The distance between their worlds was not meant to be crossed.
And yet
They kept doing it.
Again.
And again.
Lin Mo stood alone beneath the endless light of Heaven, his expression calm but his thoughts far from it.
The wind brushed past him softly, carrying nothing.
No warmth.
No presence.
And that
That was what felt wrong.
His fingers tightened slightly at his side.
"…You're thinking about it again."
Lin Mo didn't turn.
"I don't know what you mean."
"…You do."
The voice was closer this time.
Too close.
Before Lin Mo could react
A shadow slipped past the edge of the light.
And then
He was there.
Mo Ran.
Standing behind him.
Where he shouldn't be.
Where he wasn't allowed to be.
Lin Mo's breath caught slightly.
"…You shouldn't be here."
The words came out quieter than before.
Less certain.
Mo Ran tilted his head slightly.
"…You keep saying that."
"And you keep ignoring it."
A faint smirk touched Mo Ran's lips.
"…You don't seem that bothered."
Silence.
Because
He wasn't.
Lin Mo turned slowly to face him.
"…If they find you here"
"Let them."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Lin Mo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You're reckless."
"…And you're not careful enough."
The response was just as quick.
Sharp.
The space between them felt smaller.
Tighter.
Lin Mo exhaled softly.
"…You shouldn't follow me here."
Mo Ran stepped closer.
"…Then stop giving me a reason to."
Lin Mo stilled.
"…What does that mean?"
A pause.
Mo Ran's gaze dropped slightly
Not to his face.
But to the place where the wound had been.
"…You think I didn't notice?"
Lin Mo's breath hitched faintly.
"…You're still not fully healed."
"I am."
"You're not."
Silence.
Mo Ran took another step closer.
Now
There was barely any space between them.
"…You shouldn't have come back so soon."
Lin Mo looked at him.
"…I had to."
"…For them?"
The question came out quieter.
But heavier.
Lin Mo hesitated.
"…It's my duty."
Something in Mo Ran's expression shifted.
Just slightly.
"…Right."
The word was soft.
Almost empty.
He looked away for a moment.
"…Then why do you keep looking at me like that?"
Lin Mo blinked.
"…Like what?"
Mo Ran's gaze returned to him.
"…Like you don't want me to leave."
Silence.
Because
That was exactly how he had been looking.
Lin Mo didn't answer.
Because he couldn't.
And that,
That was answer enough.
Mo Ran let out a quiet breath.
"…You're really bad at this."
"…At what?"
"…Pretending."
The words landed softly.
But they stayed.
Lin Mo's fingers tightened slightly.
"…And you're really bad at leaving."
Mo Ran almost smiled.
"…I'm not trying to."
A pause.
Lin Mo's heart skipped
Just slightly.
"…You should," he said quietly.
"…Why?"
"Because if they see you"
"I don't care."
Lin Mo's voice dropped.
"I do."
Silence.
Mo Ran stilled.
For just a moment.
"…Why?"
The question came softer this time.
Less guarded.
Lin Mo looked at him.
"…Because you could get hurt."
A faint laugh left Mo Ran's lips.
"…You're saying that after what you did?"
Lin Mo didn't respond.
"…You stood in front of me."
Mo Ran stepped even closer.
Close enough that Lin Mo could feel his breath.
"…And now you're telling me to be careful?"
Lin Mo's breath caught slightly.
"…It's different."
"…How?"
Silence.
Because
He didn't have an answer.
And that
That was what made it worse.
Mo Ran's hand moved suddenly.
Grabbing Lin Mo's wrist.
Firm.
But not rough.
"…Then don't say things you don't understand."
Lin Mo froze.
Not because of the grip.
But because,
He didn't pull away.
Mo Ran noticed.
Of course he did.
His grip tightened slightly.
"…You're not even trying to stop me."
Lin Mo looked at him.
"…Should I?"
A pause.
Mo Ran's expression darkened.
"…Try."
But his hand didn't let go.
Lin Mo didn't move.
Didn't pull away.
Didn't resist.
And that,
That said more than anything else.
The distance between them disappeared completely.
And for a moment
Everything else did too.
Until
A sudden shift in the air.
Sharp.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Lin Mo's expression changed instantly.
"…They're coming."
Mo Ran's eyes narrowed.
"…Heaven?"
Lin Mo nodded.
"…You need to leave."
Mo Ran didn't move.
"…Mo Ran"
"I said I don't care."
"But I do."
The words came out stronger this time.
Desperate.
Mo Ran froze.
Because,
That wasn't how Lin Mo usually sounded.
"…Go."
Silence.
For a moment,
Neither of them moved.
Then
Mo Ran let go.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
"…You really don't make this easy."
Lin Mo didn't respond.
Because he couldn't.
The light around him shifted.
Heaven was close.
Too close.
Mo Ran stepped back.
The shadows wrapped around him again.
"…Don't disappear."
The words were quiet.
Familiar.
And then
He was gone.
Leaving Lin Mo standing there
Alone.
But not unaffected.
Because even as the light returned
The place where Mo Ran had stood
Still felt warm.
To be continued… 🖤🔥