Make Our Days Count : Domestic

Company Dinner

'So you never had any girlfriend before?' 

Shigu shook his head slowly. These questions are making him uncomfortable but his fellow researcher is asking out of curiosity. Few  days ago, he politely rejected another confession by a fellow female researcher and saying he already has a boyfriend. Then the news spread like wildfire. 

It's already a few years since same-sex marriage is legally accepted but people perception doesn't change that fast. Normalising same-sex relationship will take more than a few years. 

'Not even a kiss or casual relationship?', another one asked. 

Shigu drinks his water quickly, and again he shakes his head. His colleagues surrounding him makes a 'wow' with their mouth. 

Almost all of them likes having Shigu around. The senior researchers already knew him from his internship last semester. He is doing additional research for his Master in this same observatory. Hardworking, polite, meticulous, and brainy too. 

The female colleagues often flirts, sometimes not too subtly. Now the male colleagues thought they might stand a chance too. There is something androgynous about Shigu that attract both genders. 

'Aren't you curious at all?' , the girl who flirted with Shigu since his internship day asked him. She cupped her face with her hands propping on the table. Some other people also joined them at the cafeteria. It's weekend anyway, might as well as chit chat and release some stress. They only have each other in this god forsaken place in the middle of the mountain. 

'No. Haoting is enough for me.'

'That's his name?'

Shigu nods. 

'Is he older than you?'

'We are the same age, school mates from the same year.'

'Woaaahh, so you dated from highschool till now?'

'Yes.'

'Is he also like you too. Only likes men?'

Shigu hesitates. 'Well, he...uhhh, he had girlfriends before.'

* 

Haoting couldn't reach Shigu via his mobile. He might leave it on silent and put it in his backpack again. This habit of him...

He decided to walk out of the parking lot to the main office building. He usually just wait for Shigu at the parking lot. The admin told him that most of the staffs would hang out at the cafeteria. She saw Shigu was there half an hour ago. 

Haoting walks toward the cafeteria. The air feels nice up here, clean and unpolluted. 

He wears his black leather jacket. He needs to attend his company dinner tonight and he is bringing Shigu with him. The theme is denim and leather. He got a white denim jacket for Shigu. 

When he walks into the cafeteria, he saw Shigu sitting at a table with his colleagues. Almost all of them just sitting at the same table instead of spread out across the different tables. They just combined the tables together like a feast. Shigu has his back on the entrance so he did not see Haoting came in. 

The rest of the staffs focus their attention on a hot man suddenly showing up at their cafeteria. Thank God, what a sight! The girls absentmindedly twirling their hair and smiles. 

Haoting walks to the table. 

Shigu realized the shift of attention and turned around. 

He stands and smiles happily, taking a quick steps and jumps into Haoting's embrace.