Why He Tian does what he does (a 19 Days Fanfic)

Employed

Guanshan's hand clutched tightly around the thick wad of money in his pocket as he walked towards school. He had been too scared to put it in his backpack where He Tian's jacket, freshly washed and ironed, was kept. What if his backpack got snatched? It would take him forever to pay off this much money if he lost it.

He forced his legs to walk faster, even though he was tired. Dark circles lined his eyes. He had had a restless sleep. Nightmares kept waking him up: dark, claustrophobic mazes that would not end, no matter how long he ran through them... disembodied hands that he somehow knew belonged to She Li... and porcelain statues, that looked like He Tian, bursting open to rain cash.

He shook his head lightly, trying to dispel the last traces of the confusing dreams from last night. The morning bell chimed as he entered the school. The cheerful and inviting sound lingering over the freshly watered flower beds, newly dusted corridors and high windows glistening in the morning sun. However, it did little to soothe Guanshan's nerves: all he saw were expenses that they could barely afford: he had been asking his mom to transfer to a less fancy school, but his mom cried every time he suggested it.

The thick wad of money jabbed against his stomach as he walked , and Guanshan made a grimace. Truth be told, there was a moment of weakness when he had considered taking out a few notes from that bundle: he was sure that He Tian would not even notice it. But... that was not how he had been brought up, and so, here he was... trying to locate He Tian before class started.

He was in luck as he soon spotted the raven-haired boy sauntering into the school building from the direction of the gym. The morning sun glowed behind him, casting him in a sort of golden, dreamy light.

Guanshan felt his heart jump to his throat, and then rapidly fall all the way down to settle somewhere near his stomach... And before he could stop, he had hid himself behind a pillar.

Must be because I am carrying all that money. That's why I' me nervous. Nothing to do with seeing that bastard, nothing at all, Guan Shan told himself.

He cautiously peeked around the pillar after a few, sickeningly long seconds. And, that is when he realised that there was another person beside He Tian: A person with flowing golden hair, and an oblivious grin plastered on his face... The same blonde from before.

The butterflies in his stomach were gone in a moment. Guanshan blankly stared at the two, observing how casually they chatted with each other, and the easy smile that was on He Tian's face.

He watched as the blonde waved his hand to someone in the distance, and soon, a brunet boy joined the two...

As if on cue, He Tian's arms sneaked around the blonde's waist. Guanshan watched in disbelief as He Tian nuzzled his face against the blonde's neck. The blonde struggled to get free, but He Tian held him in a tight back hug while the brunet glared at him.

So... he's gay...

Guanshan considered this, turning the thought around in his head. For some reason, that did not feel as eww-inducing as he previously had thought it would.

And, he's got the hots for that blonde guy...

He considered this second piece of information as well. But, unlike before, this thought produced in him a sudden, strong wave of emotion, that he did not quite know how to process.

I... what's happening to me...

The red haired boy let out a long sigh, hugged the pillar, rested his cheek against the cold wall, and closed his eyes.

...

He Tian was having fun. Teasing Zhen Xi never got old for him. The brunet never showed much of a reaction, in fact, he tried his best to retain a poker face, which is what He Tian found hilarious.