(QING)
It took seven days for my car to be repaired. The car shop owner had to wait for a day for the right color of car paint to arrive to be applied to scratched part of the convertible.
The amount of the repair: too much. But I have no intention of letting Dayu pay for it.
A gentleman doesn't let a lady pay.
And Dayu is a lady. That's what he said.
I smiled when I remembered Dayu. His eyes glazed, cheeks flushed in indignation when he slapped me, his chin trembling slightly. He was so drunk that night he is cute.
But as cute as Dayu is, I know I have to approach him with care.
This is a first for me. I am gay, I have no experience in dating women. How do one exactly date a lady? I am used to dating guys. It's what I know. Sometimes, my straight male friends will look at me and say...
"Darn Qing, you are really smart. I think you have the right idea. Date a guy, it's less hassle. Dating women, it's a pain man. Stay gay. Your life will be easier...believe me."
I think that is a dumb statement. Dating is hassle. Whether you are dating a dude or a lady, it's all hassle inducing. Stressful. But also fun and exciting. Dating is discovering. Getting to know that person.
Sure, maybe dating another guy is easier than dating a girl. I mean, I have never dated a girl before, so what do I know? But basing on my straight guy friends who do have experiences in dating girls, I heard it's a lot of work.
Well, I have work to do then. Because if I want to date Dayu...I have to do some serious work. Dayu is a girl. Inside. Dayu may look like a guy outside but inside, Dayu is a she. And I have to be careful in handling that part of Dayu.
So I turned to my good friend, LiYan, for advice.
LiYan and I both work in the Marketing Department of KaiShing Brewery. She is my secretary. She is straight, girl, fabulous and a nightmare to date with. Or that is what she claimed.
"I am high maintenance, Qing." LiYan said as she opened a face powder to check her make up. "I like dining in classy places, driving out of town, drinking expensive wines and getting glittering gifts. If there is diamond to be found, I am happier."
"In short you are materialistic," I said.
"No! I am a girl. It require efforts to impress me. And to make me happy," She argued.
I frowned, "I think everyone requires efforts to make them happy," I said.
"Exactly!" LiYan turned to me with her cat like slanted eyes and unsmiling thin lips. She is also tall, in the curvaceous side and likes to wear powerful lady suits. Pants and all. LiYan gave me an impatient look, "Why are you asking me what's the difference between dating a girl and a guy? There is no difference, Qing. You make efforts. You take time to know the person. Then you will know what she likes. Simple. Guys make it sound like dating us girls is too complicated. No, it's not. Be sincere to us, we are yours. Be true to us, we are yours. Be loyal to us, we will trust you. What's the big deal?"
"So in short...?"
LiYan sighed, "Us girls, we like guys who make us feel like we are the girl in the relationship. Someone you respect. Someone you handle with care. Someone you want to protect. Someone you trust who can stand on her own but you are willing to shield if necessary. We still like knights in shining armor and Prince Charming, you know. Forget about feminists who said girls can save themselves now. We like guys who will be willing to leap to a certain length to protect us. But don't smother us with strict rules. Hover over us, sure, but give us some breathing room to breath and listen to us bitch sometimes. Girls love to whine and bitch, we don't actually required you guys to agree with our opinion, but listening is a must. Understand."
"Ah..." I nodded. "Meaning, girls like a gentleman who can punch jerks, a bodyguard who will stand in a distance, a listening ear but not a nodding dog. Right?"
"Exactly!" LiYan patted my cheek. "Good boy. You listen well,"
"I try," I feel proud for a reason.
"So tell me the reason why you like tips for dating a girl. You are gay. Have you converted and will date a girl now? If so, date me. Give me a baby..." LiYan smiled before sipping her black coffee.
"Yuck," I crumpled my face in disgust. "You are like a sister to me. Even if I am straight, I will not date you. Second, I am still gay, so no to the baby part."
LiYan sighed, "Oh well, a girl can dream. I would really love to have a son who smiles like you. But I think I will settle for waiting for you to have your own son and that kid will have a fabulous godmother in me." She laughed tickishly at the thought. "Should I wear a fairy costume so I can be his fairy godmother?"
"Jesus..." I cannot believe her.
LiYan laughed some more. Then she turned serious, "But seriously, why asked for tips? I don't get it? Is this for your brother? Is Dr.Wang dating someone now? Fuck! I lost my chance on him too? What's with you Wang men, why reject me? What is wrong with me?"
LiYan has a huge crush on my brother. "Gege is not dating anyone. He is married to his work. I have told you that a lot of times." I said.
"And that is fine with me. I told you, I can be his mistress all the time. As long as he will put "fucking LiYan" in his schedule, three times a week," LiYan bitched to me.
"You just sound desperate," I shook my head in exasperation.
"It's your fault for having a hot brother. And for taking me as your secretary. And for making us meet. You should have never let me met your brother, Wang Qing. Now I dream of him. Dirty dreams..." LiYan winked at me.
"Oh shit," I groaned. LiYan giggled at me. I smiled at her.
LiYan is twenty nine, single and looking for love. She is not actively looking, but she is open. Like me, she had failed relationships. She has a crush on my brother but I think she will be the first one to run away if my brother asked her for a date.
