23 To home

Earth, 2018

The pretty boy gave a cute smile, showing small dimples on both his cheeks. "Nice to meet you, I'm Ling Yao."

Kira was silent from shock.

Meng nudged him, but he sat still, gaping at Ling Yao. Awkwardly, Yi Meng smiled and said "Hello, this is Sategawa Kira and I'm Yi Meng."

His eyes sparkled and he took a seat. "You look really pretty, Sister. Do you mind if I call you sister?"

"Of course not. Would you like to drink something?"

"Fruit juice would be fine." He smiled again. Meng was reminded of her brother by name, Yoru.

"And what would the gentleman here like?" Meng asked with gritted teeth, turning towards Kira. On hearing no response, she stomped on his feet.

"Holy-!" He cried out.

"I asked you something." Meng said twirling a lock of hair.

"I'll take some beer."

"Got it. Two fruit juice and a beer please." Meng said to a waiter.

"So, which school do you go to? " Meng asked casually.

"I've not taken admission yet. I recently came back from Canada. What about him?" He gestures to Kira, smiling.

"I-I go to X high school." Kira replied.

"Eh? Is that so? What about Sister Meng?"

"Same. I don't mean to be rude but, why-?" Meng started, but was interrupted by him.

"Why am I, a boy, here for a date with another boy?" He asked knowingly. A sad smile rose up on his face. "Actually, when I was small, I was often being harassed by people, especially girls. As a result, I felt uncomfortable whenever I came close in contact with them. My skin would break out in hives, my breathing becomes laboured and I get a panic attack." He admitted sheepishly.

"Which is why, I stopped having contact with girls. It came as a shock, but I'm more comfortable with dating a male than a female." His eyes looked slightly lonely.

Meng felt bad for tricking him.

"My mother was worried about me, so she called Setagawa-kun's mother and asked her to set up a date."

"That old hag." Kira muttered under his breath.

"I hope we'll get along Setagawa-kun." Ling Yao said with a slight blush.

Seeing his adorable face, made something stir inside Kira. He relaxed his body and asked "Have you ever been in a relationship?"

"Yes, once. It was a girl though."

"And have you ever... slept with someone?" He asked.

Ling Yao blushed deeply, making Meng sigh.

"No, I haven't."

Kira nodded and exchanged a look with Meng. He let out a breath and said "Look, Ling Yao. You're a nice guy, but I'm straight. Yi Meng is my girlfriend. I don't want to date anyone else."

"What?" He asked shocked.

"I'm sorry, but it's true."

Ling Yao was quiet for a while, before he gave a sigh. "Ah man, and here I thought I'll finally get to work out tonight." He drawled out.

".... Eh?"

"Exactly what you heard. I can't believe you actually thought I was a virgin and even bought that stupid emo story." He snorted out loud.

Yi Meng mentally flipped a table. 'What's with this change in attitude? Is this what they call a gap moe*?'

She looked over to see Kira looking like a ghost.

Ling Yao picked up the beer that Kira had ordered and drank it all up in just one gulp. "That hit the spot." He burped.

Meng didn't know whether to laugh or bang her head.

"And about that relationship thing, I don't believe you. Just because you know my true nature, doesn't mean I'll give up. I like his body." Ling Yao gave Kira a playful wink, makkng Kira shudder.

"We really are dating." He said.

"Then prove it. Kiss her." Ling Yao said with a smirk.

Kira paled, his brown hair standing out even more. He turned towards Meng, and gave her an apologetic look, even after she glared at him secretly.

'I'm sorry.' He mouthed.

He held her face with his hands and leaned closer to her. Just as their lips were going to touch, a voice sounded. "You look like you're having a lot of fun, darling~"

Meng immediately pushed away Kira. Her eyes widened as they gazed at a muscular man dressed in a black suit.

"Oh, not bad. I would gladly tap that butt." Ling Yao said with a seductive smile, making Meng look at him with raised eyebrows.

"What? He's hot." He shrugged.

"Unfortunately, I belong to this beautiful young lady over here." The muscular man, who was none other than Sora, said pulling Yi Meng towards him.

"Who are you?" Kira asked shocked.

"Her lover." He gave a dark smile.

"I thought she was your lover." Ling Yao commented to Kira.

"That's what I also thought." Kira mumbled.

