He finally admitted it. The moment the words left his lips, Fang Juexia felt as though he’d made the most rebellious decision of his life. But he was saved. All these days of being torn between obsession and retreat had nearly ripped him apart. He’d submerged himself in the glacier of reason, yet his heart yearned only to plunge into the boiling magma beneath Pei Tingsong’s frenzied passion.
Everything eventually finds its resolution, and in the end, it was this heart that seized control.
Pei Tingsong almost thought he’d misheard. He hadn’t expected this answer at all. He felt ashamed of the torrent of nonsense that had just spilled from his mouth—a chaotic, incoherent rant. Yet, he had actually received it.
The next second, ecstasy gave way to doubt. He feared Fang Juexia might add a “but”—that this was just another form of rejection. So he couldn’t help but ask again, “You… you mean it?”
Fang Juexia hadn’t expected to be doubted. “Of course.”
“You’re not mistaken? It’s not because I’m injured, or you feel sorry for me and want to comfort me, or just because you have feelings for me…”
“Pei Tingsong.” Fang Juexia pronounced his full name once more, sincere and earnest. “I may lack experience, but I’m an adult capable of independent thought. Sympathy, fondness, curiosity, friendship, gratitude, and affection—distinguishing these emotions isn’t difficult for me. I know exactly what I feel for you…”
…is affection.
The final four words were swallowed at the critical moment. Fang Juexia suddenly felt affected himself, becoming this direct too.
“Anyway, what I just said is true,” Fang Juexia lowered his eyes and added softly, “And I said it twice.”
Two declarations of affection, confirmed and reaffirmed.
Hearing this, Pei Tingsong felt ecstasy nearly overwhelm him. He wanted to throw himself at Fang Juexia, but Fang Juexia pinned him down before he could move. “Don’t move.”
Pei Tingsong looked slightly aggrieved. “You admitted you like me. Can’t I even hug you?”
This question caught Fang Juexia completely off guard. It had already taken every ounce of courage he possessed to finally voice the affection he’d long hidden and avoided. Now, even facing Pei Tingsong felt like an immense struggle. “So… so you want a hug right after saying that? And you’re injured. You need to be careful.”
“This is nothing!” Pei Tingsong waved his plaster-casted arm to prove his resilience. “See? Nothing wrong at all. I’m perfectly fine. Ouch…”
The numbness wore off, and the pain hit him.
Seeing this, Fang Juexia felt a pang of pity again. “I told you not to move around.” He dared not touch it directly, instead carefully cradling the casted part with his palm. “Does it hurt much?”
“It’s okay.” Seeing Fang Juexia’s furrowed brow, Pei Tingsong reached out with his other hand and smoothed it away. “It stung a bit just now, but it’s fine now.”
“The doctor said it’ll take four weeks to heal,” Fang Juexia sighed.
Hearing his sigh, Pei Tingsong sighed too. “I regret it.”
Regret what? Fang Juexia looked up at him, feeling uneasy. Seeing him turn his head and search around the bed for something, he grew curious. “What’s wrong?”
“Where’s my phone? I should’ve recorded you saying you like me just now. That way you couldn’t deny it.”
So that’s what he regretted. Fang Juexia exhaled in relief, murmuring a quiet complaint, “I wasn’t drunk.”
Every movement Fang Juexia made was utterly adorable to Pei Tingsong.
Suddenly, the phone in his pants pocket vibrated. Fang Juexia frantically pulled it out and answered. Seeing the name [Cheng Qiang] made him panic even more, acting exactly like a high schooler caught on a secret date by their parents.
“Hello…” Fang Juexia’s gaze darted to a corner of the hospital room. “Yeah, he’s fine.”
“It’s okay, let the staff go back first. The hospital is pretty safe.”
“I’ll stay here and take care of Xiao Pei. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I went back anyway.” He lowered his eyes. “Yeah, bye.”
After hanging up, Fang Juexia’s heart still raced. He locked his screen, took a deep breath, and looked up just as Pei Tingsong spoke. “I’m not Xiao Pei.”
Fang Juexia stared blankly, utterly confused.
Pei Tingsong emphasized again, “I’m not Xiao Pei anymore. I’m your boyfriend.”
Those three words burned into Fang Juexia’s ears, making them feel hot. “Boy…” He couldn’t even get the word out.
“Yes.” As if afraid Fang Juexia would run away, Pei Tingsong grabbed his hand. “I like you. I pursued you. You like me too. We should be dating, just like any two people who like each other.“ His thumb brushed against the back of Fang Juexia’s hand. ”You don’t want to date me?”
