章 52: Chapter 52- The Family You Choose
Relating to Episode 29 of Love O2O
In exchange for Hao Mei claiming the best room for himself and KO, he was 'volunteered' for BBQ duty. Technically, they'd both been volunteered but as no one wanted to take KO's place as head chef he was off the hook for the rest of it. Which left Mei cleaning the BBQ and getting it lit while the rest of the guys hit the pool. Just in case anyone felt sorry for Mei, Ban Shan and Yong Hou had shared stories about some of his early cooking attempts when he'd just moved into the dormitories. These stories were taken as proof that Mei was great at lighting fires... so he was left to do so in peace. Fortunately for everyone, Mr Chef was very particular about his work space and had printed off instructions before leaving the office. Mei had watched him in the kitchen enough that had no trouble following the precise instructions and before long the BBQ was heating nicely.
"Senior KO and the others are swimming... you're not going to take a look?" Bei Wei Wei offered him a drink of water and he took it gratefully.
"Who says you'll know how to swim if you grow up by the sea? I only know how to eat fish." The gods were smiling on him if Wei Wei was the first one he tried his excuse with; she was more naive than the others but if she accepted his story then no one else would question. Such was the power of being Laoda's furen.
"All right," Wei Wei shrugged. If Mei wasn't swimming then at least she wouldn't be the only one sitting on the side watching. It didn't take long before Mei was wiping his hands on his pants.
"Okay, this is all good," he grinned at Wei Wei. "Let's go watch them swim."
"This would be you forcing me to go."
"Let's go. I'm forcing you to go." Mei grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the pool. they could hear raucous laughter echoing in the glass atrium and it was hard to stay apart and set up the barbecue. Especially when Mei was used to being in the centre of that much noise. "Let's go watch them swim."
Contrary to Mei's expectations, only Xiao Nai and KO were still in the pool. The noise came from their friends sitting on the sidelines, teasing the two men about being unable to define 'relaxation'. It wasn't long before basic male posturing led to a competition between the two... which led to Mei's current predicament.
"Eh?" He scratched his head as he watched KO swim away. "What did I do?"
"Think it through and then go and apologise or Ban Shan will have to cook."
"Hey!" Ban Shan hit Li Qiang over the back of the head, then smirked. "But he's right. Hurry, Mei, and make up to your husband. We're all getting hungry."
"Yeah."
"Hurry, hurry."
"Make up quick. We want food."
Several hands pushed Mei towards the opposite end of the pool where KO was leaning against the wall with his face half in the water. He cleared his throat as he approached, squatting next to the swimmer.
"Hey, KO. What's wrong?" The clear water, Mei decided, was a curse. How was he supposed to concentrate on finding out what was wrong with KO, when he had the perfect view of his bare chest... all wet... he licked his lips then spluttered as he copped a face full of water. "Eh? What was that for?"
"So thirsty." KO pulled his swim cap off and ran his hand through his hair. Mei's mind went blank.
"You're thirsty? I'll get you a drink." Another wave of water splashed over his face and into his open mouth. Coughing and spluttering, he wiped chlorinated water from his eyes. "Eh? What was that for?"
KO turned around, facing his unimpressed partner. "That was for cheering for Laoda."
"What?" Mei blinked at him.
It was like shutters closed over KO's face and Mei finally clicked.
"You're mad because I cheered for laosan?" He hid a smile. Was his KO pouting because he cheered for Xiao Nai? So cute.
KO merely narrowed his eyes at Mei before pushing off from the wall, arrowing down the pool. Mei rocked back on his heels. Now what did I do? He could see the guys at the end of the pool waving their arms and mouthing obscenities at him. It was easy to see that they were worried about who was going to cook their lunch but how was he supposed to sweet talk KO if he didn't even know exactly what it was he'd done wrong... and had an overly interested audience? As KO touched the wall at Mei's feet, turning around to swim another lap, Mei waved his hands at his peers- shooing them away. The rowdy bunch left, and Mei heaved a sigh of relief. Now to try and figure out how to fix the mistake he'd obviously made. Sometimes being an adult sucked.
Mei lay on the wet floor, chin propped on folded arms, waiting for KO to reach the wall once more. This time, when the hacker touched the wall, Mei reached down and grabbed his wrist. KO held onto the wall and their faces were level.
"Sorry."
"What for?"
