Someone like you..

34. Haoxuan comes to Yunmeng...

Yubin left after saying what he wanted to and left Zhan behind with his thoughts. Yubin had said that Yibo might love him. There was a chance he did and even though the opportunity was right in his grasp, Zhan was hesitating. Xiao Zhan was not scared easily. His uncle often said that his nature was exactly like his mother. Bold and playful. In his entire life, Zhan had known when to fight and when to yield and it was one of his greatest strengths. He could fight for Yibo. He could easily call Yibo and tell him that he loved him but the fear of getting rejected was so great, it was making him sick. Gulping down another glass of water he took a calming breath. He could do this. Yibo liked him. He was sure of this. Yibo spent all of his free time with him, they talked, laughed, the sex was phenomenal and Zhan knew that none of those feelings came because of their mating arrangement. It happened because they genuinely liked being around each other. Zhan genuinely liked being around Yibo and he couldn't picture himself with someone else now. True mates were not easily found and even though Zhan had wanted to find the one meant for him, Zhan now knew that he would never be able to love another like he loved Yibo. It was Yibo he desired and wanted the Alpha to wear his mark like he did. It was somewhat special because Zhan had chosen Yibo to be his. It wasn't someone else but his own decision to be with Yibo. So what if they weren't a fated pair? It didn't make Zhan love Yibo any less. Yibo was worth taking a chance. Their relationship was worth it.

Maybe a verbal kick in the butt by Yubin was all Zhan needed. He could be happy. He could be with someone who wanted him and accepted him with all his flaws. He heard three hard knocks on the door and snapped out of his thoughts. Thinking it was someone from the pack, Zhan opened the door and surprisingly found Wang Haoxuan on the other end if it. Not the usual cocky, smirking and confident Haoxuan but a disheveled and frustrated one. If Jiyang had been in bad shape, the Alpha looked even worse. Seemed like he really hadn't lasted long without his Omega. "Where is he?", asked Xuan in a desperate voice and Zhan could feel the Alpha's sanity hanging by a thin thread. Opening the door wide, Zhan let Xuan inside and gestured towards the guestroom. "He is inside. He fell asleep a while ago. He looked exhausted." Xuan nodded his head slowly and stared at the ground unsure and waiting for Zhan to give him an earful. Zhan wanted to. He wanted to kick this bastard in the nuts and watch while he suffered. Haoxuan had made Jiyang cry. He had promised to care for Jiyang but now they were in a situation where Jiyang was doubting the very foundation of his relationship with Xuan. Zhan wanted to punish Xuan for breaking Jiyang's heart by being this stupid. He wouldn't be a good friend to Jiyang if he didn't worry about him and protected him but Zhan also knew Haoxuan was Jiyang's Alpha. Stupid or not, the Alpha worshipped the ground Jiyang walked on and being away from his Omega had clearly taken a toll on him. Only a fool would stand between mates or try to separate them. Although, it was kind of funny that Haoxuan was waiting for Zhan to scold him.

