Chapter Text
The first thing Gao Tu felt was… warmth. The heavy hands on his waist. His face buried in solid chest of someone. His consciousness surfaced slowly, like he was being dragged up from deep water.
His head throbbed. He moved slowly, release himself from the grip of someone next to him but his body—ached.
For a long moment, he stop moving. Slowly open his eyes and saw the moon he always thought was far from his reach right next to him. The very man he loves so close to him. He raised his finger to touch the person sleeping soundly. As Gaotu' hand reach the Wenlang' cheeks the warmth broke the mirage and bring back Gaotu to reality.
Fragments lingered at the edge of his memory. Broken and Blurred refusing to form a complete picture. The voice the touch the kisses...
“…no…”
The word barely left his lips.
His eyes widen when the realisation struck him.
Gao Tu froze. Every muscle in his body went rigid as he slowly—so slowly—turned his head. Shen Wenlang still sleeping peaceful as if nothing had happened.
For a second—time stopped for him.
Gao Tu’s pupils trembled. His breath caught in his throat and then—panic hits.
He sat up abruptly, the movement sending a sharp wave of pain through him. His fingers tightened into the sheets, knuckles turning white.
The same pain tells him this wasn’t a dream this was real.
“…Why…” His voice shook. " ...What should I do now..... What ..."
Memories crashed into him all at once—
The banquet, the sudden heat, Wenlang chasing him, them together at this bed, Gaotu' denial...
But the loss of control then the way he had called out a name with affection he should have buried long ago. 'Wenlang'. The kiss on the chin he liked very much...
Gao Tu clenched his eyes shut. Tear dropped off his eyes.
Humiliation burned through him, hotter than anything from the night before.
He had hidden so carefully for so long his identity, his feelings, his weakness, everything was hidden. And in one night-everything was ruined.
He couldn’t stay here.
Gao Tu forced himself to move. Every action was mechanical. As if his mind had separated itself just to survive this moment. The floor was cold beneath his feet. His clothes—scattered, wrinkled. He gathered them quickly.
Avoiding the bed avoiding the man still sleeping in it.
For one brief, dangerous second—his gaze flickered back. Shen Wenlang. The man he had loved quietly for years. The man who didn’t even know about his love and how could he even know Gaotu had hidden so well until ...
Gao Tu looked away immediately. “…You will forgive me Wenlang right? ”
He whispered it to himself. Like a prayer, like a lie he desperately needed to believe.
The hotel wardrobe held spare clothes of staff. He changed quickly. Every second felt too long every sound too loud. His thoughts wonders
What if Wenlang woke up?
What would he say?
What would he think?
No no no he can't
Gao Tu grabbed his things and walked out.
The hallway was silent.
Endless.
Each step felt like walking away from something irreversible something he could never take back.
He raised his hand and hailed a taxi without thinking.
The car stopped. The driver asked something, Gao Tu didn’t register it. He just gave his address and sank into the seat.
The city blurred past the window.
Bright sunlight stretching into meaningless lines.
And then—his thoughts came back.
Why did he go there?
Why didn’t he leave earlier?
Why didn’t he stop it?
Why… did he respond?
Just Why...
Gao Tu pressed his forehead against the cold glass. His chest tightened.
He remembered—
just fragments—
but enough to hurt.
The way he had reached out to hug Wenlang. The way he hadn’t pushed him away but wants more.
The way—for one selfish moment—he had wanted it.
“…Stupid…” he cursed himself.
His voice cracked.
What right did he have?
To want Shen Wenlang.
To stay beside him.
To hope Wenlang love him back when he has someone else.
He let out a shaky breath.
After today—can everything would go back to normal. Being two people who know each other for decade, being friends, being boss and secretary, being one shining brightly in the sky and other quietly admiring him from the ground.
That was how it should be.
That was how it had always been.
Would Wenlang still allow him besides him. The thought spins in Gaotu' mind.
The taxi stopped at destination.
“Sir, we’re here.”
Gao Tu blinked.
For a second, he didn’t recognize the place. Then—home small which always remind Gaotu his reality. He paid without speaking. Got out and walked inside.
The moment the door closed behind him—the strength holding him together snapped.
His body felt unbearably heavy. His mind—empty. He didn’t even make it properly to the bed. Just collapsed onto it. Sinking into the blanket.
His fingers curled slightly hugging his knees.
