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墨書 Inktalez
Song Bunan woke up in a daze, his stomach growling. As he opened his eyes, he found himself in the familiar darkness of his home, the background noise filled with the hustle and bustle of evening traffic. The only source of light came from the flickering neon signs outside. Reaching out to the empty space beside him, he felt a warmth this time, accompanied by the enticing aroma of food wafting in from outside.
Xin Yi was sitting on the sofa, his long hair obscuring half of his face, with only the glowing tip of a cigarette flickering to indicate his presence. He hadn’t turned on any lights; instead, he was bathed in the glow from outside, looking like an old photograph.
Confident in his photography skills, Song Bunan captured this scene on his phone and “accidentally” shared it with his friends, captioning it: "My handsome partner." Xiao Mei was clearly still asleep, but Ming Hua responded with a speechless emoji, questioning how he could see any handsomeness when the person was barely visible. Was it all just imagination?
“...Bro, are you out of your mind?” Song Bunan pouted.
“I’m just getting old,” came the quick reply.
The conversation halted there as Song Bunan succumbed to the persistent grumbling of his stomach and followed the delicious scent to the dining table, where he spotted familiar takeout containers. Judging by the aroma emanating from them, this wasn’t food made by Song Buxian.
With a knowing squint, Song Bunan suspected that something was up with his dear brother.
The delivery consisted of congee and side dishes—three containers stacked six layers high—each filled with dishes he loved but had never seen Song Buxian prepare before.
“Brother Xin Yi~” he interrupted the man’s solitary reverie. “Did my brother send this?”
Snapped back to reality, Xin Yi extinguished his cigarette and quickly confirmed that it had arrived about an hour ago. Song Bunan gulped down half a bowl of congee before feeling revived enough to break apart a scallion pancake and offer half to Xin Yi. “I think my brother is up to something; this food is definitely not his cooking. He never makes these dishes for me. What are you waiting for? You must be hungry too—eat up!”
In a world as vast as this, eating was paramount. Without caring about the crumbs on his hands, Song Bunan pushed Xin Yi into a chair and insisted on feeding him a slice of meat.
“Let me tell you about our parents’ attitude toward my brother’s marriage. They say they don’t care now that I’m older, but they’re actually anxious to see him settled down. My mom keeps eyeing pretty girls when she goes out for walks, saying how nice it would be if such a beautiful girl were her daughter-in-law and how she’d love to shop with her every day. She can go on for hundreds of times in front of me, even asking if I know any suitable girls for my brother. I’ve tried to think of my female friends who might fit, but the only one who comes close is a doctor from the Jiang family, and she already has a boyfriend. What a pity.”
He was so hungry that he ate while talking. When he finally had the presence of mind to check on his boyfriend, he turned to find him still standing there, staring blankly at half a flatbread in his hand, chewing on the meat he had just given him. Song Bunan swallowed the food in his mouth and leaned closer, forcing Xin Yi to meet his gaze.
"What are you thinking? I can hear your stomach growling, and you're still not eating. Come on, tell me why you sneaked out and almost got caught. By the way, the boss is really handsome!" His actions drew the attention of the dazed person beside him, and a slight crack appeared on Xin Yi's otherwise expressionless face. Xin Yi swallowed his food and shook his head gently.
"I contacted the boss first because I wanted to discuss some recent matters with him. I didn't expect that message to be seen by others, and I almost got taken away. I feel like I'm regressing, losing my vigilance. It's a very unsettling feeling."
Seeing his boyfriend's confusion, Song Bunan picked out a piece of chili from the dish and shoved it into Xin Yi's mouth. The instinctive chewing made Xin Yi frown from the spiciness, casting a puzzled look at him.
"You know how I spent that year recovering after finishing the Multi-City Alliance mission?" Song Bunan set down his chopsticks and rested his chin on his hand as he spoke to Xin Yi. "The window of my hospital room faced a fruit tree. When I opened my eyes, it was blooming—so fragrant and beautiful. I couldn't speak with the breathing apparatus on, just watching my brother handle work on his laptop while talking to me. There were quiet moments too; he would play music while I lay there feeling the pain from my wounds. Since I couldn't move, I could only signal with my eyes that I wanted to see the flowers outside, but I got scolded for wanting to disturb nature while I was supposed to be lying still."
"I didn't accept it; I rolled my eyes at him and got flicked on the forehead—ouch! By the time I could see little fruits on that tree, I was already preparing for rehabilitation. That was the hardest time of my life; all my once-proud physical abilities—strength, skills, reflexes—had vanished. Even lifting my hand felt like a monumental task. The worst part was dreaming."
"Every detail of that ambush replayed in my dreams over and over again, even arranging for me to get hit by attacks that I had originally avoided—it felt so real and painful. But maybe because deep down I knew I was safe now, I began to unconsciously fall into deep sleep after those nightmares; during rehab, I'd suddenly feel very sleepy and just collapse into sleep. My brother said at first he couldn't even react fast enough to catch me."
"For two years after that, I couldn't return to my pre-injury state. It wasn't until I graduated and opened that shop that one time when burning paper for offerings, I was drawn by the flames and almost walked into them. The fire was scorching; it dried out my skin and made it tight, even singeing my hair with a horrible smell. It was Xiao Mei who rushed over to stop me and gave me a beating; it was then that I remembered why I used to be so capable."
"It was confidence. Before my injury, I firmly believed I could handle everything thrown at me, but being betrayed during a mission shattered that belief and left me powerless—surviving became difficult. Thankfully, it wasn't too late for me; I didn't end up burnt to a crisp."
This was the first time Xin Yi heard Song Bunan talk about his past pain, and sadness welled up in his heart. He reached out to touch the man's face but was caught by the wrist instead, meeting a pair of bright eyes. Song Bunan said, "So, Brother Xin Yi, everyone you can trust in Mighty Falcon is here; they are all working towards your common goal together. Don't carry any psychological burdens; don't trap yourself in this situation. Trust me; we can solve this together. I'm reliable."
That determined gaze felt like a shot of adrenaline piercing through Xin Yi's restless heart. All his confusion and discomfort were blown away by Song Bunan's refreshing presence. During this time of feeling lost without a "place to belong," he found support once again in this moment. A new shelter rose from the ruins—a house named Song Bunan—would always keep its doors open for him.
"I believe in you." He embraced Song Bunan tightly and told him with utmost certainty, "I will always believe you are my support; always believe it. And I swear on my life that I will never betray you or hurt you. Bunan, I really, really like you."
It was not enough to just say it. Song Bunan pushed the person away and, taking advantage of the moment, kissed fiercely.
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