Forever 6

"Oii stop reading already!" Off pried away the book Isaac was reading. "You do nothing but read and read all day. What the hell are you made of? Worms?"

"It's bookworm," Isaac corrected softly.

"Off, leave him be." River pulled Off away from Isaac and gave back Isaac's book.

"It's his birthday and he's reading books." Off complained and tried to get the book back but River was blocking his every move. After a few failed attempts, Off had enough and glared at River. "We need to go to the classroom now! I have his gift in there."

"I am not walking again because my feet are aching. Off dragged me to buy shrimp and dropped it on my white shoes." Bass leisurely walked inside the room and sat down on a chair. He would have looked like a prince (sitting there with his back straight and his arm leisurely resting on the armrest) if not for his querulous mouth spilling never-ending complaints.

"And it's Isaac's birthday so shut it." Off threw a pillow to Bass' face.

"And you're the one who left the gift in the classroom. Now you want us to help you get it? Jerk." Bass hatefully glared at Off and placed the pillow on the chair beside him.

"Basstard." Off retorted.

"Bass be silent and Off control your temper." River scolded both of them. A fight between them was always a normal occurrence and would never stop unless someone scolds them.

"It's fine." A soft voice called out. The three of them looked at Isaac, surprised. "What? I want to see my gift."

"You really agreed." Off laughed astonishingly. The surprise went as fast as it came and Off hurriedly took Isaac's arm and dragged him out.

"Off! Wait for us." River chased after them but stopped. Bass did not get up from the chair. "Bass."

"What?" Bass looked at River who gestured his head towards Off and Isaac. "No. I am not going out. I can wait for you guys in here just fine. Can't you see my shoes? It is stained. Do you see that dark mark at the tip? It's ugly. I am not going out in these." Bass kept explaining and gesturing towards the "stain" in which River cannot even distinguish. Unable to deal with it any longer, River called out Bass' name sternly.

"Fine. Just so you know, I am never wearing white shoes again." Bass finally got up and reluctantly went outside Isaac's house.

It was lunchtime and the cafeteria was packed. To avoid people, the four of them took a detour to reach the classroom. Even so, people still managed to flock in their way. It was the Beasts. A squad known all throughout the campus. It had its perks of being known but most of the time, it was annoying.

"Oii its that freshman girl!" They were going through the stairs when Off suddenly shouted. "I'll meet you guys near the classroom." Off hurriedly ran away from them.

"That jerk has no conscience at all! He brought us here and left us for a girl. I call dibs on killing him." Bass grumbled and continued to walk on the stairs. One floor below their classroom, River stopped Isaac and instructed him to stay there while he and Bass got his gift. Isaac went to the railings and watched the ground below. He wanted to take a rest when his surroundings suddenly shifted.

A woman was having tea near him. He felt himself going towards that woman and kneeled. It startled the woman.

"Mother your son is sorry. I hid something from you. I hope you won't get angry about it." The woman hurriedly made him stand up. Just every other time this happened, Isaac had no control of his words and his actions. Everything would feel so familiar yet so foreign.

"Zhao Yuan bao bei, stand up. I, your mother, will never get mad at you. You are my only precious bao bei." The woman caressed his face lovingly. Her smile was warm and her eyes shone with fondness. "You look just like your father but your honest nature came from me. Come on, tell your mother what's bothering her bao bei."

"I have a lover. My lover is a man." He confessed. His eyes never went away from his mother's, searching for signs of anger or disgust. There was none. Her eyes never changed.

"To tell your mother that, bao bei must really love his lover then. Bring him to me. Let mother see who stole the heart of my precious bao bei."

"You're not angry, mother?" He asked just for confirmation.

"How could I, your mother, get angry with you? My only wish for you bao bei is to live happily with the one you love. Whatever makes you happy, mom will always give it to you." The woman assuredly patted his hand.

It meant a lot when his mother said that. He wasn't stupid. He knew the whole time that what he and Luo Tang had wasn't accepted within their society. If Luo Tang had not shown signs of falling for him, he would never have pushed for a relationship. He would have been okay being the best friend. He was always prepared for the worse.

When he was 9, his father died. His mother was devastated by his death. She was always crying. She didn't have any strength to do anything, much less take care of him. Because of this, he felt so alone. His relatives, who were concerned about his health, urged him to take violin classes 6 months after the funeral.

"It's something to occupy your thoughts," his Aunt told him.

For the first 3 months, he never bothered to learn the violin. He would spend the time by sitting in the playground near the venue and waited until his chauffeur fetched him. He would sit there thinking about the 'what ifs' in life. What if his father never died? What if his mother wasn't so stuck on his father's death? Would there be any difference? Would he still be loved?

Then again, thinking of those 'what ifs' never fixed anything.

He thought it would always be that way until Luo Tang came. He was 10 and Luo Tang was 8. It was still the same scenario. He was sitting on the playground deep within his thoughts when somebody touched him. It was a boy who was offering him a handkerchief. He took the handkerchief and wiped off the tears he himself did not notice. It was that act of kindness that touched his heart. He could appreciate the effort his relatives placed in trying to cheer him up but it never felt the same.

The boy silently sat beside him as he cried even more. Seconds passed and seconds turned into minutes, and minutes became hours. They just sat together but for him, it was everything he ever wished for.

Since then he would always put his focus on that boy wherever he went or whatever he did. He stuck with his violin lessons just to see the boy play the piano. He knew he was falling but he didn't want to tell the boy. Seeing was enough, or so he thought. Two years later, the boy who brought him comfort suddenly disappeared. He searched and searched until he saw the announcement of his concert 4 years after he disappeared. //wait so if i got this right luo tang is 14 and zhou yuan is 16?

He couldn't help but be mesmerized. He was seeing that boy again. This time he made sure that Luo Tang would remember him. Twice a week, he would make any sort of excuse just to be near Luo Tang. At first Luo Tang rejected him greatly but as time went by, seeing him twice a week became thrice and so on until he was seeing Luo Tang everyday.

He could feel Luo Tang opening up to him. Luo Tang started as a stranger and ended up being his world. He was scared, yes but he could never bear to let go. He thought that he could keep his admiration for Luo Tang to himself. But he couldn't. On the 10th year after the handkerchief incident, he finally confessed.

"Tangtang, would you spend the rest of your life with me?"

Never expecting it, Luo Tang agreed. At the moment when Luo Tang said 'yes', he swore to himself that he will never back away. He will protect this boy no matter what.

He hurriedly went back to Luo Tang and happily told him about what his mother said. Luo Tang was scolding him but his eyes shone with happiness. He could stare in Luo Tang's eyes all day.

The scene gradually vanished but Luo Tang's eyes never went away. It got further and further until it stopped.

Isaac couldn't believe it. He had control over his body already so it should be impossible for the scene not to vanish completely. Everything was back as how it should be but the eyes never left. He closed his eyes and counted to 10. Hoping when he opened his eyes, it would disappear.

It never did. Instead Isaac looked horrified at the scene in front of him. His heart was hammering in his chest and stood stuck in place as the realization hit him. Everything was real. In front of him, at the opposite building, was a tall man who had glowing white skin and eyes peering curiously at him.

Bao bei in Chinese means baby. I looked it up on google and it said it is one of the endearments Chinese mothers call their children.