The emotions he had held back for so long finally burst their banks. Ji Yanzhi abruptly pulled Ji Ting into his arms, holding him so tightly it was as though he wanted to crush their chests into one.
"I'm sorry... Ji Ear... I'm sorry..." Broken apologies spilled from his trembling lips.
Ji Ting gently patted his back, his voice calm but weighted. "Yes, you do owe me an apology."
Ji Yanzhi's throat seized up. Everything he wanted to say lodged there, leaving him only able to tighten his arms, as though that could convey the remorse he couldn't put into words.
Only after a long while did a choked voice emerge from where their shoulders and necks pressed together. "Actually... there were so many times I wanted to tell you the truth, but I... I was scared..."
Ji Ting turned his face slightly. "Scared I'd be angry with you?"
"That too, but not just that." Ji Yanzhi's voice was thick and nasal, muffled against Ji Ting's ear. "I was scared you'd fall apart if you found out. You've always... always had cognitive difficulties. What if this became the last straw and made you completely... completely break down? I really couldn't take that gamble..."
Ji Ting visibly paused, then let out an amused laugh. "Between the two of us, who's more mentally stable?"
"...You."
"Your concerns weren't entirely wrong, actually," Ji Ting admitted. "When I first found out about the inner voices, my emotions really were out of control. I felt so awful I even threw up."
Ji Yanzhi jerked his head up, his reddened eyes fixing anxiously on Ji Ting. "What about now? How do you feel?"
Ji Ting looked at him, his gaze serene. "Aren't I standing right here in front of you, perfectly fine?"
Indescribable remorse and lingering