The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel's Disguise

The sensation of his calloused thumb drawing circles on her cheek felt so good that Ru felt like leaning into his touch further. And perhaps, just melt there.

’Oh no. No, no, no! You did not just think that.’ Ru pupils dilated as she realized what was happening.

’But, you just did. Accept it already that you like his touch.’ Her unreasonable conscious was awoken again.

’Snap out of it, Ru!’ She snapped at herself and slipped away from his touch.

The hand that just held her was now left empty and the void seemed like it was gnawing at Xiao Zhiren’s heart. He didn’t like it when she coiled away from his touch but what could he do? He couldn’t force her.

"I’ll be back in a moment," said Ru and left his room. Only after coming out was she able to breathe properly. Why was this summer getting hotter? ’I should get some cold drink for myself,’ thought Ru and left to find something cold for herself.

Xiao Zhiren’s eyes were still stuck on his hand. How weird it was that the girl whose body was cold like snow could always melt him like fire? He had yet to feel any warmth emanating from her body and yet his heart always felt fuzzy around her.

It wasn’t long before he heard the door opening again and as he was expecting Ru, Xiao Zhiren immediately turned his face but as his eyes fell on the person who entered, his eyes dimmed.

The disappointment on his face was so clear that even Ji Syaoran who had run all the way here could see and couldn’t stop himself from saying, "Ouch! At least, pretend like you’re happy to see me."

"But I am. Why should I bother pretending?" Xiao Zhiren answered straightforwardly. "Why are you here?"

"I had to be here. My brother is sick, as his favorite little brother, I just had to come." Ji Syaoran answered as he sat on the side of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I’m fine." Xiao Zhiren lied with a straight face.

Ji Syaoran scoffed at his brother, "Bro, try being more convincing than that. Because I’m certainly not falling for it."

"Yuan always falls for it." Xiao Zhiren voiced out as if saying that if Yuan bought his lies, Ji Syaoran should do so as well.

"I’m not Yuan. I am Ji Syaoran. And I know you better than Yuan. Also, he’s an apathetic person, I’m a passionate one." Ji Syaoran replied as he crossed his arms over his chest. They both stayed silent after that. Xiao Zhiren avoiding his brother’s prying eyes and Ji Syaoran trying to find something on his face. "Will you please tell me what happened? The doctor said you have a high fever. And it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you have a fever. Besides, when did a fever manage to make you so weak?"

Xiao Zhiren was also thinking about that. He couldn’t remember when he had the fever last time. But it couldn’t possibly have weakened him to this extent. Rubbing his forehead he said, "I don’t know. I had a strange headache. It felt like something was trying to break open my skull. And then..."

"Then what?" Ji Syaoran turned apprehensive but Xiao Zhiren didn’t manage to catch his expression.

"Some foreign memories flashed through my mind." As soon as he finished, Ji Syaoran’s whole body stiffened. "That fiancee grandmother spoke about-"

Ji Syaoran immediately interrupted him saying, "Bro, gammy was just kidding with you. Don’t strain your mind like this for such an insignificant matter."

Xiao Zhiren gave Ji Syaoran an odd look as he saw how his brother was all jittery. "She wasn’t kidding at all. I saw it myself. I really chose someone on my own accord. I just don’t know who that person is." He hissed as he felt the pain in his head again.

"Oi! Can’t you stop thinking? It doesn’t matter since you don’t remember her than just let it be." Ji Syaoran acted out all of a sudden.

"Why are you getting angry? I’ll just ask grandmother who she is. I need to know who she is and why can’t I remember her."

"No one knows who she is. Only you knew or mu..." Ji Syaoran bit his tongue before abruptly getting up from his seat.

"Or? Who else knows?" Xiao Zhiren asked curiously.

Ji Syaoran placed his hand over his mouth as he feigned a yawn saying, "Gosh! I’m really tired today. I should get back. Rest well. I’ll bring porridge for you in the morning."

Before Xiao Zhiren could open his mouth, Ji Syaoran had already slipped out of the room. Xiao Zhiren was baffled to see his brother acting so weird. No one really knew who that fiancee is? How is that possible? His face fell as he thought, ’Perhaps, only mom knew about her and she is no more.’

Outside, Ru was busy trying to find a vending machine and when she did, she couldn’t find a single coin on her body. ’That’s just utterly codswallop[1]!’ She cursed while kicking the vending machine.

She took a moment to survey her surroundings before her fingers did the magic and a couple of coins slid out from the vending machine. Ru smiled in victory which stiffened when she heard a very annoying voice right behind her, "I saw that."

Ru looked at him for a second longer, "When did you get here?"

"Just a while ago." Ji Syaoran answered plainly. "Thanks for helping my brother."

Ru shrugged her shoulders as she said, "I don’t like you but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like your brother as well." The words left her mouth so naturally that she only realized the meaning after they had been spoken. Did she just say, she likes Xiao Zhiren? Pui! Pui! What rotten tongue!

"Sorry about last time. I really misunderstood everything. But you can’t blame me for that really." Ji Syaoran scratched the back of his head as he apologized while Ru pushed the coins in and chose a bubbly drink for herself.

Ru passed one to him as they both leaned against the wall side by side and with a pop, they both opened the cans in their hands simultaneously. Taking a sip of the cold bubbly drink, she felt refreshed. "It doesn’t matter. I overreacted by throwing you out as well." As Ji Syaoran sighed, she added, "If I knew, I’d have just broken your fingers."

"Hey!" Ji Syaoran immediately got vigilant but then he saw the lopsided grin of Ru which led him to realize he had just been fooled. "You’re really not nice."

"What’s being nice like? Can I eat it? Does it taste good?" Ru’s retort left Ji Syaoran in a stumped state. How was his brother able to bear this person? He really needed to ask his brother.

"Did you tell..." Ji Syaoran raised his brow inquisitively as she added, "I mean at your house."

He shook his head saying, "Nope. I definitely don’t want a storm to start." Ru gave him a confused look as he continued, "Even though dad is upset with bro if he got to know that bro is in the hospital, believe me, the Capital might get on high-security alert."

"Favored son of the family, eh?" Ru remarked amusingly while Ji Syaoran chuckled beside her.

"You have no idea. He’s the eldest son of the family, he’s bound to be the favored one."

"Is that the only reason? Him being the eldest son?" questioned Ru.

"Of course not." Ji Syaoran answered but didn’t explain his words.

Ru had a lot of questions now. She felt like she’d able to curb her curiosity but she really couldn’t. Eventually, all the questions about the Ji family were again bothering her. It wasn’t her concern, she had to remind herself repeatedly. But something inside of her also pointed out that it concerned Xiao Zhiren and since Xiao Zhiren was her sworn brother, it actually concerned her as well. How convincing! Not, of course.

But it was enough of an excuse for herself to say, "Syaoran, does Zhiren have a history of migraine?"

Ji Syaoran was taking a sip of his drink and his movements became a bit sluggish, unlike Xiao Zhiren, Ru’s eyes caught on to his weird act very well.

"No. Not at all. It must be because of the stress as the doctor mentioned." Ji Syaoran answered with as much composure as he could manage under Ru’s sharp eyes.

"Don’t tempt me with your lies. I’m a violent person and you know that very well." Seeing her narrowed eyes along with that warning, Ji Syaoran gulped his saliva with difficulty.

[1] ’codswallop’: nonsense