After taking a shower, Chen Ru Yi or his pet name Ru Yi, sat at his desk. Flipping through a worn-out lager book.
Apart from being a cook, his job was to ensure that their family's finances were stable. Their business's profits and losses had to be paid attention to.
After finishing work, Ru Yi laid down on the bed. Ready to rest his tired body from working all day.
Ding! Ding!
His phone rang. The dream curtain that had just opened being closed again. Ru Yi didn't know why. His body was too tired at that moment. He tried to just ignore the noise from his phone.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sound was lively and hard to ignore.
"Ha.."
Ru Yi picked up his phone. Opened the message box.
"Brother Ru Yi."
"Are you free this Sunday?"
"Brother Ru Yi... hello...?"
"Let's go camping."
"Brother Ru Yi!!!"
"Ha... This kid..."
Ru Yi complained. He put the phone aside. Too lazy to answer it.
Ring!!! Ringg!! Ringg!!
"Urghhhh...now he calling..."
Ru Yi groaned as he threw the blanket aside. Ru Yi forced himself to pick up the phone.
"Hello..why didn't you reply the message?"
The question from the other side was not trivial. Not even waiting for him to say hello.
"Sorry, I fall asleep."
Ru Yi answered.
"Really?"
"Hmm..what do you want?"
Ru Yi asked pretending not to know the story.
"Let's go camping this Sunday. Invite Ru She too. Some of my female school friends are also coming."
The voice from the other side of the line sounded so excited. But it's pricked throughout Ru Yi heart cruelly. "I knew it. It's all because of Ru She." Ru Yi hissed in his heart.
"No. I'm busy."
He make an excuse.
"Liar. Ru She said you didn't have any programs this Sunday. Let's go, bro..."
He plea. "Why don't you just invite Ru She? Why are you waiting for me? Urghhhh...this is all so annoying." Ru Yi complained.
"Just go with Ru She. I allow it if there have other female students."
Silence. Maybe he was too happy to say anything. That was what was floating in Ru Yi's mind.
"I'm going to sleep now. If you have anything, just call Ru She. No need to go through me anymore."
Silence.
"Okay. Good night."
Click.
He cut the line without waiting for a response from the other side. Ru Yi took a deep breath. Pulled the blanket over his entire body.
***
Sunday arrived. Ru Yi sat in a recliner under the old gingko tree next to his house. Tried to close his eyes.
His heart was not comfortable that day. It was like something was rebelling and wanted to come out. His chest started to hurt. The more he held on, the more it hurt. "They must be having fun right now." He grumbled in his heart.
"Mom! Hurry up, mom, dad will leave us."
Ru She's voice pierced his earlobes. Ru Yi opened his eyes.
"Ru She didn't go with Jiang Hai?"
Hee asked himself. Maybe Ru She didn't want to go with him. He answered. Ru Yi's lips slowly curved into a smile. The pain in his chest disappeared slowly without a trace.
Now his heart was in peace so he took the opportunity to rest. Since long ago, the Chen family would close the restaurant every Sunday. A day for family, he said. A day when most people had a day off. A golden day to gather with all family members and do activities together.
But that day, Ru Yi did not join his family to visit his grandfather in the village. He don't have a heart to do soo. With the excuse of not feeling well, he stay alone at home. He needed time to be alone. To fix his increasingly uncertain feelings.
Ru Yi covered his face with the magazine in his hand. Trying to close his eyes.
"Fuuu..."
Something blew in his ears. Ru Yi kept silent. Trying to observe what was happening. Was Ru She the one who did it? Who else was the naughty one who dared to disturb his peace besides Ru She?
"Fuuu..."
Once again. Ru Yi pursed his lips. Waiting for a chance to retaliate.
"Fuu..."
Ru Yi quickly lifted the magazine from his face and turned to look at the one who dare did that to him.
"Fuuhhh..."
Right at his face. His eyes were wide open and staring at the one who did that. That person face also looked stunned for a moment. Maybe he didn't expect that he would turn around.
Their eyes met. Hearts were beating fast. Between shock and shame intertwined in their heart stalks.
"Cough! Cough! Cough! What... are you doing here?"
He asked shyly as he adjusted his seat on the recliner.
"Hmmm... I want to see what you're so busy with today."
