Riverbay

Chapter 21

HUO SICHEN: Missed me?

I guess so, Zhang Yuwen typed. He was a straightforward person, but for some reason, now that he’d entered the dating stage of his relationship with Huo Sichen, he couldn’t help acting aloof. What was wrong with him? He retracted his I guess so and replaced it with Missed you.

Huo Sichen: How did you miss me? Describe it in detail.

Sitting at the dining table, Zhang Yuwen laughed. He had indeed been thinking of Huo Sichen over the past few days. He didn’t know if this meant he liked him, but every time he ate a meal, he imagined Huo Sichen sitting across from him, talking to him about something interesting, or just about his day at work. When he was lying in bed playing games, he imagined Huo Sichen teaming up with him to help him beat the level.

When he watched a movie at home, he even imagined the two of them watching it together and chatting about the plot.

There was one thing he still couldn’t do yet, however, and it was the reason Zhang Yuwen couldn’t be sure if he really liked Huo Sichen. He still hadn’t fantasized about Huo Sichen in bed. To someone with a vivid imagination like Zhang Yuwen, liking someone meant fantasizing about them sexually—imagining making love to them while he got himself off.

In the past, that was how he’d determined his feelings for other people, but he was still a little unfamiliar with Huo Sichen. He couldn’t quite grasp Huo Sichen’s role and position, or even imagine their interactions during sex.

Picture himself as a bottom? He had never tried it before, so it was hard to imagine being topped by Huo Sichen. Picture himself as the top? He’d never bedded this type of guy before, so he couldn’t visualize Huo Sichen moaning and pleading for mercy beneath him. In fact, it felt kind of awkward to try.

Zhang Yuwen was so distracted that his trash-producing pace slowed down significantly. It was the end of the year, though, and the whole world was on vacation, so he was happy to give himself a break too.

Huo Sichen would be back the next day… He’d been away for a week, and given the time zone difference between North America and Asia, they hadn’t been able to talk much.

Zhang Yuwen wondered if things would be weird between them when they met again.

Seeing that his attempt at flirtation was going nowhere, Huo Sichen sent another message. I dreamed of you last night.

Oh? wat was I doing in ur dream? At the sight of the “Typing…” indicator, Zhang Yuwen realized too late: There was no way it was a decent dream. He spammed Huo Sichen with a bunch of emojis.

Seeing that his meaning had finally dawned on Zhang Yuwen, Huo Sichen replied simply: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Then he added, So did u dream about me?

Not yet, Zhang Yuwen replied. Trying harder.

OK, said Huo Sichen.

Zhang Yuwen didn’t understand what he meant and texted back a question mark. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and he went to answer it. To his surprise, it was Huo Sichen!

“I thought you were coming back tomorrow morning!” Zhang Yuwen exclaimed.

“The meeting was moved up a day, so here I am.”

Zhang Yuwen opened the gates and was amused to see Huo Sichen holding a bouquet of flowers. He accepted them.

“Wanna grab a meal?” Huo Sichen asked. “My car is parked outside. Where are your roommates?”

“Come in. Weize is the only one home today—Yan Jun took Xiao-Qi to get her shots.”

This was the first time Huo Sichen had been invited into No. 7 Riverbay Road. “Let me see what a house worth hundreds of millions looks like,” he quipped. Zhang Yuwen let him in and took a quick glance around, but Huo Sichen waved him off. “You probably don’t have slippers in my size. Don’t bother looking.”

“Let me check this pair… What are you, size 10?”

“Yeah. It’s fine, there’s underfloor heating.”

“I’ll go change clothes, then. Make yourself at home.” Zhang Yuwen put the flowers on the dining table. Hearing the noise, Zheng Weize opened his door a crack and peeked out. “The house is a little messy at the moment, since the housekeepers are on vacation until after the new year.”

Huo Sichen nodded. Aware that the other rooms belonged to the roommates, he didn’t investigate the place too thoroughly, he merely took a look around the living room, dining room, and backyard. Meanwhile, Zhang Yuwen went upstairs to get changed.

“Such pretty flowers!” Zheng Weize exclaimed, emerging from his room. “Can I take a picture?”

“Of course,” Huo Sichen said, his mind very obviously elsewhere.

All his attention was on the second floor as he waited for Zhang Yuwen to come down.

