Final Chapter:

Shall We Call this a Date?

---

 

I really should've brought a sweater with me. Even though the leaves had just begun changing into pretty slivers of red, orange, and yellow, the faint wind still brought chills in its wake.

I rub my arms, it was almost five and Yixing still wasn't here.

Wasn't the guy supposed to be waiting for the girl?

 

"Oh my gosh, were you waiting for long?" A bob of brown hair fills my vision and there, in all his panting glory, was Yixing. 

"Not too much. It's exactly five." I check my watch and grin softly at the boy now towering over me. "Hey, you have a stray leaf in your hair," I stand on my tip toes to reach out my slightly cold fingers and brush it out. I didn't realize how close our faces were until I feel a pair of deep brown eyes on me. Stopping midway, I look at him and he's showing me an unreadable expression. I quickly pat his hair and step down. "All done." I give him a quick grin and then turn around and begin walking.

 

"Hey! You don't just leave me standing here!"

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

"Don't you think this is pretty?" 

 

The first place I drag Yixing to was the Rocks and Minerals section with all the pretty gems that catch the display lights in all the right places. I was a er for the Earth Sciences and there was no doubt the gems caught my attention. 

I stare at the elbaite tourmaline mineral emerging on a mass of quartz. Elbaite isn't my favorite, but it is still dazzling enough to rank high on my mineral tiers.

"They all look pretty much the same to me." Yixing stands behind me and leans over my shoulder, giving the display before me a cursory glance before stepping away. His comment stings like the cold wind outside and his step back removes the warmth I had felt earlier encompassing my body.

Yixing was being a jerk again. And it was very uncharacteristic of him.

 

The Yixing I know at school is shy and hesitant to make physical contact with me. He's the one that gets embarrassed easily and often averts his eyes somewhere else when I try to make light conversation with him. 

Maybe this is the actual Yixing and the one I know at school is just an exaggerated illusion of my dreams. 

 

I ignore his comment and accept the Yixing he is now because despite it, I still like him. I think I'm slightly messed up. Sighing, I turn my attention to another mineral.

Opal.

It's my favorite type of mineral. With a delusion of pearly white opaqueness, opals shine iridescently under light. Sparkly. That's what I wish my life was. But here I was stuck admiring the sparkle a mineral gives off. More than what I have of my own.

I don't voice this out because Yixing's obviously not interested in the same things as I'm interested in and with an attitude to top it, I feel like a loser.

 

Well, I did say I'll do my best to make this date enjoyable for him. 

I put on a smile and make my way to Yixing, who's sitting at a conveniently placed sofa for those tired from wandering around in the museum. His gaze averts away from mine when he sees me catching his staring. I notice he quickly stuffs a worn-out piece of paper in his bag. I roll my eyes in amusement, but on the inside, I was going crazy. Did I do something wrong? 

 

"Let's go see some birds," I lend a hand out, hoping he'll take up the offer. Yixing, surprisingly, grabs my hand and intertwines his fingers with mine. 

"Yeah, let's go." 

 

And for some odd reason, he leads the way.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

"Do you really like birds?" I laugh when I finally see Yixing make full use of the camera hanging on a strap around his neck.

"More or less. Woodland creatures fascinate me." Yixing shuts up and pinks a bit when he realizes he has said too much. The corners of my smile go up a few inches.

"Do you also like trees?" I gesture towards the side exhibit where live samples of trees were displayed and leaves were imprinted on counters.

"I think I'll stick with birds." 

 

We look around a bit, occasionally taking pictures of each other with a species of bird as a background drop. I pose with a Barred Owl, making my eyes go as wide as I can while at the same time trying to maintain a pair of owl eyes with my fingers. This makes Yixing double over in laughter and it takes us quite a number of retakes to finally obtain a satisfactory photo of me looking stupid.

"You better send me that one," We had already exchanged phone numbers earlier and now I was taking full advantage of the fact.

"Duh, why wouldn't I send you a picture of you looking stupid." I smile because I know Yixing intends to be funny but the words hurt just a bit. Stop being so sensitive, you're hurting yourself this way.

 

"Now let's find you a bird to pose with..." 

 

"A warbler?! Why am I a warbler?" Yixing's outburst causes a mild stirring of attention from the people surrounding us and I have to force a finger on his lips to shush him.

"What? What else do you think you are?" I check the angle on my phone ( that I didn't bring my camera), grinning when I found the perfect position.

Yixing was silent and so I take it as consensus to my plan.

