Chapter 44

Chapter 44

This summer’s weather has been really weird.

Sometimes, the sunlight lingers for what feels like forever, as if it should have set long ago instead of staying overhead. But at other times, the sky suddenly turns pitch black in the blink of an eye.

Just like now.

Shortly after the two arrived, the surroundings had turned completely dark.

The place Ye Jishu brought him to was a mountain.

Even though most mountains look the same, this one felt different.

He remembered seeing it from the bus. But he hadn’t expected that what they were looking for would be here. No wonder Ye Jishu had been staring out the window back then—perhaps he was thinking about that "stone."

The air was filled with the damp, earthy smell after the rain.

Above them was a green canopy, like the one at school.

When the breeze passed through, it felt like a green wave rolling overhead.

"It’s like the enclosed passageway of an aquarium."

However, they were now surrounded by overgrown greenery. Even though they were wearing long pants and shirts, they could still feel the slight sting of the tall grass scraping their skin, and the stifling heat seeped through their clothes.

Not far away, Ye Jishu took a few steps and stopped.

Then he turned back, looking at Yan Mei. Though his expression remained blank, the latter could sense a flicker of hesitation on his face.

"Are you sure there’s nothing planned for tonight?"

"Jishu is trying to look out for me."

Yan Mei knew one thing.

Ye Jishu never cared about how others felt, but now he was starting to think about how I felt.

Even if it was just a single sentence, it made him really happy.

"Don’t worry about it," he said without hesitation. "I can tweak the memories. I won’t get penalized."

Ye Jishu: "..."

Even though he said he wanted to keep it normal, he still used his special abilities.

But he wasn’t forcing himself either.

So, after hearing Yan Mei personally tell him it was fine, he felt better.

The branches crunched under their feet as they stepped on them.

They walked up the mountain.

Ye Jishu was in front.

Yan Mei liked it this way—keeping Jishu in sight. Just watching him, he could walk forever.

Jishu didn’t say exactly where they were headed, but Yan Mei didn’t press. After all, wherever Jishu wanted to go was fine.

A serene atmosphere drifted through the weeds, enveloping them both.

Jishu wasn’t much of a talker to begin with.

Expecting the other person to start a conversation was probably out of the question. Plus, Yan Mei enjoyed it when Jishu listened quietly.

Unlike any other human he’d met.

Ye Jishu rarely, if ever, lied.

Generally, whatever he said came straight from the heart.

So, every word he spoke carried weight.

With someone as genuine as Jishu, he felt compelled to open up first.

"But it looks like we’ve still got a ways to go."

Yan Mei: "Jishu, how about we play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"It’s something I picked up from other people. I’ll ask a question, and you answer it. Then we’ll switch—you ask, and I’ll answer. It’s simple. No evading, and you’ve got to be honest."

A pretty dull game, unless you’re with someone who matters.

Yan Mei just wanted to use this to learn more about the side of Jishu he hadn’t seen.

But— Jishu didn’t turn around.

"You really want to do this?" Ye Jishu said, "Wouldn’t that be kind of unfair?"

Yan Mei was taken aback.

This... wasn’t the response he expected.

Suddenly, the shade under the trees seemed to deepen.

His thoughts spiraled into chaos.

Why did he sound so unsure? Does Jishu not want to share anything about himself? Or does he still see himself as a monster, so he’s avoiding—

"No, don’t."

He took a deep breath to steady himself.

He always overthought things.

But in reality, Jishu’s way of speaking was always straightforward and simple.

He didn’t want to be the one who always overthought in a relationship. Jishu’s world was different from many humans he had seen...

A voice sounded from in front.

"I don’t have any secrets, so answering’s no big deal. But you’re different. What if you accidentally say too much?"

Hearing this, Yan Mei suddenly looked up at Ye Jishu.

He seemed a bit awkward saying such things, so he kept walking without looking back.

"...I'm not really sure what counts as weird. But this is the wilderness, so it's not safe, right?"

"So cute."

"So you were thinking about me...!"

Yan Mei couldn't hold back anymore. Overcome with love, he suddenly stepped forward and embraced the other person from behind, ignoring the other's surprised gasp.

"It's okay," he said, nuzzling the other's head, feeling their warmth, and speaking cheerfully. "Nothing foolish would dare show itself to me, because meeting me means their end is near. If they're not scared of dying, then come and listen in."

Ye Jishu paused.

"Saying something like that so calmly, isn't that a bit too scary..."

Only at times like this would you suddenly realize—

What's in front of him isn't human.

