Somewhere Between Lovers and Friends - Yizhan

Chapter Ten

Zhan had just returned from a checkup with Nanny Yingchun when he found Yibo sleeping in his room. Lying on the bed. Half-naked. Just wearing jeans.

It was so intimate watching Yibo sleep in his own bed. Sleeping on his pillow. But then, it was hard for Yibo to sleep in the other room when it was empty.

He felt sad as he watched Yibo. A lot has changed in their relationship. It's like they are no longer friends as they used to be. He felt that there was a wall between them. But neither were they lovers. What are they called?

Then she remembered Kenny Roger's song-Somewhere Between Lovers and Friends. Yibo probably felt his presence and woke up.

"Where have you been?" asked Yibo.

"Went for a check-up," Zhan sat on the edge of the bed. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm waiting for you. I'm hungry," Yibo got up and sat next to him.

"I brought your favorite dish. Caldereta beef, spicy."

Zhan stood up. "I will tell Nana to serve it."

He noticed that Yibo was quiet while eating. He didn't ask him because Nanny Yungchin was with them. When they finished eating, Yibo went out to the balcony in front of the house. He followed him.

"Is there a problem?" Zhan couldn't bear but asked.

Yibo looked at him and sighed. "It's about Cheng Xiao."

"What about her? Did you fight?" Zhan asked curiously.

"No. But she is asking when we're getting married."

Zhan was stunned. A few seconds passed before he looked up and smiled. "So, what's the problem there? Weren't you ready before?"

"Before, but..." Yibo looked at him. "Not now."

"Why?"

"How about you?"

"What about me?" Zhan asked again laughing. Although deep in his heart there is pain and suffering. "Ge, don't worry about me. As soon as you get married, Nana and I will leave from here."

"It's not that easy, Zhan," Yibo said with difficulty. "How can you tell your parents that we had a child after I married someone else? Maybe even my parents will be angry with me."

"I've thought about that," Zhan said in a raspy voice. "They don't need to know that you are the father. Anyway, according to our law, the child cannot use your name since we are not married. Maybe they will accept that I gave birth without a father. And who knows, maybe my son will be a boy, he can use Xiao."

"Do you think I would want my child to grow up without knowing his father?" anger and bitterness in Yibo's voice. "Zhan, that is also my child. And I'm just following what you want because I'm afraid of what you might do. That you might leave, and we'll never see you again. But don't take away my responsibility to my child as a father."

Zhan didn't immediately answer. He knows that Yibo will not agree to what he wants to happen but how will he tell their parents that the father of his child is Yibo?

"W-what about Cheng Xiao, what will she say when she finds out you're going to have a child with me?" Zhan asked.

"It doesn't matter what she says. The important thing is that I can be a father to our child," Yibo said firmly as he reached for his hands. "If she loves me... she'll understand me." Yibo hugged him.

"I don't know, Ge. I'm confused too," Zhan tried to control his sob. "Sometimes I can't sleep, I'm scared."

"Do you know I miss you?" Yibo held his chin and looked at his eyes. "You are not out of my sight, but it seems that you are no longer the old Zhan that I knew. It seems that my friend has disappeared."

And you'll never know just how much I missed you, Yibo. You'll never know just how much I care. But Zhan cannot voice it out.

"Don't worry about me Ge," Zhan smiled through misty eyes. "You will still be recognized as the father of my child... by us. All I want is for you to be happy with Cheng Xiao."

Yibo hugged him so tightly that he could hardly breathe. He didn't know what it was for. Then Yibo released him and left. Yibo didn't even get to say goodbye to Nanny Yungchin.

When he lost sight of Yibo, Zhan couldn't stop himself from crying. They are both struggling with the situation.