Eiji was certain that his yearning to be back with Yut would kill him before he ever saw the Chinese boss again. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy, knew that longing would be miserable, but nothing could have prepared him for the agony of being away from someone you loved so deeply. There were times where Eiji just could not focus on his schooling, would space out during entire lectures and forget the due dates for some assignments. Yut would not be pleased to hear that Eiji was being so weak, and the thought alone had forced Eiji to get his emotions under control.
But everything reminded him of Yut. The blackness of the ink in his pen, the silk that littered the market places, the flowers that colored the gardens in his very home; there was no escaping the glaring fact that Eiji missed Yut so much more fiercely that he ever could have imagined.
But he managed, and a whole year and then some went by. He messaged and video chatted with Yut every single moment both could afford, but time for a student and the head of a mafia clan is not exactly simple. There were times where Eiji could only exchange a few messages in the span of weeks, and his worry was always the most severe those days. But Yut made sure to let Eiji know that all was well the best he could, and Eiji learned to be content with that.
Until there was no answer.
Eiji had half way through buying a ticket back to New York when he recieved the call. He couldn't stop the cry that escaped him as Sing told him what happened.
“Sing,” Eiji says, his hands throwing anything he could reach inside his bag. “I’m coming home.”
The photographer is by Yut’s bed in 48 hours. Eiji all but rushed in, passing by the bodyguards and men, running through the hallways and never stopping, even when Sing and the nurses were yelling after him. Eiji’s eyes scan for the room number, and what meets him nearly makes him wail again.
His Yut, looking fragile and weak, his pulse just steadily keeping him alive. Eiji reaches the bed, tears heavy in his eyes and breathing heavy. “Yut,” He chokes out. “Oh, Yut.”
Eiji reaches for the smaller, pale hand, and Eiji’s shoulders shake through his cries. “I’m sorry for leaving you alone here. I should have been here. Oh, please forgive me.”
