It was the night before the summer trip, and all through the house.... All you can hear is Mo Jiagei, Mo Jiagei, Mo Jiagei, and Mo Aini is already stressed out.
"Da Ge what scent does Mo Jiagei like? Cedarwood or fresh bamboo? Help me choose a deodorant, please!"
"Da Ge, should I even bring any shirts? I feel like I should show my abs as much as I can so Mo Jiagei would notice."
"Da Ge, what kind of food does Mo Jiagei like? What jewelry? What clothing?"
"Da Ge!"
Mo Aini raised a hand exasperatedly and shouted. "Alright! Alright! I get it! You're trying so hard to get a score on Mo Jiagei this summer trip, big deal!"
At this, the insatiable Tiger Emperor that cannot be calmed from 3 o'clock in the morning till 4 in the afternoon shut his mouth. The servants had been dismissed since yesterday because their master was going on this seven-day trip so they could also have a little summer vacation themselves.
That means all the work of preparing the Young Master Hu's things was passed to his Da Ge.
Mo Aini rubbed his face looking haggard as hell with huge eyebags about to look like a panda. "Fuck! I didn't get a wink of sleep and I'm going to a fancy island like this.....Ugghhh...."
He went to the guest room and slammed the door!
Hu Chuntian frowned. He hesitated a bit, feet shifting from side to side. He was about to open the door, then decided it was better to knock, then decided against knocking too.
Instead, he leaned in to hear how Mo Aini is doing inside.
He heard a loud, frustrated, "Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!" Along with the bedpost being kicked, then a yelp and a string of curses.
Hu Chuntian bit on his nails subconsciously. He is the great Tiger Emperor, he never feels guilty or anxious about wronging someone. He was brought up as a spoiled brat. The only person he felt like who would make him anxious is Mo Jiagei.
But somehow.... he is getting nervous about how Mo Aini is acting.
He didn't even realize that his eyes is starting to become watery from the distress.
He saw a tear fell, and immediately wiped it away.
But just as he did so, Mo Aini opened the door again.
"Hey, where is the massage oil again? I stubbed my toe and got a foot cramp...." Mo Aini quickly stopped when he saw him sniffing. "Wait.... why are you crying?"
"Da Ge...." Hu Chuntian looked away, fists clenched. "Are you mad at me?"
"Shit no! How can I be mad at you!?" Mo Aini immediately wiped his tears away. "What even made you think that I could be mad at you!? It's impossible!"
(With those sincere blue eyes, who the hell would!?) Mo Aini was really confused about how his A-Tian would even consider him being angry at him, when he knows how much he adores him. But soon he realized that his A-Tian doesn't remember this, because he doesn't have the memories from the past world.
"You seem to be irritated by me, and you slammed the door at me." Hu Chuntian tried not to, but his childish pout came nonetheless. "If I did something wrong, please tell me."
Mo Aini sighed, ruffling his hair. "I'm not irritated at you..... Don't cry anymore, you're already 19 and you shouldn't be so sensitive to such a small thing."
(I'm more irritated by the predicament we're in. How I can do nothing but drink vinegar and sulk day and night every time you mention my sister.) He thought, eyes lowering sadly.
"I'm just stressed and tired, A-Tian. That's why I lashed out. But it's not your fault." Mo Aini gave him a comforting smile. "You're just excited to see my sister again. I shouldn't rain on your parade and stop your happiness."
Mo Aini said the last two words with much difficulty, but kept up his poker face. "Let's just... take a break. We've been preparing our luggage since early this morning. I barely got any sleep."
"Oh, ok...." Hu Chuntian nodded. "It's just that, I wanted to make sure that once we get to the Island, Mo Jiagei will just be mine and she will choose to spend time with me. I need to make sure that she falls in love with me as soon as possible. I'm so desperate here, Da Ge. I know it sounds pathetic, but I don't want to lose her to anyone."
('Desperate and pathetic'. Why does he have to say those words again?)
Mo Aini felt like his heart was basically being kneaded by a rolling pin and being turned into a special Unrequited Love Pizza.
