Main Characters: Hengyu, born in 2010 (male), and Zili, born in 2011 (male)
May 6, 2024
During the holiday, Hengyu's father invited Zili's family to go on a trip together. Zili's family happily agreed, and Hengyu's father shared the good news with him, adding,
"We're leaving the day after tomorrow."
Hengyu asked, "What about Mom?"
"Mom has an important meeting and will come a few days later," his father explained.
Hengyu nodded. "Alright."
On the day of the trip, Zili's family arrived early in the morning at Hengyu's doorstep.
Zili stood outside the door and shouted, "Hengyu, come out!"
Hearing this, Hengyu immediately responded, "Coming!"
He pushed the door open and ran out, giving Zili a big hug.
"It's been so long. I missed you so much," Hengyu said, holding him tightly.
Zili hugged him back with a smile. "I missed you too."
Zili's father saw this and urged, "Alright, alright, aren't you two too old to be hugging like that? Hurry up and get in the car."
Zili's mother, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn't help but laugh.
The journey was filled with laughter and joy. Soon, they arrived at the pre-booked hotel.
Hengyu said to his father, "I want to share a room with Zili."
His father shook his head. "The rooms are already assigned. We can't change them."
Hengyu was a little disappointed. "Fine."
Since they arrived earlier than expected, the previous guests hadn't checked out yet. So, Hengyu took Zili's hand and walked out of the hotel, sitting on a bench in the back as they continued chatting, laughing from time to time.
Midway through their conversation, Hengyu suddenly asked Zili, "What do you think our relationship is?"
Zili smiled and replied, "Of course, we're the very, very, very best of friends. What else? What did you want it to be?"
Hengyu gazed into Zili's eyes and whispered, "I wish you were a girl."
Zili froze for a moment before laughing. "I wish I were a girl too."
Hengyu patted his shoulder. "It's okay. Even if you're not a girl, we can still be 'best friends' for life."
The two smiled at each other, the sunlight bathing them in warmth.
After a while, they returned to the hotel. They agreed to meet at the pool at 1 p.m. Hengyu changed into his swimsuit early, waiting excitedly.
When the time came, they rushed to the pool. While Zili was enjoying himself, Hengyu suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace.
"I love you, Zili," Hengyu murmured. "No matter if you're a boy or a girl, I always want to be with you." Then he let go and walked away, leaving Zili standing there, heart racing, unsure how to respond.
That night, the adults gathered in one room to play cards, while Hengyu and Zili stayed in another.
They talked for a long time until Zili suddenly asked, "What you said by the pool today… did you mean it?"
Hengyu didn't answer. He simply looked at him quietly, then leaned in and kissed him softly. Zili didn't pull away, and the two lost themselves in the sudden kiss, as if time had frozen.
Late into the night, they returned to their respective rooms to sleep.
However, in the early hours of the morning, Hengyu was jolted awake by the sound of urgent footsteps and shouts.
"Fire! Fire!"
Before he could fully wake up, his father grabbed him and rushed outside. Still dazed, Hengyu anxiously asked his father,
"Did Zili and his family get out?"
"Yeah, they got out," his father answered casually.
But on the other side, Zili's door was blocked by thick smoke, impossible to open. The window was half-sealed, making escape impossible. Zili collapsed to the floor in despair, trembling and crying, "Hengyu… where are you… I'm so scared…"
Downstairs, Hengyu finally snapped back to reality. He searched everywhere for Zili but couldn't find him. Fear crept in, and he rushed back to his father, grabbing his collar tightly.
"Are you sure they got out?!"
"No," his father finally admitted.
The word pierced Hengyu's heart like a knife. Enraged, he shoved his father aside and tried to charge into the burning building, only to be held back by firefighters. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free.
Hengyu's mother rushed over overnight after hearing the news.
By dawn, Hengyu sat alone on the bench behind the hotel, his eyes hollow. His mother ran over and hugged him tightly, her voice trembling. "You're safe… you're safe…"
Hengyu murmured, "Zili is dead."
His mother fell silent, unsure how to comfort him.
"Zili is dead… his whole family is dead…" Hengyu slowly stood up.
"Where are you going?" his mother asked worriedly.
He didn't answer, just walked mechanically toward the ambulance. After a few steps, he finally broke down, falling to his knees and screaming in agony.
"Ah… why… why… ah…"
In the distance, his father stood under a tree, watching his son's suffering. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly.