Chapter 56: Interstellar / 7.5 : Side by side
Eden smiled when he entered his dorm and saw Dawei hiding under the covers. He sat at the edge of the bed and pulled them down. Dawei looked at Eden sad, it was evident that he had been crying.
"What happened?"
Dawei sat up and explained:
"Qiping entered the Omega’s bathroom as I was walking out and we bumped into each other."
Eden waited to hear what was so bad about it since it’s not that big of a deal.
"We accidentally kissed."
Eden waited again to hear the bad part but it seems like it was it.
"It was just an accidental kiss I’m sure it meant nothing to Qiping."
Dawei looked down and murmured:
"That’s not the problem."
He sighed and confessed:
"I grew up in an orphanage, my mother left me there with his favorite book. The book talked about this legend who said that you’ll end up living happily ever after only if your first kiss is with the love of your life. My mother left a note and said that he stupidly never believed in the legend and ended up in this situation."
Dawei immediately said:
"I know it’s just a legend but I still lived by it because it made me feel close to my mother even if he abandoned me."
Eden nodded understanding.
"Even if the kiss was an accident it doesn’t mean that Qiping isn’t the love of your life."
Dawei shook his head:
"No way."
Despite his words, he had a slight blush on his cheeks. Eden chuckled.
Qiping lifted his hand and the entire auditorium became silent.
"The second trial starts tomorrow. Classes will be suspended and you’ll train until it’s your turn. The training and simulation rooms will be left open. The colonel will stop by each of you to get your terminal configurated."
Once Qiping gave more details about the second trial everyone dispersed. Haoxuan took a seat behind his desk. When Qiping and Yanzhao sat he explained:
"Here’s the chip, all you have to do is insert it in the soldier’s terminal and we’ll have access to it for the second and last trial. Make sure it’s done by the end of the day, Don’t mess this up."
Haoxuan handed him the chip and Yanzhao took it.
"I won’t."
When Haoxuan looked at him as if to ask why are you still here he left and closed the door behind him.
Haoxuan looked at Qiping and asked:
"Are you okay?"
Qiping looked down.
"I’ll be fine."
"Why are you taking this so hard? It was an accident."
QIping looked up.
"It’s not that... The way Dawei reacted was like even just the thought of kissing me repulsed him."
Haoxuan eyes flashed with surprise.
"Do you like him?"
When Qiping passed his hand through his hair Haoxuan knew he did. He reassured him:
"I’ll talk to Eden to see how he feels, don’t worry I’m sure he just reacted the way he did because he was taken by surprise."
Qiping gripped his hand tightly.
"Thank you."
Haoxuan smiled. Qiping finally relaxed, he’s always thought that Dawei was cute but he never thought that things would turn this way. He doesn’t want him to think he did it on purpose or think that he’s a creep who stalks Omega’s bathroom. Eden will be helpful since they are close, they’re always together. Thinking of Eden he asked:
"How did your talk with Eden go?"
Haoxuan explained to him what happened. Qiping frowned
"What?"
Qiping said with a hint of worry:
"Even if Eden said he won’t do it anymore he just meant in the academy or in front of you. He and Shangyu are still engaged. I don’t want you to be heartbroken if he only has feelings for you as a friend."
Haoxuan’s good mood this past couple of days immediately vanished. He thought that Eden understood that he wants more than friendship but Qiping is right he is still engaged. He doesn’t know anything about romantic relationships because he never had one and he believed that Eden’s words were a promise.
Qiping said:
"Just talk to him and let him know that you want more than a friendship. You need to make it clear and let him choose if he wants to be with you or not."
Haoxuan nodded.
Yanzhao took a seat on the bench next to Shangyu and said:
"I need your terminal."
"It’s Eden’s he told me to give it to you if he’s in a middle of a fight."
Shangyu handed it to him his eyes still on Eden who was fighting an Alpha. Yanzhao took it after taking a deep breath to calm down. He placed his private chip in Eden’s terminal after making sure no one had eyes on him. He needs to make sure that tomorrow Eden doesn’t pass the second trial. Plus having access to his terminal will allow him to better destroy him. As the terminal loaded he looked at Shangyu.
He was looking at Eden like he was looking at a god. They all were even the Alphas. It infuriates him how he suddenly became so powerful. When his terminal was fully infiltrated he smiled mischievously. He hid his chip and went back to using the one Haoxuan gave him.
"Give me your terminal."
Shangyu gave it to him his eyes still on Eden.
He smiled when Eden pinned the Alpha down. He still can’t believe how he never noticed how strong he is. His eyes flashed with amusement when Eden said mockingly:
"Weren’t you the one who said I would never win against you?"
The Alpha smiled.
"I admit I was wrong."
Eden smiled and the Alpha’s eyes darken. He imagined having their position switched and battling with him under other circumstances. He was so much in throw with his fantasy that he inadvertently let out pheromones and lost control.
Everyone looked at him wide-eyed. Eden’s eyes turned furious and he stood up. He was about to bash his face to the ground when someone hit him. The alpha spat out blood because of the force and before he could reel from it he was gripped by the throat. Eden looked at Haoxuan strangling him with dark eyes.
