I Heard You Only See Me as a Friend - Chapter 30

The young cousin’s heart shattered into tiny pieces. He ran over, quickly deducing why Feng Jin was holding Ji Wan’s hand.

Brother Ji Wan must be scared, so Cousin is holding his hand to protect him.

Without a second thought, the cousin ran to Ji Wan’s other side, grabbed his other hand, and shouted, “Brother Ji Wan, don’t be afraid! I can protect you too!”

Feng Jin: “…”

This kid… can’t he read the room?

“Protect? Are you as strong as I am?” Feng Jin looked down expressionlessly at his cousin, who didn’t even reach his waist.

The cousin said weakly, “…No.”

“Then why are you holding him?” Feng Jin said heartlessly. “Energy is conserved. By holding him, you’ll only drain the courage I’m transmitting to him.”

The little primary schooler was completely fooled by this high-sounding logic. He let go of Ji Wan’s hand and, unable to stay still for long, pitter-pattered away again.

To prevent Ji Wan from getting suspicious, Feng Jin explained his behavior: “He told me on the way here that he wanted to marry you in the future. It’s better to cut off his unrealistic fantasies early.”

Ji Wan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The young cousin looked like he was barely ten years old; Feng Jin’s measures for blocking “Alpha harassment” were certainly thorough.

The two continued exploring the haunted house. Following the official route, they arrived at a room decorated as an operating theater. The doors were tightly shut. Feng Jin shielded Ji Wan behind him and slowly twisted the knob.

There was no one inside, only dilapidated surgical equipment and a bed stained with dark red blood. An eerie melody, sounding like a saw cutting wood, emanated from hidden speakers, with a mournful female voice woven into the music.

“Why… why was I the one to catch this disease? It hurts so much… why is everyone else healthy? Come… go to hell with me…”

The brown-stained sheets fluttered, and a pale hand reached out from under the bed. Next, a slender girl with long, straight black hair and a blood-stained white dress crawled out. She looked up, a bloodless face twisting into a smile.

“Come… go to hell with me…”

Ji Wan dutifully turned around to run a few steps but was pulled back by Feng Jin.

“Don’t run too fast,” Feng Jin frowned, then turned to the “female ghost” and said, “Run slower. He has a weak heart; running slowly is safer.”

Ji Wan was actually fine running a bit, but he didn’t want to reject Feng Jin’s kindness, so he turned back and offered an apologetic smile to the girl.

The actress froze, her ears uncovered by powder turning red as she slowed her pace. In the end, several people engaged in a pursuit that was only slightly faster than a casual stroll until they reached a fork in the path.

The girl stopped, maintaining her distance. Ji Wan saw that in one path, the young cousin was being chased by someone wrapped in bandages whose face couldn’t be seen, while in other paths, other players were being chased by monsters.

Creeeeeak—

With a sharp sound, the elevator doors at the very center of the fork opened.

“There is only one escape from hell. Someone is destined to be left behind to accept the penalty of failure. So… who will be the one headed for the depths?”

Players screamed as they squeezed into the elevator. Ji Wan followed the crowd and was pushed into the safety zone. When he looked up, he realized Feng Jin was still outside.

There was only one spot left in the elevator, and behind Feng Jin was another person who hadn’t entered—a petite woman who looked like an Omega. Her face was pale with fright. Feng Jin looked at her, frowned, and retracted the foot he was about to step into the elevator with.

“Thank you, thank you!” the woman cried, running into the elevator. Once inside, she looked at Feng Jin with guilt in her eyes.

“It’s okay, it’s not actually a punishment,” a teenager who had played several times comforted her. “They say it’s ‘going to hell,’ but they actually just put the people who didn’t make the elevator into a high-altitude cable car to admire the scenery for a loop, and then let them out to end the adventure.”

So that was it.

The people in the elevator breathed a sigh of relief. The young cousin waved his hand from inside, smiling as he bid Feng Jin goodbye: “Cousin, see you in a bit!”

The atmosphere was harmonious. Feng Jin, standing alone outside, lowered his eyes, appearing aloof and disdainful of everything. To an outsider, he looked like a cool, handsome Alpha that nothing could bother.

Feng Jin forced himself to remain steady. He looked down at his feet; this section of the floor was actually a conveyor belt that hadn’t started yet. Surely, before long, it would activate and deliver him to the cable car.

Feng Jin controlled his breathing, clenching his hands in his pockets until his nails dug into his palms, bringing a sting of pain.

It’s just facing this stuff alone. It’s not the first time; I could do it as a child, and I can do it now.

