FRIVOLOUS SNOW

56|Firsts

"s**t! Am I going to die too?" Yong Jie panicked as he tried to stop the bleeding and Yao Xue wiped clean his face with his white handkerchief.

Yao Xue saw that Yong Jie's eyes were redder at that time. The news that spreads says that the plague had no symptoms yet the people in the North confirmed that red eyes are the only sign of the said plague.

"Hush." Yao Xue finished wiping Yong Jie, looking good as new but Yong Jie still couldn't stop worrying about the plague. He didn't even know where he got it. Was it really the plague?

Yong Jie stared at Yao Xue. He couldn't deny that he feared dying again and before he does, he wanted to say something to Yao Xue.

"Yao Xue, I like you." Yong Jie said and he suddenly felt embarrassed. He sounds like a teenager confessing his love to a crush. "There, I said it already. I can die." Yong Jie looked away.

Yao Xue stared at Yong Jie who was getting a little awkward then a small smile stretched Yao Xue's lips. Yong Jie was surprised seeing Yao Xue smile.

Yong Jie pushed Yao Xue. "Don't go near me. You might get the plague."

"I won't." Yao Xue said and he pulled Yong Jie's wrist, checking his pulse.

Yong Jie could feel his cheeks getting warm despite the cold weather in Bing Guo. He just confessed and looking at Yao Xue, Yong Jie couldn't read what was in his mind. He wanted to read what was Yao Xue thinking.

"I won't let you die, so get up and let's find the demon." Yao Xue said and Yong Jie nodded, standing up.

Yong Jie smiled and his worry faded away believing that Yao Xue would never let him die.

"Young master Yao Xue is the best." Yong Jie smiled and then wondered. "How are we going to track the demon?"

Yao Xue looked at Yong Jie. "You can. You have something that can track its location."

"Because I have the plague?"

"The only thing to cure this plague is to kill the demon for the plague in your body is connected to the demon itself. Though, we couldn't take back the lives that have been taken, we can save those who are still breathing." Yao Xue said and Yong Jie nodded.

They went to an inn and paid a room. Yao Xue sat beside Yong Jie and held his hand then looked at Yong Jie before Yao Xue would start tracking the demon.

"Young master Yong Jie will stay here while I will chase the demon." Yao Xue said.

"No!" Yong Jie protested. "I don't want to wait here. It's my life too."

"Stay and wait." Yao Xue said and tightened his hold of Yong Jie's hand, closing his eyes.

Yong Jie was going to protest again but Yong Jie zipped his mouth when Yao Xue wasn't giving him attention anymore, focusing more on finding the demon.

Yao Xue could see a mist like string coming out from Yong Jie and Yao Xue followed it out of the window to lead him where the demon was. It extended up to where a crowd was gathered in the Central and it went farther more. In between Yao Xue's thought, he could see flashes of memories. It wasn't Yao Xue's memories but Yong Jie's and Yao Xue couldn't help but sigh in annoyance and part of him just wanted to chain Yong Jie beside him seeing how and where did Yong Jie encounter the demon.

It was that time when Yao Xue wasn't beside Yong Jie. Yao Xue was looking for an inn that time and Yong Jie was looking at a stall to grab something to eat. It was the man who stood beside him and pretended to buy something from the stall too. Yao Xue could only see the back of the man.

Yao Xue continued to follow the mist passing crowds and stalls until it stopped to a man with a familiar back. Yao Xue was confused about how the place changed. He was in the Central a moment ago and until a few turns here and there, Yao Xue found himself back in the town they spent the night before going to Central and the scene in front of him was the same as the scene that flashed in his mind a moment ago knowing where did Yong Jie get the plague.

It was that very time at that fruit stall where Yong Jie bought apples for the both of them.

Yao Xue slowly walked and he could clearly see Yong Jie scanning the fruits on the stall. Yao Xue stopped when the demon in human form stirred and slowly turned his head back, looking at Yao Xue.

Yong Jie looked at Yao Xue who was closing his eyes, holding his hand, and was very still, breathing softly. A few sticks of incense has passed did Yong Jie felt Yao Xue tightened his grip on his hand then finally opened his eyes.

"The demon knows we're tracking and looking for him." Yao Xue said and let go of Yong Jie's hand and stood up grabbing Jinghua. "Stay." Yao Xue said when Yong Jie stood up and also reached for Qing.

Yong Jie pouted and withdrew his hand.

"I will go back so wait for me." Yao Xue said.

"Fine. Take care then." Yong Jie said and watched Yao Xue turned to leave. "Ahh!" Yong Jie cried making Yao Xue turned around, his face worried.

Yong Jie took that opportunity to cross their distance and pressed his lips on Yao Xue's lips making Yao Xue stunned for a moment.

It was just a brief butterfly kiss but it sent shocks in Yao Xue's system leaving him speechless. It wasn't his first kiss with Yong Jie but that kiss has a different effect. It made his heart felt weird and longed to have more of it. It was his first time feeling that kind of feeling but it wasn't the perfect time to deal with those things.

"Now, go and come back for me." Yong Jie said and turned his back to Yao Xue. Yong Jie never felt that embarrassed in front of Yao Xue.

Yao Xue stared at Yong Jie's back and he caught a glimpse of the man's red ears making him smile. Yao Xue never felt that happy in his life. It was Yao Xue's first time wanting to pull someone in his arms and never let go. His first time wanting to kiss someone and being with that someone every day. Yao Xue never really cared to anyone but when it comes to Yong Jie, he always does.

Yao Xue could never explain how he wanted to protect Yong Jie before, but thinking about it now, Yao Xue figured how important was Yong Jie to him

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