you busy?"
Alexander Gale chuckled, "I still have time to take a call."
"Oh…"
"Why did you suddenly decide to voice call me?"
He licked his somewhat dry lips, softly calling, "Alexander Gale."
"Hmm."
"Do you want to see me?"
Alexander Gale was stunned for two seconds, "Have you come back?"
"Do you want to see me?"
He teased, "What if I said no?"
After a silence, Essen Reed sullenly said, "But I want to see you…"
For a moment, Alexander Gale's heartbeat skipped, a feeling he had never experienced before slowly entwined his heart, indescribable.
He asked again, "Alexander Gale, do you like boys now?"
"I…"
"If you like boys now, and kind of want to see me, then I'll come back to London to pursue you."
Alexander Gale seemed to hear the intense heartbeat from his chest, his Adam's apple moved slightly, his hoarse voice carrying a hint of seduction, "Essen Reed, come."
It was like fireworks exploded in his mind, so dazzling that Essen Reed's eyes reddened slightly, he clutched the pillow tightly, making a request, "I want you to pick me up at the airport."
"Send me your flight number."
"Okay."
Alexander Gale saw it was almost midnight, lost interest in work, "It's late, shouldn't you be sleeping?"
Essen Reed turned over, covered himself with a blanket, "Hmm, I'm going to sleep."
"Sleep then, good night."
"You too, rest early, good night."
The call ended, Alexander Gale returned to the bedroom, showered, and saw the message from Essen Reed five minutes ago with the flight number, arriving at the capital international airport at eight o'clock tomorrow evening.
He smiled, sent an OK gesture, and after lying down, felt an indescribable nervousness and anticipation.
*
London was indeed much colder than Paris, especially at night, it was bone-chilling.
The plane was delayed by half an hour, and Essen Reed landed at 8:30, wearing a long white down jacket, wrapped tightly in a scarf, dragging a 20-inch suitcase.
Turning on his phone, several messages popped up, all from Benjamin Reed, which he ignored to open Alexander Gale's chat.
It was too cold, his fingers were frozen, so he sent a voice message directly, "Have you come to pick me up?"
Alexander Gale replied instantly, "Look up."
Essen Reed did as told, and not far away, Alexander Gale stood in a turtleneck sweater, a long black coat, his tall figure and outstanding looks made him stand out from the crowd.
He smiled and waved.
Essen Reed's nose tingled, and he slowly walked over.
As he approached, Alexander Gale put away his phone, naturally took his suitcase, and with one arm around his shoulder, led him outside, "Cold?"
He looked up slightly, glancing at the man, "Cold."
Alexander Gale looked down, seeing his exposed hands turning slightly purple from the cold, his brows furrowed slightly, "Keep your hands in your pockets."
Essen Reed put one hand in his down jacket pocket and the other in the coat pocket, squeezing the car keys inside, blinking his bright eyes.
He smirked, teasing, "Not very modest."
Essen Reed didn't watch the road, just looked at him, "I've come all this way to pursue my husband, why should I be modest?"
"Tsk…" The directness caught him off guard, he pretended to be serious, "Who's your husband?"
Essen Reed looked away, "Oh, not yet."
Hoping it would be soon.
Outside was even colder, Alexander Gale first stuffed Essen Reed into the passenger seat, then put the suitcase in the trunk, got in the car, started it, and left the airport.
"Shall I take you for some hot soup first?"
Essen Reed was replying to his brother, "Hmm."
"Beep beep beep…"
The next second, Benjamin Reed's call came in.
"Bro…"
His brother sounded frustrated, "Where did you run off to?!"
Essen Reed confessed, "I'm in London."
"You, you… Didn't I say tomorrow?!"
He glanced to the side, "But I wanted to see Alexander Gale sooner."
"..."
Alexander Gale almost lost control of the steering wheel, not, this was too direct! How to handle this?!
Benjamin Reed felt a pain in his chest from holding his breath, unable to do anything about him, asked angrily, "Did you bring enough clothes?"
"I'll buy more."
He left in such a hurry that he only brought a few personal clothes, the only thick clothing was what he was wearing.
"Find a decent hotel, keep warm."
"Got it."
"Just landed? Go have a meal, something warm."
"Hmm…"
Just as they hit a red light, Alexander Gale stopped the car, reached out to take Essen Reed's phone, "I'll take good care of him."
"..."
Benjamin Reed was silent, not knowing what to say, finally, through gritted teeth, he squeezed out, "Thanks for the trouble."
"It's no trouble, I'm happy to."
"…"
Damn, he wanted to curse. Although it was his own brother who approached first, there was still a heartache like a well-cared-for cabbage being dug up!