"Okay, stand there. Yeah. Now tilt your head up. Uh, fluff your feath- wait, you don't have any. I don't know! Oh okay, I know. Look as if you're howling to the moon." I laugh as Yixing takes my advice very seriously. Oh god, how I have a deep crush on this man.

 

I quickly take a picture, making sure it was the reality I wanted, before erupting into a fit of giggles. 

"You-look-pft-like a HAHA constipated *gasp* seal!" 

That surely got the undivided attention of everyone standing around us. Yixing mutters something before grabbing me by the arm and pulling me out of the exhibit hall. We're now standing in the lobby and I'm still laughing so hard that tears are rolling down my face. A couple of kids and their parents give us weird looks, obviously thinking I need to be put in a mental ward. Yixing glares at them but I can't stop laughing because oh my god, his glare just makes the constipated seal image even better.

"You're not shutting up any time soon, right?" Yixing glances at me warily and sees that he's still holding onto my arm.

I was going to protest and say, "No, I can stop!" but what Yixing does next completely silences me.

He pushes my body against his and puts a hand on the back of my head to press gently against his chest. My laughter dies down, partially due to being muffled by his chest but also partially due to shock. I realize a little second too late that my tears of laughter were making his shirt damp. 

"Wait, your pretty tee-" 

"Don't talk."

I shut up out of common courtesy. Perhaps my words were ticklish against his body. I smile a bit at the thought, hoping that will entertain my mind before the bad thoughts take over like Is he embarrassed about me? To the point that he has to resort to this?

But those bad thoughts never situated themselves in my mind when I start feeling Yixing's fingers comb through my messy ponytail, trying to unknot my tangles.

By now, my breath has calmed down to its usual intakes and outakes. And I'm ready to face my embarrassment when Yixing lets me go.

 

But Yixing doesn't release his hold.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

"I'm hungry." 

 

Immature Yixing strikes again. I turn away from the dark beetle crawling its way up the glass panel, shuddering as I do so, and look at Yixing.

"Great, I want to get away from here." I bite my lips and dart my eyes back to the display. The beetle closes its pincers as if it was threatening me and my future family. 's scary as hell.

Yixing sees our exchange with great amusement. 

 

"You're afraid of bugs?" He asks, a mischievous little twinkle present in his eyes.

"Shut up. I'm not." I look back at the dark beetle and I see that his friends have joined him.

"Oh really?"

Oh my god, why are there so many of them on that glass panel? I close my eyes and shudder, turning my back on the display and hoping that the momentary shudder goes past Yixing.

It doesn't.

"Then why did you decide we should come here?" He tilts his head and takes a step behind me, as if he was trying to shield me from the beetle display box.

"You seemed bored and I thought you would like this, given that you like the woods," I say this very quietly, hoping Yixing will brush it off as a poor excuse for him to enjoy the date.

Instead, I hear him mutter.

 

"Cute."

 

And my heart skips a beat.

 

 

 

We do end up eating dinner though when Yixing sees it was very obvious I can't take it anymore in the Insects and Bugs exhibit hall. We probably looked like quite the sight, with an irritaged Yixing dragging a shivering me behind him.

When we arrived at an oriental restaurant, we immediately let out two simultaneous deep breaths.

"Why are you sighing for?" I lightly nudge him in the foot. Yixing was looking at the menu in deep thought, while I already knew what I was going to order. Coming to this museum often does save time afterall.

"Glad to see you aren't hyperventilating anymore," Yixing bluntly states, finally closing up the menu and looking around for a waiter.

"I can't help it. I'm so glad we're out of that hell hole." I grin and kick his leg when he rolls his eyes at me.

 

"You're quite the brave one now, aren't you?" Yixing looks back at me with eyebrows raise.

I bite my lips.

For some reason, I can't answer that.

Yixing senses my distress and he moves forward in his seat to apologize. But we were interrupted by our waitor.

It was enough of a diversion to make me forget about his hypothetical question and I was smiling again and bouncing in my seat.

"I think my favorite exhibit might just be the birds one." I announce to him.

Yixing raises an eyebrow at me, "Weren't you gushing over how pretty the Gem hall was?"

"Yeah, I was just kidding about the birds. Ha, as if! Rocks and Minerals is far superior." I start laughing when I feel Yixing's fingers dance across my jeans, trying to tickle me but failing miserablly. 

The waiter comes by with our dishes and I have to hide my growing grin behind my hand lest I wanted another person to think I belonged in the mental ward.

 

"I never knew you weren't ticklish," Yixing's eyes show a hint of betrayal and I can't help but let out a giggle.

"Actually, I'm wearing jeans. There's a difference." When I realize what I just said, it was too late to correct my words.

