As they drove towards the bar, Yohan's expression grew increasingly sullen. Landon couldn't help but notice his friend's change in mood and glanced over at him while driving.
"Do you hate bar that much?" he asked, trying to understand what was bothering Yohan.
"Hmmm... I used to replace my cousin and go there a few times." Yohan replied, frowning as memories of past experiences flooded his mind. "It was never a good time for me."
Yoh would often cause trouble with some of young masters at the bar, leaving Yohan to take the blame or be beaten up in place of his cousin. It was just another way that Yoh had bullied him over the years.
Landon's expression furrowed with concern as he listened intently. "I actually wanted to ask you about your cousin when you mentioned replacing him at school." He said thoughtfully. "And now it seems like you've also been replacing him again... but this time at the bar? What does this all mean?"
"It's because we look so much alike, only people who know us very well can tell us apart." Yohan explained with a sigh.
The thought of looking identical to Yoh was like a curse for him, and he couldn't help but snort at the thought of people in his past life not believing that they were two different individuals.
Suddenly, Landon's car swerved slightly, causing both men to jolt in their seats.
"Wait... wait... were you raised to be your cousin's clone? To be a sacrifice if something goes wrong with him?! Is your uncle's family crazy?!" Landon exclaimed in disbelief.
Yohan felt a pang of fear that Landon would lose concentration on driving because of his anger towards his uncle's family. He quickly tried to calm his friend down before things got out of hand.
"We can discuss all this when we get out of the car, Landon..." Yohan said softly. "I don't want us to die because of my uncle's family."
Landon took a deep breath and nodded in agreement, realizing that Yohan was right about prioritizing their safety over everything else.
*
*
As they arrived at the bar, darkness had already enveloped the city. Landon held Yohan's shoulder reassuringly before they entered.
"It's okay, Yohan. This bar is mine... so nothing will happen as long as I accompany you." He said in a soothing voice.
Yohan nodded gratefully but his steps still felt heavy as they walked inside. However, once they were there, he noticed that the atmosphere was far more elegant and peaceful than any of the bars Yoh used to drag him to. He breathed a sigh of relief and followed Landon towards a lounge sofa where they sat down.
"How are you feeling now? Do you still feel uncomfortable?" Landon asked with concern etched on his face.
Yohan smiled and shook his head gently. "Not really."
"Jun will be here soon, so relax, you'll have two protectors here" Landon chuckled, sending a message to his boyfriend.
Yohan felt more at ease knowing that Jun was coming. At least he would have the assurance of protection from his boxer friend.
"Have you ever tried drinking alcohol before? Would you like to try it?" Landon asked, gesturing towards the menu filled with various drinks.
Yohan hesitated for a moment, his past experiences with alcohol were not exactly pleasant. But at the same time, he was curious about the drinks on offer here.
"Can you recommend something to me?" Yohan finally asked tentatively. Landon's eyes lit up at Yohan's question.
"Of course! How about a fruity cocktail? It's sweet and refreshing, perfect for beginners!" He suggested with a grin.
Yohan nodded in agreement, feeling intrigued by the idea of trying something new. As Landon went to order their drinks, Yohan took the time to observe his surroundings. The bar was filled with people from all walks of life, each lost in their own conversations or simply enjoying the ambiance.
Unfortunately, Yohan was unaware of the predatory eyes that were fixated on him from behind. By the time he realized their existence and felt a chill run down his spine, it was already too late. His wrist was lifted up abruptly, causing him to stand up from his seat. A firm hand hugged his waist and turned his body around until he was facing a tall man with a handsome face in front of him.
Yohan's heart pounded with fear as everything happened so quickly that he couldn't react in time. The sight of the handsome face with a childish grin made him stop breathing for a moment. He looked at the man holding him with terrified gaze, his heart beating so fast that it felt like it would burst out of his ribcage.
"Found you... We finally met..."
Yohan's heart skipped a beat as he heard that voice again. It was the same voice that had once filled his heart with affection, yet also brought fear and sadness.
It was the voice of his first love, the one who had shattered Yohan's heart into a million pieces. But it was also the voice of someone important for him from another lifetime.
Kane, his husband in his past life.