Outrun The World

Chapter 30

"What was that?" Nato asked when they finally slipped away from the girls. Mo Guan Shan remained silent, staring at something only he could see. The boy furrowed his brows in alarm. He's not used to this. What if something bad happened to Mo Guan Shan and he's not capable of helping him; of bringing him home safe?

He took a deep breath and held the older guy's wrist.

"I'm here, Kuya Shan," he said. Good thing he deposited their shopping bags in one of the numerous baggage counters in that mall. At least he only had to worry about his companion. "Should I call Ate Rica?"

Mo Guan Shan shook his head. It's raining hard outside. He shouldn't have gone out from that haven He Tian created for him. Now he's done for. Now people are going to know where he is and they're bound to talk about him and it's going to circulate again. Those videos will resurface and spread wider like a virus on it's second wave. It's only a matter of time before these people, even Nato, would discover how much of a big slut he was.

He wanted to heave and cry but when he felt the kid's trembling hand on his wrist, he was forced to regain some spark of logic. Nato was still a child. He's not about to make this an unpleasant experience for him and burden him with his mental health issues. This was a kid and he's supposed to be the adult who should be taking care of him.

Man up, Little Mo. You're better than this!

"Let's check in a hotel and eat," he said, trying his best to make a big smile. Nato lit up as he gaped at him.

"Hotel?! I've never even set foot in a hotel lobby!" Nato said with an equally big smile, but his hand still felt cold. 

Mo Guan Shan approached a security guard to ask about a good hotel nearby while Nato collected their shopping bags and boxes that held the various stuff Mo Guan Shan bought. The man pointed to a hotel right next to the mall, maybe considering the rain, so at least they won't get soaked getting there.

The lobby was dazzling and people were different from the crowd loitering at the mall. They even saw a really pretty dark girl who looked like a doll and Nato couldn't help but think that his color wasn't so bad at all.

"If you were a girl you'd be prettier than her," Mo Guan Shan whispered and Nato visibly blushed.

"You really shouldn't spend a lot of time with Ate Rica."

Mo Guan Shan used He Tian's credit card and got them a good room with only one bed. They weren't planning on spending the night, but if they would, they could share the bed. Nato was cool with it.

Nato gasped when he finally rode an elevator. 

"I'm dizzy. That was weird," he commented when they stepped out. The woman attendant smiled and said nothing while leading them to their room but Nato was unfazed. "Excuse me but that was my first time. I live in the mountains, Miss."

"No, I'm just amazed that you've been talking in English this whole time. You're Bisaya, right?"

"I am. Born and raised here, but Kuya Shan can't understand Bisaya so. . . Wait, was my accent cringey?! Do I have a BisDak accent?"

"No, you speak pretty good," the woman said and she's pretty good too. "This is your room. Have a good stay, Gentlemen."

"Yeah, thanks," Mo Guan Shan gave her a smile.

"Uhm, just to be clear, I'm. . . We're not gonna have sex inside, okay?"

The woman blushed but she nodded and left. Mo Guan Shan looked at Nato in disbelief before they burst out laughing.

"Well, that's what I always think of when people go to hotels. Am I wrong?"

Mo Guan Shan laughed as he opened the door and they went inside. It was a big room with a huge bed, a round coffee table by the wide glass window and two comfortable chairs. Not bad, and not too expensive either.