Chapter 8

“What’s wrong with that guy?” Xiu Min turned to Tao.

“Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“You should answer me first, I’m your elder” Tao was taken aback with Xiu Min’s sudden change. He was pushed to the wall, trapped between the shorter arms, both beside his shoulder.

“Does he hurt you?” Xiu Min asked again, this time his tone was softer but still the seriousness still in his face.

“No, it's just... we never got along since we’re kids” Tao answered reluctantly “It’s a good thing we hardly see each other”

Xiu Min lowered his hands and flashed his gummy smile “I was worried there”

Tao still frozen with his brother smile he didn’t listen when his phone rang.

“Tao, yo! Your phone” Xiu Min waved his hand before the younger’s face.

“It’s Mom, we have to get back” Tao sighed after checking his phone and took a step.

Later, at the party...

Xiu Min stared at the people on the edge of the room. A good looking man on his late fifties in a nice tux stood elegantly with his guests taking turn to shake his hand. Guess, that’s the birthday boy, Xiu Min thought.

“Father, happy birthday” Mr. and Mrs. Huang took their turn.

“Lena, Jun Myoung. It’s nice to see you again, and Tao, you grew taller since the last time I saw you” The man hugged Mrs. Huang.

“I’d like you to meet someone, this is Jun Myoung’s son, Xiu Min” and now all eyes went to the pale skin boy who smiled sheepishly and bowed.

“You look a lot like your father” the man said with a smile plastered on his face, but the tone of his voice sounded cold it made Xiu Min flinched.

“Happy birthday, Zufu” Tao cut him.

“Yes, my handsome grand son. Come and talk to me” his face lit up and embraced the tall boy.

And just like that, Xiu Min feel left out once again. The empty feeling came again as he tried to shrug it off. He was just a stranger after all, but the way he was rejected make it harder.

“Xiu Min, come here” a voice suddenly called him.

He turned around like what most of the people did. It was the old man from before, he was sitting in a wheel chair now with Wu Fan and Yi Xing beside him. Their expression was surprised.

“I never introduced my self, haven’t I?” the old man smiled as Xiu Min approached. “I’m Huang Lay Min, head of the family. It’s my son in law who has his birthday today”

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t...” Xiu Min startled.

“No... no.. That’s okay. Could you please stroll this chair so we could walked a bit? I need some fresh air”

“Zeng Zufu, I could take you” Wu Fan said.

“You should enjoy the party, Wu Fan” his great grand father replied. “Well, come on Xiu Min”

Xiu Min could feel the cold stares from the other, he saw his family’s eyes widened in surprise and fear at the same time. Passing by Wu Fan, Xiu Min couldn’t help but to mocked him with his eyes. It felt so good to have the tall guy looked at him with jealousy.

“Where do you want me to take you, sir?” Xiu Min asked politely as he pushed the wheel chair.

“The balcon would be just fine. Let’s look at the stars, shall we”

“How do you find my family?” he asked again after Xiu Min made sure no one was around.

“Well... Um...”

“It’s pretty twisted, right?”

Xiu Min chuckled “Well, I spoke hardly to no one tonight so I couldn’t say it. But you’re great grand son is something”

“You mean Wu Fan? Ah, he’s one of the best” the old man stared at the sky “But let’s not talk about him. I’m sorry for how my son in law greet you just now”

“I could imagine it, his daughter eloped with someone she met in America, a foreigner on top of that” Xiu Min shrugged.

“Yes, she was supposed to married Chen’s father. They both were send to America to study but instead they found each other their mates”

“But I thought they were cousins?” Xiu Min confused now.

“Thanks to the greediness for money and power, uous marriage is a custom in our family. It kept power stayed within the family”

“That’s... gross” now the boy wrenched his nose making head of the family laughed again.

“You’re a very straight forward person, you know?”

“Yeah, someone told me that” he immediately remembered Yi Xing.

“When Lena decided to marry Jun Myoung, my son in law was furious. He cut ties with them and they have to struggle to make their own living. It was the fight of my late daughter to reconcile both of them and for Tao’s sake my son in law approved”

“But I often wandered if it was best to keep them out of the family. They were happy on their own. Why would we ruin it?”

“Why? What happened?” Xiu Min asked worriedly.

“Well, not everyone could accept it, until now my son in law couldn’t meet Jun Myoung in the eye. No one recognized them, and kids, they tend to be mean sometimes”

“Did Wu Fan bullied him?” Xiu Min tightened his fist. He just knew he’ll hate that Wu Fan guy in an instant.

“Do you know that both you and Tao had the same attitude?” Mr. Huang chuckled “They also hated each other since they met, but Tao could protect himself very well, he learned martial arts and who would want to mess with a boy who looked angry all the time?”

“Tao was... alone” Mr. Huang continued “His parents were businessman, he’s an only child and he had pressures from the family so it tired him out. Somehow, I am glad that you come, Xiu Min” he looked up to now the flutered boy “And I think he did too”

“Where have you been?” Tao was waiting inside the car when Xiumin sat on the passenger seat and started to drove off.

“Tao, pull over” Xiu Min said.

“Wae?” the younger was irritated. Xiu Min was talking to his frat grand father all night while he was stucked with his grandfather and relatives.

“I said, pull over” Xiu Min said again in a soft but demanding voice, it reminded Tao a lot of their father. So he did.

“What is it, ge?” he whined as he pull the hand brake and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped him. “What the...?” he pushed the other one but surprisingly Xiu Min was strong.

Xiu Min linked his hands around Tao’s shoulder and embraced him to his chest while he burried his face to Tao’s hair.

“Don’t push me again” he whispered “I’m here now”

Tao’s struggle ceased, he felt the warm on his brother’s voice, heard his firm heart beat and smell his manly soft scent. A drop of tear fall to his cheek as he tried hard to muffle his feelings inside. Then he decided it’s a battle he couldn’t win, so he stayed still, while more tears fall down.

I didn't re read it again so sorry if there's any typos or it .

It's 2 am here and I need my beauty sleep -_-;

Anyway, Xiumin approve so...