“…I won’t think about it…”
A whisper.
“…I won’t…”
But exhaustion didn’t give him a choice.
Sleep took him quickly.
And in that sleep—his world stayed the same. For now.
************************************************
Shen Wenlang woke up with a frown.
Something was wrong.
Very very wrong.
For a moment, his mind was still caught in that hazy space between sleep and awareness. But then—
His brows knitted together. He open his eyes. The ceiling was different. This isn't his room.
The air... felt different.
A scent - pheromones
Sweet but not Subtle.
But unmistakable Omega pheromones.
Wenlang’s expression darkened instantly.
“…What is this smell?
Sage. It's clearly smell like Gaotu' omega."
Disgust flickered across his face as he sat up abruptly—
—and immediately froze.
A sharp pain shot through his body. “…What the hell—”
His hand braced against the bed, but even that small movement felt wrong.
Very Unfamiliar.
Worse—his lower body ached.
Not just a dull discomfort—but something deeper.
Wenlang’s face went completely blank.
“…Why does it hurt this much?”
He tried to move his leg. It's a Bad idea. Pain flared again, making him suck in a sharp breath.
But all this didn’t make sense.
Nothing made sense.
He try to remember what had he done to suffer like this.
He remembered he was in hotel X attending the gathering where he lost the touch with Gaotu so he went to find him and then omega pheromones... his encountered with omega in heat. After which everything is blur in his memory.. " Yeah omega, he must have done something. But wait isn't the wrong person in pain. Ohh wait did I get knocked out by omega... Did it pain this much after doing that... What the .... is I am even thinking." Wenlang thought.
The more he thinks the more outrageous his thoughts become. He stops himself from thinking. He seriously doubt did he get kidnapped by that omega or his gang. But why him, did he insulted him in past that he is back for revenge or some rivals trying tricks.
Suddenly his gaze swept across the room again—simple minimal furniture, neatly arranged books, a small desk with a black cup and
a quiet, almost suffocating stillness
Recognition hit.
“…Gao Tu.”
This is Gao Tu’s apartment.
Wenlang’s frown deepened. What apartment it's just a cramped little relic a closet with windows.
But why was he here?
His memory stopped at the hotel. He clicked his tongue in irritation.
“…Did Gaotu bring me here? Did he see me like this. What will he think about me? Even I don't know what I have done, how I'm gonna explain him. Damn."
Impossible. It's just impossible.
And yet—everything around him said otherwise.
Wenlang pushed himself up more carefully this time, jaw tight as he endured the lingering discomfort.
Each step felt strange.
Unbalanced.
Like his body wasn’t responding the way it should.
Annoying.
“Gao Tu!”
His voice cut through the quiet apartment. But the voice didn't feel right. "Did I had cold yesterday" Wenlang thought.
Wenlang’s irritation spiked.
“Gao Tu, come out.”
Still nothing. Silence pressed in from all sides. “…Unbelievable where this person go leaving me here alone.”
He started moving through the apartment.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Kitchen—empty.
Bedroom—well he was there earlier.
Bathroom—Empty.
“Where did he go this early…”
Wenlang muttered, already losing patience.
He turned—and that’s when he saw it.
A mirror.
For a split second—
he didn’t think anything of it.
Then—he glanced at it. And froze.
His brain didn’t register it at first it refused to. It rejected it completely. Because the person staring back from the mirror— was not Shen Wenlang. “…What.”
The voice that came out—was wrong. Wenlang recognise it now.
Wenlang stepped closer disbelieving. The reflection did the same.
Black hair softer features round eyes beautiful lips light pale skin it's Gaotu.
“…What the hell is this—”
His hand shot up—
and the reflection copied him.
Wenlang’s Gaotu' pupils shrink. “…Gao Tu?”
Silence.
Then—
“WHAT THE HELL?!”
The shout echoed through the apartment.
Completely unlike his usual composed self. Well the face in the mirror is composed one.
He grabbed his own face—
No.
Not his.
Gao Tu’s face.
“…This is a joke.”
His voice dropped, dangerous.
“…This better be a joke.”
But the pain in his body was real.
The unfamiliar scent was real.
The reflection—was real.
“…Gao Tu."
Where is Gaotu?
Should he find Gaotu or himself?
What had he done?
And why—
why—
What the hell did just happened yesterday.
Wenlang stared at the mirror again.
Then let out a low, disbelieving laugh.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”