It was a quiet drive home for Wang Lai and Li Hao—except for the times Li Hao forgot to breathe, every time Wang Lai's gaze drifted toward him instead of the road.
"Do you stare at every single person you drive?" Li Hao asked finally, half-annoyed, half-flustered.
"You're the first person to ever ride in my car," Wang Lai said with a smirk, eyes still on him. "And the first person I've personally driven... except Zixuan."
A flicker of realization—and relief—passed over Li Hao's face. Wang Lai noticed, but before he could ask, Li Hao had already hidden it behind a blank stare.
"We're here," Wang Lai announced, pulling up in front of Li Hao's apartment.
Li Hao turned to him as if expecting something—some gesture, maybe—but Wang Lai only stared back, waiting. Li Hao's brows furrowed. Do you not know what you're supposed to do? his expression screamed silently.
When nothing happened, he scoffed, opened the door himself, and stepped out.
"Wait—" Wang Lai started, but Li Hao was already walking off, irritation visible in every step.
Suddenly, Li Hao spun around, startling him. "Don't follow me!" he shouted, then disappeared into the building.
Wang Lai stood there for a moment, then smiled faintly.
---
Inside, Li Hao jabbed the elevator button and sighed. "Why am I even angry? I'm definitely not angry... right?" he muttered to himself, arms crossed.
When he reached their floor, he patted his pocket and groaned. "The key's with Yuhan."
He leaned on the wall, thinking. "He should be in by now... unless he passed out. Should I just ask Zixuan—"
Before he could finish, the apartment door swung open and a hand yanked him inside.
"What's with you all and my arm?" he yelped.
"Shhh!" Yuhan hushed him, finger pressed to his lips.
"What?" Li Hao whispered, eyes wide. "And why are we whispering in our own house?"
Realizing how silly that sounded, Yuhan laughed and dropped his hand.
"Wait—weren't you drunk?" Li Hao asked, narrowing his eyes. "Was it all a lie?"
"Shhh," Yuhan said again, grinning as he dropped onto the sofa. "How was it?"
"No way... that was acting? You weren't drunk?"
Yuhan pouted and smiled proudly. "Truthfully, I was drunk. But when the glass broke in my hand, I sobered up real fast."
"Wow, Yuhan..." Li Hao said, genuinely impressed.
"I'm tired. I need to sleep," Li Hao sighed changing the topic, turning toward his room.
"Stop!" Yuhan's voice came sharp, like a police command.
Li Hao froze immediately, his mind racing.
"I know your secret," Yuhan said, walking around him slowly.
Li Hao swallowed hard.
"I know... and I saw what you did," Yuhan continued, his tone playful but dangerous.
Panic flickered through Li Hao's mind. Did he see me with Wang Lai? he thought, feeling a drop of sweat trail down his temple.