Those slimy tentacles, the countless eyes in the low sky, weren't illusions. He could really change into that form anytime.

"What is Yan Mei, really?"

Ye Jishu thought hard for a few seconds. Then he gave up.

Since he didn't have much experience with weird stuff, the info he got from the Bureau about 'that world' was spotty. Plus, he didn't want to know too much, so he still didn't really understand Yan Mei or how powerful he was.

But he had a vague feeling that in a game, Yan Mei would be like a boss that wipes out all the minions as soon as he shows up.

Probably doesn't even have a health bar.

The hero would be totally overpowered the second they showed up.

After a few minutes, Yan Mei finally released him. Before letting go, his nose brushed against his neck, maybe on purpose.

Ye Jishu felt a little ticklish and squinted. He lifted his shoulder and rubbed it.

"Can we start now?"

Ye Jishu: "Mm."

They started walking again. The small pebbles rubbed against the soles of their shoes, making a creaking sound.

The mountain wind passed between the two.

But the sultry heat that had been lingering around them had somehow slightly receded.

"What color does Jishu like?"

"Red."

"I like white," Yan Mei said. "Because Jishu is like white. His skin is also very white, turning red with just a slight touch."

"Is that so. White."

"Probably because I often stay indoors and don't go out much."

"Your turn, Jishu."

"..."

What’s a safe question to ask?

As Ye Jishu hesitated, a thought suddenly hit him. There was one thing he was really curious about.

"Why did you join the film club?"

If Yan Mei joined to fake his identity and fit in with regular people, he could’ve picked any other club. Unlike him, Yan Mei was super popular, and any club would’ve been happy to take him, so there was no need to specifically join the film club.

This should be an easy one to answer.

Ye Jishu figured Yan Mei might’ve picked it randomly, maybe from a flyer or just to avoid the hassle.

But as soon as he spoke, Yan Mei fell into an awkward silence.

"......This. If I say it, will you make fun of me?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

Ye Jishu felt Yan Mei’s intense stare from behind.

Like one wrong word, and Yan Mei wouldn’t answer.

"No."

Yan Mei finally spoke up.

"I’m really into movies. I’d watched a ton of movies before joining, so I signed up when I saw the club."

"...Wait, you like movies?"

Ye Jishu was a bit surprised.

He got an answer he wasn’t expecting.

"You... like watching movies?"

Yan Mei seemed eager to change the subject.

"Jishu, why are you so into games?"

As they walked, Yan Mei snapped a branch out of the way with a sharp "crack."

Yan Mei seemed really curious about this...

Ye Jishu wondered if he’d been too into games lately.

"It’s a good way to kill time," he said. "Plus, I like beating levels and getting rewards."

"...Getting rewards yourself? Didn’t see that coming. Jishu doesn’t seem like the ambitious type."

Ye Jishu said, "I do."

"Oh? Like what..."

"I really want you," Ye Jishu admitted. "That’s why I was the one to end things back then. I wanted to say I like you again, to really have you. Even though it would’ve been easy to let things slide and keep the relationship vague, I’d rather face the challenges head-on."

As he finished speaking.

The footsteps behind him suddenly ceased.

Ye Jishu turned around in confusion, only to see Yan Mei standing still, his arm raised to cover his face.

"I just don’t get how Jishu can say stuff like that so casually sometimes..."

The tree shadows swayed, leaves rustling softly.

Through the branches, his expression was impossible to see.

But between the strands of hair that fell, his ears were completely red.

"Was that too much?"

"I won’t say it again then."

"No way," Yan Mei immediately lowered his hand, revealing a resolute expression, staring intently at him. "I still want to hear it."

"..."

"...You changed your mind so quickly."

Yan Mei seemed to have recovered.

"Your turn to ask a question, Jishu."

Ye Jishu hesitated for a moment. He decided to ask about the thing that had been on his mind.

"So, what kind of movies do you usually watch?"

"...Why are we even talking about this?"

"Because I’m curious."

"..."

"Is that okay?" Ye Jishu hesitated.

He glanced at Yan Mei, who, annoyed, responded immediately.

"......It's fine."

Though he got the answer he wanted, Ye Jishu didn’t push. He waited patiently as Yan Mei struggled, eyes wavering, breath hitching, avoiding eye contact before finally murmuring, "Romance movies."

"Huh?"

Yan Mei dodged; he hadn’t caught it.

Ye Jishu brushed the branches aside and moved closer. They were close enough to hear each other’s breaths.

"Say it again?"

Yan Mei: "...Romance movies."

