28 THE SOCCER BALL AND THE SKY (1/2)
When Xuan Tianyi woke up, he was disappointed that Hua Zhendan wasn't in the room. All he saw was a note that read, 'Something came up, had to hurry to work. Left my credit card in your wallet; know you need the money. Take care of yourself and get to the beach early. Love you.'
That note had made Xuan Tianyi's morning. At least, till he remembered he would have to take a bus. He hated traveling by bus so much that just the thought of it was getting him car sick.
After a three hours bus ride, Xuan Tianyi finally arrived at the beach. The ride had been exactly as he had predicted it would be. Tiresome. Xuan Tianyi was now both mentally and physically exhausted.
The beach was holding a small crowd in it, and he could tell right away that this crowd was from Shenhua corporation. They were shooting a movie alright.
Lazily, he looked around. The only familiar face he saw belonged to his sworn enemy; Tan Yao. At this moment, Xuan Tianyi forgot his hatred for Tan Yao. He was happy to see a familiar face and that was all he knew.
”Tan Yao,” he called out, waving.
Tan Yao turned around and stared at Xuan Tianyi in surprise. He was surprised for two reasons; first, he didn't know Xuan Tianyi would be here. Second, Xuan Tianyi had waved at him energetically. Like they were friends. And third? Was Xuan Tianyi walking towards him?
”Hey,” Xuan Tianyi said again before pulling Tan Yao into a small hug. ”Long time, no see.”
Tan Yao spoke when Xuan Tianyi finally released him. ”What's going on here?”
”Where?” Xuan Tianyi glanced around lazily.
”I mean with you.” Tan Yao blocked Xuan Tianyi's line of vision with his broad shoulders, and pointed a finger at him accusingly.
”I don't get what you mean,” Xuan Tianyi shrugged.
”You don't get what I mean? What are you doing here? And why are you being so friendly to me? You're never friendly to me.”
Xuan Tianyi smiled. Hua Zhendan was the only reason he disliked Tan Yao before. Now that Hua Zhendan was his, he couldn't think of a reason to dislike Tan Yao anymore. ”Don't think about it too much. We're friends. But only for today.”
”Why?” Tan Yao asked.
”Because I don't know anyone else around here.” Xuan Tianyi said honestly.
Tan Yao chuckled. ”You're an idiot, you know that?”
”Everyone says that to me so often Im beginning to believe I am.”
Tan Yao laughed. ”So what are you doing here?”
”Photoshoot. For sunglasses. Yourself?”
”Photoshoot as well,” Tan Yao held up a plastic bottle Xuan Tianyi hadn't noticed before. ”For these.”
Xuan Tianyi's mouth watered. He only now noticed he was thirsty. ”How can I get one of those?”
Tan Yao stared at the bottle, ”These? President Hua gave me this. Perhaps you should ask him.”
Xuan Tianyi could have swore his heart stopped beating for a minute. ”He's here?”
”Of course.” Tan Yao scanned the area. He pointed his index finger to a figure a few feets away. ”There he is.”
As Xuan Tianyi looked in the direction Tan Yao pointed at, Hua Zhendan himself looked in the direction Xuan Tianyi stood. Both of their eyes met. Both faces became rigid and unsmiling. One wondering why his boyfriend was giving some other man soft drinks, while the other was wondering why his boyfriend was standing with another man. Possibly chattering away.
Xuan Tianyi was very irritated. But it wasn't like he could just walk up to Hua Zhendan and demand an explanation. Feeling like there was only one thing he could do, he pulled Tan Yao's hand and led him to the corner of one of the cottages on the beach that were unoccupied. Little did he know that Hua Zhendan had followed. Hua Zhendan wanted to know what was going on between those two.
”What are you doing?” Tan Yao asked.
Xuan Tianyi let go of his hand and spoke roughly. ”I don't know what you're up to, but I want you to stay away from my boyfriend.”
Hua Zhendan smiled after hearing Xuan Tianyi speak. So his boyfriend was only jealous and wanted to tell the other man off.
”Who's your boyfriend?” Tan Yao asked.
”Hua Zhendan,” Xuan Tianyi replied.
Tan Yao went quiet for a moment before bursting into a small, uncontrollable laughter.
Hua Zhendan frowned.
”What's funny?” Xuan Tianyi asked.
”President Hua is your boyfriend?”
”Yes, he is.”
”Thtat. That is what is funny.”
”Why?”
”Because that's wishful thinking.”
”How so?”
”First, I don't think President Hua is into guys. Second, even if he were, he would never go for someone like you.”
”Why do you think so? Am I not good enough for him?”
”No, you're not. I mean, you're cute. But when it comes to you, everything else is a big no. You're like a soccer ball. While President Hua is like the sky. No matter how high you dare to bounce, you'll never reach his standard.”
These words hurt Xuan Tianyi's heart. Because he felt like all of it were true.
When Tan Yao saw Xuan Tianyi being so quiet, he realized he may have hurt his feelings. ”I don't mean to insult you. I'm just saying you're not good enough for Hua Zhendan and you shouldn't be so delusional to believe he could like someone like you.
”If you like him though, you should go for it. Confess your feelings to him, but I really don't think you're his type.”
”And you think you're his type?”
”Oh… No! Not at all. If anything, you're more of his type than I could ever be. If you're like a soccer ball, then I'm pretty much an old, dirty soccer ball.”
”You know… That wasn't the reply I was expecting.”
”What reply were you expecting?”
”I was expecting you to say you weren't into guys. And that you'd probably also say you like my sister.”
”I don't like your sister.”
”Then why did you follow her to come see me?”