A month later.....

"Ma! I'm going to have water fetched!" Shouts Wei having his two buckets of water.

"But we still have dear." Standing by the door.

"It's okay. I should make myself busy. It's my day off, and Cheng wouldn't even want me near the office."

"It's because he wants you to rest."

"I'm fine. Also I already told Ji yang that we'll go together." Walking away while his mother shakes her head sadly.

"Let him be. At least he is, well... Better!" Looking at his wife

"You are right?" Sighing after.

"Ji yang!" Calls Wei walking towards him.

"Wei! Hello. Look over there. The saloon is being renovated." Pointing towards the old salon that Wei used to work with.

"Is someone attempting to shift in, to live?" Looking at Ji yang. "But that's too small."

"You are right?"

That's when they get to see someone coming out with a tin of paint. With whistling, slowly he starts to paint the outside the white color is gone replaced by green apple.

"Good taste?" Nods Wei. Decoration also is his taste, so the guy is good... In choosing colors.

"You are right." That's all Ji yang could say. "Let's go."

They choose to walk slowly so they could take a glance.

"Haoxuan, if you keep sleeping like that! Why don't you just leave? I'll wrap up everything."

The two guys stop. Two heads turn, two steps back, two steps back, until they were facing directly inside. The once crusty door, now is a beautiful brown double doors, one open and one closed.

"I'm tired. Let me rest. Or you need help?" A voice from inside asks.

"Are you asking me that?" The guy with a black mask mummers. He can't take that off, because of shielding himself from the strong smell. "Seriously you ask me that! Bring your thin tights here. I need help yes?"

"When did your mouth become that dirty? I'm coming."

The two buddies are holding their breaths now.

"Take this." Throwing the brush to him.

"Wang- Haoxuan?" Calls Ji yang.

The two busy men turn to face the others.

"You better don't be." Gulps Ji yang.

"Who is Haoxuan here?" The guys with black mask asks.

"Haoxuan said I should help him. He is tired. Sleeping." The guy takes off his white mask smiling at the black masked man.

"Sure. Haoxuan, you better leave before I chop your ass cheeks out!" The black masked guy shouts.

"He is dead sleep. So he- Won't hear you a bit🤏." He shows with a sign that it's useless.

"He should wait and see. Douchebag!" Scowls the black masked guy.

"Let's go Ji yang. There are many Haoxuan's." Parts Wei before pulling him.

Are you okay?" Asks the guy, after seeing the black masked guy's mood change, no! Tearing, the tears dispersing on the mask.

"I'm fine." His voice shaky, as his palm which drops the brush.

"Why did you insist on coming here when it's hard?" The real Haoxuan comes out pulling the masked guy inside. "The money will rise. Finish up."

"Sure." As the door closes.

Inside it's too cozy. A one huge bed, a table with it's chair. A small movable cabinet, with few clothes in it. A fan that's rounding, two bulbs giving light. And a fur baby pink carpet on the floor. A pair of slippers with three pairs of sport shoes. The inside wall too is of green apple.

"I know it's hard. But I have to. It's my fault. I shouldn't have done this!" Throwing the mask away.

"I can't be hiding. I miss him too. I heard his voice and it was hard for me not to come out. I'm just grateful he didn't jump in." Looking at the guy. "You almost changed everything yibo, it won't be easy for just anyone to recognize you." Haoxuan comments.

"I'm sure even if my body was burnt, he'd recognize me, but I'm not sure of that anymore. That's why I want to earn the forgiveness before I court him again." Blinking his tears away.

"Do you need help?" The two try to hide when they hear Ji yang's voice again.

"No thank you. I get money here."

"It's not like we would take your money? Right Wei?"

"Mhm..hmm... He is right." Wei agrees with Ji yang

"It's okay. I pay him. So he should work hard or else I'd reduce the sum." Comes out the masked guy(Yibo)

"That's right. I won't allow my money to be reduced. So please leave."