"I know how you feel, A-Tian. Believe me, I do." Mo Aini had already forgotten about the ache on his foot because there is a much more bigger ache in his chest.
"But let's talk about something else besides my sister for now, okay? We're going to a beautiful island for a whole week, there are so many fun things that we could plan that do not involve Mo Jiagei, right? Just some summer bonding for us.... us friends?"
Hu Chuntian rubbed his chin. "You're right. I do plan to hang out with you too, Da Ge....."
Mo Aini let out a sigh in relief when Hu Chuntian continued—
"So that you can bring me and Mo Jiagei closer! You can pretend to trip her so I could catch her, or maybe set us up to get lost away from the group so we would find ourselves alone in a cave, or maybe even distract everyone once we leave so that we would be left on the island!"
Hu Chuntian continued prattling on about his wild fantasies, and Mo Aini knew this would last all the way till tomorrow. And he wouldn't get any sleep again.
This needs a serious intervention! If nothing saves him and his sanity right now, he can just go up the roof of this mansion and say sayonara as he jumps on the bed of chrysanthemum and never sees the light of day again!
------------------------
He decided that intervention should be beer.
He made a huge mistake.
"Oh."
That was all Mo Aini could say after all his ramblings. A simple, uninterested 'Oh'.
His plan was to get Hu Chuntian drunk so he would fall asleep and he can now go to bed in peace for the trip the next day. But the Tiger Emperor showed no signs of getting knocked out by 15 bottles so easily! He was already wasted yet he's still wide awake!
Is he forever injected with chicken blood!? Where did he take all this energy from and when can Mo Aini get some himself, because he sorely needed it from all the fatigue this lovable but troublesome delinquent had caused him.
".....even when I could see her hanging around with someone else, right in front of me!" Hu Chuntian wiped his tears and snot, as he continued his monologue.
They were watching TV while drinking, and right on time, a dramatic song was in the background, much to Mo Aini's annoyance.
"Oh?" He only drank a couple of sips because he doesn't want to get a hangover or get a blackout since he still have to take care of this drunk little tiger.
"I just want to receive from her the love I never felt from any other woman!"
"Oh?"
"I want her to know.... That I love her."
Mo Aini frowned, lowering down his beer. (Then we want the same thing, brat. We want the same damn thing, to have the one we love know that we love them.)
After this, Hu Chuntian's eyes started to get droopy. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, lazily opened it, closed it for a longer while.....
Then eventually fell asleep.
Mo Aini double-checked, poking his chin. "A-Tian?"
No response. He was sleeping like a baby, giving a little snore.
He still tried to make sure, pinching his cheeks now. "A-Tian? Hello?"
Nope. He's completely out cold.
Mo Aini smiled, letting out a heavy breath. "Phew! Fucking finally!"
He went over to Hu Chuntian's side and observed his sleeping face for a while. He missed seeing this face so close to him. Those long lashes that he likes to run his finger over..... The fresh smell of cherry blossom.... The soft hair.
All of these used to be given to him wholeheartedly by Hu Chuntian, and he realized how much he had taken these small things for granted.
"When will you remember me?" He wondered, leaning on the same position on the table as his little tiger, and pushing away stray locks of hair. "You're right, I really am a jealous bastard. I feel like I'm dying every time someone else's name comes out of your mouth, someone who isn't me. Was I always like this?"
"Or did you shower me with so much affection... that I got addicted to it?" Mo Aini held Hu Chuntian's face.
"No one loved me like you did, A-Tian. That's why I desperately and pathetically want it back."
Mo Aini placed his forehead against Hu Chuntian. "I want you back. So badly. Please come back to me."
At this, Hu Chuntian stirred a bit, groaning and his eyelashes fluttering. Mo Aini immediately let go, face flushed red. Did he hear.....?
"Da Ge....." Hu Chuntian stopped leaning at the table and stared at him straight in the eye.
Mo Aini waited in expectantly, his heart going on a rollercoaster just from the anticipation.
"Da Ge.... I....." Hu Chuntian moved closer....
