Belated Love

Swapped bottom. Short story. Younger man.

Xue Rong (top) x Song Zhong (bottom)

Shu Song suffers from the common affliction of people with narrow minds: he thinks nobody has faith in him.

Pity him? That's condescension from someone looking down on him.

Take care of him? That's just a way for able-bodied people to show off.

So he pushed away the people who loved him.

But when he heard that Xue Rong had found someone new, he was still the one who felt hurt.

He clung desperately to the people around him: his busy parents and the friends he shared with Xue Rong. They tried to keep the truth from him, awkwardly and with well-meaning concern, while gradually describing the new man's qualities.

As Shu Song listened, he laughed. Of course. That man had a pair of eyes, a promising career, ambition, and talent. He was more capable than Shu Song.

He let his cane drift against the flow of the crowd and began learning to use a white cane.

Then he discovered that the older brother he had treated like a tool was now Xue Rong's boyfriend.

As everything settled into place, Xue Rong sighed helplessly and lifted his hands, trying to ease the strain of being cuffed to the headboard.

He was asked, "Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"

Maybe Xue Rong would say no. Or perhaps he would admit that everything Shu Song had suspected was true: he was dating Song Zhong out of spite, just to make Shu Song care about him, and his awkward little scheme had only been a meaningless joke.

Xue Rong's answer drained all the color from Shu Song's face: "I never loved you."

There. I finally said it. Are you happy now?

"I was only with you because I got used to taking care of you."

There had been moments when their feelings truly met, and moments of happiness, but all of it had been worn away by what was happening now.

I have always liked Zhong-ge, from beginning to end.

You heard me. Are you satisfied?

1. The cannon-fodder bottom was born blind and is the biological brother of the true bottom.

2. The viewpoint alternates between the true bottom and the cannon-fodder bottom. Each sees things differently.

Purpose: It's not too late.