Pei Tingsong was the most straightforward person Fang Juexia had ever met. What others found difficult to express as love came out of him without the slightest hesitation. His passionate rush was so overwhelming, Fang Juexia found himself utterly defenseless.
“I—” Fang Juexia no longer wanted to hesitate. Compared to him, he felt like the most indecisive person in the world. Yet his voice trailed off, lacking confidence. “…I’m willing.”
Having achieved his goal, Pei Tingsong shifted closer and asked, “You’re still afraid of me, aren’t you?”
Fang Juexia looked at him and shook his head.
“Really?” “ Pei Tingsong drew closer still, those boyishly smiling eyes fixed on him. His hand, which had been holding Fang’s, moved upward to grip his forearm. ”How about this?”
Fang Juexia held his breath involuntarily. The air felt like someone had spilled a glass of sweet-and-sour lemon soda, its sweet bubbles rising and floating between them.
He shook his head again.
The distance between them closed further. Pei Tingsong leaned forward once more, his hand shifting position—from Fang Juexia’s arm to his side.
The sweet bubbles in the air could no longer shield Fang Juexia. They scattered wildly, colliding with Pei Tingsong’s relentless advance. Fang Juexia struggled to maintain his last shred of composure. He was a rational adult now. Pei Tingsong wasn’t some terrifying monster; there was nothing to fear. He couldn’t let such a minor thing cloud his judgment.
“I’m not afraid.”
Pei Tingsong’s lips curved upward. “Really?” His right hand tightened, his palm cupping Fang Juexia’s lower back as he drew the other’s upper body closer, compressing their distance to the absolute minimum.
He brushed his own nose against Fang Juexia’s, murmuring, “How about this?”
Fang Juexia felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. He realized his rationality had been stripped away by his body—unable to control his breathing, unable to control his movements, everything was being led by Pei Tingsong. This wasn’t the first time they’d been this close; they’d been even closer before.
His brain shut down, and Fang Juexia instinctively closed his eyes.
Seeing him close his eyes willingly, Pei Tingsong felt his heart melt. He stifled a laugh and teased, “Is that all it takes?”
Caught off guard by the mockery, Fang Juexia hurriedly opened his eyes. “I’m not scared,” he declared. Then he countered, “Does closing my eyes mean I’m scared?”
Pei Tingsong gently touched his nose to his own. “Then what else could it be?” he murmured. “Could it be you closed your eyes hoping I’d kiss you?”
Fang Juexia couldn’t speak. Outwardly, he remained that beautiful little ice cube. But the ripples in his eyes gave him away. Pei Tingsong knew—he was wavering, melting.
“Juexia, may I kiss you?”
His breathing faltered, his entire being teetering on the brink of complete breakdown. If Pei Tingsong kissed him now, he might shatter into a pile of discarded machine fragments the next second.
Fang Juexia closed his eyes again in suffocation, clamping them shut tightly.
But this final, fatal blow didn’t land on his lips as he’d imagined. Instead, it touched the corner of his eye. Pei Tingsong’s lips gently pressed against that crimson birthmark—the mark that set him apart from everyone else in the world.
Now, it finally bore the imprint of Pei Tingsong’s warmth.
Just a light kiss, and Fang Juexia didn’t shatter. He melted into Pei Tingsong’s embrace. That hand patted his back, then gently ruffled the hair at the nape of his neck.
“Don’t be afraid of me,” Pei Tingsong said, holding him tightly with one arm. “I’ll treasure you.”
Hearing these words, Fang Juexia felt an inexplicable sting in his eyes. He raised his arms to embrace Pei Tingsong back, holding him close as lovers do.
Pei Tingsong chuckled softly. “You know, I used to imagine long ago—if I ever managed to win you over, if you agreed to be with me—where I’d place that first kiss. I thought about it for so long, but when the moment finally came, I still wanted to kiss your birthmark.”
It was a mark unique in the world, carrying a sense of ritualistic possession.
Fang Juexia frowned in confusion. “Why did you think about that?”
“Because it’s the first kiss.”
Fang Juexia’s practical nature made him focus on facts. “But you already had…” He hesitated, remembering the drunken mistake he’d made, too embarrassed to finish.
Sure enough, Pei Tingsong let go the moment he heard this, launching into mockery. “You remember? I thought you’d forgotten. You better remember it forever. My first kiss, Pei Tingsong’s first kiss, was forcibly taken by you, Fang Juexia, after you got drunk. That was a first kiss, you know? First kiss! It’s the very first kiss a boy gets after growing from a baby into someone with a clear sense of self!”
