PD Chapter 25: Kissing in the Dark

Wen Xunchuan was too lazy to keep arguing with him, so he changed the topic and asked, “Why’s it so crowded here today?”

“I hired a band, didn’t I? And it seems like the lead singer is pretty popular.”

“What kind of band is that impressive?” He Linzhou asked.

“I don’t know either. Last year, my partner was obsessed with some talent show, calling for votes in the friend circle every day like it was some kind of MLM scheme. The idol he liked even came out live during his acceptance speech on the final night, and bam—blacklisted by the entire entertainment industry before he could even debut.” Chen Si raised a hand, waved at someone in the crowd, then turned back to continue, “Now the guy’s doing underground gigs. My partner keeps raving about how amazing he is, so I thought, what the heck, hire him to make my guy happy. But who would’ve guessed this many people would show up? I should’ve rented a stadium.”

He Linzhou laughed and teased, “You must be making a fortune tonight!”

Chen Si pointed to the seats they were in and whispered, “Only you two are sitting here. People are paying 3,000 just for this spot tonight. Don’t you think I’m good to you?”

He Linzhou gave him a thumbs-up.

Chen Si grinned, patted him on the shoulder, and said to both of them, “My partner’s calling, gotta run.”

“Alright.”

“Oh, right,” Chen Si gave them a mysterious smile before leaving, “There’s a special surprise tonight. You two enjoy yourselves. I’m out.”

As he left, He Linzhou nudged Wen Xunchuan with his elbow, “What do you think the surprise is?”

“Kissing in the dark,” Wen Xunchuan replied without hesitation.

He Linzhou nodded, “Yeah, I’m guessing the same.”

Chen Si’s love story was practically legendary within their circle. Mostly because Chen Si loved flaunting his relationship. He’d talk to anyone who’d listen about his romance, so passionately that it was like he wanted to narrate their entire story from the first date to their favorite positions.

Back in the day, Chen Si was known for partying hard, hitting every gay bar in A City until he got tired of it. Eventually, he just opened his own bar for his own fun. On the bar’s opening night, he hosted a “Find Your Match” event and held a kissing-in-the-dark session. He randomly kissed someone that night, and somehow that kiss lasted till today—and he’s been smitten ever since.

Wen Xunchuan and He Linzhou sneered at this idea of turning something as straightforward as a hookup into a grand, love-filled spectacle. No matter how fun the concept, once labeled as “love,” it instantly lost its appeal.

The wine today was smooth, with a hint of sweetness. After a few glasses, He Linzhou, still not feeling tipsy, double-checked the alcohol content on the bottle, “The percentage here must be a lie, right? Feels like drinking juice.”

Wen Xunchuan agreed, so he opened a bottle of Martell Cordon Bleu that Chen Si had brought, casually mixing the sweet wine as if it were a soft drink.

“Even if it doesn’t taste strong, maybe you shouldn’t mix it like that…” He Linzhou instinctively reached out to stop him. But seeing Wen Xunchuan take a sip, curiosity got the best of him, “Is it good?”

“Not bad.” Wen Xunchuan pointed to his glass with a tilt of his chin, “You try it.”

Skeptical, He Linzhou added some brandy to his glass and took a sip. “…Whoa, it’s actually pretty good.”

After a few rounds, they finally felt a faint, hazy buzz of intoxication.

On stage, a young man with chestnut curls stood at the microphone, transformed from the wild rock performer he’d been earlier. His hand rested quietly on the mic stand, a red bass slung across his front. A spotlight focused on him, casting a bright beam in the darkness. His eyes closed, and his voice rang out, clear and resonant:

“…

Neither floating nor sinking, neither sad nor happy,

I can’t break free from this boundless confusion,

Wandering, stumbling,

Hesitating as I step toward the light you gave me…”

He Linzhou propped his elbows on the table, squinting at the guy on stage, then casually said to Wen Xunchuan, “That lead singer’s got some energy, huh?”