Zhang Yuwen’s voice drifted out from his room. “Want to see the second floor?”

Huo Sichen walked up the stairs. “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” Zhang Yuwen said, bewildered. He opened the door, and Huo Sichen stepped inside.

The bed was a little messy, left unmade after Zhang Yuwen’s after-noon nap. A faint, masculine smell hung in the air. Zhang Yuwen opened the floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony to let in some fresh air. Huo Sichen saw the game controller Zhang Yuwen had tossed to the side and picked it up.

“That’s very comfortable to use,” Zhang Yuwen said, next to him.

“It’s custom-made.” He paused for a moment. “Your hands are bigger than mine. That’s an advantage if you play the piano.”

Huo Sichen’s hands were bigger than Zhang Yuwen’s, and his fingers were longer too. They moved nimbly over the handles, rapidly tapping the buttons.

“The grip is too hard,” Huo Sichen said. “I prefer something with a softer texture. It’d be more comfortable with a silicone case.”

“I prefer it harder… Okay, let’s not talk about this.”

Huo Sichen laughed. Zhang Yuwen sometimes found Huo Sichen very prim and proper, almost too polite, but other times he seemed to speak in innuendos. It was easy for a guy to get the wrong idea.

Zhang Yuwen finished changing his clothes. “I’m ready.”

“You wear glasses?” Huo Sichen asked, spotting a pair of black-rimmed glasses in the corner.

“Uh… I’m slightly nearsighted. Doesn’t affect me much, but I wear them sometimes. Why?”

Huo Sichen looked at Zhang Yuwen. Zhang Yuwen had been about to ask, Do you prefer guys with glasses or without? but Huo Sichen’s expression made the answer clear, so Zhang Yuwen took the black-rimmed glasses Huo Sichen passed him and put them on.

Huo Sichen whistled at him, a smile in his eyes. Zhang Yuwen took them off and set them aside, then went downstairs with him, wearing a small belt bag and carrying a paper bag of clothing. Huo Sichen took the bag from him.

“I bought you some shirts and pants,” Zhang Yuwen said. “You can open them when you get back home.”

Huo Sichen’s car was parked just outside Zhang Yuwen’s house. He put the items in the trunk, unable to refrain from peeking at Zhang Yuwen’s gifts. Zhang Yuwen saw another paper bag in the back seat and guessed it was for him, but Huo Sichen said nothing about it.

“How did you know my size?” Huo Sichen asked.

“Yeah, how did I know your ‘size’?” Zhang Yuwen parroted.

Huo Sichen laughed. “You know how big I am?”

“No idea.”

“Then I invite you to measure me yourself when you have the time.”

“I’ve already done a visual estimation. Enough talk, what are we having?”

Huo Sichen got into the driver’s seat but didn’t start the car. Instead, he said, “I’m fine with anything. What kind of hungry are you? Describe it.”

Innuendo everywhere. “The normal kind.”

“I can feel that,” Huo Sichen said sincerely.

Zhang Yuwen aimed a playful smack at the back of Huo Sichen’s head. Huo Sichen dodged him with a laugh, then fastened his seat belt and drove away.

His return today was unexpected, so they didn’t have a restaurant booking. Instead they went to the mall to look for somewhere to eat— which proved to be a dilemma, since restaurants with great food had long queues, and those without queues were mostly not as good. Zhang Yuwen had to settle for a meal of roast duck.

“What are we doing tomorrow?” Huo Sichen thought for a moment.

“I remember…” “Yeah, I remember too. I’ve booked a hot spring resort.”

Huo Sichen was surprised. “I’d love that. It’s been a long time since I last went to a hot spring.”

“But we’re going with my roommates. You okay with that?”

“Of course. Are we splitting the cost? I’d like to pay for your share too.”

“I have vouchers. They were year-end gifts from the publishing house.”

“Looks like your publishing house made a lot of money this year,” Huo Sichen remarked. “You must get a really substantial year-end bonus.”

Zhang Yuwen downplayed it a little. “Nah, it’s just because most of my colleagues are returning to their hometowns for the holidays, so they aren’t using them. The vouchers have an expiration date, so some of my colleagues were selling theirs at a discount.”