The second time, he seemed to just give in.

Without waiting for Ye Jishu to press further, he blurted it all out in one breath.

"I don’t really get what normal love is supposed to be like. So, after feeling that way, I watched every movie I could find on the market. A lot of the situations in those movies reminded me of Jishu, so I just kept watching—"

During the day at school, I’d see Ye Jishu in those familiar spots, watching from a distance that was just right.

But there was no reaction for a long time.

So at night, I’d end up watching romance movies.

Whether they were sweet or tragic.

It didn’t matter; in fact, it helped me figure a lot of things out.

"I’ve lost count of how many I’ve watched. So when I got the invite from the movie club, I figured why not... Even after getting together with Jishu, I kept up the habit of watching movies."

Yan Mei lifted his arm again, shielding his face.

"So that’s what it was."

No wonder... sometimes Yan Mei seems to overthink things.

There’s a chance. Just a chance—

"Yan Mei, have you never dated anyone before?"

"Of course I haven’t!" Hearing his words, Yan Mei suddenly put his hand down, stared at him, and said with a bit of heaviness, "Did Jishu think I’d just do this with anyone? I only like you, because I care about you, that’s why..."

He suddenly stopped talking.

Ye Jishu said, "I get it."

"That’s too much, isn’t it?"

He thought about what he’d done.

Before, he’d spoken so confidently, but deep down, he knew he had his own selfish reasons.

"I like how Yan Mei’s mood shifts because of what I do, even if it makes him look upset."

Even if others think Yan Mei is too controlling, it doesn’t bother me. He doesn’t feel like he’s putting up with it; in fact, he likes it—because the calm Yan Mei everyone sees only gets emotional around him.

Yan Mei isn’t human.

So he’s perfect, without the flaws of broken promises or the ugly habits humans have.

But this flawless existence has an extremely imperfect, fragile point that could collapse at any moment.

"Yan Mei, thank you."

Thank you for liking such a boring me. Thank you for noticing me among so many people.

The Bureau of Infection Management and Control once told him.

They intentionally controlled his life to make it fit the standards of a nameless background character.

But Ye Jishu knows. He is indeed such a person, living such a life.

The mountain breeze just happened to pick up at that moment, passing through the shade of the trees.

Their shirt hems fluttered in the breeze, and the wild grass brushed against his exposed skin, causing a slight itch.

Yan Mei stared at him with unwavering focus.

What was that? An incredibly intense emotion.

But he stayed silent, waiting for the other to continue.

"I’ve always liked you. Looking back, I think I was drawn to you from the moment we first met," Ye Jishu said. "Even though I’m not sure when your birthday is, I still wanted to say happy birthday in person."

He pulled out the gift he’d prepared earlier from his pocket.

Yan Mei’s eyes followed his hand, stopping at the outstretched palm.

It was—

He froze for a moment.

"A rock."

"Why a rock?"

Even though it was a fancy red stone with colorful patterns, it was still just a rock.

He felt a surge of joy at getting a gift.

It wasn’t about what it was or how much it was worth.

Yan Mei loved anything Jishu gave him. Even a cheap octopus keychain, he treasured it.

But... he didn’t get it.

"I was going to give you something useful. But when I saw it, I knew it was meant for you."

Jishu didn’t have a favorite color.

If he had to pick, he’d say ‘whatever.’

But to him, Yan Mei was red.

As vivid and striking as blood, but in a good way.

Because humans need blood to live. And Jishu was human.

"I never thought something like this would happen, the folklore department just happened to come here for research. Actually, I was planning to give the gift and then tell Yan Mei directly—about that stone that grants all wishes."

"I’ve said so much, am I really this talkative?"

Because he liked him, he didn’t want to be misunderstood.

...The potential of humans is indeed limitless.

Ye Jishu thought to himself as he continued, "I wanted to give you the stone because I thought of this legend at the time. The stone doesn’t actually exist, I’m sure it’s just a fabrication—because this story only spread widely after my incident."

...

From the moment Ye Jishu could remember.

Many people have spoken about it, behind his back or to his face.

"What's wrong with Ye Jishu's personality?"

"Never seen anyone like him."

"..."

These voices were all muffled in his ears.

As if heard through a long stretch of rain.

The sounds were submerged in bubbles, producing a vague, gurgling noise.

This was because—

From birth, there had been something wrong with Ye Jishu's ears.

He wasn't deaf, just "hard of hearing." Just a little different from normal people, and that made him an outsider.

Actually, he could hear.