Yixing makes his way over to sit on the same side as me and without hesitation, he reaches his fingers out and begins tickling my sides.

I double over in laughter, doing my best to keep my hair out of my rice. When he stops the assault, I feel weak and I unconsciously lean against his side. I hear and feel no objection from his lips or body. And the comforting warmth of his arm reaches over and pulls me to his side. 

"You are really evil." I comment after regaining my breath and sitting up. My heart can only handle so much of physical contact with Zhang Yixing.

 

"I do my best."

And the way he smiles at me makes my heart want to burst at its seams.

 

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

We were nearing the end of our date and we decided it would be best to spend it in the Dinosaur exhibit. By now it was nearing 8:30pm and there were only a couple of stragglers still in the exhibits.

I silently make my way to the gigantic bone structure in the middle, examining the intricacy of the bones and how well fitted each piece was to each other. As if they were meant to be despite being made from a plastic mold.

 

"Hey." 

 

I jump a bit at the voice but turn around only to see Yixing, with the flirt of a smile dancing on his lips. 

"So better than bugs, I assume?" 

I punch him in the arm.

 

We spend the rest of the time exclaiming over how fake a display looked or how ugly a dinosaur must've been to have such a bone structure. Now, it was only the two of us left in the dinosaur exhibit and I find the air easier to breathe, knowing that there would only be one person to judge me now. 

"Hey what's this?"

 

I walk over to where Yixing stands, by a badly camouflaged black door. The kinds you see with the same wallpaper as the wall and one could only tell the two apart by the conspicuous knob sticking out of the former.

It was situated behind one of the more obscure displays, somewhere in the back of the hall. 

 

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" My eyes widen at his suggestion.

"Do you want us to get killed?" I hiss, looking over my shoulder to see if there are any security guards in the vicinity.

"Oh this won't get us killed. Getting caught will." Yixing raps a knuckle against my head.

 

I stay silent and plead using my eyes, hoping he'll stay rational and not become one of those stupidly heroic protagonists in action movies. (Most who end up getting hurt in the end)

Because reality isn't an action movie and one wrong move can cost you your life.

 

"C'mon, being curious isn't a sin. I just want to see what's behind this door. We won't walk inside or outside, if it leads to there, for the matter." Yixing leaves me no room to complain as he suddenly brings me to his side, one arm clenched protectively around my waist while the other carefully turns the knob to the door. We both take a peek in at whatever was at the other side of the door.

It's a dark hallway, save for the thin stream of moonlight coming in through one lone window.

 

"Okay, we're done here. Let's g-" But I was cut off as Yixing takes a step into the hallway with me tightly attached to his hip. The door swings shut and we're clouded in darkness.

Screw Yixing and his promises.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

"This was not part of the plan at all. Hell no, I made sure it wasn't," I knew I was babbling like the unpleasant paranoid little me I actually was but I couldn't help it! We were walking in a pitch dark (excuse my exaggeration) hallway where we had no idea where it led to and if we were actually locked in.

"Relax," I feel Yixing's fingers draw circles on my waist. Whatever it's meant to accomplish means nothing to me because the comfort and tranquility wasn't reaching my lost mind right now.

 

I clench Yixing's shirt a little tighter, taking back the lamenting I had done so previously for the little droplets of tears that soiled his t-shirt. To hell with that, I'll ruin this shirt as much as I want.

If I didn't have a huge crush on Yixing, I would've already kneed him in the balls by now.

 

"Oh, I see the light!" Yixing's gasp of delight momentarily lifts my spirits until I realize what he had said vaguely resembles one of the most dreaded lines in action films.

 

"YIXING, DON'T WALK TOWARDS IT. YOU'LL DIE." I fumble in his arms and try to prevent him from taking a step further to the door at the end of the hallway. Once I worm my body out of his vice-like grip and was now standing before him with hands placed on his shoulders, I shake him and cry, seriously scared, "STAY WITH ME, YIXING."

 

Yixing blinks once and then twice before bursting out into a peal of laughter, crushing me into tight hug.

"Why are you so adorable?" He whispers, smiling into my hair.

 

I shut my eyes in embarrassment.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

We find out later that the door leads to the roof top where all the night lights glow in the distance, effectively making me feel closer to civilization than I had felt in the hallway.

We're both sitting safely on the back end of the ledge and looking out below. 

 

"That was totally worth it." Yixing comments offhandedly, coughing into the back of his hand as I throw him a glare.

"I still think we're getting into trouble," I point at a police car parked around the corner.

"Uh-huh, but not if we can help it." he winks at me and I curse him under my breath while turning my face away because my cheeks were burning.

