Cucummato (TianShan)

28. Kiss

Mo Guan Shan

The guy's still in his room when Mo Guan Shan got home from school. He looked better now and when he finally got a good once-over, he noticed that the guy doesn't look so menacing as he was when they first met. He's just pale and badly bruised with a cut on his lip, although his arms looked like he hadn't been slacking off from heavy-lifting, or maybe brawling in alleys.

"Why are you still here?" he asked. He needs to change into his part-time uniform and he can't do that while this creepy guy's staring.

Those eyes were quite squinty and sharp when they first met, as if evil schemes swam inside his head instead of a human brain. Now his eyes looked tired. Maybe chronically bored.

"I don't have anywhere else to go," answered the intruder. Even his voice sounded bored. Although not as deep as He Tian's, it still resonates and demands attention. Some people are just favored by the gods more than the other.

"What the hell? Can't you see how cramped my room is?" Mo Guan Shan complained irritably. It's vexing to think that he can't even exert that much authority even in his own territory.

The guy looked around and shrugged as if it didn't bother him one bit. Even with the small space, Mo Guan Shan managed to keep it tidy so his mother won't intervene and by any chance dig up something that would put him in an awkward position.

"I've seen worse. And your mom told me to stay as long as I needed to."

"Because she had no idea about what you did to me, asshole."

"Still moping about that? I was just trying to get myself a free meal," he smirked and picked up a magazine from the floor before he flipped  the pages absent-mindedly.

"Bastard! You don't look poor!"

"So? Rich people love freebies. It's how they remain rich."

The fucker sure knows how to drain his patience. He didn't even apologize for causing him trouble and he couldn't remember him showing any sign of gratitude towards him saving his ass when he was being beaten like a piece of trash. Now he's being such a pain to deal with.

"What the hell are you up to?"

"I told you. I have nowhere to go. And you just happened to save me so try to be a decent human being and see through it til the end," the guy said, almost rolling his eyes on top of his head, in an attempt to sound exasperated.

Mo Guan Shan's jaw dropped to the floor in utter disbelief. After everything, he's still not a decent human being?

 "Someone's after my ass and I need a place where he can't find me," the guy sounded serious this time. He lifted his face up and met his eyes with an intensity that Mo Guan Shan would himself do if he wanted to make someone believe him so badly.

"What?"

"He's a Triad boss who likes young, good-looking boys. He puts me on a leash and fucks me like a dog. And when time comes and he's bored with me, I'd bet my dick he'd just ditch me somewhere far away so I can't find my way home. Or worse, he'll throw me out to his underlings," the silver-haired guy said without betraying any hint of emotion in his voice. Like he's reciting something from a script and throwing lines before he completely forgets the next word and messes up the whole speech.

"Is this what you told my mother?" Mo Guan Shan asked as he narrowed his eyes on the other boy. It just sound so fucking unbelievable, like a plot extracted from some kind of weird manhua.

"Every word."

Mo Guan Shan let out a sigh of resignation before realizing that he's running out of time. He needs to return the scooter and work twice as hard to make up for missing a night of work.

"I doubt you're telling the truth but please sort out your mess and get out of here. Or I'll report you to the police."

Now he's regretting ever giving a fuck to people being thoroughly tenderized in some dark alley.

The guy smiled and stood up. They're face to face and Mo Guan Shan had to press his back on the door of his bedroom just to put a little distance between them.

"You're a real nice guy, aren't you?"

Mo Guan Shan opened his mouth to answer but the guy quickly pressed his mouth on his and his tongue slithered inside his gaping mouth. He was caught off-guard to react and the guy bit his lip before the pain registered and he pushed him back as hard as he could. He staggered back to his bed and he sat back with his legs wide open.

"Compensation for being such a nuisance."

"Fuck. Fuck off. Get lost or I'll kill you myself," Mo Guan Shan said firmly on gritted teeth so his mother wouldn't hear it. He glanced at his face in the mirror and was shocked at how red it is.

Not even He Tian. . .

He changed into his uniform in the bathroom and left the house feeling sick. What made it worse was that he wasn't as repulsed by the kiss as he initially expected.

*

Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi were standing outside the diner when he arrived. He averted his eyes, feeling guilty for lashing out at He Tian and walking out on them in the middle of a basketball game. Now they're going out of their way to deliver his school bag where his work uniform was.

"Feeling all better now?" It was Zhan Zheng Xi who spoke first and handed him his backpack.

"Yo, that was really good for your image, Redhead," Jian Yi said and handed him He Tian's bag too. He was too distracted that he accepted the bag without raising a fuss. "I've always thought you were a pushover, but you got the guts to shout on He Tian's ugly face. Oh, poor boy. He must be really heartbroken by now."

"Shit," Mo Guan Shan muttered. Jian Yi nodded with a worried auntie look, like he completely understands.

"More like murderous," Zhan Zheng Xi chimed in while looking at the passing crowd. 

"You didn't have to bring my bag," Mo Guan Shan said and motioned for the others to follow him to the back. Zhan Zheng Xi refused, said that he'll stay where it's easy for his sister to see him.

"Don't sweat it. We weren't here just for the bags. Zhan Zheng Xi's sister asked him to accompany her to buy a new set of pajamas for their field trip. Naturally, as her brother-in-law, I tagged along."

"Then why don't you drop this to his apartment?" Mo Guan Shan asked as he raised He Tian's bag. Suddenly, saying his name felt so awkward.

"You do that. And you apologize too."

"That's. . . I shouldn't be the one apologizing!"

"Then go to his apartment later. Maybe he'll tell you how sorry he was for caring so much about you, or something of the sort," Jian Yi said and stuck a tongue at him. So they really think it was his fault for being an asshole to the Prince.

Jian Yi said they'll eat in the diner when Zhan Zheng Xi's sister arrives so Mo Guan Shan excused himself. He had a brief talk with the boss about what happened and told him honestly about finding that guy and helping him. There would be no point in lying about it to his boss.

The boys were sitting with a younger girl that looked so familiar Mo Guan Shan had to stare. She noticed him coming their way and immediately lit up and waved.

"Hey, you're that guy who found my pet!"

"Oh," Mo Guan Shan looked at Zhan Zheng Xi and his signature eyebrows and then at the girl with the same thick set. "No wonder you looked so familiar."

"You really saved me there," she giggled and tugged at her brother's sleeve. "He went crawling everywhere to help me find Bacon."

Mo Guan Shan can't help but smile at the kid. If she only knew how much his life changed just because he happened to help her.

He held up a hand and gently ruffled her hair.

"I am eternally grateful."