Outrun The World

Chapter 14

When He Tian came to, he was drenched in blood due to the broken glass windows and he couldn't find his mother. So he crawled out of their wrecked car and called out for her; searched for the body that was supposed to be part of her leg lying on the road.

Under the rain that had no consideration for the dead, he cried and sat by what remained of her. It won't even stop for his broken mother.

He Tian woke up crying. It was all his fault. No matter what his grandfather says, his mother died because of his selfishness. He shivered and sluggishly dragged himself off his bed to put on a pair of boxers. Wiping his eyes with his hands, he sat down on his bed and stared off into the distance.

He should sleep. He needed a drink.

***

Mo Guan Shan was awake when He Tian checked on him. He wanted to open his eyes, run to him and tell him that it's fine now. That he doesn't have to make that face because he was the one at fault, not He Tian.

He heard his pleading voice when he arrived with Rica because the girl's unnecessarily loud voice woke him up. He didn't understand what they were talking about but when he heard He Tian, he knew immediately that the guy had been desperately looking for him. It brought another wave of tears in his eyes and he didn't even manage to wipe away his tears when He Tian slightly opened the door.

After He Tian left, he drifted in and out of sleep until he could no longer take it. He gingerly got up and looked around Rica's room. Just like the rest of the house, it was made of old, but sturdy wood and smooth wooden planks. The windows were draped with floral curtains and several stuffed animals sat on the bedside table and on the built-in shelves. Daniella must have taken good care of everything in the house because the floors were shiny and even the bridgings were never dusty.

He wondered why Rica chose to live all alone.

Mo Guan Shan stood up to closely examine a framed photo hanging on the wall. It was a high school graduation photo of Rica and He Tian. So they went to the same school. No wonder why they seemed so familiar with each other, so much like siblings.

When he exited the room, he found Daniella in the kitchen as she busily arranged food in several food containers. She looked up and beckoned him to sit by the table. She poured hot coffee in a cup and placed it in front of him.

"Uhm, Auntie. . . Thank you for everything," he said and bowed in front of the old woman.

"Oh, you! That's what neighbors do! And we're not just neighbors, while you and He Tian are here, you are under our care. So never mind the tiny details."

Mo Guan Shan sat down and took the hot cup in his hands, savoring the comforting aroma of roasted corn coffee. She also offered him a basketful of Pan Bisaya and he took one to stop his grumbling stomach. It's way past noon.

"I swear, I will never cause you headache again, Auntie."

Daniella laughed and reached out across the table to pat his arm. She's short and plump but she's strong just like her daughter, and they even have the same raspy laugh.

"You must be starving. Come on, you eat first. I made lumpia stuffed with bamboo shoots. You will love it."

"Uhm, I think it's better if I eat at home," Mo Guan Shan said with a hesitant smile and stared at her meaningfully.

"You're right, you're right. Talk things over as you eat," she said and covered one container before carefully placing it inside a bamboo basket. She also wrapped her homemade bread with banana leaves and arranged the bundle inside the basket. "Take these so you won't have to cook."

"Thank you very much, Auntie," he said, blushing at the thought of He Tian. "Uhm, Auntie. Don't you find us odd? I mean, we're gay."

"Hmm, maybe back then, I would have judged you and He Tian. But I learned. Rica taught me and Rico, my husband, about these things. We realized that we were wrong, and that being ignorant about something doesn't automatically mean that that thing is wrong, just because we don't understand it," Daniella explained, staring tenderly at him as if she's looking at her own son. "Rica would be like, 'Read Ma, read so many things so that you also have a wider perspective.'"

"She's like, an LGBTQ warrior," Mo Guan Shan said, clearly in awe.

"She is! With her constant nagging, we slowly got used to accepting these things and now, I am so thankful for this fresher outlook because we get to see how wonderful love is, regardless of the gender," Daniella explained with misty eyes. "You just have to see how He Tian looks at you to know that true love exists in everybody. Even for a spoiled brat like him."

She smiled at Mo Guan Shan and he sniffed, wiping his own eyes. These are such good people and he's so lucky He Tian brought him here. 

"Sometimes they do stupid things that hurt us even without meaning to. But that's part of being together. Nobody is perfect, so we make mistakes along the way. But let me tell you this, Shan. If there's anyone in the world He Tian is going to listen to, it's you. So tell him what you think. Let him know what you like and what you don't like. He will listen to you. And if he doesn't, whack him for once."

"You really know him so well, Auntie."

"Well, he was here for half a year. That was five or six years ago, I guess. Hmm, maybe five."

"He said he lived with a really poor family."

"He told you about that, huh. Well, yes. He lived with them because this house is comfortable enough for a real punishment. He Tian needed to see the real thing, to experience real struggle firsthand."

"Punishment? What did he do, Auntie?"

"He's too gallant for his own good. Spent way too much money back in high school, so his grandfather taught him a lesson. Transferred him here in the middle of the semester and you know, the rest is history."

They talked for a while. Mo Guan Shan loved listening to Daniella because she knows so many things about everybody and she's also wise and charismatic. No wonder Rica seemed so intelligent.

When the rain finally stopped, Mo Guan Shan stood up and thanked her again, before going out to finally go home to He Tian.