Meng gave a small awkward smile and said to Ling Yao. "Sorry, we lied. I'm not dating him. He's all yours."

'You can do whatever you want with him. Because of him, I got captured by this man again.' Meng thought darkly.

"Let's have a talk, darling." Sora said to Meng, a smile appearing on his face, making the girls around squeal.

They both took a seat at a table.

"Mind explaining what you were doing?"

"Does it matter? We're husband and wife only in name. Who I go out with, is none of your business." Meng said stiffly.

Sora smiled and clasped her chin. "That's where you're wrong darling. We're real husband and wife, which means I won't tolerate any cheating."

Meng shivered as she felt his warm breath hit her tender, sensitive skin. "I didn't cheat. He wanted me to pretend to be his lover, so that he could get out of his date."

"That doesn't explain why he tried to kiss you."

"That-that was only to prove to his date that we're lovers."

"And you were going to let him?"

"Of course not."

"Oh~? It didn't seem like that to me."

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't come already. Next time, I'll make sure"

He was silent for a while, his intense eyes examining her. "There will be no next time. Got that?"

She gulped but nodded. "What are you doing here?" She asked nervously. 'It can't be that he followed me right?'

"Business meeting. I'll go back to it. You should go pick up Haru."

"Yes. I'll get going." Meng let out a sigh of relief.

She got up and walked to Kira's table. "I'm leaving. It's getting late." She said and greeted both of them goodbye, ignoring Kira's pleading look.

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Yi Meng was standing in front of Haru's school, waiting for him to come. She waited for fifteen minutes, but he didn't arrive. She went in and asked the teacher in charge. The teacher in charge said that Haru had already left.

Meng frowned, worried where the little boy had disappeared to. She decided to search for him near the school.

She finally spotted him near a garbage bin. To her surprise, he was standing with his hands spread protectively in front of him. Many boys of the same age were holding stones in their hands. Meng wanted to leap in, but that was when she noticed that the boys weren't going to throw stones at Haru, but at the person Haru was protecting. Behind Haru, was a trembling young boy, dressed shabbily, but still looking cute.

"Stop it! He hasn't done anything." Haru shouted.

"He's dirty. He picks up garbage. He belongs there too." One of the boys said.

"He's the garbage boy. Stay away, or you'll become like him too." Someone else said.

The boy behind Haru shivered, tears welling in his big eyes. "They're right, Haru-chan. I'm dirty, you'll get dirty too. I'll be okay. You don't have to protect me." His voice was also trembling, but his tone was considerate. On a closer look, his head was already bleeding, perhaps because of a stone that had hit him earlier.

"I don't care. This is your job. They shouldn't laugh for that." Haru said stubbornly.

"What? Are you in love with him or something? You homo!" A boy yelled, but Haru ignored him.

"He's my friend."

The boys grew angry, no longer caring whether Haru was there or not and just as they threw a stone, it was kicked away by Meng.

"Alright, that's enough. You kids should be kids. Resorting to violence is for cowards. I'll complaint to your mothers." Meng said sternly.

The boys, scared, ran away.

"Mama!' Haru exclaimed in surprise.

Meng smiled, rubbing his head. She felt proud of Haru's actions. A small head peeked at her from behind Haru. A shy look appeared on his face as the small boy said "Thank you Haru-chan and Big sister."

"No need for thanks. Momo is my only friend." Haru said with a cute smile, pinching Momo's cheeks.

Meng knelt down and her hand reached out to ruffle Momo's hair but he flinched. "Big Sister, I'm dirty. If you touch me, you'll get dirty too."

"Dirty?"

"Umm..my parents aren't there, so I pick up garbage and take it to the garbage dumping grounds. The money I get, I use it to buy food."

He said with a smile.

Meng's heart melted. "Listen up Momo. There is no dirty or clean job. The work you do is not less than that of being a president. There is no small work. After all, Momo works as hard as the president everyday right?" She says with a kind smile and pats his head.

His face grows warm and he nods in excitement. His slightly blushing face becomes even more red when Haru kisses his cheek, laughing."Momo is the cutest."

"Momo, would you like to come with us?" Yi Meng asked with a close eyed smile.

"Where Big sister?" He asks with sparkling, innocent eyes.

"To home."

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Gap moe*: when a person real nature is a contrast to how they usually act,but they seem cute because of that.