 

Yixing hops off the ledge and extends me his arm.  "Don't want you falling asleep and falling over now, right?" He grins when I scowl at him. 

"Why are you looking like a idiot with your arms wide open?" I peer at him from above, estimating the jump back onto the safe grounds of the roof.

"What do you think? So I can catch invisible unicorns?" I laugh and Yixing grins.

 

"No, I want you to jump into my arms," Yixing looks at me with that unreadable expression again and his words hit my heart like stones.

"Are you sure?" He was serious and there was no way I was going to joke about the situation right now. I wasn't light, for sure, and I had a tendency to make things more awkward than they already are.

"Yes, I'm definitely sure." Yixing smiles and waits for me.

 

And I let go and fall forward.

Only to be met with a soft chest and a warm embrace.

 

"Wow, you're actually quite heavy."

 

 

 

"Oh my god. Yixing. You just ruined the moment!"

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

We silently make our way back to the hallway, walking side by side and with an occasional squeeze of the hand from Yixing. Finally, we stand before the closed door.

 

"The door knob isn't turning." Yixing grimly says.

Take in a deep breath, you can do this. I rummage through my wind-blown hair and find my hair pin. I pull it out without a second thought, loosening my ponytail and forcing me to let my hair out. Yixing stares at me and gapes.

"What are you looking at?" I mumble, a hair pin in my mouth, while threading shaky fingers through my hair to make it look presentable.

"Your hair...it's really pretty," Yixing looks shy and embarrassed and I have half a mind to just kiss him right here and now.

 

Instead I compliment him with a blush. "Why thank you."

Brushing aside any other fluffy thoughts, I set about to working on the lock. Years of breaking into my brother's room were finally being applied to actual emergencies.

When I hear the soft click, I felt a surge of elation fill me and I turn back and grin excitedly at Yixing. "I actually did it!" Yixing smiles softly back and pats my head, "You did."

We step into the empty and quiet Dinosaur exhibit.

 

Something seems off.

 

Someone turned off the lights.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Oh my god oh my god. We're locked in a museum over night. Life is so screwing with me right now. I let out a whimper and fall to the floor, already exhausted by today's events, only to find it topped off by this.

Yixing immediately rushes to my side. He hugs me out of pure comfort and pats my back, "Don't worry. If we survived getting caught, we'll survive a night in a museum." I look at him through my unshed tears and I sigh.

 

"I can't believe the dare went this far."

Yixing looks at me sharply, "Wait, this is all part of a dare?"

I could only nod my head morosely, closing my eyes so as to not see Yixing get angry. 

 

The shouting never comes and once again, I find myself peeking at him with one eye open. I see Yixing crouched beside me, holding his face in his hands. He looks so embarrassed, as if he wants the floor to swallow him up. 

"Hey Yixing," I poke his sides. When this elicits no response, I poke his dimple. He immediately raises his head and I see that he's very flustered. 

"Yeah, it's a dare, but that doesn't mean I lied about all I said up to now," I give him a sweet smile.

"It's just- I- you- ugh" Yixing once again hides his face, refusing to look at me. I smile weakly at his form and then get up. He's probably disgusted with me right now. 

 

"You stay here, I'll find us somewhere to sleep for the night. It's my fault we're stuck here anyways," I grimace a bit at the truth but immediately begin walking around to look for a comfortable room. 

 

"Wait, don't just go walking by yourself." Yixing gets up and runs up to me, catching my hand in his. "We need to stick together or else one of us will get lost. Our phones have no signal so that means we won't be able to find each other." 

I sigh and drag him along. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Guilt was present on his face.

 

"It's also partially my fault." He admits, stopping and looking down at his feet.

I was confused, "Wait, how?" Yixing bites his lips and looks me in the eyes.

 

"Because I knew that the museum was closing earlier today but I forgot to tell you."

 

I gape at him. "How could you forget that?!" 

He looks at me and simply replies,

 

"Because I forget about my surroundings when I'm with you."

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

After an awkward hug and apology, Yixing and I went back to our usual exchanges. We still haven't found a room yet and decided to rest in the Birds exhibit. I lie down on the floor (screw the dirty floors) while Yixing stands and hovers above me.

"Hey, do you want to play hide-and-seek?" Yixing's eyes light up and he starts poking my arm, hoping I'll say yes.

 

"No." There was no way in hell I was going to be alone in this museum trying to look for Yixing. I'll probably end up crying in a corner ten seconds into the game.

 

"Oh well, too bad, because I'll be playing it." And with that remark, Yixing runs out of the exhibit hall. 

