"Zhou Jun!!!"
Ma Yuan screamed as he ran and hugged Zhou Jun tightly. Protecting his younger brother from every attack from the gangsters who came out of nowhere.
"Ma Yuan!!"
Zhou Jun screamed as he tried to push Ma Yuan away. Trying to change position. He wanted to protect Ma Yuan from the attack.
Ma Yuan remained stubborn and did not want to move. He continued to receive all the attacks until blood slowly flowed from his mouth.
"Ma Yuan...please...Ma Yuan!!!!"
Zhou Jun screamed as hard as he could. He cried nonstop before Bo Ya people came and save them.
"Ma Yuan... Please. Ma Yuan... Don't..."
Zhou Jun opened his eyes in fear. Cold sweat had already soaked his entire body. Zhou Jun turned to face Ma Yuan who looked comfortable in his dream next to him.
"Ma Yuan..."
Zhou Jun tried to caress Ma Yuan's cheek. But he stopped his intention. He felt unworthy. He failed to protect Ma Yuan when they were in danger.
"Ma Yuan. I'm sorry.. I failed."
Zhou Jun muttered. His tears began to flow down his cheeks like a stream. He hugged his blanket tightly to calm the guilt that was slowly burning through his entire soul and body.
"I'm sorry... Ma Yuan.... I'm sorry."
In the silence of the night, Zhou Jun uttered those words like a incantation until morning.
***
Ma Yuan opened his eyes as the morning sun greeted his cheeks. He squirmed for a moment before glancing at the clock on the desk. It was seven in the morning. An hour before class started.
Ma Yuan turned around. Facing Zhou Jun who was still asleep. Ma Yuan smiled. Seeing that face calmed him down. Since when? He himself wasn't sure. What was certain was that now he no longer needed his loyal friend like before.
"Five more minutes."
Ma Yuan said as he pulled the blanket back up to his shoulders. Then he curled up next to Zhou Jun. He pressed his body as close as he could to Zhou Jun's body.
It felt warm. The warmth that made him feel calm and save.
Zhou Jun opened his eyes as the clock rang. He tried to squirm to stretch his body but stopped. If he moved even a little, he would surely fall out of bed.
Zhou Jun turned to Ma Yuan. Too close. Zhou Jun peered at Ma Yuan's side of the bed. It was too empty to fit another Ma Yuan there.
Zhou Jun peered at Ma Yuan who was sleeping like a baby. Seeing that, Zhou Jun's heart once again felt cruelly torn. Ma Yuan's face as he tried to protect him was back in his eyes.
Zhou Jun ran his fingers through Ma Yuan's hair that covered his forehead and eyes. He gently stroke its back.
Bztt!!!
His heart felt like it was being hit by a high-voltage electric shock after hie eyes caught Ma Yuan's bare face that morning. Despite being pale, its was charming as an angel.
"Why haven't I seen all this before?" Zhou Jun's heart said.
"Hmmm.. Five more minutes..."
Ma Yuan muttered while rubbing his eyes. It sounded so spoiled and add the charming side of him.
"Okay. Okay. Go back to sleep. I'll wake you up in five minutes."
Zhao Jun said while gently patting Ma Yuan's shoulder. Put him back to sleep. Totally treating him like a baby.
"Mum... please forgive me. I think I've fallen in love with your only son." Zhou Jun let out a heavy sigh. He never expected that moment would come. The moment when he would fall in love with Ma Yuan. The bully he disliked the most. He only nemesis.
Twenty minutes passed. Zhou Jun took a deep breath. It was time for him to face reality.
"Ma Yuan. It's been five minutes. Time to wake up."
Zhou Jun gently patted Ma Yuan's cheek. Ma Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
"What time is it?"
He asked while writhing.
"Seven thirty."
Ma Yuan's eyes widened when he heard that.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier? It's already late..."
