Tortoise and Fox [BL]

2.6

"How would you differentiate romantic love, then?"

An empty tray and skewer was long since tossed into one of many piles of trash as two figures kept moving forward. A thin, almost scrawny youth in comfortably dark clothing ducked into an unfrequented alley. Not without dragging a tall, limber man behind him in a hurry.

Ume's appearance never failed to attract eyes to look and cause mouths to move as he strode past, blissfully indifferent. If they dwelled near the alley's location for too long, it'd bring trouble to the bakery owners, who have managed to stay under the radar of the South gang's threats.

But as troublesome as it is, their management was effective for keeping note of territory. So if one isn't affiliated with the notable of the area, there are implications of deeper involvement in other things...

Li didn't have very many people in his life, not able to help but believe in the couple. They were the ones who helped him get back on his feet, after all. The ones who were with Li past the early death of his mom.

Li called out at the cramped counter. The noises of clanging and sizzling was absent, yet mellow spices lingered in the air. A woman in latter half of her life came out, short and on the stouter side. She had soft creases by her eyes and mouth, perhaps due to one too many hearty smiles. Grey streaked through her brown hair, which was loosely tied up in unison with the sooty apron she adorned comfortably.

A wary expression unfit for the gentle creases on her face appeared, until the woman clearly saw the person at the counter. Through Li, it was as simple as returning happiness, like a parent having a chance to talk with a now independent child.

But for a bystander, Ume...

There was a notable tenseness in her body language, increasing minutely on sight of their appearance. He scrunched his eyebrows, processing possible reasons.

"Li! Here for dinner, hun? With a friend, too?"

Li interjected with a small smile, "No, Auntie. Not today."

"Well, that's a shame. Not that I had a meal for company planned anyway, so it works out for me and your Uncle!"

She laughed heartily.

"What forced you to come on by?"

"I've got a letter for you. Sound like somethin' you're expectin'?"

"Yes...it does."

Li's eyes drifted to her as she paused with a faltering face. He swallowed the uncomfortable feeling that formed, like a sinking rock he refused to fish out of a delicate pond.

Maybe...she was just feeling overworked.

He put on a smile, mixing a truthful happiness with two parts fake. He chattered while handing off the white envelope.

"Well, how about we have dinner sometime after Christmas then? That'll make it up to the two of you. I've been a bit out of it...so we should catch up."

"That sounds perfect, hun. We'll figure it out then."

"Yeah."

Li turned around, unable to look again at his Auntie. He wasn't sure why, but he knew. Knew that, if he turned around and saw her face—Li would confirm his instinctual suspicion.

Instead, he waved without turning, exiting the building. Ume was a beat behind, following the frazzled youth out into the chilly weather. His mind raced with a newfound anxiety while his body stagnated. Li came to stop; the cold air seeping through his layers of clothes.