"So arrogant." Groans Wei. Leaving with his buckets and Ji yang follows but he didn't stop to look back and grasp the face of someone who was peeping. Shaking his head he walked fast to go home.

"He has become more powerful." Haoxuan smiles.

"Yeah." Nods yibo.

.......

"Hello? Is everything okay? Open the door please!" Shouts Wei after seeing the smoke coming from the small window of the room. Continuous coughing was heard before the door was pushed open and when Wei entered, it was a good mess. "What happened?" Coughing too.

"I was trying to make lunch for myself." Swaying his palm to squash the smoke.

"And at the end you burned all of it. It's charcoal pebbles(the meat) now?" Wei bursts into laughter.

"Yeah." Sniffing a bit.

"But don't you feel more suffocating. Take that off!" Trying to take the mask away.

"Ah no no no!!!" Screams yibo but now the mask is gone.

The world stops before them, only smoke around them.

"You could have make a good model." Wei strokes his face. "You really are handsome." Resting his palm on his jaw. "Can I introduce you to someone?" He asks again.

"No. I don't like being a model. I have work too?"

"But it might be not a good work?" Raising a brow

"It is!? How do you take me for! I run a company!" Crossing his arms, sneakily closing and opening his palms, they are too sweaty and trembling.

"Is that so? Then you aren't a show off guy?" Smiling sadly.

"My boyfriend once told me that too? That's why I want to try more than I did already." Facing his toes.

"Did you break up?" Wei becomes eager.

"I don't think that was break up. To me was more like cheating? Betrayal? Or if not lack of trust to each other? Or me to him?" States yibo.

"It's a boy?"

"Mhm..hmm." nods yibo.

"Oh." That's all Wei could speak.

.......

"Haikuan?" Calls loudly Mrs Yanli this time.

"Mother! Sorry, was a bit distracted."

"Dear, still no clues about him?" Asks him.

"Yeah. We tried to search there America, but seems like he hid nicely. No any clues about yibo or Haoxuan." Sadly looking at her.

"I'm sure he is fine."

"Why do you think he left on his wedding day?"

"I don't know? Maybe, he was still unsure or maybe, there was something he didn't do till his marriage and couldn't tell anyone. So the only option is for him to choose one." Crossing one leg on the other. "Or perhaps, he wanted to something on himself without anyone avoiding him."

"What?"

"Surgery? Plastic surgery." Yanli lowly speaks.

"He didn't --

Hurriedly he took his phone and dialed Paul's number, yibo's friend.

"Meet with me outside the office. Coffee shop." Ending the call. "Mom, I have to go, see you later." With the grey tailored trouser and a black pull neck sweater, with his sandals, Haikuan left the house as he was.

.

.

"I can't tell you that Haikuan." Paul refuses to say where yibo is.

"You have to tell me Paul. You will. Where is yibo, where was he? You running his company, means that he is somewhere where you guys meet, have a talk, tell him about his company, so you know his whereabouts. Now tell me."

"I can't."

"Tell me BASTARD!! I'm his brother, and I should be the one to know, not a stranger like you. I mean, just tell me, for sake!"

"Yeah. Don't you ask yourself why he trusts this stranger than you, his brother?" Mocks Paul.

"Tell me bitch!" Throwing him a punch causing ruckus inside the coffee shop they just went.

"That's why he didn't tell you. Because you'd act this assy. And that's the fact I'm not going to tell you. So if you excuse me! I'm a busy man as a trustee too?" Standing, he rubs his tux before leaving.

People kept starring at Haikuan who just drunk the whole hot coffee without a blink. While Paul ran like a cat the moment he reached outside, snatching his phone dialed a number.

"Think your phone is ringing. It really makes noise?" Hides his laugh when yibo takes a phone that's a size of a bar of soap. "That's the phone you are using? Too old?"

