"Then rest your eyes some more," Jiang Cheng said with difficulty. "I'll..."

"You really don't want to do it?" Gu Fei pressed his forehead into the pillow. "Better hurry before I change my mind listening to you hem and haw..."

The shoulder lines and scapulas that suddenly became distinct when he lowered his head were a flawless combination, and in this moment Gu Fei's posture made Jiang Cheng feel that if he could control himself and not pounce, he may as well say goodbye to ever getting any again.

He grabbed the hem of his t-shirt, whipped it off over his head, and pounced onto the bed, pressing down on Gu Fei as he bit the back of his neck.

"Mm..." Gu Fei gave a low hum, unclear if it was from being pressed down or bitten.

Soul-hooking.

That about summed up the sound.

Jiang Cheng hugged him, kissing and nibbling. He rubbed against him eagerly, his hands gliding over the smooth, taut skin. The higher-than-usual warmth he felt with each breath made him aware of his own increasingly ragged gasps.

All the pent-up desire for Gu Fei over the past months had been locked away, almost unfelt when he wasn't with him. But once exposed to light and water, it grew wildly.

Along with the familiar, intoxicating scents, the low voice striking the most sensitive nerves, the electric sparks from a single touch - all the memories of Gu Fei's body that had been locked away now spread through his body and skin like creeping vines, swiftly enveloping him.

Perhaps it was the prolonged absence of intimate contact, or the relief from heavy burdens, or the impending separation. For whatever reason, Jiang Cheng was unusually desperate to meld Gu Fei into himself today, craving to be wrapped in his warmth.

He barely remembered how he'd reluctantly left Gu Fei's body to hurriedly grab supplies from the drawer, then raced back to bed like lightning chasing thunder.

Eight hundred rounds was the ideal, but doing one thoroughly was worth the effort.

After the mingled heavy breathing and other sounds in the room slowly subsided, Jiang Cheng collapsed onto Gu Fei, breathing hard. After a moment he turned his head to nibble Gu Fei's neck before pushing himself up. A drop of sweat from his nose fell onto Gu Fei's chest.

"Does anything hurt?" Jiang Cheng touched his forehead, still overheated himself and unable to gauge Gu Fei's temperature.

"No," Gu Fei smiled.

"Won't you catch cold from all this sweat?" Jiang Cheng frowned, feeling Gu Fei's body. "Go take a hot shower."

"Worry about yourself," Gu Fei stroked his belly lightly. "You're like you just ran five kilometers."

"Let's go," Jiang Cheng smiled and got out of bed. "Shower time."

"Okay," Gu Fei also got up. "Help me get some clothes."

"Make the water hotter," Jiang Cheng instructed as he went to the wardrobe. Gu Fei seemed fine, not like someone who'd just been ravished.

As Jiang Cheng grabbed their change of clothes, he looked up to see the living room curtains wide open, about a yard across.

"Fuck!" He froze, hastily lowered the clothes to cover himself, and raced to the bathroom instead of back to the bedroom - turning around would expose his butt.

Gu Fei already had the shower running and was rinsing himself. Seeing Jiang Cheng rush in, he laughed, "You didn't close the curtains."

"You saw it and didn't tell me?" Jiang Cheng glared.

"No time, I covered little Gu Fei and ran over," Gu Fei smiled as he talked. "It wasn't open much, no windows across from us, it's fine."

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" Jiang Cheng stood behind him under the streaming water.

"No, I didn't." Gu Fei turned and leaned against him, chin on his shoulder.

"I know you did it on purpose even if you don't admit it," Jiang Cheng tsked. "Still messing with me when you're sick."

Gu Fei just smiled without replying.

Showering together wasn't very convenient, but Gu Fei kept clinging to him, seemingly tired or just wanting to be spoiled. Jiang Cheng didn't push him away and struggled to wash them both this way.

After eating breakfast Gu Fei lay back down, his temperature dropped to 36.8 after the earlier sweating. Jiang Cheng relaxed as he joined him in bed.

