Kiss Me, Kill Me, Forget Me

After what felt like a lifetime to Shen Yi, they finally left Uncle Ming's place, and the old man stood by the doorway with a gentle smile as he waved them off. Jiang Qi didn't say much as they walked away, but after a few steps, he turned slightly toward Shen Yi and said, "Let's take a walk by the lake."

Shen Yi didn't answer, yet he didn't object either, and just followed him quietly. The path was still wet from the earlier drizzle, and the sky hung low with clouds, as if it would really rain soon. They walked for a while, their steps sinking slightly in the soft ground, and neither of them said anything.

The silence stretched until Shen Yi suddenly asked, "Who is he?"

Jiang Qi let out a low sigh, and his hand brushed the back of his neck. "I thought you would never ask," he said as he glanced at the water. He paused for a moment, then continued, "Uncle Ming… he's the person who helped us the first time you brought me here."

Shen Yi turned his head slightly toward him, and though he didn't say anything, Jiang Qi could clearly read the confusion on his face, like his eyes were screaming, How?

Jiang Qi smiled faintly, then added, "That night… I was shot. My arm was bleeding badly, and you brought me here, to him. He was and still is a doctor in this area."

He kept his eyes on the rippling water as he spoke. "He took care of me that night. After that, even when we left and went to stay at your cottage, he still looked after us. In return, we helped him with fishing and other small things. That's how it was… until the day you suddenly disappeared."

Silence followed his last words, the only sound around them being the lapping of water. They continued walking slowly, the air heavy not just with the coming storm but also with the weight of what had just been said.

After some time, Shen Yi finally spoke again, his voice troubled and hesitant. "Was it me… who shot you?"

Jiang Qi turned to look at him, then shook his head. "No."

A quiet breath slipped out of Shen Yi, and Jiang Qi saw the subtle shift in his expression, the way his eyes softened slightly, and his shoulders relaxed just a bit.

Even if Shen Yi had forgotten everything about him, somewhere deep inside, a part of him cared. That realization stirred something warm in Jiang Qi's chest, and he let a faint smile touch his lips.

Then he turned his gaze back ahead and asked casually, "What made you lose your memory? Was it an accident… did you hit your head or something?"

Shen Yi stiffened beside him, and Jiang Qi could feel the change in the air without even looking.

The silence that followed was different this time. Shen Yi clenched his jaw, and though he didn't answer right away, Jiang Qi could already sense the refusal.

"I can't talk about that," Shen Yi said at last, his tone firm.

Jiang Qi didn't push. He simply gave a small nod, then kept walking. He knew better than to force the issue, especially now that Shen Yi had begun to open up again. Some walls had to fall on their own.

As they walked farther from the lake, the wind picked up and the first low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky. The storm had caught up with them, the clouds darker now, and rain beginning to fall in hard and fast drops.

Jiang Qi tilted his head up and glanced toward the path ahead. "Looks like we're going to get soaked," he said lightly.

Shen Yi didn't say anything, but he began to walk faster.

"Our place isn't far," Jiang Qi added, "Why don't we race?"

Shen Yi gave him a sidelong glance, unimpressed. "Not interested."

But Jiang Qi wasn't giving up. He bumped his shoulder gently against Shen Yi's and added, "What, worried your legs won't keep up? Or worried you'll look too eager?"

Shen Yi exhaled quietly through his nose, still walking, but his jaw clenched for a moment. "You're childish."

"And you're slow," Jiang Qi replied.

That did it. With a quiet tsk, Shen Yi broke into a run, just enough to pass Jiang Qi by half a step. Jiang Qi's eyes lit up, and without hesitation, he took off beside him.

The rain picked up, falling harder now, as the two of them ran side by side. Neither one gained ground on the other, and their steps matched in speed as if neither wanted to lose nor win.

They were close to the cottage when the sky lit up with a sudden crack of lightning. A loud snap followed as lightning struck a tree just ahead of them. The sound of the tree tearing was deafening enough, and it got Jiang Qi's eyes darting up in a flash.

A massive branch, torn loose from the top, began to fall fast. And Shen Yi was directly beneath it.

Jiang Qi didn't think and acted on what he felt was the right thing to do at that moment. He reached out and grabbed Shen Yi's wrist, jerking him mid-stride.

Shen Yi stumbled with the force, his foot sliding in the mud, and before he could regain his balance, his body fell back hard against the wet earth.

Jiang Qi tried to stop but was pulled forward, falling with him, his body landing fully on top of Shen Yi's. The branch was still coming.

With his arm, Jiang Qi pushed himself up to a sitting position, just enough to shield Shen Yi's head and stretched his other arm out instinctively. There was a heavy thud as the thick branch slammed against his forearm and rolled off to the ground with a dull sound.

A low strained groan escaped Jiang Qi's lips, and though he tried to stay quiet, the pain etched clearly across his face.

He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes for a second, the pain pulsing deep in his arm. Rain poured over them both now, soaking through his clothes, running down his face, hiding the wince that flickered across his features.

"Are you okay?" Jiang Qi asked, glancing at Shen Yi worriedly.

Shen Yi was still in shock and only snapped back when Jiang Qi spoke. His once cold eyes were now filled with confusion, care as well as guilt.

"Who asked you to do that?" Shen Yi's emotions bursted especially when he saw Jiang Qi's arm now bleeding. "Save yourself before thinking of others. What if it was something dangerous? What if..."

Shen Yi choked on his voice, trying to push Jiang Qi off him, but instead, Jiang Qi surprised him by suddenly placing a hand on his neck, then leaning over and crashing their cold lips together.