Love O2O- Beyond a Beautiful Smile

Chapter 14- House Hunting

A/N: This chapter has written itself backwards... a specific character (I won't give away who) decided he wasn't going to cooperate until I wrote a certain scene. So I wrote it, but then had to go and write the lead up to the scene. Sigh. So if it feels like this chapter is filler just to get to that certain scene... it is. And it's not my fault.

The first place they looked at was just around the corner from the hotel KO was already staying in. They walked in to the lobby and Hao Mei promptly turned around and walked back out.

    "No."

   "We didn't even look at the room."

    "The lobby smelled of piss and dirty fish water." Hao Mei wrinkled his nose in disgust. "They didn't even have fish tanks in the lobby, so I have no idea where the smell was coming from."

    "That's the lobby. The room might be different." KO didn't think he should tell Mei that in the past, he'd lived in rooms with a similar smell.

    "I'm not walking through eau de incontinence every time I come to visit."

    And with that, it was decided.

The second place was very similar to KO's current situation, however the bathroom mould had decided to branch out and see what life was like as living room mould. Both men took one look at the black dots growing over the wall and ceiling, and refused to step through the doorway. There was nothing outstandingly bad about the third and fourth places, but they were also no better than where he was staying and KO didn't see the point in moving to somewhere that was basically no different. There had to be an advantage to moving.

    It was at the fifth place, a tiny one bedroom studio room with a kitchenette, that Hao Mei noticed the manager making assumptions about their situation. He hadn't thought anything of the fact that two friends were house hunting; he was just helping KO find a new place to stay after all, but two adults going house hunting for a one bedroom place? It was when the manager made a comment about the room being big enough for a king size bed, with a stomach-churning leer, that Mei realised the appearance was different to the reality. While he knew they were just friends- he wondered why he felt the need to emphasise that during a conversation with himself- the managers and landlords they were meeting, were assuming there was something more going on. He'd barely come to this epiphany, standing in the middle of the empty bedroom, when he heard the manager talking to KO about the kitchenette.

    "It's not big, but there's all he'll need to have dinner ready for you when you get home."

    What? Does he think... Why has he assumed I'd be the wife in this relationship? Mei's mind spun, settling when he heard KO's soft grunt.

    "He doesn't cook. That's my job."

    "You? But... Ah..."

    Leaning against the bedroom door, Hao Mei shamelessly eavesdropped, waiting for KO to set the manager straight. He will set him straight, right?

    "I was a chef."

    Mei frowned. That wasn't what I meant. Now set him straight properly.

    "Oh." Understanding coloured the manager's voice. "So he must do the housework, and look; there's a double sink so he can do the dishes after you've cooked."

    KO grunted, and Mei felt his knees buckle. Where was the objection? Why wasn't he clarifying their friendship with the manager instead of letting him continue making assumptions? And why are they both so happy for me to be the wife? As if able to hear Hao Mei's inner whining, KO looked over his shoulder at that moment, surprising Mei, who felt like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The barest hint of a smile twitched at the corner of KO's mouth and, for him, his eyes were positively dancing. Hao Mei glared at his friend, smoothing his features into a practised smile as the manager noticed KO's attention had shifted and turned look in the same direction. The speed with which Mei went from glaring to smiling, had KO drawing his eyebrows together in concern. Mei hid a smirk. Make fun of me, will you? Let's see how you like it.