If the voice was a bit louder, and the words spoken a bit slower, he could understand clearly.

But few people had the patience.

So for Ye Jishu, the world was always quiet, and he enjoyed nesting in his seat.

Unable to follow normal conversations or understand others' reactions, studying didn't matter much; he could rely entirely on reading. So Ye Jishu himself didn't care much. He preferred being alone and quiet, so even though the reasons were different, the result was the same.

Having a child with a disability was an emotionally draining experience.

Soon, the parents divorced.

They started new families, neither wanting him, shuffling him between households, and so on.

Although Ye Jishu couldn't hear, he saw and understood.

Since he hadn't spent much time with his parents and the emotional bond was weak, he felt indifferent. During his school years, he moved around frequently, and the relatives he could stay with changed often, leaving no chance to form any bonds, so he remained indifferent.

School expenses were minimal, and occasionally his parents would send living expenses, so he could continue his education normally.

Then, starting from middle school.

He accidentally participated in some math competitions and unexpectedly achieved good results. Scholarships made life even more manageable, and he even had money to buy a phone.

To avoid playing games at home on weekends, which annoyed the relatives he stayed with, and not wanting to sit in shops spending money, he would head to this mountain to use his phone. It was quiet here, with no one to disturb him.

Ye Jishu: "At that time, I heard some legends about a stone that could supposedly grant wishes."

However, he never made a wish.

He didn't know why.

One day, his hearing suddenly returned to normal.

At first, it was a bit uncomfortable, the first time he realized how noisy the surroundings were. He sought out quiet spots like stairwells and tree shades even more.

Ye Jishu didn't tell anyone specifically.

His relatives found out about this three months after his hearing was officially restored.

They were astonished.

Then, somehow, word got out that Ye Jishu often went to the mountains.

"..."

Ye Jishu said, "Then, everyone said that I made a wish in the mountains, and that's why it came true..."

"Though I never actually made a wish..."

Now thinking about it, it might be because the setting of "weak hearing" was too unusual for just an ordinary person, so the Bureau of Infection Management and Control must have done something.

While not hearing clearly wasn’t a big deal, being able to hear normally was also good.

This past experience is why Ye Jishu was so cooperative with the people from the Bureau of Infection Management and Control. He understood that they meant no harm.

And since he regained his hearing, fewer people in his grade pointed fingers at him. People were excited for a bit. But the news kept spreading, which only fueled the rumors, and since they couldn’t find where Ye Jishu was hiding, people’s focus slowly shifted to the stone.

Even now, people only vaguely and mysteriously say that "someone supposedly made a wish and succeeded."

As the unnamed "someone," Ye Jishu, of course, had no complaints. In fact, he was happy with how things turned out.

"This is where I often come to be alone."

Ye Jishu introduced his secret to Yan Mei, "It’s also where people think the wishing stone is—"

"And here."

Yan Mei also looked to the side.

It was a dried-up stream, but you could still see where the water used to flow.

If it were the rainy season, water would still gather here, creating a soft "gurgling" sound as it hit the rocks.

He pictured Ye Jishu in the past, sitting here by himself playing games.

The mountain breeze rustled.

The stream babbled.

His eyes, once glued to the phone, now met Yan Mei’s gaze.

"So cute. Just adorable."

"Jishu didn’t notice it, but his eyes lit up as he talked about it."

Like he was waiting for Yan Mei’s reaction.

His heart felt a little flutter.

Yan Mei swallowed hard.

Meanwhile, Ye Jishu, oblivious, kept talking.

"At that time, I bought the stone because I thought—if it could really fulfill any wish, I wanted to give it to you. Even if it wasn’t the real stone, as long as you held it, I would strive to fulfill all your wishes."

At this point, he paused.

"I hesitated and wasn’t planning to give it in the first place."

No matter how you look at it, it just feels off.

A cheap ten-dollar octopus keychain and now this tacky stone...

If I told anyone, they’d definitely make fun of me.

It seems like I didn’t put in any effort or take it seriously, even though that’s not the case at all.

Even Ye Jishu realized, too late, that he’d stepped on another landmine. It’s just like when he picked the arcade for their first date. If he posted this online, he’d get thousands of ‘dump him now’ reactions.

It’s just because they ended up here and the stone came up, so—

"I’ll make up for the gift."

"No need," Yan Mei suddenly said.

Ye Jishu looked up and found that the person in front of him had, at some point, revealed an expression of extreme restraint, staring at him intently: "I really like it, I mean it... Can I kiss you right now? Please, let me kiss you. I’m so into Jishu..."