"Let's nap some more," Jiang Cheng said. "Nothing else to do anyway."

"Okay." Gu Fei turned over to hug him.

Though not feeling very sleepy, Jiang Cheng was out shortly after closing his eyes.

They were jolted awake by a phone ringing.

"Whose phone is that?" Gu Fei mumbled, voice still groggy.

"Don't know," Jiang Cheng was also blurry-eyed as he groped under the pillow. The ringing stopped before he found it. "They hung up already."

"Was it telling you to go to the farewell dinner?" Gu Fei said.

"That's in the evening," Jiang Cheng finally grabbed his phone and glanced outside where it was still dark like when they'd woken earlier. "Is it going to rain...Fuck!"

He froze when he saw the time on his phone: "It's six o'clock!"

Gu Fei sat up in surprise: "What?"

Old Xu had called about the farewell dinner. Everyone had already gathered at the restaurant except Yi Jing, just missing the two of them.

"I overslept, sorry about that Teacher Xu," Jiang Cheng apologized awkwardly. "I'll head over right away."  

"Can you get Gu Fei to come too?" Old Xu asked. "His phone's off when I called...I know he dislikes group events, but just this once since it's the last time. I still hope he'll come."

"I..." Jiang Cheng glanced at Gu Fei beside him. "I'll contact him and we'll go together."

After hanging up, he touched Gu Fei's forehead - temperature still normal: "Old Xu is worried you won't come to dinner."

"Let's go," Gu Fei rubbed his face. "One last time after all."

Old Xu and Old Lu had booked the second floor hall of a restaurant, with tables all over. When Jiang Cheng and Gu Fei arrived, everyone was chatting and laughing loudly.

"They're here!" Someone noticed them.

"Knew they'd come together," a girl laughed.

"Over here!" Wang Xu at the innermost table stood and waved them over. "Saved you seats! Come on!"

"Where's Yi Jing?" Gu Fei asked softly as he sat down.

"Not coming. We all called her," Wang Xu sighed. "Old Xu and Old Lu both called, she refuses and her phone's off now."

"Let it be then. It's hard on anyone." Gu Fei said.  

"Yeah," Wang Xu poured them tea and beer. "If she doesn't want to come then don't force it. I'll still be there for her, whatever she decides to do after like retaking the exam or something."

Jiang Cheng glanced at him and smiled.

"Don't look at me like that, Jiang Cheng," Wang Xu glared. "When I'm set on someone, I'll stick with them."

"I believe you," Jiang Cheng nodded.

"On this, you can learn from me," Wang Xu looked at him firmly.

"Say that again loudly and I'll beat you up so bad Yi Jing won't recognize you," Gu Fei said.

"I was whispering!" Wang Xu protested quietly. "Can't you have some confidence in me?"

"Nope," Gu Fei replied.  

"Fuck..." Wang Xu gloomily took a big gulp of tea.

"Everyone, listen up!" Old Xu on the other side stood with a beer raised. "I have something to say."

The noise lowered, though still some murmuring.

"Some of you listened to me for three years, some for two. Most unwillingly, since this is the last time," Old Xu clinked his glass with chopsticks. "Listen properly today."

Everyone quieted down and looked at him.

"The gaokao is over, your high school life is over," Old Xu said. "However you spent the last three years, looking back later this will still be your own youth..."

Old Xu paused and drank some beer: "After this summer, some will leave this city for college, some will stay to study or work locally. Meeting again like this will be difficult, so today!"

Jiang Cheng watched the gleam of tears in Old Xu's eyes, feeling sentimental.

"So today!" Old Xu raised his glass high. "Cry, laugh, drink, do as you wish. No matter where your future paths lead, I'm proud of you all for the pleasant surprises and of course headaches you've given me. These are precious memories, don't forget them no matter how long it's been..."

Old Xu tilted his head back and downed his beer, then yelled, "Class 8! Dark horse at the pass!"

"Class 8! Dark horse at the pass!" Everyone raised their glasses and roared together.