Chapter Text
The two head invigilators walked down the corridor. Z was discussing something with A to which A just nodded occasionally to let her know he was listening. But he never said a thing and just waited for her to finish the discussion. They were about to reach the meeting room so he finally looked up. It was evening and the orange sunlight was filtrating through the glass windows, falling in his eyes making them look even more lighter, literally transparent. They only became more transparent when his eyes opened wide.
Someone was standing ahead... His footsteps paused slowly by themselves and so did Chu Yue's. That person also stopped and looked at them. He noticed the badges the two had of the head invigilators. You Huo kept looking at him, eyes still reflecting sunlight. Chu Yue also looked at them both.
You Huo's ear twitched by itself. The sunlight started to feel like the sun from that day and some memories of the confinement room came rushing back.
It was really him.... The very person who he had sent after a lot of pushing and fights. The very person who he didn't actually want to go. The very person who had said he will come back even if his memories were erased. The very person who still looked straight into his eyes just like he had back then. Was he dreaming? Is it really Qin Jiu standing in front of him? Should he feel happy, excited ...or frustrated?
"Do I know you?" Qin Jiu asked.
You Huo's hands went cold and his mind became blank. Only after two seconds he came to realization. Here he was standing in front of him remembering about him and the time he had been there and he....asks this?
Chu Yue's lips also parted in slight shock. She expected such a thing but it still felt too unreal that the person they had sat with and discussed many matters was asking this. She then turned to A. Again....no one would notice but she could. He was hurt..and sad and probably in pain too. His wounds still hadn't healed. Qin Jiu had come back early. Way too early...and in the wrong way.
Qin Jiu also looked back at You Huo. His look was only demanding an answer. Chu Yue saw You Huo turn away his eyes and mutter, "No."
With that he opened the door and walked in the meeting room where some invigilators were already present and some were to come. Chu Yue looked at Qin Jiu and then also followed him in. Qin Jiu looked at them strangely.
That person clearly denied it...but it felt like the woman knew him and probably he too. He saw some other invigilators walking from ahead and went in too. So this was the head invigilator, he thought and took down his seat away from the two. Chu Yue was talking to A again to which he didn't even give a nod this time. Invigilator A seems very narcissist....he thought and snorted to himself.
"You Huo, you should have at least just gave a nod. The whole district knows you guys know each other and you just say 'no'. Even if he doesn't remember you anymore he still will get a very bad impression like this." Chu Yue said to him again. He wasn't even listening. But she was used to this. She would keep talking until he finally gave an answer. "A? Are you even serious? He is going to be your subordinate. You can't make enemies of your own colleagues."
You Huo looked at her. His eyes glowed under the ceiling light. He said, "We weren't colleagues before."
Chu Yue quietened and straightened up. There was no getting through him. And these two weren't like others. Even if both of them forgot each other their first meet will always start as enemies. She just sighed and grabbed a bottle of water.
An old looking invigilator entered the room while rubbing his head sleepily. He looked like some person who looked annoyed for being woken up. He yawned and moved to drag a chair but suddenly paused and his sleepiness was gone at once.
"You?!" He shouted and the room became silent. All the invigilators looked at him. "Why are you back again?! Was the last time not enough?!"
"D." A cold voice sounded in the room. It was head invigilator. Gao Qi looked at him and spoke again, "But A. Why is he--"
"Invigilator D. Please take your seat. The meeting is about to begin." You Huo spoke coldly. All the other invigilators fixed their posture too.
Qin Jiu noticed the aura in the room change completely. Even that person silently took a seat. He then looked at the person on the head chair. His heart felt like it skipped a beat. He was already looking at him. But as soon as he met with Qin Jiu's gaze he looked down, his lashes covering his eyes. Qin Jiu suddenly snorted and leaned back in the chair. An invigilator beside him asked what happened. He just shook his head. The whole district knows him even that person 'D' yet Invigilator A, the leader of the district clearly said no? Funny.
He then said to the invigilator beside him, "Seems like I had a bad encounter with Invigilator D in the past."
"You had bad encounter with all the invigilators here but only one dared to speak." The invigilator scoffed and turned away.
Qin Jiu looked at him. Was he really annoying in the past? He again looked at Invigilator A.
'Did I annoy him too....?' He thought in his mind. Probably. No wonder he denied to recognize him. Their relationship in the past might not have been that good.
The meeting started and discussions began. You Huo just announced some things and then sat silently only listening and noting things down. But soon he stopped listening too. His mind had drifted away. Qin Jiu doesn't remember him. He doesn't remember the moments in confinement room when he had finally opened up to him. The only room they could breath in. The image of Qin Jiu hovering over him with his body sweating carrying a mischievous glint in his eyes played in his mind without warning and he rubbed his face. He didn't had to remember such things...
He kept his hands onto his mouth and looked at Qin Jiu again. He was reading a file silently and also only listened to the conversation between other invigilators. His gaze drifted towards Gao Qi. He was looking at Qin Jiu with a hateful gaze like he had killed his ancestors. He didn't remember back then but when he woke up in the medical care he found out Gao Qi had brought him out of white light. He didn't had any idea what was happening around him and had only felt being supported by the shoulder to walk. It probably would have been Gao Qi. Both him and Qin Jiu were funny.
His head started to hurt and the wounds also itched. The invigilators' discussions were endless. He looked at the clock and waited for it to hit 5:00 PM. It was 4:40 right now. He focused on their discussions again taking notes every now and then. When it was exact 5:00 he got up and pushed his chair back. "Another meeting will be called tomorrow. Invigilators may head to their duties."
Usually he would sit in the meeting room until everyone left but today he left first before anyone could get up. Even if he wasn't speaking the meeting could not be discussed further without the head present so the invigilators called it off and went to their ways.
You Huo without waiting for anyone got into the elevator and pressed the button. He walked to the exit and sat in his car and drove away. He reached to his villa and went to his room and sat on the bed.
"Welcome back, Head Invigilator A. Thank you for your hard work." The system sounded.
Muscles almost appeared on You Huo's hands. Why couldn't the system just shut up for once? Now that bastard also didn't remain an examinee anymore so that he could go to him in the confinement room to breath a little. He rolled up his sleeves and undid the bandage on his right arm and did the same for the left. He didn't even look at them yet but first without any warning or his permission a red light started to scan them.
After that a ding sounded and system spoke again, "The healing of the wounds is stable except for one on the waist. Blood pressure is 80 which is less than yesterday. Heart rate is normal and a slight rise in temperature. The invigilator is suggested rest so he can perform duties efficiently.
You Huo threw the bandages away annoyingly and lied down with his wounds naked. His arms felt relaxing like that. The sight was ugly but he soon closed his eyes and took suggestion of the system. He will think about everything later.
Meanwhile, when You Huo left Qin jiu had looked at his leaving figure from behind until it disappeared through the door. He then looked around and got up to leave too. He stood by the window and looked out at the district. Suddenly he saw someone familiar walk out of the twin tower down below. It was Invigilator A. He got in his car and drove away. He seems to be in a hurry, he thought. This invigilator seemed pretty interesting.