 

Holy . Yixing did not just do that to me. 

I immediately spring up and run out the room.

 

"Yixing?" My word meets silence in the general lobby. No. NO. 

I lose track of my sense of direction because my mind was going haywire. So I run down the hallways and enter the first room at the end. 

 

It was the Insects and Bugs exhibit. 

 

"Yixing, are you in here?" I hug my body close to me and make my way across the room. The glass case with the dark beetle was empty. I can't tell if I'm happy for that fact or depressed because at least I'll have some sort of familiar company.

He's not in here. I keep walking and suddenly trip.

 

It's as if my whole world was crashing down on me. And I begin to cry.

"I HATE YOU YIXING!" I dash my way out the exhibit and run into another one.

 

It was the Minerals exhibit and immediately, my sobs begin dying down. I find the sofa Yixing sat at earlier and I plop myself down on it. I curl up at the end of the familiar piece of furniture and try to muffle my sobs. 

Someone pulls me into a hug and I knew right away who it was.

 

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Oh god." He held me as if he was never letting go and I just cried harder.

"You bastard -punch- how -punch- do -punch- I even -punch- love -punch- you!" My punches grow weak and I only end up clenching Yixing's shirt even tighter.

 

"You love me?" Yixing asks me breathlessly, placing a finger under my chin so that he can look into my eyes. I refuse and hide my face in his shirt. This wasn't the way I planned my confession.

 

"Please. Tell me. Do you love me?" I hesitantly look up. Yixing looks so insecure and hesitant. He bites his lips and looks at me hopefully, eyes filled with that unreada- wait, no.

That was love. 

 

I silently nod my head.

 

"Yes, I do."

Yixing inches closer to me, pressing my back against the sofa before leaning down and whispering in my ear,

 

"I think I love you too."

And he places his lips gently over mine, pressing lightly and tenderly before pulling away. The kiss is so sweet it hurts.

 

When we pull apart, I feel breathless. I touch my lips, not believing what just happened. Yixing's lips are slightly bruised and I sort of want to kiss him again to get rid of it.

I think my face is as red as a tomato now. Blushing, I turn away so as to not face him, my embarrassment level having reached its peak.

 

Yixing cradles my face and kisses me again. And again. and again. Until I'm gasping for breath and he's hovering over me, breathless as well.

He lies down next to me on the sofa and pulls me into his embrace. We're so close that I feel for once that I'm breathing the same air as Yixing.

Zhang Yixing.

The same boy I fell in love with these past three years.

The same boy now lying beside me and cuddling me.

 

"You know, I have liked you since the beginning of high school." Yixing remarks before plopping a kiss on my cheek.

"What," I gape at him. "How?" Yixing blushes, I think I'm starting to really like that color on him.
"I don't know. The attraction just appeared out of nowhere after the first couple of times I spoke to you." Yixing looks embarrassed before hiding his face in my neck. I pat his head.

"I never would have thought that." I close my eyes, suddenly feeling the full exhaustion of today's tumultuous events.

 

"Looks like we're sleeping here tonight." Yixing grins against my mouth, managing to sneak another kiss in. I open one eye to glare at him but then rub my arms when I realize I still don't have a sweater. Yixing notices this and opens his backpack. He takes out two sweaters. 

"Hear, wear this one." I look at him questioningly.

"Why did you bring two?"

Yixing blushes and I don't need to ask anymore.

 

I slip on the warm garment. This was the same sweater Yixing wore the first day I met him. Its white color is really pretty. Kinda like opal. 

I place a sleeve against Yixing's cheek. 

"You're as pretty as an opal. And that's saying a lot." I smile, relishing in the blush his loving face was adorned with.

"Thank you," and with that, my eyes turn into crescent shapes.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

"Yixing?" I was still awake, thinking about things when a question popped up in my mind. 

"Yeah?" He yawns but presses me closer to his chest, pulling the ends of the second sweater tighter around the two of us.

 

"Why were you acting like a jerk earlier today and all of yesterday?" 

Yixing looks alarmed but he lets out a defeated sigh, obviously hoping I didn't notice.

 

"My friends were watching. And I wanted to show them that I can be cool and manly around you, despite how I'm usually shy and awkward when it comes to you." 

"Wait, they were spying on us throughout the date?"

 

"Um, yes?"

 

"Oh my god."

 

"They're gone now."

 

 

"Good. And screw you, Yixing." 

"Love you too."

 

 

---

 

Finally done ;_; It's 3:30am here and I seriously need to sleep.

Here's the reference to the warbler http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Blue-winged_Warbler.jpg