Capítulo 18: ~ As his gaze falls upon the unknown - IV ~
"How do you like it?" Xi Ken asked me, as I sucked at the meat hanging from his chopsticks, my mouth stopping the juices from leaking down at the table.
"Nife." (Nice) I told him with my mouth full of delicious meet.
Well, I was tired after the tiresome walking, so Xi Ken found a restaurant which was selling meat and asked me to sit while he ate, since I hadn't been willing to eat meat in our earlier arrangement. I believed he was doing it on purpose, as I grumbled in my mind like a stingy old man.
The shop was open to sky, so the moonlight and the fainting glow of the day was clearly visible. Even a few stars were up there, brighter and twinkling, almost mischievous.
I chomped on the meat as Xi Ken picked another piece from his plate, gulping it down in the most delicate of manner, the practice and art behind it baffling me, must have taken years to perfect.
The meat was dipped in soup before eating, to reduce the salty tang to it, even I had never eaten such a delicacy before but because I feared what would happen if it was poisonous, I refused to be served.
Well... Xi Ken was a good eater, the way he sat on the cushion and ate the soup of meat was very appetizing. So when he offered, I couldn't refuse him.
The problem was that our table had only one chopstick and the waiter was missing, probably at the back of the house. So, I asked for a bite from Xi Ken's own plate, from his own chopstick. Of course, he looked surprised for a second, his lips twitching for a smile, but then being kind, he did not embarrass me and instead, gave me the meat piece which was too long to be eaten in one bite.
And the soupy gravy falling from the tip gave me a scare, I really did not want the clean wooden table to be sullied by gravy, so I leaned over the table and sucked the juices, tearing off the long pieces of meat bite by bite, cleanly finishing it with a soft moan of delight.
The meat was too delicious to not be appreciated on the spot.
"Hm, seems like you enjoy it," Xi Ken pulled up a smile while describing my behavior, feeding me one more piece as I leaned over again, tilting my head to eat up without getting dirty.
Xi Ken's smile was really nice to see, but there was always a mysterious hint to it, as if he was thinking of another subject when he praised me, or showed me his kindness.
I licked my lips, "I did say I wouldn't eat but my stomach is a bit greedy, so I will apologize."
He chuckled, the breathy rasp making my eyes widen, feeling embarrassed at finding it sexy.
"Another?" he asked, picking another piece from his plate which I noticed was bigger than the rest.
I felt bad for taking advantage of his kindness, but my watering mouth said otherwise, and I leaned over again, so that Xi Ken didn't have to stretch his hand over to feed me. Considering he was giving away his own food for free, I couldn't make him work for me.
"Eat slowly, this is a bit warm," he warned me, making me blow on the meat before sucking as usual.
But now here was the thing, I hadn't known my actions were suggesting anything lewd, but the people sitting on other tables were all staring at me as if I had done some grave mistake.
A woman who was with her kids and sister, she actually even glared at me, frowning slightly.
Well it was a family restaurant, but why did I get the feeling like my actions were sending out a wrong message.
When me and Xi Ken were done with our meal, he took me to the washing section, which was an open field, and a small distance away a small pail of water was kept by the side of the open drain. The condition was rather dirty, and the smell was also not good, but we couldn't leave with dirty hands, so Xi Ken stepped onto the dried up patches of soil and bend down to scoop out some water from the bucket.
The image was disturbing, Xi Ken didn't fit in with dirt. Not at all. He was too beautiful to be sullied.
I noticed that his hair was about to dip into the muddy edges of the drain, so I quickly went over and halted him mid way. "Your hair will get dirty, stand up please, I will tie the strands into a knot."
He nodded, waiting for me, as I combed his hair into one thick tail, twisting it and tying it into a manageable knot. The art of hair grooming coming from the repeat lessons my sister would give me so that I didn't become the reason for her embarrassment.
"I don't wanna be the clown, make your hands work, mom cannot tie it for me and I can't tie on my own."
She used to say this every time I would end up as her hairdresser. At that time it made me offended, why would a guy invest time in learning french braiding, but well, I did, and now I was glad for that lesson.
I couldn't repay Xi Ken just yet, but I will make sure that I didn't give him any problems in the future. And if I could help with even a little bit, I would be glad.
But this was the case only if he didn't turn out to be some backstabber. Although I wondered of what use I would be for him.
