"I've finally got you where I want. Now, you have no choice but to listen to me."

The body beneath him struggled for escape. If looks could kill then Zi Xuan would be lying on the pristine white sheet of the infirmary bed, lifeless. It was as if he could literally feel Yu Hao shooting daggers at him. Be as it might, but he would see to it that Yu Hao listened to what he had to say before he let his little lover escape from his clutches. It had taken a lot of planning and efforts on his part to get the guy here in the first place.

"What are you doing?" Yu Hao struggled out the words in panted breaths. "It would be best if you let me go off me.....now."

"Mm-mm.....not until you hear me out." Zi Xuan shook his head in disagreement. He will make Yu Hao listen to him, no matter how long it took. "Why are you being so unreasonable anyway?"

Yu Hao looked up at Zi Xuan and let out an absurd laugh. "Me?....I'm being unreasonable? I was all ears back then but you were the one who didn't want to confide in me."

"Well, you do have a point." Pouted Zi Xuan as he stared at Yu Hao's annoyed face.

A lone eye lash that was stuck on the upper cheek of Yu Hao's face invited him to rub it away. Mindless of his action he let go off one of Yu Hao's wrist and removed the said eye lash. With that out of the way he caressed the skin under the eye, all his attention now bestowed on the smooth skin. He wasn't even aware of what he was doing. It was like, touching his beloved had become a second nature to him that required no thinking on his part.

His gaze was brought back to Yu Hao's when the guy beneath him caught hold of his fingers stopping him midway, reminding him that they were having a serious conversation at the moment.

"Sorry......" He shook his head to clear his dazed mind. "What was I saying?....right...Well you do have a point. Although I couldn't tell you the reason then, I'm ready to explain everything now." He waited patiently for Yu Hao to say something.

"Just give me a chance.....Please~~~~"

Hearing the pleading in Zi Xuan's voice Yu Hao no longer had the heart to turn him down. When it came to this person he was always at a loss. Also he was curious as hell to know the reason so he complied to Zi Xuan's request with a resigned voice.

"Alright....you can let go off me now." However the manager didn't look convinced enough. "I promise I won't run away." He added in a good measure to assure the guy holding him hostage.

Only when Zi Xuan was convinced did he let go off Yu Hao and sat besides him on the bed. Relived to know that he had ultimately succeeded in subduing Yu Hao, he went on to explain why he had behaved in such a crass way when the young guy had visited him.

"I was least expecting your visit to my house on sunday evening. Hence when you came I was surprised....actually....more like, I was afraid."

Yu Hao had figured as much. Over the days when he had been avoiding Zi Xuan he had ample of time on his hands to think of all the possible reasons. The first possibility on his list was that maybe Zi Xuan feared that his parents might figure out their relationship. However what Zi Xuan said next didn't even come close to what he had contemplated.

"I was afraid that my parents won't let me have anything to do with volleyball."

"Huh!!!" Yu Hao exclaimed in confusion.

Volleyball.....What did volleyball have anything to do in this conversation? Yu Hao's thoughts ran rampant in his head.

"Mm....As you are aware that due to my knee injury I can't over exert myself." On Yu Hao's agreement Zi Xuan continued. "When I was injured the doctors had prohibited me from playing. They had strictly said that if I played then the injury might prove fatal, leaving me crippled for life. This news did not bode well with my parents, especially my mother. She went berserk and cried all the time. They restricted me from playing volleyball and even asked me to leave the team. They saw to it that I had nothing to do with the sport."

Hearing the sadness in Zi Xuan's voice pained Yu Hao's heart. He knew that when it came to volleyball it was a very touchy subject with Zi Xuan. So to encourage him to keep talking Yu hao reached his hand and intertwined their fingers together.

"Volleyball is everything to me. It has always been a piece of me, a part of my life. How could I part with my life then? I just couldn't. Not being able to play was one thing but giving up on it entirely.....Nah...That I couldn't do. So despite my parents saying otherwise, I secretly took on the position of the manager of the team. At least that way I could still be in the game....If only mentally. I was so desperate that I grasped whatever I could get or I would have gone insane."

Silence permeated the room. Only their harmonious breathing could be heard. It was apparent that Zi Xuan was reminiscing the time in his life when he was at his lowest.

If only I would've been there with him at that time.....

Zi's dejected voice filled the silence of the room once again, "In order to be in the team I had to lie to my parents. They think that the reason I'm staying after school is for extra study class. I had no choice. This was the only way I could be involved with volleyball."