He got more and more animated, practically launching into an indictment. Fang Juexia couldn’t help but counterattack, “You’re not exactly innocent either. You also forced a kiss on me when you were drunk before, and it was…”
“And it was what?” Pei Tingsong asked deliberately.
Fang Juexia licked his lips, swallowing the words “French kiss.” “Anyway, now we’re even. It’s fair.”
“Fang Juexia, you’d better stick to this standard of fairness forever. Every time I kiss you, you have to kiss me back. Not a single one can be missed.”
He raised his right hand to tally. “See? You kissed me once when you were drunk, and I kissed you once when I was drunk. We’re even. But don’t forget—back when we passed candy wrappers, I kissed you through the paper. Then I got drunk again and kissed you through another piece of paper…”
“You remember everything!” Fang Juexia realized he’d been outsmarted, pointing an accusing finger at Pei Tingsong. But Pei seized his hand, pulling it toward him to kiss the fingertip. “Shh, I’m keeping score.” “Pei Tingsong continued, ”I just kissed your birthmark too. Oh, and this,“ he wiggled Fang Juexia’s unreturned fingertip, ”counts as one. All told, I’ve kissed you four more times. Pay up.”
Fang Juexia, a math major with an acute sensitivity to numbers, had actually lost at a simple numerical calculation. The kisses that kept popping out of Pei Tingsong’s mouth sent his heart racing.
He recalled the words Pei Tingsong had said when he held him earlier, clinging to them like a lifeline. “You just said you’d treasure me.”
The words tasted strangely like a whinge when he said them aloud. Pei Tingsong’s heart melted completely, but he still put on a thick face. “Yeah. I am supposed to treasure you, but you don’t have to treasure me.”
He gently kneaded Fang Juexia’s hand. “You should get your revenge, pay me back for every time I bullied you.”
Fang Juexia froze like a stiff little animal, not moving an inch, his eyes fixed on Pei Tingsong’s, bright and clear. Pei Tingsong found him utterly adorable no matter how he looked at him. His vocabulary of adjectives had collapsed, leaving only the word [adorable] on endless repeat.
“Alright.” He didn’t intend to tease him further, afraid he’d push Fang Juexia into ignoring him forever. “I won’t…”
No sooner had he spoken a few words than Fang Juexia took Pei Tingsong’s hand, grasping his index finger and pulling it to his lips. Fang Juexia gave it a light peck before releasing it.
“That’s one back,” Fang Juexia said, his tone as earnest as ever, carrying out a very sincere act of retaliation.
Pei Tingsong froze, stunned that his playful remark had been taken seriously. Before he could recover from his daze, Fang Juexia leaned closer. His expression held a solemn resolve, as if he’d made up his mind, before finally pressing a gentle kiss to Pei Tingsong’s eye.
“That one’s paid back too.” Fang Juexia stepped back considerably. “That’s enough for now.”
Pei Tingsong grabbed his hand. “Why did you kiss my eye? I kissed your eyelid, didn’t I?”
Fang Juexia’s lips curved slightly as he extended a finger to touch Pei Tingsong’s tear trough. “You have a tiny mole right here.”
And he’d noticed it long ago.
The moment the answer left his lips, Pei Tingsong flopped backward onto the bed, yanking the quilt up to cover his face. He sprawled sideways, kicking his feet beneath the covers.
“What’s wrong?” Fang Juexia worried about the injury on his hand. “Be careful, don’t touch it.” He reached out to pull back Pei Tingsong’s blanket. “Why are you covering your head? Lie down and rest properly.”
“I’m hopeless.”
“What do you mean hopeless?” Fang Juexia protested urgently. “It’s just a minor injury.”
“I really am hopeless. I’m done for,” Pei Tingsong’s muffled voice came from beneath the covers. “Fang Juexia, why do I like you so much?”
After twenty years as a troublemaker, he finally understood the concept of “opposites attract.”
Heaven must have known Pei Tingsong was untamable—neither yielding nor defiance worked. So they molded a little person to his tastes, breathed divine breath into him, and placed him before Pei Tingsong. After leaving him utterly bewildered, they finally subdued him.
