The next morning dawned with a crispness in the air, the sun casting a warm glow over the bustling schoolyard as students chattered and hurried to their classes.
Amidst the commotion, Xin’s determined stride cut through the crowd as he made his way to confront Victor about his relationship with Xiaxia.
As Xin approached Victor, who was leaning against a nearby wall, a tension hung in the air, palpable yet unspoken.
With a deep breath, Xin squared his shoulders, ready to address the situation head-on.
"Talk. What happened?" Xin’s voice was firm, demanding an explanation.
Victor opened his mouth, but no words escaped his lips.
"Sorry, I got carried away," he finally managed to utter, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
He had rehearsed what he was going to say to Xin last night, but all of it seed to evaporate in the presence of Xin’s piercing gaze.
Xin regarded Victor with a searching look, waiting for a more substantial response. "Do you love my sister? Or at least like her?" he pressed, his tone serious.
Victor was silent for a mont, his brow furrowing as he pondered Xin’s question. After a thoughtful pause, he nodded slowly. "I don’t love your sister, honestly, but . . . yes, I like her," he admitted, his words hesitant yet sincere.
Xin didn’t react imdiately, taking a mont to process Victor’s admission. With a deep exhale, he composed himself.
"Then good," he remarked, a hint of relief in his tone. Seating himself nearby, Xin motioned for Victor to join him. "So, this is what you’re going to do."
With a sense of purpose, Xin handed a neatly written list to Victor. "These are the things that Xiaxia hates in a man. Since you’re already in this situation, the best course is for her to break up with you so it wouldn’t be painful for her."
Victor’s mind whirled as he accepted the list, scanning it with growing apprehension. It was clear that Xin was more concerned about Xiaxia’s well-being than anyone else right now.
It was only natural because they were brother and sister after all.
Clearing his throat, Victor began to read aloud the items listed, his voice trailing off at so of the more peculiar entries:
"Okay, um . . . ’Mustaches resembling caterpillars.’ ’Excessive cologne that triggers allergies.’ Got it. ’Wearing socks with sandals.’ Right . Picking nose, picking feet, not bathing once a day . . . I see."
As Victor continued to read, each item seed more absurd than the last, and he couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the sheer specificity of Xiaxia’s dislikes.
Is was so her!
"Is this for real?" Victor chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
Xin nodded solemnly, there was no telling in his eyes that he was joking about this. "Trust , my sister’s preferences are . . . n straight out from a fairy tale movies, to say the least. Follow the list, and you might just save yourself from a world of trouble and Xiaxia from a world of pain."
Victor didn’t know what to feel about the whole situation. It weighed heavily on his mind, swirling doubts and uncertainties clouding his thoughts.
Was he going to have to act out of character whenever he was together with Xiaxia?
The idea of pretending to be soone he wasn’t made him feel uneasy, but it seed like he didn’t have any choice in the matter. If he wanted to break things up with Xiaxia without hurting her, then maybe this was the right course of action.
As he mulled over Xin’s list, he couldn’t help but feel conflicted.
On one hand, he understood Xin’s intentions of protecting his sister. On the other hand, Victor couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped in a charade that he didn’t want to be a part of.
Nevertheless, he reluctantly accepted the list, realizing that it might be the only way to navigate this delicate situation without causing further harm.
Victor folded the list and tucked it into his pocket, and sighed inwardly. "Thanks, Xin. I’ll do my best to make sure Xiaxia breaks up with . . . gently."
What more could he say but this? This was all his fault in the first place anyway, and he would take responsibility for it.
As he contemplated his own role in the situation, Victor couldn’t help but feel a heavy weight of guilt settling in his chest. He knew that he had played a part in the tangled web of relationships that now surrounded him, and he couldn’t simply brush off the consequences of his actions.
It’s not like he was entirely gay. He was bisexual, and he had grappled with his sexual orientation in the past.
However, he wasn’t entirely comfortable with being open about it just yet, especially given his complicated history.
Rembering his past struggles, Victor shook his head and took a deep breath. He knew that he needed to confront his own fears and insecurities head-on if he ever hoped to find peace with himself.
But for now, as long as he remained friends with Xin, then that was the most important thing.
As the bell rang, signaling the start of their first class, Xin clapped Victor on the shoulder with a reassuring nod. "Good luck, my friend. And rember, if all else fails, bla it on the socks and sandals."
Victor couldn’t even laugh at Xin’s joke without feeling a pang of guilt for what he was about to do with Xiaxia. The weight of the situation hung heavily on his shoulders, casting a shadow over his interactions with others.
This was going to be more complicated than he thought.
As they made their way back to the classroom, they spotted Viviane in the hallway, erging from the teacher’s office.
"Oh hey there, Viviane," Victor greeted, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.
Viviane glared at them. "It’s too early for you to be picking fights this early in the morning."
Victor only grinned and retorted, "And it’s still early for you to be warming up to the teachers."
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