Zhang Yuwen always felt relaxed around Huo Sichen, even more than he did with his roommates. He could eat his meal and mess around on his phone at the same time, and he’d get a response to any topic he brought up. For some reason, though, Huo Sichen seemed a little preoccupied today.

Catching a fleeting moment in which Huo Sichen’s brow furrowed slightly, Zhang Yuwen asked, “Something bothering you?”

Huo Sichen’s mind had only wandered for a second, but he got caught. “No,” he said hurriedly. “It’s just the jet lag.”

“Oh?” He must have gotten off the plane, gone to his meeting, and then headed straight to see Zhang Yuwen without going home first.

“You’ll be fine after some sleep.”

Huo Sichen yawned obligingly. “Is there anything you want?” he asked after hustling through his meal. “I’ll buy it for you.”

“No thanks. There’s nothing, really. Honest.”

Zhang Yuwen knew the pain of shopping well, and he wasn’t all that attached to material possessions. It was the same for Huo Sichen; he wouldn’t even go to a store to browse around unless it was absolutely necessary.

Zhang Yuwen took the initiative to settle the bill. “Let’s go home and get some sleep. We’ll hang out again tomorrow.” Huo Sichen perked up, nodded, and drove Zhang Yuwen home.

The streets were decked out in lights for Christmas and New Year’s, like stars that had fallen to earth during the winter night. Huo Sichen was quiet on the way home, giving Zhang Yuwen an occasional glance.

“You can tell me if something’s bothering you,” Zhang Yuwen said.

“I might not have a solution to offer, but I’m more than happy to listen.”

Huo Sichen chuckled. “I will, but I’m fine right now. Nothing’s troubling me.”

The car stopped at No. 7 Riverbay Road. Night had fallen, and the colorful lights in the garden had already come on. They both fell momentarily silent.

Then Huo Sichen remembered something. “Oh, right. I got you a Christmas gift.” He turned back to get the paper bag and handed it to Zhang Yuwen.

“Yeah, I got a gift for you too.” Zhang Yuwen opened his bag and took out a small, wrapped box. Huo Sichen looked at him, surprised.

“Well, then…” Zhang Yuwen was about to say good night when Huo Sichen leaned in. Zhang Yuwen’s heart started pounding. He didn’t move; he knew what Huo Sichen meant to do.

Huo Sichen moved in and kissed him gently on the lips.

It was Zhang Yuwen’s first kiss in nearly two years. He had almost forgotten how it felt. Even though Huo Sichen’s looks were very masculine, his lips were soft and warm.

Huo Sichen tried to hold his aggressiveness back and keep the kiss gentle and patient. Zhang Yuwen closed his eyes, absorbing the feeling of Huo Sichen’s warmth and the softness of the kiss. No matter how he defined his feelings for Huo Sichen, this kiss was romantic, and he couldn’t bring himself to pull away.

Feeling like he needed to respond, Zhang Yuwen put his left hand on Huo Sichen’s neck. It was an instant boost to Huo Sichen’s confidence;

emboldened, he unbuckled his seat belt with one hand while he wrapped the other around Zhang Yuwen, still kissing him.

Zhang Yuwen was already hard, and his rationality was taking leave of him. It was overwhelming, to be kissed so deeply and passionately by a top when that was usually his move… Just as Huo Sichen was deepening the kiss, his hand starting to wander, Zhang Yuwen called for a pause. He nudged the side of Huo Sichen’s face with two fingers, and Huo Sichen let go.

They both breathed raggedly as they sat back in their seats.

“Sorry,” Huo Sichen said.

“I’m too nervous,” Zhang Yuwen said as he adjusted his pants. “It’s been a while since I… You know. So it’s easy to lose control.”

Huo Sichen laughed, and Zhang Yuwen licked his lips, savoring the taste. Huo Sichen leaned in again, but this time, he just gave Zhang Yuwen a peck on the lips.

“Good night,” said Zhang Yuwen. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.” Huo Sichen watched Zhang Yuwen go back into the house before he drove away.

This was progressing fast. Zhang Yuwen hadn’t expected Huo Sichen to be so proactive in kissing him, but then again, it made sense;

guys tended to be proactive when they were in a relationship, as long as it was with the right person. Zhang Yuwen himself typically wanted to confirm their relationship on the first day and sleep together on the second.

No, scratch that: They could sleep together on the first day too, after they had dinner. On the second day, they could bring in the moving van.