Ever since confessing to Pei Tingsong, Fang Juexia realized all his years of social rules had become useless. He didn’t even know how to talk to Pei Tingsong anymore. Watching him hide under the covers like this, Fang Juexia could only stroke his back, trying to coax him out. “Be careful with your hands. Come out first.” “ he added, resorting to a bit of blackmail. ”Otherwise, I’m leaving. Back to the dorm.”
“No way.” Pei Tingsong immediately pulled back the covers. “How could you? On the very first day of dating, you leave your boyfriend alone in a hospital room? Fang Juexia, you really have no heart.”
“Then lie down properly. I’ll stay with you.” Fang Juexia tucked the covers around him. “You fell asleep right after surgery. You must be exhausted. Get some rest early. If tomorrow’s checkup clears you, you can be discharged.”
“What about you?”
Fang Juexia glanced toward the door. “There’s a sofa in the lounge outside the suite. I’ll go out once you’re asleep. One night won’t hurt. I’ve slept on the practice room floor before.”
“No, you can’t leave.” Pei Tingsong shifted to one side of the bed. “Come up here. Sleep with me.”
Fang Juexia flushed instantly. “That’s impossible.”
“Why not?” Pei Tingsong countered. “Need me count how many times we’ve shared a bed?” He raised his left hand. “If you refuse me, I’ll smash it against the wall.”
Fang Juexia sighed in utter exasperation. “How old are you?”
“Twenty years and one month. Not legally old enough to marry, but I’m an adult now. “ Pei Tingsong raised an eyebrow proudly. ”Do you have any objections?”
Fortunately, the bed wasn’t too small and could barely fit two people. But as soon as they lay down, Pei Tingsong said, “I’m going to fall off. This bed really is only meant for one person.”
“What should we do? Maybe I should get off.”
“Like this.” Pei Tingsong pulled him into his embrace, holding him tightly. Their chests pressed together, their hearts beating in unison. Fang Juexia heard Pei Tingsong’s deep voice, close against his body, “You sleep in my arms, I sleep on the bed. That way, it counts as only one person sleeping.”
What kind of twisted math was this?
Worried he might crush his hand, Fang Juexia helped him lie flat before settling on his side beside him. But Pei Tingsong insisted on reaching out his right arm to pull him closer. Fang Juexia had no choice but to let him. Seeing the injured wrist still made his heart race—he couldn’t bear to see him go through that again.
“You can’t just rush over to save me like that anymore.”
Hearing this, Pei Tingsong only smiled. “Do you really think I can control myself?”
Fang Juexia didn’t want to hear that. “Just promise me first.”
“Fine, fine, I promise.” Pei Tingsong kissed his forehead. “I won’t do it again, okay?”
He kissed him again.
Somehow, perhaps because Pei Tingsong’s promises were so hypnotic, Fang Juexia found himself instinctively counting the number of kisses.
“Mm.” He feigned exhaustion, closing his eyes and nestling into Pei Tingsong’s embrace. He’d promised himself this was just a formality, but the moment he held him, Fang Juexia forgot his original intent.
He couldn’t recall exactly when this boy three years his junior had captured his heart. He tried to reverse-engineer the process like correcting an error, tracing back every moment they’d shared. Yet even this infallible system failed to pinpoint the root of the mistake.
Only countless fluttering moments remained.
The two, isolated together in the same hospital bed, were unaware that this reunion had once again sparked a tsunami online. First, excerpts from Kaleido’s interview during the livestream surfaced online. Particularly, Fang Juexia’s response to whether he should be called an idol ignited heated debate. The term “idol” itself was fraught with controversy, compounded by Fang Juexia’s own contentious reputation, leading to endless arguments.
[@SpaghettiBologneseWithIceCream: Suddenly moved by fjx.]
[@MeatLovingBaozi: It’s precisely because he has the talent that he can speak with such conviction. I recall seeing his magazine interview earlier where he stated, “An idol embodies the materialization of dreams.” Though I don’t know much about his background, he seems like someone with a strong sense of self.]
[@BeautifulKindHeartedPrincess: How arrogant to represent idols and establish such a noble image—doesn’t he fear his persona collapsing?]
Just as the heat was rising, a sudden stage accident pushed the conflict to its peak.
After the incident, the live stream abruptly cut off. Many who had been watching the livestream caught glimpses of what happened. Initial rumors spread that a fanatic fan had pulled Pei Tingsong off the stage, causing his injury. Numerous netizens, including fans who weren’t present, voiced their blame. The hashtag #PeiTingsongInjured immediately trended.
Shortly after the incident, the venue issued an official statement clarifying that the accident was not caused by stage design flaws or security negligence, but rather by human intervention. They pledged full cooperation with the investigation to identify the perpetrator.
