Li Zhen's laughter hadn't even faded—
when Cheng Mo moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
His grip twisted—sharp, controlled—
and in the next second, Li Zhen was forced a step back.
Not enough to fall.
Enough to provoke.
The air cracked.
My brother gasped, stumbling back. "What—hey—stop—!"
But neither of them heard him.
Li Zhen's eyes darkened, the amusement finally slipping.
"Ah," he exhaled, rolling his wrist slightly in Cheng Mo's hold. "There it is."
And then—
he pushed back.
Hard.
Their shoulders collided.
A sharp thud echoed in the room.
"Cheng Mo—" I started—
but it was too late.
Cheng Mo stepped forward again, eyes cold, something violent flashing beneath the surface.
"Walk away," he said.
Li Zhen smiled.
Wrong move.
"Make me."
That was it.
The last thread snapped.
Cheng Mo's fist lifted—
Li Zhen shifted his stance—
and I saw it.
The exact second it was about to happen.
"STOP!"
My voice broke through everything.
Loud.
Desperate.
Sharp enough to cut.
Both of them froze.
Just for a second—
but it was enough.
moved between them before they could react, my hands pushing against Cheng Mo's chest first—then Li Zhen's shoulder.
"Are you both insane?!" My voice shook. "This isn't some street fight!"
Neither of them backed away.
Not really.
But they didn't move forward either.
Caught.
Held there by me.
Cheng Mo's gaze dropped to me, still burning—but now… conflicted.
"Move," he said quietly.
I shook my head.
"No."
Li Zhen let out a soft breath behind me, almost like a laugh—but not quite.
"You always do this," he murmured. "Stand in the middle like you can fix everything."
I turned sharply. "And you always make things worse."
Silence.
Heavy.
"Both of you—stop this right now," I said, more firmly this time. "I'm not something you fight over."
That hit.
I saw it.
In both of them.
But neither stepped back.
Then—
Cheng Mo's hand closed gently—but firmly—around my wrist.
Not to pull.
Not to hurt.
To claim.
"Too late," he said.
Quiet.
Certain.
And behind me—
Li Zhen laughed.
Soft.
Cold.
"See?" he murmured. "You still don't understand."
My breath caught.
Because when I looked between them—
really looked—
I finally saw it.
This wasn't about winning.
It wasn't about the past.
Or even me.
It was something far worse.
Something neither of them was willing to let go of.
Something that had already begun—
long before tonight.
And as Cheng Mo's grip tightened slightly—
and Li Zhen took one slow step closer—
I realized—
this wasn't a fight I could stop anymore.
Because the moment they both chose me—
was the moment I stopped having a choice.