Taming The Tiger

3. A Good Friend

"What's wrong?" Ming Lei came behind the counter and grabbed his best friend's shoulders, "are you sick?"

Yu Hua shook his head tiredly and gently saved himself from his dear friend's grip to go put on his green apron. Ming Lei and he were working at 7/11 for the night shift, and no matter what happened, Yu Hua didn't want petite Ming Lei to stay alone at night when all the drunken were out.

In a daze, Yu Hua got to work. He grabbed a box which turned out to be a chocolate box and started to align the products on the shelf until a hand grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Tell me what's wrong, didn't you sign with GL?" Ming Lei asked softly.

"I did, so nothing is wrong," Yu Hua lied blatantly with an obviously fake smile.

"Really?" Ming Lei challenged him, "then why are you putting chocolates onto the shampoo section?"

"Ha?" Yu Hua looked at the shelves again and indeed Ming Lei was right! Putting the box on the floor, he said "I am just trapped in a dangerous situation."

Ming Lei got pale in an instant, "is it the loan-shark gang again? I will kill your useless father!" he shouted in panic.

"No," the miserable man shook his head, "this time it is about GL Entertainment, but I would rather not talk about it."

"No, I am your best friend, so you will tell me," the smaller man said firmly, "we will find a way out together as usual."

Despite the situation, a genuine smile formed on Yu Hua's lips. Ming Lei was a really good friend. He was the only person he trusted, more than his own brother (well, half-brother, but still...) and a part of him wanted to share that huge burden with someone.

"The CEO offered me to be his sex partner in exchange for the second-male lead in the upcoming drama," the words spilled on their own and there was no go back.

"WHAAAATTTTTT?!!!!" Ming Lei's shout was probably heard from space, "I WILL KILL THAT BASTARD!!!"

Yu Hua watched in awe as Ming Lei grabbed a bottle of woman shampoo and rushed to the door. The little bell on the door made the trick and broke Yu Hua's trance. He dashed forward and pulled Ming Lei back into the store before closing the glass door.

"Let go of me!" the angry man struggled to break free from his friend's tight grip, but failed miserably.

"Come on, Lei Lei, you can't kill a CEO with a bottle of shampoo," Yu Hua tried to talk some sense to his fiery kitten-like friend.

"Oh," Ming Lei stopped struggling and turned around to face Yu Hua, "I should take the razor blade knife, right? That's better."

"Lei Lei!!"

"What?" the agitated man shot back, "shall I just sit and watch while you are humiliated just like I did when you got beaten?"

Yu Hua felt a pang in his heart. Now, he was regretful to share it with Ming Lei, his friend was too sensitive and he would definitely worry about him day and night.

"He didn't humiliate me," the regretful young man said softly, "he just offered and I accepted."

"Still..."

"It will be okay, trust me," Yu Hua smiled reassuringly, "when the movie hits the theatres, I will leave the industry and him. Let's go somewhere safe and nice with that money, my father, Lan Lan, you and I."

Tears welled into the smaller man's eyes, "your useless father and ungrateful brother don't deserve such a sacrifice, A'Hua," he said with a hoarse voice as he held his friend's arms, "think about yourself once, can you really be a sex toy for a stranger?"

"It is not a big deal," Yu Hua lied with a blank face, "the reward is worth it."

As there was nothing to say, the duo dropped the topic and focused on the work until the first lights of the day penetrated through the glass windows. When the girls for morning shift arrived at six, Ming Lei dragged Yu Hua to his house as it was closer to the store and a lot warmer than Yu Hua's.

"You take a shower first, I will prepare something to eat," Ming Lei said as soon as they entered his one-room small house which he inherited from his grandfather.

"Thank you," Yua Hua agreed, grateful, and rushed to the bathroom after taking the towel which he always used from the drawer. He still remembered the day when Ming Lei gave him that towel inside a gift-wrapping. He told Yu Hua that he knew about the condition of his house and he was always welcomed to his house for showering or sleeping, he even had a towel!

Thinking about the heart-melting memory, Yu Hua finished his hot shower and left the bathroom after drying his hair and putting back his clothes.

"Already clothed?" Ming Lei said with disappointment, "I planned to take a few nude photos to sell when you are a famous celebrity."

"Hahah," Yu Hua laughed as he sat on the dining table, across from Ming Lei, "I will give you those photos when the time comes."

"You better," Ming Lei threatened him with his raised chopsticks, and the duo laughed, ignoring the storms coming.

After the nice breakfast, the friends squeezed on the sofa and stared at the laptop in front of them on the coffee table.

"Are you sure about it?" Ming Lei asked with concern and Yu Hua nodded hesitantly.

"I need to know what I should expect."

"Do you think gay porn is the right material?"

"Well, do you have a better idea or a gay friend?"

"No."

"Then let's start," Yu Hua took a deep breath and clicked on the play button.

Calm... curious... shocked... horrified... After going through those four emotions respectively, Yu Hua clicked on X and the movie was gone.

"What was that?" Yu Hua asked with wide open eyes, the scenes of the movie still vivid in his mind.

Ming Lei put his hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly, "I hope he isn't that much kinky."

"Me too."

Poor boys, they chose a veeeerrrryyyy wrong movie for beginners and now the first impression was eminently terrifying.

Bip... Bip...

With his eyes still locked on the dark screen, Yu Hua fished out his old-school phone from his pocket, then checked the message.

"SHIT!" Yu Hua threw the phone to Ming Lei as if it was dangerous to hold.

"DOUBLE SHIT!"

[Come to HS Hotel tonight at 21.00, room 1314.]- HJY