Bound In A Loop Of Fate

With a first aid kit in hand, Gu Wei returned to the bench, relieved to see Zhai Mei was still there.

He'd met Miss Li and Fu Yuan on the way, and they had sent a staff with him to pick what he needed.

Gu Wei had been so caught up in his emotions that he'd forgotten to tell Zhai Mei why he was leaving, and he'd been worried she would've left by the time he came back.

Seeing her sitting on the bench, head turning this way and that, hands folded in her lap, was a huge relief.

Gu Wei approached and shook the small kit.

Realisation crossed Zhai Mei's face as she saw what Gu Wei had hurried to get, and she turned her head to the side to hide her smile.

Gu Wei pulled his bag out of the way and sat beside her, opening the kit and removing the essentials.

He extended a hand for Zhai Mei's. She obliged.

As always, Zhai Mei's hands were warm, and a tingle went through Gu Wei as he took her soft palm in his.

How could hands be so soft?

It was getting dark, and Gu Wei could barely see a thing as he squinted.

He used a cotton wool soaked in medicine to dab at the dried blood around the wound, pausing to warm Zhai Mei it might hurt before pressing the wool on the cut itself for a quick second.

Zhai Mei didn't so much as flinch.

A twitch of her hand was the only reaction he got to the pain, surprising Gu Wei.

Who knew this soft nature was this strong?

Lost in his thoughts, Gu Wei unconsciously blew on the wound a few times before applying the band-aid, patting around it softly to keep it in place.

A wide-eyed Zhai Mei stared in disbelief at the amount of care her hands were getting, making Zhai Mei jealous of her finger.

Why it and not her?

Seeing his work done perfectly, Gu Wei let Zhai Mei take her hand away and closed the small aid kit, tossing the other things in the trash nearby.

Zhai Mei rubbed affectionately at the brown band around her finger, startled when Gu Wei grabbed her arm and scolded her.

'Don't touch it, it needs to heal.'

Zhai Mei nodded and gingerly rested the finger on her palm.

Gu Wei's scowl had made an appearance on his face again as he recalled the incident that had caused the wound in the first place.

'That man…'

Gu Wei began to motion but was caught off by Zhai Mei as she raised hers and slashed aggressively, 'Asshole.'

This was signed in ASL, making the gesture even more fierce with the switch in language. Gu Wei copied her motion with the same energy.

'Yes, asshole.'

That was agreed on.

Zhai Mei started to sign Gu Wei's name but stopped short as she realised she didn't know what it was.

"What's your name sign? I never asked."

A name sign was a unique symbol given to someone in the Deaf community, a shortcut to spelling out their full name, mostly based on a trait, habit, or something personal to them.

Zhai Mei's question had the opposite effect she thought it would.

Gu Wei cleared his throat at the mention of his name, looking anywhere but at her as he recalled the embarrassing sign for his name.

Index fingers pointing and outlining his thick eyebrows, then a scissors sign snipping thrice near them. Basically meaning 'scissored brows.'

'I… It's embarrassing. Best if you don't know.'

Now Zhai Mei was curious. 'What is it?'

Gu Wei hesitated, glancing at her for a moment, then shook his head resolutely.

'Call me whatever, I don't mind.' Zhai Mei frowned at his nonchalant answer. 'But it's rude.'

'No, it's not,' Gu Wei signed. 'Anything you come up with will be better than the original, trust me.'

Zhai Mei thought about it for a second, 'Then how about…'

Wrapping her arms around herself in a self-hug, Zhai Mei tilted her head to the right with a fond expression.

She tapped her palms twice on her arm as if signifying a move of comfort or holding something precious.

Gu Wei tilted his head to match hers, following her movement as they leaned in opposite directions.

Zhai Mei let her wrapped arms fall.

'Your name means preserve or maintain. You'll always support those around you and hold them steady. So…'

She redid the sign with a smiley face, head to the right as she gazed at him expectantly.

Mouth open in disbelief at this extraordinary female in front of him, Gu Wei blinked and looked away for a second, feeling light-headed as Zhai Mei signed his name like it was the most natural thing in the world.

How did she know his character 'Wei' meant to preserve and maintain?

Gu Wei couldn't be that surprised.