That was the ideal scenario, anyway. In reality, there were a lot of misgivings and friction in life, so taking things slowly and making sure to understand each other was probably the better move. Guys were often driven by sexual desire, though, and when raging hormones collided, good sense went out the window, just like it had with Huo Sichen’s sudden kiss.

Even now, Zhang Yuwen could still feel the soft, warm touch of Huo Sichen’s lips on his own. It had been too long since his last kiss, and being partially pinned down and ravished—being dominated like that—felt novel and exciting.

It was a totally different experience to be kissed by a top compared to a bottom. A bottom’s lips were soft and fragrant, and once the kiss started, they stayed obediently still and let Zhang Yuwen tantalize them as he pleased. But the kiss of a top was firm, powerful, and protective, making Zhang Yuwen want to rise to the occasion himself… Without meaning to, Zhang Yuwen licked his lips. He changed his shoes in the foyer and entered to find the living room brightly illuminated.

All his roommates were sitting at the dining table, looking at him.

Chen Hong asked the obvious: “Where did you go?”

“Out for a meal,” Zhang Yuwen said. “I just got back.”

“With who?” Chang Jinxing pressed, grinning. He was hanging up a photo of the five of them hanging out. Zheng Weize was arranging the flowers Huo Sichen gave Zhang Yuwen, while Yan Jun sat at the table, watching.

“Huo Sichen,” Zhang Yuwen replied. “Who else?”

“Are you two together now?”

“Not yet, but I want to try.”

His roommates were shocked. “I thought he was straight?!”

exclaimed Zheng Weize.

“Straight, my ass!” Chang Jinxing laughed. “Didn’t you see how hard he swallowed that day on the hiking trip when Yuwen was changing his clothes?”

Everyone burst into laughter. Zhang Yuwen wouldn’t have expected Chang Jinxing to remember a detail like that so clearly. Yan Jun laughed too, but he said nothing.

Chen Hong looked at the paper bag in Zhang Yuwen’s hands.

“What’s that? A Christmas gift?”

“Uh…” Zhang Yuwen trailed off. “I haven’t opened it yet.”

“Gimme, gimme!” Chang Jinxing said. “I’m confiscating it!”

“Wait!” Zhang Yuwen protested, but they caught him off guard and snatched his gift away. He wasn’t worried, though; he let them have it.

“Where’s Xiao-Qi?”

“Sleeping,” Yan Jun said.

“Keep your voices down, guys!” Zhang Yuwen said. “Don’t wake the little princess.”

“Wow…” “Quiet!” Zhang Yuwen hissed through gritted teeth.

Yan Jun sat up and looked at the bag. “Let me see. What is it?”

“A mobile phone!” Chang Jinxing said. “US version! Top of the line! Must have cost over ten thousand!”

Zhang Yuwen picked it up to take a look, hummed in acknowledgment, and placed it back on the dining table. Zheng Weize reached out for it, so Zhang Yuwen handed it over for him to play with.

Chen Hong was astounded at his reaction. “Aren’t you touched?”

“Oh, yeah.” Zhang Yuwen grinned. “So very touched.”

Just then, Zhang Yuwen’s new phone received a message. Everyone looked at it, but to avoid prying eyes, Zhang Yuwen refrained from opening the chat. Moments later, the phone vibrated, and the caller ID displayed, The Fisherman.

Zhang Yuwen didn’t answer it, refusing to satisfy his roommates’ lust for gossip. “Okay,” he said instead, “what are you guys all doing here?

Aren’t you going to shower and sleep?”

Chen Hong said, “We were waiting for you. It’s New Year’s Eve tomorrow. What plans have you made?” He squinted at Zhang Yuwen.

“You did plan something, didn’t you? Or were you so busy with your dates that you forgot all about it?”

“I didn’t forget! I promised to make plans. Don’t worry.” He went to the cabinet in the dining room and took out the stack of vouchers. “See?

We’re going to a hot spring resort tomorrow for three days and two nights.”

This whipped them all up into a frenzy. “Wow!”

“Thank you, Mr. Zhang!” Chang Jinxing exclaimed. “Oh shit, meals are included too!”

“Shhh. Keep your voices down…” Zhang Yuwen couldn’t handle this troop of monkeys.