"I won't say anything to you, Xuan. It's not me you owe an explanation to, it's Jiyang. I know you tolerate me because Jiyang cares for me but I consider you a friend. Give Jiyang some time. Let him sleep and get himself together. You can stay here today and sort things out when he wakes up." Zhan gave him a small smile and saw Xuan's shoulders relax as if an invisible weight had lifted off his shoulders. Given Xuan's nature, it was because Xuan now knew he didn't have to hurt Xiao Zhan to get to his mate. Zhan wasn't foolish enough to think that he meant something to Xuan. Xuan would gladly rip Zhan apart if he kept Jiyang away from him. The temptation to tease and punish the Alpha was there but Zhan saw that the guy was suffering by himself enough. "Thanks for letting me in. I just...I can't stay away for too long. I gave him a couple of hours but I couldn't do it anymore." Zhan gave Xuan a look of understanding and patted the man's shoulder. "It's fine. There are sandwiches in the kitchen. It looks like you haven't had anything to eat. Jiyang had a few so you don't have to worry about him. Help yourself." Zhan was almost out of the room but then poked his head into the living room again. "Listen, I know you guys have a tough time keeping your paws off each other but please, I don't want you to doing the dirty in my house. Take it elsewhere if you can." With those words, he left the room and as he opened the door to his room he heard his phone buzz. It was Wang Yibo calling him. His heart thundered in his chest all of a sudden and he answered the call only after he had taken in a few deep breaths. "Zhan? You didn't respond to my messages." The cold, accusing tone had Zhan smiling like a lovesick fool. Yep, he had definitely gone crazy if he found the voice adorable. "I thought you would be busy and I was about to call you later", he reasoned. "I am never busy for you. Respond when I call or text you." Zhan hummed his answer and enquired about the matter at Aura. "Are you done with everything there?" "The vamps were delivered to Zhang Wei but wrapping things here might take a while. How much longer will it take for your friend to get better? When should I pick you up?", asked Yibo and Zhan bit his lips while answering. "Not anytime soon. Xuan is also here and I don't know how Jiyang will react to Xuan. He found out that Haoxuan's reasons for approaching him weren't what he expected. There was this guy we knew in college and turns out that Xuan-....Yibo?Are you listening?, he asked when he didn't hear anything from the other end but Yibo was still on the line. "Hm. I am." "You weren't saying anything", Zhan huffed and started talking again. "So Bowen was a guy in college who followed Jiyang around. Jiyang found out that Xuan is friends with him...wait a minute. You knew!!!", exclaimed Zhan and when the man on the other line hummed his agreement, Zhan face palmed himself. How could have Zhan been so stupid? Of course Wang Yibo knew. The lack of surprise or interest in their conversation should have been a giveaway.

"Why didn't you tell me?", he asked irritably but Yibo had no reaction to his outburst. "It's Xuan's life. His story to tell." Zhan frowned at his words but chose to let the matter go. It was no use saying anything to Yibo. It wasn't in Yibo's nature to meddle in other people's business. "Fine. But, I need to know if what I have seen in these years is true. Haoxuan loves Jiyang, doesn't he?" It was stupid to ask for reassurance but Zhan knew Yibo wouldn't lie. Yibo had known Xuan for so long, he had to know the man inside out. "He does. Your friend doesn't have to worry about my cousin leaving him.  He should be worried because Xuan is clingy to the extent that's unhealthy." Zhan laughed at the words and carelessly said, "That's good. No one should have to wonder if they are loved or not. It's good to know that Haoxuan won't stay away from his Omega." "No Alpha is capable of staying away from his Omega. We are all the same when it comes to our mates." Wang Yibo's words were soft and Zhan knew this was the moment he was waiting for. He mustered every ounce of courage he could before saying, "It's the same for me, Wang Yibo. I can't stay away from you either." The man on the other end of the line had gone silent but Zhan wanted to say what he had kept in his heart for so long. "You will think this is coming out if nowhere but I have kept this in me for a while now. I don't really know how it happened. Since the day I met you, my life has been turned upside down but I don't want to change any of it. All of it led me to you, Yibo. I wish I could tell you when it happened. I can't. What I can tell you is that you are the person I want to wake up next to everyday. I want to share all of my joys and sorrows with you. Even if you don't feel the same way, I need you to know that I...I love you,Wang Yibo. I want to spend my life with you. I want to love you till the day I take my last breath. Will you give me that chance? Will you give us a chance?"

Zhan wanted, no, he needed Yibo to say yes but when Yibo didn't say the one word he had wanted to hear, Zhan felt his stomach sink. Realisation dawned upon him and Zhan closed his eyes to endure the sharp pain in his chest. Yibo didn't say yes because he didn't feel the same way as him. Tears burned his eyes but he refused to let them fall, biting his lips to stop himself from begging Yibo. He didn't want Yibo to give them a chance out if pity. If Zhan wasn't what made Yibo happy, Zhan wouldn't  force him. With a beep, Zhan hung up the call and sank to his knees as a tear made it's way down his cheek. Yibo didn't want him. Yibo didn't love him. He had been so stupid. "Why the fuck are you so surprised, Xiao Zhan? A half-Omega like you, what could you possibly offer Yibo? Why would Yibo love someone like you?" Tears spilled out from his almond eyes and Zhan let them. He had never felt pain like he was feeling now. His heart was shattered to pieces and even though Zhan had been prepared for it, it still fucking hurt. Curling himself into a ball, Zhan cried silently on the cold floor of his room, wondering why was he so hard to love.