Outrun The World

Chapter 36

"Go knock yourself out," He Tian answered, ambling down the grass with a pout to gain sympathy from Mo Guan Shan. The other boy then pulled him close by the nape as he approached him like a dejected dog. He pressed his forehead on his chest.

"Good job. You almost did it," Mo Guan Shan said, running his fingers on his nape. Those touches were all so natural now.

"Not gonna lie, my arms are gonna fall off any minute now."

"Sit down. I'll massage them for you."

They sat together on the grass and he rested his head on Mo Guan Shan's lap with his eyes closed to let the redhead have his way with him. Earlier He Tian noticed how the kids fought over Mo Guan Shan's attention and now they're sitting all around him like his little chicks. Several moments later, he noticed hushed giggling and little hands pinching his arms in what seemed like attempts to massage his aching muscles and heard Mo Guan Shan's "shhh" as he tried to hold back his laughter. He smiled with his eyes closed.

"Ah~ This is the life. Who said I didn't win?" He Tian said, enjoying the sensation of his muscles being prodded and poked by sticky paws and gentle fingers. He heard the mothers as they laughed at their children, telling them to do it gently and to be careful and asking whether they washed their hands before touching the young man.

"All good, Sir?" Mo Guan Shan asked and without looking at his face He Tian could see his grin. "We're all working very hard here, hoping this kind Sir would treat us to some ice cream one of these days." It was whispered right by his ear, Moa Guan Shan's moist, hot breath lingering on his skin like a light dusting of snow over the earth.

"I'll think about it," he said. The gentle breeze caressed the tip of his nose and cooled him down, the images in his head reminding him of a fabric softener advertisement. He chuckled.

"Oh. The baby fell asleep?" Rica asked in a hushed voice.

"Nah."

"I'm asleep— Ahhhh! You traitors!" He Tian screamed when strong hands restrained his wrists and the little hands that massaged him turned into tickle tentacles that invaded his belly. Rica encouraged the kids to keep on tickling him while Mo Guan Shan pinned his arms above his head so he couldn't push himself up. "Ahhh! I give! I give up!"

"You gonna buy us ice cream?" Mo Guan Shan asked, loosening up his grip on He Tian's wrists, an opportunity which he took in a split-second, quickly jumping up to distance himself from the little menaces.

"Nooooo!" he screamed and scrambled up to run around with the laughing children running after him. They chased him around the crowded grassy plain as he acted hysterical, weaving all around the people loitering around to watch the ongoing match.

*

Mo Guan Shan watched He Tian pretend to be scared by the throng of jolly children chasing him around the wide coconut farm. The squealing kids caught the attention of the grownup women who found the de-husking competition boring and they cheered for the kids instead.

"Aww. He's just so cute," the teenager, Lira, commented. Mo Guan Shan glanced at her and nodded without taking his eyes off He Tian. After a while, she was in a fit of giggles. "Kuya Ian knows he's irresistible when he's being silly with the kids."

Irresistible.

Mo Guan Shan furrowed his brows at the observation but still gave the girl an amused smile. It must be a language thing. She might be using the wrong word when she meant something else.

"Ahh~ It's a bummer. Things would've been so much better if you could understand our language, Kuya Shan."

He finally turned to Lira, her brows knitted as she stood right beside him.