Zhai Mei knew almost everything about him after all.

A smile bled through his emotional rollercoaster, and Gu Wei laughed softly, turning his gaze back to Zhai Mei's hug.

Wrapping his arms around himself, Gu Wei copied her movements, the hug and head tilt.

However, Zhai Mei shook her head and remade the move, tapping her hand twice on her arm at the end.

Gu Wei did the same, then asked, 'What about the tap? What does it mean?'

Zhai Mei beamed at his question like he'd asked her what her favourite candy was.

She mouthed silently, "Wei Wei."

Gu Wei's lips parted in a small gasp at the genius thinking.

He stared disbelievingly at Zhai Mei as she made the motion again for the tenth time, mouthing his name along with it.

She'd always wanted to call him Wei Wei, like his friends did, and now that she had the chance, Zhai Mei was going to sign his name as much as she wanted.

Gu Wei couldn't take it anymore.

He placed a hand over his head to hide his face and gave Zhai Mei a thumbs up.

'It's good.'

One thing Gu Wei was learning about Zhai Mei was the bashful things she always said to him, like her claiming she was his stalker.

And now, she'd also given him a name sign that was… bashful, and Gu Wei always never knew how to respond to it.

He couldn't blame anyone though.

He was the one who permitted her, and Gu Wei honestly liked the name.

Liked it so much that it was making him emotional. It was the free way she'd signed it in a very familiar way.

'You're blushing.' Zhai Mei motioned incredulously.

Gu Wei gave a thumbs down, 'No.'

'You are! Was it what I said? What did I say? What made you blush? Was it the name?'

Mortified beyond repair, Gu Wei gasped at her shameless question.

Who the hell asked someone the reason why they were blushing? When they were doing so in front of you?

This is what Gu Wei was talking about, bashful.

'Go away.'

Gu Wei gave Zhai Mei a playful push, not expecting the girl to tip off the bench and fall.

A sharp inhale went through Zhai Mei as her arms flailed, and she tried to keep her balance.

Gu Wei threw out his own hands with a curse, grabbed Zhai Me, and hauled her back to him, successfully stopping her backward fall to the ground.

However, repercussions could be heard as their heads collided and gave a resounding thud.

Passerbys eyed the clumsy couple on the bench and clicked their tongue at the younglings.

Gu Wei's forehead was stuck to Zhai Mei's as they both laughed at their stupidity.

Zhai Mei's shoulder shook in small quakes, and her expression transformed into plain laughter.

Gu Wei was whispering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," In between his laughs, his eyes shut tightly at the clumsy mistake.

Their fringes were tangled together, and Zhai Mei pulled back slightly and dropped her head on his shoulder, trying and failing to get her emotions under control.

Gu Wei's lips grazed over her cheek as she moved, and his breath stuck in his throat.

The feel of Zhai Mei's skin against his lips brought Gu Wei back to his senses, and he noticed just how close they were. His arms were around Zhai Mei, unknowingly pulling her to him.

Her shoulders were pressing into his as hers were shaking uncontrollably, and he could feel her throat as it buzzed against him.

Zhai Mei lifted her head, small laughter still leaving her as she motioned with the small space between them.

'You pushed me because I made you blush?'

The already frozen Gu Wei froze further as Zhai Mei's eyes bored into his. He was greeted with the deep brown of her eyes.

The question was swept aside as Zhai Mei's smile slowly faded into something Gu Wei couldn't name.

The sun was leaving the horizon, fading like Zhai Mei's smile, and the streetlight buzzed on with a soft hum, casting the two people wrapped around each other on a bench in warm light.

The added brightness brought everything into clear sight, and Gu Wei took in Zhai Mei's expression.

Eyes open wide staring into his soul, lean slender nose and cheeks coloured in two blurbs of red, lips parted slightly in a small O.

Her hair a frame that tumbled over her shoulder.

Gu Wei's whole body was thumping with the need for something indescribable, his heart an unsteady rhythm in his chest.

He leaned closer as his eyelashes fluttered, gaze fixed on Zhai Mei's lips, painted in a light gloss.

Zhai Mei pressed her lips together briefly as if in preparation.

Gu Wei leaned even closer.