And closer.....
And puked up a storm on his shirt!
"Shit! Brat! What the hell!?" Mo Aini yelled.
"I don't feel.... so good..... Ah...." Hu Chuntian mumbled, resting his head on Mo Aini's shoulder. "Sor—"
Before he could finish his apology, he passed out again.
"Hey! Wake up, you brat! We have to clean this up! Hey!" Mo Aini shook him, but it was to no avail. If it weren't for his small breaths, he would have been as good as dead.
"Uggh, seriously!" Mo Aini grimaced at the green goo on his shirt. He tried to push Hu Chuntian aside so he could clean himself first, but the unconscious Tiger Emperor still leaned on him.
He can't stand up because of it, so he settled on taking off his dirty shirt and tossing it to the floor. He'll have to pick it up and wash it later once he brought this man to bed.
"Blegh! Why do I do this to myself!?" Mo Aini took Hu Chuntian by the arm and dragged him first to the bathroom. "I don't even know if I wish the servants were here or not. I definitely could use some help, but I don't want them to see their master like this either!"
He brought Hu Chuntian to the basin, pushing some water mixed with mouth wash to his lips. "Hey, gargle this a bit."
Hu Chuntian wouldn't stir for a long time, and when he did wash his mouth, he spat out the water so sloppily. Mo Aini's patience is running low but the babysitting isn't over yet.
He pulled up Hu Chuntian's shirt. "Come on, we'll get you changed."
He took off all his and Hu Chuntian's clothing except the boxers. He took them and his shirt that got the most damage inside the washing machine to be dealt with after he gives A-Tian a sponge bath at the tub.
[It seems that the user got demoted from doting boyfriend to doting nanny.]
(Shut up.) He responded lazily and shut off the system in his head.
The man behind the screen happily shut up since he enjoys the show and the nice view handed to him.
After cleaning up, he carried the sleeping delinquent on his back and went upstairs to Hu Chuntian's bedroom to look for clothes he could change on. He gently lay him beside the stuffed toy Hu-Hu, tucking it under his arm before rummaging on his drawers and closets.
While doing so, Mo Aini found a sketchbook under layers of black and orange striped pajamas.
He raised an eyebrow. "Hu Chuntian sketches?"
He knows about Hu Chuntian's... beginner's skill when it comes to art, so he's really curious about this sketchbook. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to open the lights and only the moon outside serve as his light, so he can't see the sketch clearly.
He decided to put it inside Hu Chuntian's luggage and ask him about it tomorrow, maybe even giving him some advice and offering to teach him so he could find a way to be closer to him and finally bring out the topic of the photo album.
He brought the pair of pajamas over to the bed, and tried to dress up Hu Chuntian many times but the drunk boy wouldn't budge. He himself has to go back to the living room, clean the beer bottles, wash his clothes, change into his own PJs and get some sleep because they have a cruise ship to catch up to tomorrow.
"Come on, A-Tian. The last time I checked the clock, it's already 11:47! And I really need some sleep here!" He pleaded and tried to hook one of Hu Chuntian's arms inside the shirt, but Hu Chuntian just limp to the side, snoring.
He sighed. "Fine. You're used to sleeping naked anyway, I'll just go and clean up your mess."
Mo Aini was about to get up, when Hu Chuntian tackle-hugged him!
"What the...!?" Mo Aini struggled to get out of the tight grasp but Hu Chuntian stuck to him like glue.
"Mnn... Don't go..... I love you..." Hu Chuntian mumbled in his sleep.
Mo Aini's heart raced at full speed like the taxi he took back at the airport. Could this mean that Hu Chuntian remembers----
"Mo Jiagei. I love you.... Ms. Mo.... Mo Jiagei....."
Mo Aini: ...
He coldly lifted Hu Chuntian's arm off him. "Get off me. I'm not my fucking sister."
But just as he was about to get off the bed, the fatigue and tiredness he had since this morning caught up to him....
And also fell asleep, right beside Hu Chuntian, both of them only wearing underwear.
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