Zi Xuan stared at their intertwined fingers. He reached out his other hand and enclosed Yu Hao's hand between his palm. He gazed at Yu Hao and smiled.

"So when you came to my house I was afraid to let you in. I don't want to take a chance. I was afraid that you might have a slip of tongue and say something that would make my parents suspicious."

This was the second time Yu Hao had heard Zi Xuan speak so passionately about volleyball. The first time was back when he had confessed his feelings to Zi Xuan. He could understand how much the sport meant to this guy cause he himself was like Zi Xuan in that regards.

After joining the team he had finally grasped the charm of volleyball. He no longer played the game to please his mom or Zi Xuan. He played the sport for him alone. Over the period of time, tirelessly training and wanting to please Zi Xuan, somewhere, somehow he had come to love and cherish the sport with all his heart. Now, only three things meant more to him in this entire world. Zi Xuan, his mom and volleyball.

After listening to Zi Xuan he could ultimately understand his fears and actions. It finally made sense why his beloved had acted the way he had. With everything crystal clear between them, they could now thankfully go back to being on talking terms again.

However this wouldn't have happened and they wouldn't be fighting in the first place, if only Zi Xuan had warned him not to open his mouth and say anything that could make his parents suspicious. Come-on, what was he, a five year old kid? It wouldn't have been hard to take the hint if explained beforehand. He expressed his thoughts to Zi Xuan.

"I know.....I'm sorry. I still feel bad the way I acted towards you. It's just that...my fear was greater and the thought of loosing something precious made me incapable of thinking." Zi Xuan paused for a second before continuing, "but I didn't realize that in trying to save one precious thing I could loose the other person precious to me."

Wow! That was some speech. Yu Hao thought to himself.

Knowing that he was as precious as volleyball to Zi Xuan made his insides mushy like a marshmallow. He was so elated at the moment that he could forgive Zi Xuan for any of his wrong doings. His insides glowed even more when he felt Zi Xuan's lips graze the back of his hand.

"How precious am I?" A shy smile erupted on his face as he moved his upper torso to face the guy beside him. Zi Xuan palmed one of Yu Hao's cheek and gazed lovingly into the swirling depths of those black orbs.

"There are no words to describe how precious you are to me. I can only express them through my actions." Saying that he snaked his fingers at the back of Yu Hao's head and slowly pulled him in for a kiss.

It was only them in the room and no one to disrupt their sweet moment. Yu Hao couldn't ask for anything more. He kissed back with all the feelings he could muster making up for the days they were apart. The most precious thing to him right now, at this moment were Zi Xuan's lips.

Their breaths intermingled as they kissed each other. Unlike all the kisses they shared, this kiss was slow and sensuous. There was no hurry, each and every contact of their lips were deliberate and calculated to garner the desired effect from the other. Every taste, every caress were savoured between them. They were so in the moment that they didn't realise when someone entered the room.

"Oh..my...God~~~~~"

The sudden intrusive voice startled them and they immediately got up from the bed they were sitting on. The voice resonated in the small room making them realize that they were still in school. A feeling of distress crept up their bodies when they saw a person standing in front of them. Out of all the people in school why did it have to be this one? They were doomed and there was no escaping the situation.

"This is what I've been looking for all this time. Chemistry....."

"No way Xiao Xiao, please spare us." Zi Xuan cried.

"Oh! no no no.....No can do. Not when I've found boys with perfect chemistry and that too who are lover's." She was bubbling with happiness. After observing them with hearts in her eyes she clapped her hands excitedly as if she had won the fujoshi of the year award. "Now that I saw you guys in action I can't wait to see you enact some my scenes."

"How much did you see?" Yu Hao asked in concern. Why was it that every time they kissed, someone would discover them. Where is the thing called privacy, huh? Was it too much to ask? Last time it was Jia Jun now it was Xiao Xiao.

"Don't worry...I'm not a pervert. The moment I saw you guys together I just couldn't believe my eyes and that's when you heard me." She assured them.

Well Yu Hao couldn't blame them, it wasn't their fault. They had themselves to blame for being intruded. Kissing Zi Xuan was one of the best thing in life. He just couldn't miss when the chance presented itself. They were so into each other that they would often get carried away and forget their surrounding.

"Did you find them?" Cheng charged into the room. When he saw the boys together he made a peace sign with his fingers and smiled.