He answered casually. He stood up after getting tired of squatting next to Ru Yi. Without feeling embarrassed, he reached for the coffee cup on the table and took a sip.
"That's my cup."
"Sorry, it's finished."
He said as he put the empty cup back down.
"Where's the others?"
He asked without thinking about Ru Yi's feelings that were starting to get uncomfortable.
"They're out."
Ru Yi replied briefly as he refilled his empty cup.
"Do you want to drink? Let me get another cup."
Ru Yi said trying to get up from his seat.
"No need."
He said while pressing Ru Yi's body on his seat. Ru Yi was stunned with his demeanor. Can't say even a word.
"There's an easier way."
He said while taking Ru Yi's cup again. Without any shame, he continued to sip the coffee from the cup. Ru Yi's eyes widened as he watched the man's behavior.
"Are you have a fight with Ru She?"
His question was about causing a trouble for him without he realising it. Ru Yi began to feel uncomfortable when he received the man's stern stare. Ru Yi swallowed his saliva. Controlling the nervousness that was starting to break down the wall of his ego.
"Why do you think like that?"
He asked while staring intently at Ru Yi's face.
"You look in a bad mood."
He answered slowly. "This is all crazy." Ru Yi grumbled in his heart.
"And you think it's because I fought with Ru She.?"
He asked again. His voice was deep and stren. He looked really angry.
He picked up his phone and called someone.
"Jiang Hai. Don't forget to check on my brother. He's been in a bad mood these days."
The words from the other end of the line could clearly be heard from Jiang Hai's phone's loudspeaker. Jiang Hai stared deeply into Ru Ri's face.
"We're both fine. But..."
Jiang Hai turn off his phone, put it inside his pocket and stepped closer to Ru Yi. Then he stood upright on top of Ru Yi who was sitting in his recliner. Ru Yi swallowed his saliva. He had never expected that Jiang Hai had such long legs. He start to felt small under Jiang Hai's crotch.
"What do you want to do!?"
Ru Yi asked as loudly as he could. But his tone sounded so shaky.
"It's nothing."
He said while carving a smile on the corner of his lips. Jiang Hai lowered his head. He placed both his hands on the frame of the recliner where Ru Yi was lying. Jiang Hai's body pressed even closer to Ru Yi's.
Ru Yi's heart beat faster. More faster then a roller coaster. Cold sweat began to soak his body. He closed his eyes tightly. Locking his lips as tightly as he could until his forehead wrinkled.
"Don't come to me. Pervert!"
Ru Yi screamed while kicking Jiang Hai with all his might.
"Arghhh!!!!"
Jiang Hai's screams echoing throughout the beautiful morning that day. Jiang Hai lay writhing while holding his crotch. His other hand was holding the magazine he had just reached. It turned out that his joke triggered Ru Yi's panic and his little brother became a victims of the situation.
"De...Demon..."
Jiang Hai's said while holding back his pain.
"I don't want to hear that from a pervert like you!"
Ru Yi said angrily. His face was already red. Holding back the shame, fright and anger. He breath heavily.
"If I don't have any children in the fute...it's all was your fault."
Jiang Hai said again.
"If that's the case, I won't let Ru She marrying you."
Ru Yi said. Silence. Jiang Hai's silence caused a feeling of unhappiness in Ru Yi's heart. "Look like he really wanna marrying Ru She." Ru Yi grit his teeth.
"If I can't marrying Ru She... you have to take the responsibly."
Jiang Hai proposed after a long silence.
"Why me?"
Ru Yi asked. Not wanting to give in.
"Because you made me like this."
Jiang Hai replied. Ru Yi lost all of his words. He just stare silently at Jiang Hai face.
Ru Yi's silence caused a feeling of worry in Jiang Hai's heart. He afraid Ru Yi will misunderstandings about his words again. In the remaining pain, Jiang Hai pulled Ru Yi's hand and made Ru Yi fall right into Jiang Hai's arms.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of their hearts echoed each other. Their breaths intertwined. Jiang Hai carved a smile.
"Are you ready to take your responsibility?"
The question sounded between joking and serious in Ru Yi's ears.
"What do you want?"
Ru Yi asked. Jiang Hai let go of Ru Yi's hand. When Ru Yi tried to get up, Jiang Hai's hand was already hugging him tightly and pulling him closely into his chest.
"Do you understand now?"
He whispered into Ru Yi's ear.