When Zhengting walked out, the Cai family seemed to have gathered in the living room and seeing him, they stood up. Zhengting had no clue where they were going to go but he was sure it was going to be somewhere fancy.

 

On the taxi to the restaurant, Mrs. Cai couldn't seem to stop asking Xukun questions about school and telling stories about him when he was younger. He half-heartedly answered the questions but didn't even acknowledge the stories. Zhengting was surprised at how rude he was. There really was no excuse to just ignore someone, straight up. Especially if that someone is your parent. It annoyed him but he tried to make up for Xukun's lack of response himself, laughing and nodding and adding comments here and there, even though he was going off autopilot.

 

His suspicions were confirmed when the taxi stopped in front of a pleasant looking and very well decorated restaurant. Once in the restaurant, they were lead to a private room that was even fancier than the rest of the place. It even had it's own chandelier. Zhengting tried not to gawk but the shock must've shown anyway, he could tell by the look Xukun had given him a bit later, which in return he glared back.

 

The dinner went by in a blur to Zhengting. He had to sit beside Xukun, which did not go well. Every time their arms brushed against each other, he would smirk at him. One time, Xukun casually rested his hand on Zhengting's thigh, unknown to the parents sitting across from them. Zhengting hoped his alarm didn't show and pushed the older's hand away just as casually.

 

He could swear that Xukun was trying to seduce him. he would even believe it if it were anyone else. After all, not to toot his own horn, but Zhengting was good looking and people admitted to it. Heck, one of his most proudest achievements include turning straight boys bi, at least for him. But Xukun? Nah. He was too perfect, too polished, too straight. Too much of a boy, more than anything. Zhengting was probably just a toy that he could play around with and manipulate, play with his feelings, play with his heart. Well, Zhengting wasn't going to let that happen.

 

On the taxi ride back, Zhengting and Xukun were sitting together in the back row. Zhengting internally groaned and stuck his hands into his pockets, searching for earbuds and his phone, or really, just an excuse not to have Xukun talk to him. , then he realizes. His phone was still in his room, being charged. he cursed lightly under his breath, but somehow Xukun managed to pick it up.

 

"Don't swear, it doesn't sound nice coming from pretty lips like yours," He said in normal boy-ish manner. He set his left hand on Zhengting's head, gently sliding it down until it was by his jaw and turning his head towards him. Zhengting hated boys. So much.

 

" off," He said lightly pushing the hand off. Knowing Xukun would hear him but hoping that the driver and Mr. and Mrs. Cai wouldn't hear. If they did, they showed no sign of doing so.

 

"Princess, what did I just tell you?" Xukun smirks. "If you don't listen it's not going to go good." He adds, and Zhengting is just curious how a person can be so much of an . Really, if he just shut his mouth, Zhengting might even like him. (He shakes his head at the sheer thought of liking that person anyway.) But god knew that nobody would deal with someone this annoying. And why Princess, of all names? Sure, he might be gay, but he definitely didn't go by female pronouns or anything.

"Stop calling me Princess," He said, slightly upset at the name and glaring. He only realizes he is pouting (it was like second nature to him, his friends always called him cute and whatnot, then it started to stick a little, for Zhengting's distaste.) when Xukun points it out.

 

"You really are one you know, look at that pout," If Zhengting had been told this by any of his other friends, he would have been upset, angry maybe. But coming from Xukun? Hell no. Even Xukun must have sensed the change in Zhengting's emotion.

 

"Stop. Just off." Zhengting hissed at Xukun, before looking out the window and completely ignoring Xukun.

 

When they arrived back at home, Zhengting, after thanking Mr. and Mrs. Cai multiple times, dashed to his room and locked himself in. It was Satuday night, and this torture would be over by tomorrow right? Since Xukun was so clearly a model student and he couldn't afford to miss classes or anything. He sighed. Less than 24 more hours with this . And at least some of them will be spent here, alone and safe from Cai Xukun the boy's either snarky or overly flirty comments.

 

He didn't want to spend his precious spare time thinking about him, but every time he tried to do anything, Xukun's head popped up in his mind. His deep voice, repeating Princess over and over again. Just the though of him got Zhengting all riled up, but for some reason, he couldn't stop. He was in his brain and he was there to stay. As if having the real person around wasn't enough to make Zhengting pissed as hell.

 

A couple minutes later when he opened his door after a knock to see a note and some fruit, a cup of water and a pill of something. He didn't like the looks of this at all but he went along with it. He closed the door quickly and locked it again, just in case Xukun was to jump out at him from the room right beside and start bugging him all over again.

 

He found that the note, when he unfolded it, was actually two notes. The outer one was from Mrs. Cai and he read that one first.

 

 

What kind of lies were Xukun even telling? It gave him a literal headache just because of him. He supposes that explained the water and what he now assumed to be Advil on the tray.

 

 

Zhengting groaned at the note. Why did Xukun always have to be such an ? It would even be better if they could just not get along but it looked like he was going to keep up that boy persona forever, or at least as long as he could. And Zhengting didn't like boys.

 

He picked up his now fully charged (thanks to him leaving it at home) phone and texted his friend, Wenjun. He complained about his situation but all Wenjun did was laugh in his face. Metaphorically, because they were texting of course. Zhengting huffed and curled up into his bed, hoping everything was all just one, big, bad dream.

 

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Bit shorter today but it'll always be around the same length. Keeping it shorter lets me update faster, and I just break everything into smaller pieces so I can update multiple times a week instead of once or twice max.