“Papa!” It was Xiao-Qi’s voice. Sure enough, they’d woken her.

Yan Jun rushed back to the room, and her cries gradually tapered off into quiet sobs.

Zhang Yuwen shooed everyone off to bed, then cleared the coffee mugs from the dining table and sat down to reply to the messages.

Huo Sichen: Too expensive. Whered u get it?

Zhang Yuwen had known Huo Sichen would say that. He pictured Huo Sichen leaving Riverbay Road, driving for a while, and then, unable to resist any longer, pulling over by the curb to open the gift. If it weren’t such an inconvenience to get out of the car, he might have even opened the trunk and taken out the clothes to look at each article in turn.

That was, in fact, what happened. As soon as Huo Sichen opened the package and saw the orange box, he messaged Zhang Yuwen. When he received no reply, he tried calling twice.

Huo Sichen: This is at least 20–30k. Too expensive.

Zhang Yuwen: I won it at the publisher’s annual dinner. It’s not as expensive as u think.

Huo Sichen: U sure?

Zhang Yuwen: With my salary, I couldn’t afford it even if I scrimp n save every penny. Relax.

The “Typing…” indicator appeared. Huo Sichen still had more to say. Zhang Yuwen added, Didnt u buy me a phone?

Huo Sichen deleted what he’d been typing and replied, All right, but dont buy such expensive gifts nxt time.

Zhang Yuwen replied with a smile. There wont b anything expensive nxt time.

Huo Sichen had always felt inferior to Zhang Yuwen. He was handsome and had a great body, while Huo Sichen’s only advantage was his financial status. He planned to sweep him off his feet, partially with his own charm and partially by buying his happiness. This was the most effective technique Huo Sichen knew. He’d never expected that flaunting his money would just get him one-upped by Zhang Yuwen, and he had conflicting feelings about it.

The wallet Zhang Yuwen gave him was a limited-edition men’s item. Even at the specialty store, it went for at least ¥28,000 before tax. It was brand new, too, and looked like it was just recently purchased. It couldn’t have been something someone else gave him… Huo Sichen recalled what Chen Hong had told him: Other than his dates with Huo Sichen, Zhang Yuwen hardly left the house. It was unlikely that he was two-timing Huo Sichen with a rich side piece.

Buying luxury goods came as naturally to Zhang Yuwen as drinking water. He just rarely used them. If the mood took him, he could have walked into a store and bought this wallet without a second thought. He could even outfit Huo Sichen from head to toe without breaking a sweat.

As he replied to Huo Sichen, he sipped some water and looked at the photos Chang Jinxing had hung on the wall. They documented many of the roommates’ shared memories; the one of them being attacked by monkeys on their hiking trip was not only enlarged, but given pride of place.

Chang Jinxing had been using a tripod to take group photos, and the sudden appearance of the monkeys brought out different reactions in everyone. Zhang Yuwen had his jacket wrapped around his arm, about to shoo the monkey away. Yan Jun was trying to shield him and Huo Sichen was rushing over from the other side, while Chen Hong attempted to lure the monkeys away with the snacks in his hands. Zheng Weize was hiding behind Chang Jinxing, who held his bag up like a shield.

It was a hilarious picture. Zhang Yuwen had never expected to see the moment captured on film.

Another photo showed Huo Sichen protecting Zhang Yuwen as they fled to safety. There was also one from the rest stop. Zhang Yuwen had taken off his clothes, revealing his beautiful figure. He was looking up at Huo Sichen, who held the medicated oil and looked incredibly nervous, gazing back at Zhang Yuwen like a loyal hound. The camera scene was backlit, too, lending a suggestive energy to the moment.

So that’s how it was… Zhang Yuwen thought. Maybe Huo Sichen already liked him back then. No wonder Chang Jinxing was the first to see through him.

But that photo was too embarrassing to hang in the dining room.

Zhang Yuwen took it right down. Next to it, another photo showed Yan Jun pulling him up after he fell down ice skating on the platform.

Having coaxed Xiao-Qi back to sleep, Yan Jun emerged just in time to catch Zhang Yuwen in the act of stealing the photograph. He didn’t say anything, though, just sat at the dining table, staring blankly at Zhang Yuwen’s back.

“Why does Jinxing always capture these embarrassing moments?”