"Everything sorted, bro?" Cheng En asked to which Zi Xuan nodded and thanked him for his support.

"Oh! I sent Xiao Xiao to warn you guys that the physician will be arriving any minute now. We should leave before she comes."

As the group hurried out the room Xiao Xiao reminded the lover's that this wasn't the end of their conversation and she would be disturbing them real soon. Yu Hao on the other hand grabbed Cheng En's hand and stopped him.

"Thanks for fooling me," Yu Hao stated with a look so sour, as if someone had fed him a bitter lime.

The captain smiled sheepishly. "Sorry....I only did what my bro asked me to do."

"You've got some pretty good acting skills."

Cheng En's chest filled with pride at the statement. "Well what can I say. All thanks to my babe Xiao Xiao. The years of being a model for her stories has finally paid off. Don't you think so?"

This brought forth a laughter from the boys and a pout from Xiao Xiao.

.............................

The same day after school all the team members were gathered in the locker room with the coach in attendance. Even Jun Zhe was present. After pleading the coach for the hundredth time to at least allow him to train with the team, feeling bad for him she had at last relented.

"Is everyone present?" She asked Zi Xuan who nodded in assent.

"Fine then, I'll start with the meeting." The room hushed waiting for her to speak.

"As you all know that we will be commencing the inter senior high  school volleyball tournament next Saturday, the schedule for the competition has been sent out to each school. There are in total four pools 'A', 'B', 'C' & 'D'. Each pool will consist of four schools. The matches shall be played as best of three sets, each set consisting of 25 points." She flipped the pages on her note pad to check something before she continued.

"Each pool will have two matches and the final winner of the pool will go on to compete against the winner of the other pool. Since we have been placed in pool 'B' and if we go on to become the winner of our pool we will be competing against the winner from pool 'A'. Our first match will be against Chung Hsing Senior High School and it will be held in the afternoon. Any questions so far?" She waited patiently after briefing them about the details. It was Jin Yang who raised his hand.

"Yes Jin Yang, go ahead...."

"Coach....In which pool is Ren He Senior high placed in?" The question perked the curiosity of the other team mates as well as they waited for the answer.

Coach Zhong checked her notepad for a while before finding the name she was looking for. "They are placed in the 'D' pool."

A relived sigh echoed among the team members. Someone even went so far as to thank the Gods for sparing them from Ren He. Seeing the team's reaction posed a major concern for the coach. Was her team that afraid of Re He High?

"Avoiding the team is not the solution here. We only have a week to spare before the tournament. In order to perform better and beat the other schools, not just Ren High, we have to work hard and train diligently. Got it?"

"Yes coach~~~", the team shouted out in chorus.

"That's all about the matches. Now moving forward to the lineup of the team. Since we have already lost a good player due to his unnecessary meddling, I have decided for Yu Hao to be his replacement for all the matches moving forward. That is if he doesn't acquire an injury like last time when we played against Ren He High."

The team cheered for Yu Hao while he sat motionless bedsides Zi Xuan. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. A permanent place in the team for all the matches. Doubt crossed his mind when he thought about the major responsibility that the coach was entrusting him with. Would he be able to perform and give his cent percent?

"So~~~what do you think Yu Hao? Are you game for it?" Coach Zhong asked in earnest.

Before making the decision, Yu Hao looked over to his side for confirmation. The big question quite obvious in his eyes.

Am I ready? Am I game for it?

His heart thudded as he waited for Zi Xuan's answer and it only slowed when the guy nodded his head in assent. "I think you're more than ready." Now that he had received the desired confirmation from the best spiker, he could take on anyone and compete against anyone.

"If the manager thinks I'm ready then I willingly accept your offer, your majesty." With a flourish of his hand he made a show of bowing to the coach as if he was a mere court official accepting a kings offer.

"Pff.....What a show off!" Exclaimed the coach as a smile spread across her dainty face. The room erupted in laughter at Yu Hao's antics and the coach immediately quieted them.

"If you have any more questions then please ask me or Zi Xuan. That will be all for now. You guys go on ahead to the gym, Cheng En please see to the practise of the team." Cheng En nodded his head and asked the team to quickly assemble in the gym for training. The last person to arrive will be responsible for cleaning the gym after everyone. Everybody got up in a hurry to make their way to the gym. Nobody wanted to toil extra hours after a tiresome training session.