Ma Yuan grumbled as he jumped out of bed. But suddenly his vision got blurred and his head felt heavy. He almost fell to the floor. Luckily, Zhou Jun was able to catch him before he fell straight down, kissing the cold floor.
"Be careful. You're not completely heal yet."
Zhao Jun said softly.
"I'm not that weak."
Ma Yuan replied as he pushed Zhao Jun away.
"Yes. Yes. Yes. You're really strong. No one can deny that."
Zhao Jun said as he sat Ma Yuan on the edge of the bed. Zhou Jun knelt in front of Ma Yuan and said,
"But... now... I want you to act spoiled with me. At least for now."
Zhou Jun held Ma Yuan's hand.
"Give me a chance to repay you for protecting me that day."
He said again. Ma Yuan was silent. Ma Yuan's silence caused Zhou Jun's heart to pound. He looked up. He stared at Ma Yuan's face deeply. His heart was again attacked by deep melancholia.
"Ma Yuan..."
He called him softly.
"I know you don't like me. But I want you to know that I... will always be by your side."
He said. Ma Yuan pursed his lips. "Liar! You will leave me as soon as you have a lover." Ma Yuan murmured.
"So... let me take care of you."
Zhou Jun asked. "Then what? Do you want to live with me forever? You won't find anyone else? Like hell you could do that!" All those words and questions was only in Ma Yuan's heart. His lips were tightly locked.
Ma Yuan pulled his hand from Zhou Jun's grip.
"Don't talk more. You will forget all that when you find a lover one day."
He said. He stood up quickly and wanted to leave. However, Zhou Jun stood up faster and threw him on the bed.
"What the hell do you want to do to me!?"
Ma Yuan asked, starting to get nervous. His face turned white.
"Have you forgotten? That you snatched every lover of mine. You not even missed one of them. And it's not impossible for it to happen again."
Zhao Jun said as he climbed onto Ma Yuan's body. Seeing Ma Yuan at that moment made him lose all control of himself. Ma Yuan's face on the verge of tears really stimulated his adrenaline. Awakened his desire as a healthy young man.
"It's your own fault! You're the one who doesn't know how to take care of them."
Ma Yuan said angrily as he pushed Zhao Jun away with all of his might. Zhou Jun grabbed both of Ma Yuan's hands and locked them on the bed. The rope that bound his sanity was waiting for the time to break. He swallowed his saliva again and again. No different from a hungry wolf.
"If you don't start it's... there's no way they'll go to you."
He said, luring Ma Yuan's emotions. The more emotional Ma Yuan became, the more delicious Ma Yuan was to enjoy.
Ma Yuan became more nervous. His eyes began to glaze over. Now, the only warmth that remained also disappeared and pulled him into the deep abyss.
"Zhou Jun! You're crazy! Let me go, you scumbag!"
Ma Yuan screamed as he tried to escape from Zhou Jun's grip. All the strength he had while protecting Zhou Jun before had disappeared somewhere. Why did he feel so weak at that moment? Could it be because he wasn't fully healthy yet? Or did he really not have the strength to fight Zhou Jun from the beginning?
"Ma Yuan... how about became my lover instead?"
Zhao Jun said. Ma Yuan was stunned after hearing those words. Zhou Jun's face was stared deeply. His eyes calmed down and he stop struggling. Don't know if what he heard was real or just an illusion.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
A knock came from outside. Ma Yuan and Zhou Jun's eyes turned to the door. "Thank God..." Ma Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. "Who dares to come at a time like this?" Zhou Jun snapped roughly.
"Are you guys done arguing? Time to start the class."
Words from outside. It's was Jiang Hai.
"Haaa..."
Zhou Jun let out a heavy sigh. Still reluctant to let go of Ma Yuan. "Jiang Hai...just you wait!" He snapped in disappointment.
Zhou Jun pressed his face close to Ma Yuan's ear.
"What I said just now... I want you to think about it carefully. I'm dead serious."
Zhou Jun whispered and released his grip on Ma Yuan's hand.