Three days has passed since Chinwei’s death. They had cremate him four days after his death, with Qian wailing and bawling her eyes out during the whole ceremony. Yifan was there beside her all the time, holding her hands, embracing her, being a shoulder to cry on for the mourning daughter. Luhan thought this was how it’s supposed to be. Yifan constantly tried to look back, to see Luhan, to get any kind of reaction from Luhan, but he got none. The younger male was bowing his head down the whole day. He was avoiding Yifan as best as he can, and Yifan didn’t like this at all. It was so hard for Yifan. He was determined to confront Luhan about this. About them.

               The chance came at the morning after the cremation ceremony. Yifan just woke up, feeling exhausted and sleep deprived because he had to stay up to accompany Qian most of the night after Chinwei’s death, when he found Luhan in the kitchen making coffee. Alone.

               “Good morning, Xiao Lu.”

               A small yelp was heard as the younger tried to turn around to see who had circled their arms around his waist. When he realized who it was, he struggled to get out of the back hug he was given.

               “Yifan, let go. What if anybody sees?”

               Ignoring Luhan, Yifan leaned down, burying his face on the crook of Luhan’s smooth neck. His nose grazing at the skin, inhaling Luhan’s natural odor that smelled masculine, but soft, a combination of his milk and white musk scented shower cream and his tea tree scented shampoo. Yifan remembered those times in Bali where he had drifted to sleep lulled by this smell and woke up smelling this scent first thing in the morning. What had gone wrong?

               “Kris~”

               “Glad you’re still calling me with that nickname, baby. I missed you so much,” Yifan whispered to the younger’s ear. He can feel Luhan shivering, putting down the mug he was holding and resting his hands atop of his own bigger ones. But not to enjoy the hug. Luhan tried to pry Yifan’s arms off himself.

               “Yifan, please. We can’t. What if Qian sees? What if our parents—Fan!” Luhan gasped when Yifan his earlobe. It turns him on, alright.

               “You like that, baby? We haven’t done anything since we became official, you know. I know you respect marriage a lot, but.. sometimes.. rules are made to broken, right?”

               Confused by Yifan’s weird act, once again Luhan tried to wiggle out of Yifan’s hold. When Yifan suddenly let go of him, Luhan couldn’t help but whimpered at the loss, even though his instinct was to move as far as he could from the older male. That’s when he realized why Yifan let go of him.

               “Good morning, kids,” Ling yawned, rubbing her still sleepy eyes while Mei was walking past her with her eyes closed. Luhan and Yifan answered her with an awkward hum, then the older continued making coffee for his mother and Mei.

               “Yifan, where is—“ yawn “—your father?”

               Yifan blinked as the question. “Wasn’t he.. suppose to sleep with you?”

               “Yeah, but he woke up earlier this morning. He told me—oh, thanks, sweetie,” she took the mug Luhan was offering, patting Luhan’s hand who smiled in return. “He said he was going to discuss something with Xue Liong. About your marriage with Qian.”

               Yifan’s jaw drop. A clang of a spoon falling was heard. If they hear more carefully, they could even hear Luhan’s already broken heart falling to the floor. 

               “Luhan, dear, are you okay?” Mei looked at Luhan worriedly. He saw Luhan crouched to down, picking up the spoon he just dropped before standing up again and with a disgustingly fake grin waved the spoon to Mei.

               “I’m okay, Aunty! Just.. just surprised, haha,” he said, faking a laugh too. “Ahahaha, I’m fine, Mama. Why are you looking at me like that?”

               Ling saw the tears b in her son’s eyes. There is something Luhan is not telling her. She can see both of the boys are shocked with this news, but Luhan’s reaction is a bit.. too much?

               Ling didn’t have the chance to answer because suddenly laughter of two joyful fathers echoed in the room as Xing Chen and Xue Liong entered the room with a gleeful expression.

               “Ah, there you are,” Mei greet her husband. Xing Chen walked closer to his wife and plant a kiss to her forehead, just like Xue Liong who did the same to his wife. “So, how’s the discussion?”

               Xing Chen didn’t answer her directly. He looked at Yifan, who was still showing a confused expression on his face. Xing Chen smiled at his son as he let out a long sigh. “My son,” he looked at Yifan. “I made a promise to Chinwei, that night in Macau, when we saw the love sparkling from both of Qian and your eyes, I made a promise to him that I guarantee the happines Qian deserves. I guarantee it by giving my blessings to your love, to your relationship. And I promised Chinwei, that I will keep your words to Qian that night before you went back to Bali, when you said you are going to marry her.”

               “Papa, I—“

               “Chinwei is gone now,” he stopped for a while, glancing at Ling and Xue Liong who gave him an encouraging smile to continue his words, while he can feel his wife tightened her hold on his waist to support him. “But as you can see Xue Liong and Ling is practically her parents now. They gave you and Qian their blessings as well, and we had just talk to the priest to set the date of your marriage.”

               “What?? Papa!”

               “Both of you will have an engagement party here, in Beijing next week, and the wedding will be held in Bali three months after your engagement day—“

               “Wait, Papa, isn’t this too—“

               “We thought that the sooner the better. Because Qian needs someone in her life, someone she can hold on to, someone to lean on since her father is not with her anymore. And you, my son, I can see you love her with your heart, just as much as she loves you. I’m sure you will take care of her.”

               “But, Papa—“

               “Luhan? Luhan, son, where are you—Luhan!”

               Yifan wasn’t able to continue his protests as he saw Luhan ran out of the kitchen. He can hear a door slammed close.

               “What happened? Why is he—is he going to be okay?”

               Mei asked Ling in a worried tone. Ling was not sure herself, but her husband assure her