Cucummato (TianShan)

25. Intuition

He Tian

"Maybe he'll float one of these days," He Tian remarked, chewing into the tip of his cigarette butt. He Cheng glanced at him and said nothing.

It is one of those rare days when the older brother's not in a pressed suit and wearing a farmer's getup instead. They both have their pants rolled to their knees. He Cheng's white tank top clung to his ripped back, drenched with sweat.

"I guess I'll start asking the morgues."

"You find it pleasurable? Tormenting me?" He Cheng asked and gently tapped the soil around a newly planted tomato. He Tian came to a thought that his brothers hands were his grandfather's when the old man was younger.

"Extremely," He Tian answered. He took one last drag before throwing the unfinished stick into a water bucket so he could resume the chore that needed both free hands. "You need to crack that hard façade and start acting like a real human being, Poppy."

"I don't know what you're talking about," He Cheng said with finality before changing the topic. "That boy grandfather talks about, will he come?"

"He only comes on weekends."

"And this summer break?"

He shrugged, busying himself by inspecting a row of plants to check for holes on the leaves. Their grandfather would knock their ears off if some pest starts invading the crops.

"Hey. Why aren't you giving up on that foxy guy? He doesn't seem interested in you if you didn't have your money."

"Everybody gave up on him."

"Didn't know you had a complex like that."

"It's not a complex," He Cheng stopped and stood up to stretch. "I know him more that he's telling me. I know what pleases him and what scares him. I know what he talks about at night when he's asleep and I know what lies crosses his lips when he's awake."

He Tian shivered. The wind and his brother's eyes gave him chills. For a second he thought he saw that connection, rooted on He Cheng and floating away with the wind to god knows where.

"So you can't make me believe he's in a ditch somewhere." He Cheng let out a confident smile and went back to work. "I'll know when that happens."

What his brother said latched on inside his mind like a terribly itchy bug. He thought about Mo Guan Shan. He tried to close his eyes later that night and imagined Mo Guan Shan feeling the same feelings he has right at that moment. Maybe if he think so hard about it, it will reach him and he will know just how much he means to him.

Maybe a connection will be born between the two of them and they'll feel each other even when they're far apart.

Suddenly his phone rang that he practically jumped up to see if it was Mo Guan Shan. It wasn't. Of course that stubborn guy won't ever mail him first.

He Tian narrowed his eyes at the message. The fox has finally left its hole and leaving trails all over  He got up and quickly dashed across the room, grabbed his jacket and left.

Mo Guan Shan

Maybe it was because of his bandages but people were a lot nicer to him and even gave him generous tips after receiving his food deliveries. Their boss hired another guy to handle the job but the guy confessed about not knowing how to drive.

Mo Guan Shan also appreciated the change of pace. Plus, he gets to see a lot of interesting things while driving around the city on the shop's ricketty scooter. The owner even taught him to drive and paid for his student license. Perks of the job.