The weak, helpless self from his memories seemed to have returned to his side. Alone in the past, alone now. Feng Jin could hardly distinguish whether his fear was of heights or of the consistent lack of companionship over the last decade. His shadow stretched long on the ground, isolated and solitary.

A second before the elevator doors closed, someone stepped out and stood beside him.

Feng Jin looked up in surprise to see Ji Wan, whose clothes were a bit mussed from the crowd. Ji Wan’s hair was slightly messy, his long bangs partially obscuring his bright eyes, and his lips were an inviting red as he breathed slightly through his mouth.

Feng Jin was momentarily lost for words. He finally found his voice: “Why did you come out?”

“Well…” Ji Wan said. “To play a bit more. There’s a free extra attraction; it’s a waste not to play it.”

Feng Jin froze. His tense body relaxed instantly as if receiving a soothing balm. Finally, he hooked his lips: “Then I’ll let you come and see it with me.”

Ji Wan smiled too, looking expectant.

The conveyor belt started, and Ji Wan and Feng Jin were carried along to the cable car behind the hospital. The haunted house was built on a hill, so the cable car led down the slope.

A staff member at the cable car entrance smiled at them: “Don’t be afraid. Safety is guaranteed. Just relax and enjoy the view.”

Ji Wan didn’t rush in. He stood by the door, wanting to find an excuse for Feng Jin to skip the ride, when his wrist was suddenly grabbed. The weather was cold, and even Feng Jin’s hand carried a rare chill.

Ji Wan looked over. Feng Jin’s dark lashes were lowered, and there was no light in his eyes, making it impossible to read his emotions.

“Let’s go,” Feng Jin said.

Feng Jin led the way in. He held onto Ji Wan like a man clinging to driftwood in a flood.

The cable car was surrounded by large glass panes to give tourists an unobstructed view. To someone without a fear of heights, the scenery below was beautiful. To someone with acrophobia, it was a journey through hell.

Usually, standing at high altitudes would make him dizzy and nauseous, but today, strangely, it wasn’t that severe. Feng Jin leaned closer to Ji Wan. Ji Wan had no pheromones; he only smelled of the most common lemon laundry detergent from his clothes.

This scent was unremarkable on others, but on Ji Wan, it felt incredibly refreshing, greatly reducing his discomfort.

If Ji Wan could stay by my side forever…

Feng Jin leaned closer and closer. Ji Wan didn’t stop him; instead, he snapped open the book he had been carrying and held it up before Feng Jin’s eyes.

“Let me share this book I’m reading with you,” Ji Wan said calmly, pushing the book in front of Feng Jin’s face to block his entire field of vision.

Feng Jin didn’t want to look at any book; he wanted to look at Ji Wan. He moved his face aside. Ji Wan chased him with the book, blocking his view again.

Feng Jin: “?”

Feng Jin was baffled. “What are you doing?”

Ji Wan was also baffled. He wanted to ask what Feng Jin was doing, don’t you have a fear of heights? Why are you trying so hard to stick your head out and look at the scenery!

The two stared at each other. Feng Jin wasn’t stupid. He hadn’t realized it before because Ji Wan’s excuses were plausible, but with the coincidences piling up and Ji Wan’s current behavior, it suddenly clicked.

Ji Wan probably… had discovered his fear of heights long ago.

There was no embarrassment or anger at being seen through. Instead, looking into Ji Wan’s eyes, Feng Jin felt a strange sense of pleasure. He laughed, no longer carefully maintaining his distance, and leaned onto Ji Wan’s shoulder. As expected, Ji Wan didn’t push him away.

Ji Wan left the safety zone specifically to accompany him, just to make him less afraid.

Feng Jin leaned more of his weight onto Ji Wan, feeling satisfied. His gaze finally shifted from Ji Wan to the book. It was a collection of works by a certain painter. Feng Jin’s artistic sense only allowed him to say the paintings were “good,” but he couldn’t offer much more. However, looking at the book, he realized something.

Given Ji Wan’s personality, for him to specifically carve out half a day for a signing event meant he deeply admired that painter.

The sightseeing cable car moved lazily, as if determined not to reach the end until the end of time.

“The signing event you’re going to… when does it end?” Feng Jin asked.

“It ends at five. I’ll head over in a bit; there’s still time,” Ji Wan said.

Everything sounded perfect. It was only 4:10 PM; there was plenty of time to get there. But… if it ended at five, why had Ji Wan come so early?

Feng Jin frowned. He stopped asking and pulled out his phone to search. Thanks to Ji Wan’s excellent tradition of not looking at other people’s phones, Feng Jin successfully found what he wanted right under Ji Wan’s nose.

The signing event ended at 4:30 PM.

…It was too late. The moment Ji Wan decided to accompany him out, it was already too late.

