Head inclined towards Zhai Mei, gaze fixated on her pink glossed lips, Gu Wei was a centimetre away from reaching his destination, his mouth parted slightly.
Zhai Mei had her eyes closed, and she felt a flash of bright light pass over her eyes.
A big white truck drove by, sounding a loud horn as it passed, and Gu Wei's spell was broken immediately.
He exhaled sharply, finally breathing as he jerked his hands to himself like he'd touched fire.
Zhai Mei opened her eyes, blinking away the haze.
Gu Wei beside her had his hands folded so tightly she saw his fingers digging into skin, and he was looking anywhere but at her.
Zhai Mei cleared her throat and reached out a hand towards Gu Wei, removing an invincible lint from his hair.
Gu Wei jumped at the tiny contact, shifting away from her slightly. He still didn't look at her.
Zhai Mei wasn't sure if she'd made this worse or not.
Her fall had been so unexpected and stupid she hadn't been able to control her laugh, and when she'd got a grip on herself, she had raised her head, only to find Gu Wei staring at her.
The expression on his face wasn't quite there, like he was sleepwalking, and he'd fixed his gaze on her and nowhere else, as if he couldn't help but stare.
Zhai Mei had followed his movements, heart fluttering as he leaned closer and closer like he would…
Shaking her head of any indiscreet thoughts, Zhai Mei pointedly flicked the invincible lint away and asked calmly without fuss.
'It's getting dark. Are we leaving?'
Leaving the choice to Gu Wei, if he wanted to pretend anything hadn't happened or confront it.
Gu Wei's gaze strayed to her then, their eyes meeting briefly as he searched hers.
Zhai Mei smiled assuringly, letting him know that it was okay, everything was okay.
Gu Wei nodded sharply and stood, packing his things and tossing the kit into his bag.
Following his moves, Zhai Mei also stood and patted herself. She had no bag, only herself and her coat.
With nothing to do, Zhai Mei put her hands in her pocket and bounced on her toes.
The weather had gotten colder now that it was dark. Snow wasn't falling yet, but Zhai Mei could see puffs of white as she breathed.
Gu Wei was done with his unnecessarily long packing, and he saw Zhai Mei huddling beside him, her red scarf loose at the neck.
She had her coat buttoned to the collar, so she was at least protected from the cold wind.
Gesturing toward her loose scarf, Gu Wei fixed his eyes on the building behind her, watching out of the corner of his eye as Zhai Mei removed and re-looped the scarf around her neck, her hair getting in the way just like that night.
Zhai Mei frowned as she struggled to sought out her hair.
Hesitating for a moment, Gu Wei reached out a hand, stopped halfway, reached out again, then wrapped his hands around her hair and helped her pull it out of the tangled mess.
He held it back for her, staying still as she successfully wore the scarf.
Like everything about Zhai Mei, her hair was soft, the curls clumped together were smooth to the touch, and their weight a light heaviness.
Gu Wei wondered what it would feel like to weave one around his fingers.
As gentle as they were, the curls would wrap protectively around his finger, fitting perfectly and-
Gu Wei gave himself a mental shake.
Stop thinking about hair. Stop thinking about anything, for that matter.
Seeing as Zhai Mei was done, he dropped his hand and took a step back.
Gu Wei needed space, everything was too much.
Every single thought he was having now revolved around Zhai Mei, softness, Zhai Mei.
Like an obsession. That wasn't normal, was it?
As if sensing his worries, Zhai Mei motioned.
'My car's that way. If you're leaving too, are you hailing a taxi or…?'
Gu Wei replied immediately, 'Taxi.'
No way was he locking himself in a secluded small space with Zhai Mei, he couldn't even look her in the eye.
It would be torturing himself.
Nodding her head, Zhai Mei wrapped her arms around herself with a small smile and tapped her hands twice, signing his new name.
'Wei Wei… have a good night.'
And that was it.
Zhai Mei turned and walked away, leaving Gu Wei staring at her back in confusion.
That's it? She was just leaving?
Gu Wei turned too, feeling lost, and stared at his hands.
Hands that had held Zhai Mei, hands that wrapped a band aid on Zhai Mei's fingers, hands that had touched Zhai Mei's hair, hands that had felt Zhai Mei's palm.
Hands that were now fisting together in frustration.
Gu Wei rationalised it.
Zhai Mei was just going home, nothing bad. Nothing weird. Had Gu Wei made it weird?
Thinking back on how he'd acted after he'd almost…
Thinking back on how he'd acted after that, Gu Wei scolded himself for making things so awkward.
He was an idiot.
Turning on his feet, he walked the way Zhai Mei had left.
He could still see her shuffling away. He hurried further to catch up, threw out his hand and caught her wrist.
Zhai Mei turned in surprise, and Gu Wei's hand slid down, brushing her palm.
Gu Wei held her hand for a second, then signed.
'I'm sorry. Just now… that was awkward. I made it awkward. Forgive me?'
Zhai Mei shook her head at him, waving away his apology. She still couldn't believe he was finally looking at her. '
There's nothing to forgive, I… I didn't deal with it well either. Call a truce?'
Relieved, Gu Wei sighed, 'Okay, truce.'
He shifted on his feet, not sure what else to say.
'Text me when you get home?'
Zhai Mei nodded. Gu Wei pointed at her hand.
'Don't worry, I'll be careful.' Zhai Mei signed.
Gu Wei nodded, stared at her, nodded again, and shifted his weight to his other leg.
Zhai Mei laughed quietly as Gu Wei stood there awkwardly, not leaving.
She tapped his arm, 'Go home, please, you're lingering.'
Gu Wei scratched his head with a small apologetic smile, still not moving.
Zhai Mei placed a hand on his arm, squeezed softly, and mouthed a small "Bye."
Gu Wei returned the words, relaxing into Zhai Mei's grip.
One last squeeze on his arm, and Zhai Mei shoved her hands back into her pocket.
Gu Wei took two steps backwards, and Zhai Mei copied him. He took two more, Zhai Mei raised an eyebrow and followed.
Gu Wei stepped back four times, challenging her, Zhai Mei rolled her eyes, did the same without so much as a stumble.
Feeling competitive, Gu Wei took six steps back and bumped into someone, apologising quickly as the man he'd bumped into eyed him and sidestepped Gu Wei's backward walk.
Relieved, Gu Wei turned back to Zhai Mei, only to find her bowing over in laughter.
Gu Wei crossed his arms defensively.
After almost twenty steps, Zhai Mei was only a figure in a red scarf as she straightened and waved at Gu Wei.
He did the same.
Then they both turned at the same time and walked away, unlike the previous one, where Zhai Mei had left first, and Gu Wei had been torn.
Leaving this way was much more satisfying than the last.
Zhai Mei had always left first during their interactions, at Paiwan Road, and now by a bench in front of the HHE building.
Departing simultaneously this time around, both Gu Wei and Zhai Mei went home with a feeling of contentment.