The thunder faded to a soft rumble, leaving only the sound of their breathing.
Ren's wrist was still caught in Li Wei's grasp, the faint heat of his lips lingering like a brand.
"Let me go," Ren whispered, though the words held no strength.
Li Wei's eyes searched his face. "If I do, will you run again?"
Ren swallowed hard. "I don't know."
Something fragile passed between them—a quiet surrender to everything neither of them dared say aloud. The rain had slowed to mist, turning the rooftop lights into halos. Li Wei brushed a strand of wet hair from Ren's cheek, fingers gentle this time, not demanding.
"I'm not asking you to understand me yet," he said. "Just… stop fighting what you already feel."
Ren could have pushed him away. Instead, he let the tension bleed out of his shoulders. The warmth of Li Wei's hand against his skin wasn't frightening anymore—it was grounding, almost familiar.
For the first time, Ren didn't pull back when Li Wei leaned closer. Their foreheads touched, breath mingling in the cool air. It wasn't a kiss; it was a promise, wordless but alive.
"I'll always find you," Li Wei murmured. "In every world the heavens create."
Ren exhaled shakily. "Then don't make me regret believing you."
He stepped forward just enough for their hands to meet, fingers interlocking briefly before he drew away. A tiny act, but for Ren, it felt like crossing an invisible line.
Li Wei's answering smile was small and real. "That's all I needed tonight."
Below them, the bell tower chimed the hour—midnight. The moment hung suspended between storm and silence, the first fragile peace they had ever shared.