Coach Zhong called out to the manager, "Zi Xuan....you, Xiao Xiao and Wang Zhen Wen wait. Since you all are in the organising committee I have to run through some details with you guys. The rest of the team can leave."

...........................

The week before the competition commenced the air of Jhih Hong Senior High School rang with excitement and eager anticipation. Everyone, including the teachers and students had nothing to discuss about other than the oncoming tournament. There were flyers and posters all around the school campus inviting everyone to come and cheer for their school team.

As for the team and the organising committee, they were busy as hell. The team put in extra hours in the gym and carried out rigorous training to hone their skills. The one to slack behind was punished severely. By the time they finished with their training at the end of they day, Yu Hao hardly had the energy to stand, let alone talk.

As for Zi Xuan, he was busy with looking after the inventory required for the event. He had to check if all the nets and volleyballs were in good condition. If not then he had to order for new ones. Install a first aid station near the gym in case any of the players got hurt. Making sure the bleachers and score keeping tables were in order. If the items required for scorekeeping were all ready, printing out copies of score sheets, libero tracking sheets, team rosters, and lineup sheets for every match.

Also he had to contact the sponsors for the game and be in constant touch with them for any and all the details that they might require. Then he had to look after the seating arrangements too. Though he had people assigned to carry out these different tasks, he still had to check if everything was in proper order and that the committee members were carrying out their duties properly or not. Thank God he had immense help from  Xiao Xiao and Zhen Wen or he would have been dead meat by now.

For the entire week Yu Hao and Zi Xuan rarely got the time to sit and have a proper chat, for each person was busy with their own thing. Zi Xuan's mom raised concerns on her son's appearance. She was stricken with worry thinking that he was taking it too hard with his after school study class. At one point of time she even suggested that he drop the classes and study at home where she could look after him and feed him with nutritious food. According to her Zi Xuan was spending too much time at school and neglecting his health.

It was only on a friday evening did Yu Hao and Zi Xuan finally got the chance to relax before their first match. They sat on the living room sofa of Yu Hao's home, their heads rested lazily on the headrest. They sighed in contentment, their stomachs full with the pizza they had ordered sometime ago. It was a treat they had awarded themselves for all the hard work they had put in, this past week.

A wide yawn escaped Yu Hao's lips and his eyes teared, for he could barely keep them open. After having a delicious and appetizing pepperoni pizza topped with olives and mushrooms he was damn sleepy.

"Tired?" Yu Hao nodded with a pout when Zi Xuan asked.

"Come here....lie on my lap for a while." Saying that Zi Xuan patted his thigh. Not being one to resist the tempting offer, Yu Hao readily rested his head on the elders lap. He purred and his eyes closed when he felt Zi Xuan's fingers caressing his hair.

"Are you prepared for tomorrow?"

"Mm-hmm." Yu Hao hummed in response.

"Scared?"

"Very......"

"Don't be. I'm positive that you'll perform exceptionally well." Zi Xuan assured in a soothing voice as he massaged Yu Hao's scalp.

Yu Hao opened his eyes and observed the face above him. It was full of unwavering confidence. His face lit up at the trust he saw in Zi Xuan's eyes. "You think so?" He queried as he reached for the hand that was playing with his hair. At Zi Xuan's affirmative nod he kissed the palm of his beloved, held it close to his heart and shut his eyes once again.

"That's good to know."

Zi Xuan chuckled at the response. He breathed in deeply and rested his head on the back of the sofa while his other hand resumed to caress and play with his little turtle's head.

This is how mama Xia found the boys when she came home. The sight was so beautiful that it overflowed her heart. Both of them deep in sleep, oblivious to the world around them. Without making a sound, she silently tiptoed towards them and took out her cellphone. They looked so angelic that She wanted to capture this moment of her beloved boys together.

👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

Author's notes:

Here goes the new chapter, hope you enjoy it. Do vote and comment if you liked it :)

Sorry I couldn't upload the chapter yesterday. It has been raining here like cats and dogs for the past one week due to which the Wi-Fi connection has been going on and off.

That's all for now. Till then enjoy and do what you love to do best 😚😚

12th July 2018 (3.24 am)

The below pic in one of my favorite stills from the series. The expression of Xia Yu Hao admiring Zi Xuan shown captured through the mirror gives the scene so much depth and meaning. I just love it 😍😍

Some more pictures of the other boys chilling out together. Even though Fandy is missing, he is still present in the background 😂😂