"Done, now you can wash your hands," I said, watching as he did just that, taking a bit of ash and some lemon drops, pouring over a few water drops and rubbing them together to sanitize his hands.
I noticed he would have difficulty in washing it properly since there was no running source, so I went over and drew in some water, pouring down a stable stream.
"I will return the favor," he told me, as I bent down to wash my own hands.
Having done with the food and the washing, we quickly left the restaurant, walking down the broader lane which was more silent than before, the hustle bustle of life lessening to a few folks.
"Xi Ken," I drawled, walking slowly to digest food better. Because straining the liver and kidneys right after eating was a big no more me.
"En."
I watched the moon as it glowed brighter, making the path clearly visible, as random passerby took a turn and entered a small hut next to a giant tree. A group of seats thrown on the edges for day time use.
"I was wondering why the people were glaring at me when I was eating the meat, did I lack some manners? Or was eating like that... vulgar..."
He laughed after hearing my worry, quickly bringing me close to him, tapping my head with a friendly familiarity. "Don't think too much, they are simply not used to seeing people sharing food out in the open."
I halted, making him stop as well.
"What do you mean, simply not used to... do people here not share even food?" I looked at his sharp face with an intense stare, almost daring him to lie to me. What rule had I broken again, I really wanted to know.
"Family share food," he nodded, teasing my charm clip and dragging his nail along my ear, back hugging me as I stood under him, like some mess of red.
"And?" I encouraged, when he stopped speaking midway, but he decided to tease me more, encircling my waist with his arm and bringing me closer to his frame, so close that I could feel the warmth of his body seeping into my own.
I unconsciously shivered, and heard him chuckle in response, "You do have some good mouth skills," he complimented slyly, the tone taking on a sensual turn, "but that was not what ruffled their feather the wrong way."
He squeezed my cheeks, placing his chin on my shoulders like some giggly kid, almost making me break under the conflicting emotions he raised in me. "Families share food, couples share chopsticks and lovers offend the most."
"W-What does that mean?" I heard myself ask, as my ears buzzed with the word, 'lover', my cheeks flaming up under his fire.
He did not respond back, but rather, licked my chin and started to suck my collar, pulling aside the over shirt to have better access. His woody scent circling my heightened senses.
W-What was going on?
My mind almost blanked out when his teeth started to drag upwards, right under my chin, sinking on the voice box with a soft growl.
G-Growl?
I flinched away, swatting at his chest in defense, stumbling back in alarm. Really not understanding the situation. Was Xi Ken possessed?
And right at the moment, an old man with lantern in hand was crossing over, minding his own business even if my scared face and Xi Ken's tensed body really made one question what was happening.
'Aren't you even a bit curious old man?' I almost shouted at him.
But when he didn't turn to even blink our way, I lost it, why weren't people staring at me when I needed their attention, curse them, "Hey uncle, can you help me a bit."
Even before the uncle could turn to respond, Xi Ken was already over me, hugging me close and licking at my neck like some dog in heat.
I shivered, pushing him away even if he wouldn't budge. "What is wrong with you?!"
Now I would get mad at him if he didn't stop being silly. I just couldn't understand where the behavior was coming from? And it was rather sudden!
"Did he drink some heavy doze kid?" the old man that had stopped by, asked me seriously, eyeing the behavior with great judgement in his eyes.
"No, I was with him the whole time."
"Then what did he eat in the last span of time you were with him."
I pushed back Xi Ken, and he huffed, almost like a kid, frustrated at my response, at which I rudely wanted to slap him hard.
"He ate meat."
"Which one?"
I frowned at the old man, who simply shrugged, as if saying he had got all night.
"Some babrose meat, or barbosa...?"
"Babliorsa," the old man corrected, only that he didn't seem to be satisfied, "Babliorsa isn't poisonous, although some others are, very much so, they even delude a person or send them in a state of frenzy. Young man, are you sure that the meat you ate was babliorsa?"
I nodded, I had heard that name a too many times when the waiter had been taking our order, so it did not make sense of what I was hearing.
"Then the restaurant might have given you a different meat, most of them are the same, so while eating the eater wouldn't know, only the maker would know what type he serves."
Did that mean... we had been Duped?
Who had the guts to fake meat with Xi Ken! Were they wanting death??
But then what would happen to me now?
I looked back at the smiling Xi Ken, who was twiddling with his finger, looking all demure and shy.
My heart hurt, this almost looked like some test by God.
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