KM: Chapter 17

Ji An wanted to turn his head, but You Chen pinched his chin and said, "Be good, have a sip first." He had no choice but to stop and took a sip through the straw. It was warm and soothing to his emotions. These subtle details seemed particularly touching, and Ji An was a bit dazed as the slightly bitter taste spread on his tongue. In his view, You Chen lifted the milk tea to his side and naturally took a sip through the straw. His heart beat wildly. You Chen handed the milk tea back to Ji An's mouth and asked, "Another sip?" Ji An obediently took another sip, his face reddening as he bit the straw. You Chen pinched his cheek and asked, "Feeling better? Drinking something warm will make you feel more comfortable. What were you trying to say just now?" Ji An looked back at You Chen, and as he blinked, tears suddenly welled up. You Chen frowned slightly, pulling him closer into his arms and kissed him lightly. Ji An softly called his name, "You, Chen." "Hmm, what's up?" "Can… you… also… call me… baby?" Ji An asked this question softly, with a hint of grievance, even coercion. A kind of emotional coercion, not aggressive on the surface, but a spreading sea of grievance and anticipation, like a child who longed for a toy day and night but never received it, turning all those expectations into a lot of grievances. Why? Why can't I have this toy? Ji An's coercion only works on those who love him. You Chen was silent for a long time. So long that Ji An lowered his head and said he didn't want it anymore. You Chen still didn't speak, just took him to buy tickets and sat on the Ferris Wheel. Ji An seemed to be sulking, deliberately not sitting next to You Chen, curling up in a corner with his head down. You Chen didn't force him, sitting on the other side looking out. In this silent atmosphere, they slowly approached the highest point. You Chen finally broke the silence and spoke. "Look outside." Ji An felt both angry and aggrieved, wanting to make You Chen unhappy, yet couldn't help but listen to him and looked outside. You Chen said again, "Lean up and look." Ji An quickly glanced at You Chen, cursing himself for being spineless, then reached out to support himself on the glass, leaning over to look down. The movement of You Chen approaching was obvious, his body pressing tightly against Ji An's back, covering him completely. You Chen lifted Ji An's ring finger from the glass and slipped on a slightly cool object. Ji An looked over, it was a very ordinary plain ring. The hand that put the ring on him also had an identical one on its ring finger. Like countless pebbles thrown into a calm lake, the splashes and ripples merged and spread grandly. The lake in his heart surged with a never-ending wave. You Chen kissed his ear. "Baby, there's an old saying, if you kiss at the highest point of a Ferris Wheel, you'll be together forever." "Baby, let's kiss." Ji An had no chance to refuse. At the moment they reached the highest point, You Chen forcefully turned his face and kissed him hard. His hand was tightly held, and the cool ring warmed, as if merging with his body, never to be removed. "Baby, is this what you wanted to hear? Hmm? Baby?" Ji An's ears turned red, being held on You Chen's lap, straddling him as they kissed. You Chen held his neck from behind and asked, "Baby, why are you silent again?" Ji An shook his head, unable to hold back his tears anymore. You Chen said, "You've got quite a temper, baby, even sulking with me." "Not sitting with me, wanting me to be unhappy, but are you happy?" Ji An choked, rebutting, "Then, why… did you… have to wait until now… you clearly… knew…" His voice lowered. "I'm very… aggrieved." You Chen chuckled. "Because I'm a bit old-fashioned, otherwise, would I bring you to ride this? Still believe in such nonsense?" "I want to put the first 'baby', our matching rings, and this kiss all together." "Then we'll be together forever." This kind of talk from You Chen didn't seem real at all. But it was precisely because You Chen said it. Ji An sniffed, leaning his head against You Chen's chest. You Chen pinched his chin again and said, "I owe you a confession, consider this to make up for it." You Chen said it was a confession, yet he didn't even say "I like you." It's hard for someone like You Chen to say he likes someone. If you count carefully, he seems to have only said it once to Ji An, in response to Ji An's absent-minded state. But it didn't seem to matter that he didn't say he liked him. Ji An found that even someone as insecure as he was could still feel You Chen's unspoken affection at many moments. His fears were only because he liked You Chen too much, not because You Chen didn't like him. Ji An looked up at You Chen and said, "You… today… said… a lot… of words." "Is it because… today… you really… like me?" You Chen shook his head. "No." Ji An felt defeated again, rubbing his eyes in grievance, and then heard You Chen continue, "Not just today." You Chen rubbed his waist, not looking into his eyes, turning to look outside. Ji An knew You Chen hadn't finished speaking, but it didn't matter, he already knew. Ji An pressed his face against You Chen's neck, watching the world outside the glass with him. "You, Chen." "Hmm?" "I, also, like, you." "Hmm, I know." — You Chen said he would take Ji An home, but ended up taking him back to his own place. On the way, he bought Ji An a set of pajamas, some toiletries, and then deliberately picked out a pair of underwear in front of Ji An. Ji An didn't dare to look up, his face flushed from his cheeks to his neck, even his nose was red, looking as if someone had bullied him. It wasn't until they left the store that he dared to glance at You Chen. A corner of a towel was sticking out of the bag, and Ji An felt the bitterness from the milk tea at the amusement park spreading on his tongue again. Did You Chen understand? What does it mean to leave someone's toiletries at your own place? Did You Chen understand? Ji An didn't know how to ask You Chen this question. After taking a bath, he sat on the bed in a daze. The little bear pajamas he wore were very cute, specially chosen by You Chen. "Baby, come brush your teeth." You Chen's voice came from the bathroom after he finished washing. Ji An got off the bed, obediently walking to You Chen's side, being pulled into his arms, and a toothbrush with toothpaste squeezed on it was placed in his hand. Ji An stared at the toothbrush in his hand, opened his mouth, his heart beating unusually fast. "This… isn't, a disposable one…" You Chen responded, screwing the cap back on the toothpaste, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Why buy a disposable one? You should come stay often."