Star Map Entertainment also released a statement after completing the medical diagnosis of Bae Hee-sung’s condition, explaining the situation in full detail and confirming that they would hold the perpetrator accountable.
Both statements clearly characterized the incident as a malicious, intentional assault. The internet, ever eager for conspiracy theories, was abuzz with speculation about the truth beneath the surface. Some suggested it was malicious competition, similar to the earlier leak of unreleased songs, while others pointed to fan-driven sabotage. Theories varied widely.
However, this incident further solidified Kaleido’s group image as “beautiful, strong, and tragic.” Just as they were gaining popularity, one misfortune followed another, with countless hidden forces potentially at play behind the scenes. Upon learning of Pei Tingsong’s injuries, most netizens expressed heartfelt sympathy and wished him a speedy recovery.
As fate would have it, the premiere of Escape Season 2 Episode 1 aired that very night. By the time it ended at 10 PM, the hashtag #听觉CP逃生 (Hearing CP Escape) had rocketed to the top of the trending charts. A quick glance at the top ten trending topics revealed half were related to Kaleido.
Even netizens who never listened to their songs, watched their performances, or cared about the earlier leak incident ended up discovering the duo through Escape Room. Clicking into the #HearingCPEscapeRoom live feed felt like witnessing a massive fan conversion event.
[@Wolves001: Holy shit holy shit holy shit, is this the first time the killer ever won in Escape Room history?! I got completely thrown off by the self-study session. I even bet my partner it’d be either xxq or zzh, but it turned out to be a self-kill!! Bae Ting Song, you’re insane! How can a newbie be this skilled?! Damn! And Fang Juexia! China’s number one hook master! From today on, you two are my new idols!]
[@Wolves001: Waaah just saw the trending topics below—PTS got injured?! That bastard dragged FJX down and took PTS with him! So pissed! How dare you touch my idols!]
[@ExclamationMark: Me before watching Escape: The producers must be crazy bringing in two idol groups. Did they think the guests were too smart and needed to lower the average IQ? [Disdain·jpg] Me after watching Escape: So good! What a killer Pei Tingsong is! What a beauty Fang Juexia is! Look at me—am I even here? I’m gone!]
[@eeeeeEe: I was totally fooled by the killer! First time I’ve been tricked on this show! And Fang Juexia—that puzzle had me beat. Probably because he’s so gorgeous I never suspected him from the start. P.S. Just heard about Pei Tingsong’s injury—hope the hottie recovers soon. Can’t wait for episode two! That bastard who intentionally hurt him must be brought to justice!]
[@Escape Season 2 aired yet? Escape from Heaven, aka the Grand Divine Dating (xiang) and Friendship (qin) Gathering. Those who questioned the show’s casting choices before—does your face hurt?]
[@Woderfuldays: I didn’t get hooked during the airport video, didn’t get hooked during the group show’s candy wrapper kiss, didn’t get hooked on the magazine cover, and didn’t get hooked on those GIFs from their comeback days either. But who would’ve thought—I got hooked during Escape from Heaven! How amazing is their chemistry! That divine storyline where everyone suspects each other but only we trust each other is just too sweet! When Fjx finally escaped and hugged PTS, I got goosebumps all over!]
[@I Love Escape: PTS and Fjx are so perfect together【covering mouth】After watching the show, I found the “Auditory Sensation” super topic. Clicking in… it felt like a starving mouse suddenly falling into a sea of grain. This isn’t me shipping a CP—it’s the CP shipping me, okay? !]
[@Another Day of Shipping: Waaah just watched the bloopers, fjx is too adorable! Hengheng said this puzzle couldn’t be solved by brute force, there must be clues. XQGG retorted, “Duh, who could possibly brute force this thing?” ” Then Fang Juexia timidly raised his hand from the back and actually gave the correct answer! Both experts were stunned! It’s a shame they didn’t air this part in the main show. FJX is so talented and adorable—I love him! Fang Juexia, the human calculator! Fang Juexia, the gorgeous baby! I’m going to watch his stage performance now 😭😭😭]
[@Study hard, make progress every day: Before watching the show: Let me use my eagle eyes to see what you’re really made of! After watching the show: Aww, our auditory team is permanent, right? Yes, right?! Please, Escape Dad, let them appear every episode, okay?]
[@Bringing Prophecies: Rumor has it that CPs who appear on this TCST show usually, most likely, probably… Shhh.]