"Yeah." Struggling to accept the call. "This helps me to hide from greedy workers who want to track me down and get my money. Uh- where do I accept the call?" Asking Wei, facepalming inwardly. 'you are just useless yibo.'

"So funny, here. Now answer it."

"Hello? Pau- uh...excuse me." Yibo worked outside. "Paul, what is it?"

"Your brother brat! He came all the way asking me about you, my cheek, my cheek's paining now. And I think if you want him safe, just meet him. He came with a car and the way he left, I can't guarantee that."

"Aren't you able to stop him? Tell him I'm on my way. Please?" Asks yibo, already taking the keys on his table wearing his sandals.

"Then I'll hang up." And the call ends.

"I have to go we- I mean boy?" Yibo changed.

"What's your name?" Asks Wei.

"Umm... Me, my, me- my name is Beast." Smiling sheepishly. "I have to go. See you." Shouts yibo running away.

My handsome beast.

Mummers Wei to himself with an ignorant scowl that follows after.

"What is it that you want, making me sit here like a crazy guy who has nothing to do? I have a lot of works but not a time to waste." Scrambles Haikuan, so he can leave.

"I just want a medicine for my cheek. The punch, hurts. So I want treatment." Paul ogles at him.

"Really? But surely and promisingly, you deserved that, disgusting tit!" Haikuan cusses again. He had already cussed a lot when Paul hanged on his waist just so he doesn't leave.

"Oh! That's a relief, there he comes." Pointing to the guy who just came from the door looking for them. "Yibo!....

And when he turned Haikuan almost peed on his seat. The yibo he knew no one can recognize him, but- his eyes and lips speak more.

Because, he is his brother.

"Paul, sorry buddy." Turning towards his brother. "Brother--

"What did you do yibo?" Asks Haikuan standing up.

"This is the sole reason that none of you should've known. And I think it was better, for me actually." Looking at his brother.

"Do you still have trust issues with me?" Asks Haikuan looking at yibo.

"What do you--

"That's why you thought that including your friend, and Haoxuan, your beautiful brother you grew up with? I get it. To you I'm still an outsider and I'm fine with it. But you shouldn't have hurt those who were willing to sacrifice anything just for you." Standing up he eyed yibo. "I have to go. After all, it's not like I care about any of your forgiveness but I think someone should deserve more." Saying so Haikuan left.

"Haikuan, I mean brother- wait." Yibo grasped his hand like something he wouldn't wish to lose. "I trust you... More than anything. But I was just scared. Scared that no one would want me to do this since I came this far. But, none of you understood how much I tried to reach here, and because I got someone whom I called my second heart, it just pushed me more to do this. I didn't care if looked like someone different, but at least I'd be able to everything that anyone did without any hindrance, hesitation, question, or even doubt." Grasping more his arm turning it red. "You were the first person I'd meet even before him. Because I know, everywhere would be hard except to you, my blood, where I could seek solace and fight for what I'm about to lose completely." Facing down.

Haikuan was breathing hard, that he would faint from loss of oxygen. Yanking his arm away, he turned and pinned yibo's shoulders.

"You broke my heart. More than I could even bring it together. You were a hero yibo. You were strong all along the hard journey, I always envied you, know that? Then why would other people make you crumble like ashes? Just why? And Wei was already satisfied with how you were then-

"But not me gē? Not me! I always knew that I lacked somewhere and wanted to make up for it. I wanted to be a boyfriend that Wei wanted, I wanted to do everything that others did when they were in relationships. I never cared about myself, then why shouldn't I put all my efforts for someone who loved me from his heart and do something good for him?" Gulping harshly. "So you don't see me as your brother now!Because I changed, I look like a stranger to you!"

"That's not it?"

"That what! And why?" asks in a pleading manner. Dropping his arms. "Then I also lost my first love. If that's what you are referring. I lost Wei."

"You BEAST!!" A shrieking scream echoed the whole coffee shop.

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Thank you 💕💕💕