"Isn't he with Yuyan?" Jiang Yang asked.
Hearing Yuyan's name, Jake turned silent and waited to hear about it more.
An Tian didn't wish to talk about it more as Jiang Yang and Jake were there, "Well, let him be here."
"It must be a hard day for him," Lu Feng commented, and others nodded.
Just as Jiang Yang turned to talk to Jake, An Tian looked at Lu Feng, who was silent as if the two were thinking the same thing.
"Let's cook," An Tian commanded and looked at Jake, "Are you helping us, your highness?"
Jake gave a narrowed eyed look to his brother and stepped towards the kitchen.
Just then, Jiang Yang spoke, "It reminded me of Noah. Why is he not here?"
An Tian looked at his brother, "Call him. No free meal would be served. We need help."
"You can call him too. It's your home," Jake countered.
"Says the one who comes and leaves this home whenever he wishes to as if it's his own. Go call him," An Tian commanded.
Sighing, Jake went to Noah's room. Standing outside of the door, he knocked, but there was no reply. Jake opened the door and entered the room to check what Noah was doing, but just then, Noah stepped out of the bathroom, dabbing his face with the white napkin.
He looked stressed, and Jake stared at him as he asked. "Are you not well?"
Noah looked at the cold guy standing in his room, wearing a black T-shirt and black pants as his white skin shined even more.
Averting his sight, Noah went in front of the wardrobe, "I'm fine."
"You looked stressed," Jake countered.
"Too much work these days, so I couldn't sleep," Noah answered, avoiding looking at him.
"Are you avoiding me?" Jake asked.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Why would I? You are my best friend," he said and added, "Lijun too."
"Hmm." Jake had nothing to say.
"You are here because it's his birthday," Noah concluded.
Jake nodded, "All these years we were with him on this day though he never liked to celebrate it."
"Now we know the reason for him to be not interested in his birthday," said Noah.
"Hmm," Jake agreed, just then Noah spoke, "You knew everything since long, right?"
Jake had no intention to lie, "Yes."
"I'm the only one who didn't know anything about my friend even after being together with him for so long," Noah sighed.
"It was better that way," Jake assured.
"I think there are more things that I still don't know," said Noah.
"You will get to know it when the time will come."
"Of course, because I know you wouldn't tell me anything," Noah countered.
"Do you want me to?" Jake asked.
"Forget it. I should respect our friend's wish just like I did all these years," Noah declined.
Jake knew Noah would not ask him, but he knew soon Noah would know everything.
"He would be here soon," Noah informed.
With this talk, the tension between the two seemed to disappear.
"How have you been?" Jake asked.
"Isn't it wrong to ask when you never bothered to call?" Noah countered as he changed the T-shirt that was wet at the neckline.
"Then why didn't you call?" Jake countered.
"Who was the one to leave without even informing?" Noah asked as he turned towards the dresser.
"I had told you, but you seemed to take it lightly, and I also said bye before leaving," Jake said as if he did nothing wrong.
Noah chuckled, "Yeah, I forgot you left a note with bye written on it."
"Note? Hmm," Jake sighed as he stared at Noah, who stood in front of the dresser, setting his hair. 'I said bye in my way, but you might not like it,' Jake thought and remembered when he pecked on drunk Noah's lips saying goodbye.
"Note with a gift," Noah said again.
"You look upset with me," said Jake.
"Why would I be? You are not my girlfriend."
"Would you like me to?" Jake asked and then laughed a little as if he didn't mean it and said only to tease Noah.
"I like pretty girls," Noah countered.
"I know," said Jake as he added, "Come out. They are waiting for you."
Jake left, and Noah turned to look at the door which just closed and sighed.
When Jake went to Noah's room, the other three looked at each other.
"Ignore them," An Tian instructed.
When Jake didn't return soon, An Tian looked at the room, and Jiang Yang spoke, "Are you worried they might fight again?"
"Not really," An Tian replied.
"Don't worry. It doesn't look like they will fight that soon," said Lu Feng.
"It's okay to fight, but I'm worried if it happens, it might bring them together or take them away from each other."
"Why don't you talk to them?" Jiang Yang asked.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"There are others too who need direct talk from me, but it's better to let them realize it on their own," An Tian spoke.
"Others?" Jiang Yang asked.
"Just others," An Tian didn't explain, but Lu Feng understood who An Tian referred to.
Jiang Yang didn't ask in details and laughed it out, "Seems like you are still at your previous job, Mr. Psychologist."
"Hmm."
Jake came out of Noah's room, and the three noticed he looked fine and gave out a sigh of relief.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and Jake went to open the door as everyone knew that it must be Lu Lijun.
Jake opened the door and saw his friend standing in front of him, holding the jacket of his suit in his hand and the tie loosened up with the buttons of shirts undone. He doesn't look so good; his face didn't look bright like always.
Lu Lijun didn't expect Jake to be there and felt surprised, "Jake?"
Nodding while smiling lightly to welcome his friend, Jake stepped forward and hugged his friend, "Happy birthday."
"Thank you."
This sudden surprise of seeing his friend made Lu Lijun forget what was in his mind.
Just then, Noah came there as he looked at Lu Lijun, smiling lightly.
Jake stepped aside so Noah could go to Lu Lijun.
Hugging Lijun, Noah wished, "Happy birthday."
"Thank you."
"Are you guys planning to keep the birthday boy at the door?" An Tian said loud enough so these three could hear him.
"Seems like it's your punch line today. You said the same thing when we came," Jiang Yang chuckled, and the others smiled.
The three young men entered the living room, and the older three guys came to Lu Lijun.
"Happy birthday," the three wished him together.