For LiYan, SengYou Gege is someone she can safely crush on from a distance. "Every girl has that someone, you know. That is why we like crushing on celebrities. We know it will never happen. That is why it's okay for us to be all giddy and girly about that guy because it will take for all the stars and planets to align for that person to notice us. Your brother is like that to me, Wang Qing. I know it will take a miracle for Dr.Wang to like me. That is cool. As long as I can undress him in my mind everytime I am seeing him, all is cool."
"Stop undressing my brother in your mind!" I tsked at her.
"Send me a naked pic of him and I will stop imagining it," LiYan striked back.
She is impossible.
But she gave me something to think about.
Does Dayu have that too? One person he thinks safe to crush on from a distance. Someone Dayu thinks will take a miracle for that person to notice him.
I sighed. Whoever that person will be, I have to take Dayu's attention away from him or her. When I have a lover, I want my lover's attention to be all mine. That is why I feel more stupid everytime I am thinking of YuZhu. I let that douchebag cheat on me a lot of times. I let it pass, trying to hold on to the concept of having someone with me. Afraid to fail in our relationship.
But some relationships are really doomed to fail. Because the one meant for you is still on his way. But if Dayu is the one for me, it will not be easy.
Dayu has lots of issues. I have issues as well. It will take a lot of work for Dayu and I. Am I willing to work hard for it? Is Dayu even worth it? And why am I agonizing about this when I haven't even approached Dayu to tell him my true intention?
Ugh! Dating is stressful. And to think Dayu and I are not even dating yet.
Fuck!
I look at my phone. My car is fixed. I think it's time that I call Dayu and get that promised dinner.
.....................
(DAYU)
I was watching AhnZong practice with the school's baseball team when my phone rang. AhnZong is the coach of the primary baseball team of our
Academy. Aside from being a former athlete, AhnZong is a baseball enthusiast too. He is quite good with handling the kids because AhnZong is like them. Too energetic.
I took my phone from the pocket of my slacks and frowned when I saw a message from an unknown number. I opened the message.
"My car is fixed. How about yours? When can we have that dinner?"
Who is this person and why is he...
"Oh!" I exclaimed loudly when I realized who this person could be.
Wang Qing. IronMan.
I was about to write him a reply when my phone blared as someone called me. It's Wang Qing's number.
"Hello?" I took the call.
"Hi," Wang Qing sounded unsure on the other line. "Dayu?"
"Yes, it's me." I cannot help but smile as I talk to him. "So your car is fixed."
"Yes. How about yours?" Wang Qing asked back.
"I don't know. I have to call the shop where I took it to be repaired. But don't worry about it. How much is the repair of your car?" I am almost afraid to ask but I am the one who instigated the accident so I think it's polite for me to do so.
"A dinner with you," is what Wang Qing said.
I was stunned for a moment. "You will not ask me to pay it back, right?" I winced. "I have money. I can pay for it,"
"I don't doubt that you have money, Dayu. I know you can pay for the repair. But you promised me dinner so I am expecting dinner from you," Wang Qing said.
"Right! I did promised you dinner. Okay!" I said enthusiastically. "Dinner it is. When and where?"
"Shall I make the reservation?" Wang Qing asked.
"Sure. Anywhere. I think even if I treat you to a steak dinner, the cost will not be as much as the pay on the repair of your car. It's a convetible..." I sighed. "Sorry again."
"It's no big deal. I will get to dine with you again." Wang Qing said. It surprised me again but before I can think about it some more he spoke again. "I will call for a reservation in a restaurant this weekend. Are you okay with that?"
"Sure," I nodded. I will just write my lesson plans for next week during the weekend afternoons instead of night.
"Good," Wang Qing sounded satisfied. "I will message you the time and date. Should I pick you up?"
Why is he asking me that?
"No need. I can..."
"Your car is still in repair. Will you just cab it? I can pick you up." Wang Qing said.
"But it will be too much." I feel confused. "I think there is no need for you to do that for me..."
"I insist, Dayu. Let me pick you up. It doesn't have to be in your house. Maybe you can go to the nearest cafe in your home and I can pick you up from there," he suggested.
That...sounds okay.
"Okay." I said. "I will think of a place where we can meet. Just message me the day and time of that dinner." I added.
"Great." Wang Qing sounded satisfied again. "It's nice hearing your voice again. Good day, Dayu."
That is weird. "Okay. Good day to you too. Bye..."
"Bye," Wang Qing ended the call and I was left staring at my phone wondering just what happened.
What happened? That conversation sounded normal yet different. I don't know.
"Who was that?" I almost jump when AhnZong suddenly talked beside me. I was startled. "Oh," I cleared my throat. "It's Director Wang Qing. He told me that his car is already repaired."
"Ah," AhnZong nodded. "How much was it?" He winced. "Will it break your bank?"
"Probably," I said. Keeping the truth from my friend. I don't know. For some reason, I don't want AhnZong to know about my dinner with IronMan.
"It will be okay," AhnZong said in support of me before he went back to his players and students. I was left sighing in the bleacher. I really don't know but this dinner feels different. What is happening? I am confused.
What the hell...?