Feeling his destructive spiritual power everyone had to stand back unless they wanted to suffocate. Dawei was about to check on Eden but someone held onto his hand.
"Don’t you’ll get hurt."
Dawei bit his lips.
"What about Eden?"
Qiping reassured him:
"He’ll be fine you know his spiritual strength."
Dawei held his hand tighter and looked at them with worry.
Eden could tell that Haoxuan was planning to let the Alpha die slowly and painfully. He only had a couple of minutes left before his death. Eden faced him but it was like Haoxuan was looking through him at the Alpha. He held his face and ordered:
"Let him go."
The crown prince can’t be responsible for the death of one of his subjects even if he wants him to die. He should at least make sure there’s no witness.
Haoxuan tightened his hold. Eden caressed his cheek soothingly but he still ordered:
"Gege let him go."
Haoxuan finally looked at him and after a few seconds, he let go of the alpha. Still looking at Eden Haoxuan ordered:
"Incarcerate him."
Two royal guards took the wheezing Alpha away.
Haoxuan asked:
"Are you okay?"
Eden nodded:
"I am he didn’t have time to do anything."
Haoxuan was relieved to hear that but he still felt guilty. He doesn’t want the Omegas to feel unsafe around Alphas. They’re already putting themselves through a lot to be in the army they shouldn’t feel like an Alpha might try to abuse them even when they’re not in heat. Someone who can’t control his basic urges shouldn’t be in the army, he needs to make sure it never happens again.
Shangyu looked at Eden and Haoxuan’s closeness furiously. He walked to them and after pulling Eden behind him he said:
"Thank you supreme commander for protecting my fiance."
It was clear to everyone that Shangyu was marking his territory, they were all stunned when Haoxuan snickered. You could feel his condescension from miles away. While everyone was shocked Eden was amused. This is so something Gege would do, even if he is slightly different than the other the core’s the same.
Shangyu looked at Eden’s smile and left with him. He looked for a place where they could talk alone.
Dawei looked at Eden leave. He turned around and looked at him and Qiping’s laced hands stunned. Qiping seemed to feel his eyes on him since he looked at their hands too then at him. Dawei immediately let go and said with a slight blush:
"Sorry."
"It’s okay."
Qiping looked at Dawei running away with a smile.
Shangyu stopped when Eden abruptly stopped. He pulled back his hand massaging his red wrist with an aggrieved face. His eyes softened because of how adorable he looked. He grabbed his wrist and massaged it for him. He felt his heart beating faster when he looked at Eden and saw that he was looking at his hand with a smile. Sometimes he can’t believe how pure he is when he’s been through so much.
He let go of his wrist when it wasn’t red anymore and asked:
"Are you really okay?"
Eden smiled reassuringly.
"I’m okay."
Shangyu caressed his head. When he smelled that Alpha he was never angrier and before he could teach him a lesson Haoxuan was already on it. He wants Eden to believe that he’ll always have his back but the supreme commander ruined that opportunity.
Lately, he’s been thinking that Haoxuan has feelings for Eden, and today his suspicion was confirmed. There’s no way in hell he’ll let him take his fiance away.
"Do you like the supreme commander?"
The fact that he called him Gege still makes his blood boil.
"I do."
"Why?"
"Because he’s sweet. Also, he never looked down on Omegas and always believed in them."
The ways Eden’s eyes shone when he spoke of Haoxuan made Shangyu’s heart pang. He wishes he had this kind of devotion for him too.
He asked:
"Do you believe the same of me?"
His heart started to beat faster as he waited for Eden’s answer. He was surprised when Eden asked:
"Why did you never ask me why I wanted to join the army?"
Shangyu opened his mouth but had no answer. He just believed that someone weak shouldn’t try and that since Eden wasn’t strong enough he should’ve stayed at home not at his side. Now that he knows he is strong he can stand at his side.
Eden said sadly:
"The reason you never knew that I had more experience in fighting than you is because you never cared to know me and you still don’t. When I told you I wanted to join the army you never tried to find out why, you immediately thought that I wanted to be closer to you like the only reason an Omega might want to join the army is to be closer to an Alpha. As if the sole reason for the Omegas to exist is to please Alphas and be under their bidding."
Shangyu immediately grabbed his hand and tried to explain but he didn’t have any. He changed his mind, now Eden doesn’t have to stay home and wait for him they can fight together and have each other’s back.
Shangyu insisted:
"I don’t believe that. I can see now that we can fight and stand side by side."
Eden pulled his hand and said:
"Just stop pretending Shangyu. You can stop acting like you care about me or if we get along or not."
Shangyu tried to grab his hand again but Eden took a step back.
"Eden I swear I do."
"Let’s just go back to the way things were before okay? Your pretending that you care only hurts me more."
Shangyu looked at him wide-eyed, before he could swear that he cares for him Eden had run away. He felt like he was leaving with his heart. Never in his life did his heart ache as much as it did at that moment. He never thought he would meet an Omega who is strong enough to stand at his side and is in the same field as him but Eden is that person. Actually, he is more than that person, he doesn’t want him to end the engagement or to be in a cold marriage. He wants them to stand side by side and he won’t give up until it happens. Eden is strong enough to stand at his side and he will.