"Cheering for Xiao Nai. Making you mad."
KO sighed and leaned his forehead against Mei's. "I'm not mad because you cheered for Xiao Nai... I'm mad because you didn't cheer for me."
"Huh?" Mei's forehead wrinkled against KO's. "That doesn't make sense. If I cheer for Xiao Nai then I'm not cheering for you, but if I cheer for you I'm not cheering for Xiao Nai and what am I even saying?"
"Just..." Taking a deep breath, the hacker closed his eyes. "Cheer for me. Believe in me."
"I do."
Mei pulled away, cupping KO's face with his hand and rubbing the other man's cheek with his thumb until those dark eyes slowly opened.
"I believe in you. I really do." His thumb stroked over KO's eyebrows, down his cheek and Mei's fingers curled against the side of his face. "I have known Xiao Nai for nearly five years. We've shared a dorm, studied together, played together, started a business together... I trust him, and love him like a brother. I know he will be there for me."
When KO tried to pull away, his face dark, Mei grabbed his shoulders with both hands. The water on his skin made him slippery and lying flat on the ground while trying to hold onto a disgruntled swimmer was easier said than done, but Mei needed KO to hear him out.
"You know what he means to me... but if you don't know what you mean to me, then that's my fault. KO..." He wanted until the man looked at him, holding the eye contact. He couldn't look away now, no matter how embarrassing he found the whole situation. KO deserved to hear it plainly. "You mean more to me in the last year, than Xiao Nai ever could. You're the one I think about when I think of the future. You're the one I wonder about- are you getting enough sleep, eating enough, not working too hard? These weeks while we were all basically living at the office, I was jealous of the two of you working so close together... because I wanted to be the one next to you. I'm competitive, and I let that get the best of me. And I'm sorry for that. I'm not used to having a partner's feelings to worry about- I'll do better in the future."
"Why?" There was no elaboration but Mei knew what KO meant.
"Because I love you."
"Oh... you do?" An eyebrow twitched and Mei tried unsuccessfully to hide the grin that stretched his lips at the sight of his hacker unthawing. The sparkle in his eyes gave KO the barest warning before Mei answered him.
"I love you, oppa."
"What are they doing?"
"Still talking."
"What are they saying?"
"Idiot. Am I Batman to be able to hear from this distance?"
"What are they doing now?
"Still talki..."
"What?"
"We're saved!"
"Eh?"
"Ban Shan doesn't have to cook lunch anymore."
"Mei fixed it?"
"Well," Qui Yong Hou coughed and pulled away from the doorway he'd been peering around. "Mei did something, anyway."
"What do you mean? Did he fix it?" Curiosity got the best of Wang Wei and he took a look for himself. When he turned back to the others his face was slightly red. "I see what you mean. Something. Ah... lets all get changed so we can eat lunch in dry clothes?"
"Good idea." The rest of the group took their cue from Yong Hou and Wei's red faces and left for their rooms.
Inside the atrium, the two men slowly pulled away from each other. Mei licked his lips and grinned at KO.
"That word really does it for you, doesn't it?"
"Not the word," KO pressed one last kiss to Mei's lips before dragging himself out of the pool. Water ran down his chest and Mei forgot how to breath. "Only when you say it, E-Mei. Only you."
For the first time, Mei had no snippy comeback and could only blush in response. When he scrambled to his feet, water dripped from his shirt and KO laughed.
"You look like you went swimming after all."
"Whose fault is that?"
"You lay on the ground next to the pool. Of course there will be water."
"Eh? And who splashed me?" Happily bickering, Mei grabbed a towel and passed it to KO before reaching for his own. With his face buried in the towel, he failed to notice the warmth that filled KO's eyes at the gesture. It was small, with no thought behind it, but for KO that small action of putting him first, spoke thousands. When Mei finally looked up, satisfied that he'd dried his hair enough it wouldn't drip into his eyes, he found KO staring at him.
"What?"
"E-Mei," Now it was KO's turn to cup his partner's face- KO's turn to lean and press his lips gently to Mei's. "I love you too. Now let's go and feed the horde before they come looking for us."
"Hmm." Mei nodded his agreement, lips tingling from the kisses in the pool and the one that just happened. Just as he was considering whether lunch was really that important, his stomach growled. He sighed. Food first... then maybe he could drag KO away? Now that was a plan.
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