MAFIA BOY and MASK MAN: Live to Love

CHAPTER #4

In the morning Qihe was up first. Last night Jiayi had agreed to have her brother not go home for a few days. Zan would stay with Lu He, because Qihe's brother lived closer to Zan's school. Jiayi would meet Lu He at lunch. Zan was excited, as if it was just an adventure. It made his sister nervous, too many people getting involved in their family affairs. Qihe planned on making her stay with him for at least a week, to keep her out of trouble, she just didn't know it yet.  After he showered and changed, Qihe ordered breakfast and made coffee. Jiayi was up next and went to shower. Wearing a t-shirt and track pants, she followed the smell of fresh coffee.

"Good morning, can I have some coffee?"

"Help yourself," he gave her a mug and noticed she took it with cream, but no sugar. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Like a log. Where's my school uniform?"

"Still in the dryer from last night. I'll get it in a minute.  Jiayi, stay with me for just this week."

"Everyone will think we're dating."

"I'm okay with that."

"But, I already owe you too much."

"I don't see it that way. The doc said if you don't stop fighting, next time you'll end up in the hospital. That means the cops get involved." He saw her start to give in. "I promise I won't do anything to you."

She sighed, "I'm not worried about that."

"Why?"

"Because I know you don't think of me that way or you'd have hit on me in school by now."

Qihe raised an eyebrow, she was wrong. The only reason he hadn't engaged her, was he'd been determining how cautious he had to be and then it wasn't the right time. "Maybe....like I said before, I live alone, just like my brother does and my sister. Our step-brother lives with his mom.  Anyway that means no one else will get involved. I'll give you a card for the lobby door and tell you the lock code. That way you can come and go as you please."

"Just for the next seven days." Jiayi tentatively agreed.

"You can help me with housework to pay me back."

"If we go grocery shopping, I can cook for you too."

"I'm driving to school today, so we can drop your brother off first. Do you need to teach Karate after school today?"

"Damn you even know that? No I left a message last night, calling in sick. Groceries after school?"

"Yeah." He handed her the cleaned school uniform. "After groceries we'll stop at your place to pick up more clothes."

"What's your brother like?"

"Nicer than me. We're twins."

"Identical?"

"Yes."

"He wear a mask too?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you live together?"

"We hate each other."

"Oh, sorry. Maybe my brother and I...."

He cut her off, "your brother is better off with my brother. He lives close to your brother's school. He can even help him with homework.  He owes me and this will put us back to being even."

She received her school uniform and went to wake her brother. "Zan get up!"

"Okay okay jeez." Zan looked at her face. "You need to wear makeup or someone will see the bruises. The face mask doesn't cover all of it."