Feng Jin looked at the promotional slogan on his screen [One time only, don’t miss out] and then at Ji Wan, who remained calm and composed as if everything was under control. He felt the entire world go quiet.

The blood in his veins surged toward his heart with a scorching intensity. Feng Jin couldn’t describe what he was feeling.

If before he felt Ji Wan was like the wind unreachable and unkeepable and his logic warned him to stop here, then now, that logic was destroyed. All that remained was obsession.

If Ji Wan is the wind, then he will find every way possible to make this breeze stay.

The cable car slowly reached the terminal. When Ji Wan led Feng Jin out, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

Feng Jin tightened his grip on Ji Wan’s hand.

There will be a next time, I promise.

Ji Wan pretended to head to the signing event and parted ways with Feng Jin. But after wandering around and preparing to go home, he received another call from him.

“If you’re finished, I’m waiting for you at the intersection in front of the haunted house,” Feng Jin said.

Ji Wan hadn’t expected them to still be there. Thinking it would be good to share a taxi, he headed to the meeting spot. But when he got there, only Feng Jin was present; the young cousin was gone.

“I already sent him home,” Feng Jin said.

Ji Wan: “Hm? Then you…?” Why did Feng Jin come back?

Ji Wan’s eyes were full of confusion. Feng Jin smiled and put an arm around his shoulder like a good bro.

“New Year is coming. I should give you a gift,” Feng Jin said with a smile.

“Ah, no need—” Ji Wan’s refusal was cut short as Feng Jin hailed a taxi, opened the door, and stuffed him inside.

“To the pheromone perfume shop,” Feng Jin told the driver.

“You got it!” the driver replied, flooring the accelerator.

Ji Wan’s attention shifted. “Why go there?” He knew that shop; it had a complete range and was said to be the largest pheromone perfume shop in the country.

“To…” Feng Jin smiled. “You’ve known me for so long, yet you’ve never asked what my pheromones are. Don’t you think that’s inappropriate?”

Ji Wan understood a bit, guessing: “You’re taking me to smell what your pheromones are like?”

Feng Jin nodded. He looked out the window and said softly, “I’m giving it… to you. Don’t refuse.”

The car reached the destination, and the two got out. This gift was indeed hard for Ji Wan to refuse, and he was genuinely curious about Feng Jin’s scent, so he followed him into the shop.

The shop was massive with an overwhelming variety of scents. Looking at them was enough to make one dizzy, let alone smelling them one by one.

Ji Wan looked at Feng Jin expectantly: “Which one is yours?”

Feng Jin didn’t answer directly. Instead, he said, “Pick a few scents you like, and I’ll tell you if mine is among them.”

Ji Wan didn’t think much of it, finding it quite fun. They were friends, after all; Feng Jin wouldn’t be fatally wounded if he didn’t pick the right one. With that thought, he dove in and began looking slowly.

Feng Jin watched Ji Wan’s back disappear between the tall shelves, his gaze darkening. Everyone likes different scents, but he couldn’t accept the possibility that Ji Wan wouldn’t like his scent. His pheromones had to be something Ji Wan liked.

So… he would choose one scent from the ones Ji Wan liked and claim it as his “pheromone.” A scent Ji Wan couldn’t put down would likely close the distance between them and make Ji Wan think of him more easily. Using all of Ji Wan’s preferences to make Ji Wan like him that was his ultimate goal.

The popular citrus series? The mysterious, cold cedar or ocean series? The sweet floral series?

Thinking about having to spray such perfume on himself, Feng Jin frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed.

It’s worth it.

Ji Wan picked very slowly, and Feng Jin wasn’t in a hurry, waiting patiently. As the sun began to sink in the west, Ji Wan reappeared.

“I think this one smells the best!” Ji Wan held a bottle and laughed. “But the chance of picking your pheromone is low. You should just tell me your scent.”

Feng Jin struggled to hook his lips; there was no mirth in his eyes. He hadn’t expected Ji Wan to only pick one bottle; picking his scent out of that would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Before even knowing what it was, he was already jealous of the person who actually owned that scent.

“Let me see,” Feng Jin said, reaching out.

Ji Wan placed the bottle in Feng Jin’s hand. Feng Jin simulated in his mind: When I see the label, I’ll act like it’s a total coincidence and say ‘I have this exact pheromone.’

His heart was consumed by the fire of jealousy; it was his unwillingess.

However, all that unwillingness and the planned deception vanished when Feng Jin actually saw the words on the bottle. His mind went blank.

…It was the scent of earth and vegetation mixed together after the rain.

The one Ji Wan had chosen was exactly the scent of his pheromones.