Zhang Yuwen complained.

“I don’t mind,” said Yan Jun.

Zhang Yuwen went through all the remaining photos and took away the one where Huo Sichen applied the medicated oil for him, leaving the others behind.

Yan Jun looked down at the hot spring vouchers. “I’ve been here before. It’s amazing there’s still water in the hot spring after so many years.”

“It’s really famous,” Zhang Yuwen said. “It’s been around for more than forty years. It used to be the best hot spring in Jiangdong.”

A brief silence fell. Then Yan Jun asked, “You like him?”

Zhang Yuwen didn’t answer. He sat down at the table and picked up the envelope, and Yan Jun handed him the vouchers to return to it.

“You really like him,” Yan Jun said. “I’m talking about Huo Sichen.”

“Yeah. What do you think of him?”

“He’s great.” After a moment’s thought, Yan Jun added, “You guys are a good match.”

“He was either straight or closeted before—” “I thought so too,” Yan Jun interrupted him. “But I keep getting this feeling that he’s holding something back. Maybe he’s hiding something from you.”

“That’s fine,” Zhang Yuwen said breezily. “I’m hiding something from him too. Everyone has things they don’t want to share.”

“Yeah.” Yan Jun smiled a little sadly. “That’s just how you are, open-minded and magnanimous.”

Zhang Yuwen knew Yan Jun was worried about him, that he would be hurt by Huo Sichen. When he thought about the situation rationally, Huo Sichen wasn’t a magnate or a tycoon, but he was a gold-collar executive. He was tall and handsome. He could hardly have wanted for suitors. In dramas, people like him were usually seasoned womanizers, guys who’d seen everything and had no shortage of sexual opportunities.

Even Zhang Yuwen found it hard to believe he didn’t have colleagues, male or female, throwing themselves at him.

Yan Jun had been in the workforce for a long time and must have had a certain amount of experience with Huo Sichen’s type. For him and Chen Hong, it wasn’t hard to guess that Huo Sichen might be hiding something. Besides, Zhang Yuwen himself still didn’t know much about Huo Sichen.

“Don’t worry,” Zhang Yuwen said. “If I feel something off… Hm, I can self-adjust. The best thing about me is that I won’t get myself in too deep, emotionally speaking.”

Yan Jun said nothing more on the matter.

“Xiao-Qi’s coming with us tomorrow, right?” Zhang Yuwen asked.

“Yeah.” Yan Jun smiled. “Sorry for the trouble.”

Zhang Yuwen smiled back. “I’m looking forward to it.”

That night, Zhang Yuwen wrapped himself in his quilt and rolled over in bed. As he lay on his stomach, he conjured up a sexual fantasy.

That kiss seemed to have activated some sort of emotion in him. He pressed his cheek against the pillow and moved his hips; he was feeling very comfortable, so he wrapped his legs around his bolster and rubbed against it. Drifting between sleep and consciousness, he thought back to how Huo Sichen had behaved in the car.

What would have happened if he’d let things take their natural course? Huo Sichen’s arm was around his waist, and then… After a while, rubbing against the bolster wasn’t enough. Zhang Yuwen had gone without for a long time, and that kiss had opened the floodgates. He stripped naked and clamped his long, fair, and well-defined legs around the bolster. He pressed his hard cock against it as he imagined Huo Sichen vying with him for dominance… The long, cylindrical bolster was its own subliminal message. Zhang Yuwen was pretty sizable, but as a gay man, he had a bit of a phallus obsession. He wasn’t satisfied merely knowing that he himself measured up; he also eagerly anticipated discovering how big his partner was. He especially loved it when a well-endowed bottom got uncontrollably hard when Zhang Yuwen entered him, a silent expression of praise and approval.

In his half-asleep state, images of a tender but thrilling scenario in which he and Huo Sichen ground their cocks against each other flashed through Zhang Yuwen’s mind. Coupled with the soft stimulation from the bolster on his sensitive tip, those images activated his self-propelled rocket launcher; there was no stopping it.

Ugh, now I’ve got to wash the bolster tomorrow.

His mind cleared a little, and Zhang Yuwen wiped himself down efficiently. He was totally spent. As post-nut clarity set in, he found his cum on the bolster a little disgusting, so he kicked it off the bed and, without bothering to put on any pajamas, fell asleep.