. pep talked .

Jimeng tsked. "I've checked and it's locked. Ha. Xiajie say's you're the cause so?... Get your ass down here!.". He shouted at the end.

xueCheng blushed red immediately from the first sentence but the later shouting made him frown. "Yeesh!. Stop shouting already!.". And then he cut the call.

Then.... Suddenly... "Ahahaha.. ahahahahahahaha....aha.. hahahaha...". Anying Burst out laughing.

xueCheng scoffed. His game room got locked because he didn't get in bed on time. Xiajie gave him two minutes more... Five minutes more... Ten minutes more... Untll he couldn't take it any longer.

Now... Anying laughing at him made him remember his punishment. "S-stop ... laughing.". He stuttered out from embarrassment.

Anying closed his mouth right away... Settling for a giggle till xueCheng glared at him with a cute red face.

He couldn't find the the face scary. Only meng selling.

"Alright fine... I give up.". He raised his hands in a form of surrendering signature.

xueCheng scoffed.

Anying smiled fondly... He wanted to know what happened but ... Knowing the feisty xueCheng, he doubted he would leave this car alive if he dared asked. So, he should tuck in that curiousity and ask about the first question he had in mind...

Maybe some other day he could dare the male to say it in one of their game nights ... If possible.

"I have a question though.". He finally said, turning serious.

xueCheng eyes him suspiciously at first, before settling for grumbling out, ". Shoot " .

"Well... How did you get those two to come with us?.". Anying asked.

xueCheng's face Suddenly brightened. "Ah?. It's an innate ability of mine.". He said... Proudly. Anying facepalmed.

"Really... Be serious.". He said, to xueCheng who then let his expression fall.

"You're no fun anymore.". He complained with a sigh before proceeding. "Well, I kinda.. ok I didn't do anything to make jimeng come. I mean, as soon as he heard the word, ' japan ' and ' vacation ', he followed me around like a dog does the bone.". He added.

Anying blinked. "Just like that.".

xueCheng turned to him..."yeah...".

That was weird... He gets that easily distracted or something else?...

"Well... What about Xiao hua?.". He asked, deciding not to dwell on any thinking. He should get verbal for his own mental well being.

Ugh.

"Well her... I pep talked her.". xueCheng replied a sparkling proud face.

"Excuse me?.". Anying stared at him in disbelief.

"Umm ... I convinced her not to dwell on the harsh reality for a while... Take a break... It's not the end... Yada.. yada.. yada... You know?.". He said staring at Anying. "That type of talk.".

"Right ". Anying said. A fustrated sigh followed right after as he slumped in his seat.

xueCheng who noticed this pursed his lips and hugged him immediately after... Choosing to act like an older brother he wasn't.

"You know. Don't be hard on yourself it's not your fault.". He said in a calm, soothing voice.

"Hm...". Anying hummed without moving...

well yeah, that's right... Guilt was eating him up. I mean, he promised those people he would protect them... But now his spouse was hurting them and their loved ones... Tell me how he shouldn't feel responsible.

xueCheng patted his back in comfort... And so, the rest of the journey was spent in silence and the occasional break in between, where xueCheng tried to reassure him that everything would be alright.

He appreciated though... Because it helped a lot to know that xueCheng didn't get that mad. He tried to apologize but xueCheng rebuked him, telling him to save his strength.

He didn't object. So when they got to xiajie's and xueCheng's condo, he already dispelled a tiny, itsy, bitsy tad, bit of his anxiety.

It was torturous.

"We're back". xueCheng said as soon as they entered the room. And before the other two could understand how, he sauntered up the stairs, leaving them hanging.

"Y-you!.". Jimeng began, but he didn't see xueCheng to vent his anger on.

So he crossed his hand on his chest and waited. black hair on top of his head, swirling around.

Well... He didn't know why these guys angry faces just looked too cute to get scared at...

Despite that... As soon as xueCheng left, Anying began gathering his courage.... He needed to do something about Xiao hua and jimeng ignoring him before it got out of hand.

And after some minutes long, he finally did... Albeit a little, he gathered some... Now he was no longer that scary, dominating and playful leader... Just a genuinely guilty one.

"Hey guys...". He began, and to his suprise, both his friends' head swiveled around to face him like two controlled dolls. It was creepy.

"Woah...". He exclaimed.

"Yes ?, Yes?, Go on.". Jimeng urged with sparkles in his eyes.

Xiao hua only smiled in encouragement, with a nod. And although her smile wasn't wide enough... And she was eerily calm, he was still dumbstruck...

Shouldn't they be tearing at his throat?. Anyways... He had to apologized now or else...

So he began speaking.

"I umm... I am sorry for what happened... Actually I-.". Only to have his words cut short when jimeng burst out into soft giggles...

"Tee-hee... Hahahahaha.. ahahahahahahaha...".

' now it's your turn to be ridiculed. I love karma '. Says cchini.

Anying was dumbfounded. Why was he laughing and why was Xiao hua's smile suddenly so bright?.

"Come here.".