The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 17

Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Wúmeng

<Dock>

Reian quietly skipped another stone from the pier, wondering to himself when Xie De and Jin Yu would return from the water. As soon as the two had seen boats coming to and from Skipper's Island, it was a mad dash to see who could swim there the fastest.

Xie De was a natural in water. Jin Yu a little less so, but it was more about bragging rights than anything else. Something Reian cared for very little. Content to sit and watch his friends flapping around in the distance, he picked another stone from beside him and threw it.

It skipped several times and then sank. Reian paused. He began to wonder how it felt to be a stone. To spend several thousands of years being slowly washed ashore, finally have peace and quiet and not be at the whim of the tides... only to one day be chosen at random and tossed mindlessly back into the deep.

Reian's thoughts strayed back to Xie Yi-jun, as he realised that maybe that was how he felt too-

Holding another pebble in his hand, Wen Rei stared at it, belatedly realising several minutes later that he wasn't alone.

Trying his hardest to keep looking down, and not sidelong at the red-dressed King that had sat beside him, Reian wanted to leap into the water suddenly and swim away.

Why is he here?! What does he want-

"I remember the first time I ever came here," Xie Yi-jun sighed. "Back then the ocean was still covered in ice. If you skipped a stone it wouldn't even sink."

Yi-jun spoke to the world, as if Reian wasn't there, and yet his words were a mirror of the boy's thoughts.

Finally, Reian glanced at the man.

He was different, having changed into new clothes that seemed far less ornate and old-fashioned. The crimson suited him, as did the leather cord tied around his waist. He seemed almost his age.

Staring out at the water, Xie Yi-jun seemed to be calmer as well. It was still impossible to sense any feelings from him, but the way he sat back on his hands, chin tilted up... it was as if he was finally in a place he felt safe.

Reian spoke, because his silence was starting to feel like a confession-

"You shouldn't be here,"

Yi-jun looked at him.

That didn't sound right...

Reian frowned. "No, I mean! I can't leave you alone if you are here. And I'm waiting for my friends to come back. You shouldn't be here if you want me to stay away."

Xie Yi-jun seemed to recall their conversation in the forest the day before. It was still all Reian could think about, even after he'd decided not to care.

Yi-jun glanced down then, seeming incredibly distracted all of a sudden.

"I can go if you wish," he said. "I only came to apologize."

"... to me?!"

The man nodded. "Yes. I am sorry I yelled at you, and I'm sorry I hurt you. It wasn't my intention."

Before Reian could even process his words, he was mumbling; "What was your intention?"

"This isn't easy, Reian." Xie Yi-jun said, "You know why-"