Love O2O- Beyond a Beautiful Smile

Chapter 15- Of Mice and Men

A/N: I've been reading the already published chapters and noticing a few spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Considering my area of speciality, it's extremely vexing. Despite my itch to go through and edit all the previously published chapters, I will wait until I'm finished the story before going back through and making changes. There are also a few errors with formatting mistakes etc. but I guess that's only to be expected considering I've done most of my writing via the mobile app. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, thanks for reading this far and ignoring the mistakes (or at least not letting them be too distracting) and I'll edit the chapters once I'm finished. On that note; I only have one more week before uni starts back up again and I've been volunteered to help during O-Week... which is next week. Which all means I only have today and next Thursday to write unhindered. I will bust my gut today to get as far through as I can, and will hopefully have enough chapter's written by the end of today, that I can still update one a day until next Thursday when I can hopefully finish the whole story. Fingers crossed.

His strategic retreat backfired; Hao Mei spent the night tossing and turning, and was sporting international lugage under his eyes when he dragged himself to work the next morning. His bed was too hard- or was it too soft- and his blankets smelled like washing detergent and dry cleaner and his brain kept replaying the events of the day. Over and over he felt every slight touch; had they been deliberate or accidental? Over and over he heard KO's deep voice in his ear, felt his breath on his skin and saw the surprise in his eyes when he had reversed their positions. All night, his brain turned over at hundred miles an hour and finally, when dawn knocked on his heavy eyelids, he admitted defeat and got up to face the day. Mei was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he almost strangled himself tightening his tie, and in the end he left it loose and crumpled.

   Leaning against the elevator wall, Hao Mei closed his eyes as he wondered just how long a day it was going to be. A hand stopped the elevator doors from closing and he peered through narrowed eyes as Wang Wei, from the Art Department, stepped in.

    "Morning Hao Mei."

    "Hmm."

   Wang Wei laughed. "You've been spending too much time with KO. You're even starting to sound like him."

    Hao Mei rubbed his eyes. "Rough night."

    "It shows."

    Something cold pressed against his forehead and Mei jerked his head up, opening eyes to see a juice bottle hovering in front of his nose. He looked over at Wang Wei.

    "Take it... You need something to get you through the morning. And did you forget you're with us this afternoon? We need to get some scans and sketches of your face for the prototypes." Wang Wei gestured to his own face as he spoke. "Need to get rid of those shadows before then."

   Smiling weakly, Mei accepted the juice, just as the elevator doors opened. He and Wang Wei chatted about the new prototypes the Art Department were developing on their way in to the office. Parting ways, Mei put the still unopened juice next to his keyboard and sank in to his chair. Leaning back, he stared at the downlights on the ceiling. They made his eyes burn, so he closed them. Hmm... maybe he could claim a headache from the lights, find a pair of sunglasses, and then sleep for the morning and no one would be able to tell behind the dark lenses?

    A hand rested on his shoulder, fingers kneading the tightness where his neck and shoulder met. With a low groan, Mei rotated his head, giving those fingers greater access to the side of his neck. "Don't stop. Feels good."

   Warm breath against his ear made him shiver and goosebumps prickle his skin. "Remember those words."

   "Eh? KO?" He opened his eyes and the hand moved off his shoulder, picking up the juice.