Wen Xunchuan looked up, his eyes hazy from the alcohol, and replied, “Yeah.”

“…

Meeting you, longing for you, holding you,

My suspended heart, suddenly at peace,

Until that day,

When I saw you in one glance.”

The music slowly stopped. The band gave a brief bow and seemed to be packing up to leave.

Wen Xunchuan glanced at his watch. His vision was a bit hazy, and he stared at the clock face for a while before the time finally came into focus.

Almost midnight.

He got down from the high stool and started towards the restroom. From behind him, He Linzhou asked, “Where you headed?”

Without looking back, he replied, “Bathroom.”

Just as he entered the hallway leading to the restroom, the lights suddenly went out.

“Ahem.” The sound system crackled with a few coughs, like someone testing the mic.

Then, Chen Si’s voice came through the speakers: “Hello, everyone. Thanks for coming to Forbidden Color Bar tonight. Now, we’re starting our special ‘Find Your Match’ event. A friendly reminder: This event is only for single gay men. Everyone else, please exit promptly.”

Wen Xunchuan felt his legs go a little unsteady. Every step felt like it wasn’t fully landing. He kept moving toward the glowing restroom sign, rubbing his throbbing temples and thinking that maybe mixing the drinks wasn’t such a good idea after all.

“Our ‘Kissing in the Dark’ event will begin shortly. The countdown is ten seconds. Use this brief moment to seize your chance at love.”

“Counting down—”

Wen Xunchuan kept walking leisurely, but suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist from behind.

He tried to pull his hand back, but the grip was tight, refusing to let go. He turned to the blurry figure in the darkness behind him and said, “Sorry, I’m not joining the event.”

“Ready—”

The person suddenly shoved him against the wall. The back of his head hit the rough brick surface with a “thud.” Pain hadn’t fully registered through his dulled nerves, but his foggy mind was immediately scrambled.

Wen Xunchuan flailed his hand, accidentally grabbing a familiar-feeling drawstring on the stranger’s coat. He gritted his teeth and growled, “He Linzhou!”

“Begin—”

“I was planning to wait for you to confess first.” The guy’s breath, thick with the scent of alcohol, brushed against Wen Xunchuan’s face, his voice low, “But I don’t feel like waiting anymore.”

The breath got closer and closer, and a raspy voice murmured against his ear, “I want you.”

“10—”

A pair of lips pressed against his, forcefully prying his mouth open. The sweet, intoxicating taste of the other’s wine-laden breath washed over him, and Wen Xunchuan’s head spun.

“9—”

He let out a muffled grunt, trying to push back, but the other’s hand clamped down on his, pinning it against the wall. The more he struggled, the tighter the grip became.

“8—”

The back of his hand scraped against the rough wall, leaving a stinging pain.

“7—”

The other’s tongue brushed over every inch of his mouth, eventually curling around his own tongue in a slow, teasing manner.

“6—”

In the dark, every sensation was amplified. The intoxicating aroma of wine lingered in his nose, the soft sounds of their mingling breaths filled his ears, and the wet, agile touch of the other’s tongue sent chills down his spine.

Without thinking, Wen Xunchuan entwined his tongue back.

“5—”

The other released his hand and lifted his shirt, letting his warm palm rest on the bare skin of his waist, rubbing gently.

“4—”

Wen Xunchuan pushed against the other’s chest, spinning him around to pin him against the wall.

“3—”

He grabbed the hand that had been wandering on his waist and pressed it firmly against the wall, hearing a faint gasp.

See? It really does hurt.

“2—”

Their chests were pressed together, heat radiating from both. He raised his knee between the other’s legs, nudging the space between his thighs.

“1—”

Their lips and tongues intertwined.

“Event over—”

Before the lights came back on, He Linzhou, panting heavily, said, “Sixteen million.”

Wen Xunchuan hooked an arm around his neck, lips touching as he whispered softly, “…It’s a hundred and sixty million.”

The lights flashed on, but their lips didn’t part.